Help! My Pentax K-01 Will Not Turn On

CameraObscura · 01-03-2015, 04:29 PM

My K-01 was working fine yesterday. Today, I turned the switch and the camera won't turn on. No lights, no sound, simply nothing. I was hoping that the battery had died so I charged it for several hours until the charger light went out. Tried again and same thing. Saw a few other threads about similar episodes so I also tried removing the SDHC card and using a different lens. Nothing.

Any suggestions anyone?

Na Horuk · 01-03-2015, 04:35 PM

It might still be a battery problem. I mean, I hope its a battery problem, because buying a new battery is not that expensive. Can you try the camera with another battery (fully charged, and left outside of the camera overnight?)
Also, did the camera get wet or anything like that recently? Do the buttons (on/off) work normally, or is it maybe stuck, damaged?

CameraObscura · 01-03-2015, 04:45 PM

The camera is in excellent condition physically. Has only been used a little and has no damage. Buttons work normally and all contacts look pristine. I don't have another battery with which to test it. I will leave the battery out tonight and try again tomorrow. I do recall that the battery indicator was at max yesterday. Yet, when I inserted the battery into the charger today, the LED blinked for a moment before starting to charge and took ~5 hours before the LED went out. I am hoping it is just the battery.

ofer4 · 01-03-2015, 10:52 PM - **1 Like**

Try re-seating the memory card and door, too. I had a similar panic once, and it just turned out to be the card/door in a slightly open position.

TaoMaas · 01-04-2015, 06:46 AM

I was having a problem with my K-01 where my camera would power up and seem to work until I actually tried to take a picture. As soon as the shutter tripped, the camera would lock up and go black. If I took the battery out and charged it again, the camera would power up again...until I tried to take a picture. Then it would die. I thought something was possibly shorting out my battery when the shutter would trip, but it turned out just to be the battery. I bought a non-Pentax battery from B&H and my K-01 has been working fine ever since.

CameraObscura · 01-04-2015, 03:25 PM

I tried again today after leaving the battery out of the camera for 24 hours. Nothing. Also tried re-seating the memory card and without the memory card. Still nothing. Guess it really is dead. :-(

TaoMaas · 01-05-2015, 04:59 AM

It still could be your battery. The replacement battery I bought was the Watson version of the D-LI90 from B&H. It was around $20. I just find it hard to believe that a low-mileage camera that was working fine one day, suddenly dies the next. It's got to be something fairly simple, I think.

CameraObscura · 02-08-2015, 03:53 PM

Work kept me away for a while but I do want to resolve this. Shortly after the camera died, my LG cellphone died in the same mysterious way. It was working just fine when I went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, it was dead. I tried charging it, leaving out the battery for a while and so on. It just won't turn on. What is happening to my electronics?

On an off chance, could it have something to do with the cold. There was a winter storm passing through here in the week that this happened.

CameraObscura · 02-08-2015, 05:09 PM

I also ordered a D-LI90 replacement from Big Mike's at Amazon.com. I think it's a long shot but the other options are much more expensive so it's worth a try.

---------- Post added 02-08-15 at 05:44 PM ----------

I bought this camera in 2012, so I guess I am out of warranty. I looked up information on what I would have to do in case I need to send it in for repairs and came across some unusual stuff.

First, it seems that there is no Pentax.com website. That URL redirects to a Ricoh global site. So I went to the US Ricoh website, clicked on Support, and then on Product Repairs (on the left). That web page directs one to a third party website for repairs: Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation - Service & Repair

The Precision Camera website offers repair quotes. When I selected the Pentax K-01 (listed in the category Digital SLR Cameras - there is no category for mirrorless cameras), it took me to a payment page with a price of $166.50. No questions were asked about the problem or the condition of the camera!

Am I right in assuming that they have a bunch of refurbs lying around, and when you send in yours, they just ship you a refurb? Basically, like buying a refurb as a replacement. Maybe they swap the electronics in the body that you send in, but other than these approaches, how else can they quote a fixed price for repairs?

Is there anyone here who has experience with the product repair process and can confirm or deny this? If you don't use this prepay option, do they still always ask you for this same amount or do you get an actual quote based on the actual problem in the camera?

**niceshot** · 04-19-2015, 09:03 AM

well what was the outcome?"

CameraObscura · 04-19-2015, 10:00 AM

Nothing worked. Now I am looking to sell it for parts.

**niceshot** · 04-19-2015, 04:04 PM

I was reading in another post, put the battery in turn it on and leave it on for a while, I MEAN LEAVE IT IN THE ON POSITION.But use a new battery.

CameraObscura · 04-28-2015, 11:54 AM

No luck. Still dead.

**niceshot** · 04-30-2015, 01:50 PM

check your sdcard door switch

---------- Post added 04-30-15 at 04:50 PM ----------

or squeeze the door forward and try it

CameraObscura · 05-02-2015, 04:53 PM

Tried all possibilities: door open; door closed; with card; without card. Normally, when I insert a SD card, the card access light blinks momentarily, even if the camera is turned off. Now when I insert the card, nothing happens.

01-03-2015, 04:29 PM	#1
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24	Help! My Pentax K-01 Will Not Turn On My K-01 was working fine yesterday. Today, I turned the switch and the camera won't turn on. No lights, no sound, simply nothing. I was hoping that the battery had died so I charged it for several hours until the charger light went out. Tried again and same thing. Saw a few other threads about similar episodes so I also tried removing the SDHC card and using a different lens. Nothing. Any suggestions anyone?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
K30 will not turn on	theoicarry	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	4	08-29-2014 04:16 PM
K-01 with Tamron 70-200 will not nail focus	treebeard	Pentax K-01	8	03-22-2013 05:46 AM
Help! Pentax K-r won't turn on?	Marie Anette	Pentax K-r	9	02-10-2013 04:08 PM
K-5 will not turn on - Pentax Support advice	carrrlangas	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	2	01-10-2013 11:02 AM
K-m DSLR Will Not Turn On	Robbie28	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	7	02-26-2011 09:22 AM

01-03-2015, 04:35 PM	#2
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	It might still be a battery problem. I mean, I hope its a battery problem, because buying a new battery is not that expensive. Can you try the camera with another battery (fully charged, and left outside of the camera overnight?) Also, did the camera get wet or anything like that recently? Do the buttons (on/off) work normally, or is it maybe stuck, damaged?

01-03-2015, 04:45 PM	#3
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	The camera is in excellent condition physically. Has only been used a little and has no damage. Buttons work normally and all contacts look pristine. I don't have another battery with which to test it. I will leave the battery out tonight and try again tomorrow. I do recall that the battery indicator was at max yesterday. Yet, when I inserted the battery into the charger today, the LED blinked for a moment before starting to charge and took ~5 hours before the LED went out. I am hoping it is just the battery.

01-03-2015, 10:52 PM - 1 Like	#4
ofer4 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Utah Posts: 428	Try re-seating the memory card and door, too. I had a similar panic once, and it just turned out to be the card/door in a slightly open position.

01-04-2015, 06:46 AM	#5
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	I was having a problem with my K-01 where my camera would power up and seem to work until I actually tried to take a picture. As soon as the shutter tripped, the camera would lock up and go black. If I took the battery out and charged it again, the camera would power up again...until I tried to take a picture. Then it would die. I thought something was possibly shorting out my battery when the shutter would trip, but it turned out just to be the battery. I bought a non-Pentax battery from B&H and my K-01 has been working fine ever since.

01-04-2015, 03:25 PM	#6
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	I tried again today after leaving the battery out of the camera for 24 hours. Nothing. Also tried re-seating the memory card and without the memory card. Still nothing. Guess it really is dead. :-(

01-05-2015, 04:59 AM	#7
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	It still could be your battery. The replacement battery I bought was the Watson version of the D-LI90 from B&H. It was around $20. I just find it hard to believe that a low-mileage camera that was working fine one day, suddenly dies the next. It's got to be something fairly simple, I think.

02-08-2015, 03:53 PM	#8
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	Work kept me away for a while but I do want to resolve this. Shortly after the camera died, my LG cellphone died in the same mysterious way. It was working just fine when I went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, it was dead. I tried charging it, leaving out the battery for a while and so on. It just won't turn on. What is happening to my electronics? On an off chance, could it have something to do with the cold. There was a winter storm passing through here in the week that this happened.

02-08-2015, 05:09 PM	#9
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	I also ordered a D-LI90 replacement from Big Mike's at Amazon.com. I think it's a long shot but the other options are much more expensive so it's worth a try. ---------- Post added 02-08-15 at 05:44 PM ---------- I bought this camera in 2012, so I guess I am out of warranty. I looked up information on what I would have to do in case I need to send it in for repairs and came across some unusual stuff. First, it seems that there is no Pentax.com website. That URL redirects to a Ricoh global site. So I went to the US Ricoh website, clicked on Support, and then on Product Repairs (on the left). That web page directs one to a third party website for repairs: Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation - Service & Repair The Precision Camera website offers repair quotes. When I selected the Pentax K-01 (listed in the category Digital SLR Cameras - there is no category for mirrorless cameras), it took me to a payment page with a price of $166.50. No questions were asked about the problem or the condition of the camera! Am I right in assuming that they have a bunch of refurbs lying around, and when you send in yours, they just ship you a refurb? Basically, like buying a refurb as a replacement. Maybe they swap the electronics in the body that you send in, but other than these approaches, how else can they quote a fixed price for repairs? Is there anyone here who has experience with the product repair process and can confirm or deny this? If you don't use this prepay option, do they still always ask you for this same amount or do you get an actual quote based on the actual problem in the camera?

04-19-2015, 09:03 AM	#10
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	well what was the outcome?"

04-19-2015, 10:00 AM	#11
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	Nothing worked. Now I am looking to sell it for parts.

04-19-2015, 04:04 PM	#12
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	I was reading in another post, put the battery in turn it on and leave it on for a while, I MEAN LEAVE IT IN THE ON POSITION.But use a new battery.

04-28-2015, 11:54 AM	#13
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	No luck. Still dead.

04-30-2015, 01:50 PM	#14
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	check your sdcard door switch ---------- Post added 04-30-15 at 04:50 PM ---------- or squeeze the door forward and try it

05-02-2015, 04:53 PM	#15
CameraObscura New Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 24 Original Poster	Tried all possibilities: door open; door closed; with card; without card. Normally, when I insert a SD card, the card access light blinks momentarily, even if the camera is turned off. Now when I insert the card, nothing happens.