Strange object in pentaprism

Lev · 09-13-2015, 06:26 AM

Hi,

People, another K3 II body, another strange thing.

Today I was shooting with it normally with DA 55-300 lense, later discovered this strange object im viewfinder, it's like a water drop, never used it under rain. I'm already very scared, this is my second body, first one was from amazon, this one is fro BH, what is it?

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aleonx3 · 09-13-2015, 07:27 AM

Looks like something lodged between the eyepiece and the viewfinder; remover the eyepiece and use air-blower to clean it, and I think you should be fine.

Lev · 09-13-2015, 07:55 AM

Originally posted by aleonx3

Looks like something lodged between the eyepiece and the viewfinder; remover the eyepiece and use air-blower to clean it, and I think you should be fine.

Never done that and i'm not sure how to remove this eyepiece either. It looks like this 'water like' thing is inside somewhere in pentaprism, behind front viewfinder glass, between this glass and the focusing glass

mee · 09-13-2015, 08:04 AM

The rubber eyepiece pulls up and off.. then there should be a series of tiny screws that remove the other parts.. BE CAREFUL because there are 2 pieces of 'glass' (I think it is plastic really) one is concave and the other convex.. they have to be in the proper order once you reinstall otherwise your viewfinder will be very very very off (know this by experience). I've taken apart this stuff on a K-r recently.

If you don't trust yourself and it is bugging you that much, send it in.. but it isn't that big of a job.. just have to be careful and slow.

---------- Post added 09-13-15 at 10:08 AM ----------

Actually.. since it is a K-3 II it might have weather sealing... so it might be a bit more complex.. if it is under warranty and is bugging you I'd send it in..

**UncleVanya** · 09-13-2015, 08:17 AM

First if you want to try removing the rubber eyecup it is pretty easy. Take both hands and group the camera in a way that allows you to put a thumb on either side at the bottom corners of the eyecup. Push up so that the inner plastic frame is what you are pressing on. It will slide up slowly...

Lev · 09-13-2015, 10:24 AM

Oh man it isnt near eyecup, it's inside, I'll attach more photos and vidro to show you how it looks like

**UncleVanya** · 09-13-2015, 10:42 AM

Repair time

Lev · 09-13-2015, 10:52 AM

repair after couple of days of use?

**UncleVanya** · 09-13-2015, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by Lev

repair after couple of days of use?

I mean return for replacement.

stevebrot · 09-13-2015, 02:27 PM

As noted above...repair/replace time. What I see in the photos looks to be a chip out of the glass.

Steve

rawr · 09-13-2015, 04:00 PM

It could be a chip in the focussing screen glass introduced when they were fitting the focussing screen (or something else) in the mirror box at assembly. A tool knocked a glass edge and caused a chip?

It's very rare for such physical damage to happen internally as a result of user intervention, but if someone was clumsily trying to do a focussing screen change with the wrong tools, for example, I could see it happening.

Lev · 09-13-2015, 10:33 PM

Thanks for replies guys, it wasn't droped nor hitted, not under any kind of stress, but i can't say for sure that it was there or developed later, I just see what I see, maybe I didn't notice it immediately

**Digitalis** · 09-14-2015, 03:44 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

hat I see in the photos looks to be a chip out of the glass.

Then where are the pieces that came out of it? From the look of the reflections and the way light warps around it, to my eye it looks like a bubble in one of the many pieces of Glass or Plastic used in the eyepiece.

Originally posted by rawr

It could be a chip in the focussing screen glass introduced when they were fitting the focussing screen

Focusing screens are made of plastic these days, glass was phased out in the mid 80s in favor of lighter poly-carbonate Fresnel screens.

Lev · 09-14-2015, 04:07 AM

Originally posted by Digitalis

Then where are the pieces that came out of it? From the look of the reflections and the way light warps around it, to my eye it looks like a bubble in one of the many pieces of Glass or Plastic used in the eyepiece.

I've looked inside with flashlight - nothing is there! and yes, it looks like a bubble, or residue, or glue which came out from the corner of something. One thing coming to my mind is that I can't fix it myself, and even more, I DON'T want to fix it myself as I'm not experienced enough to do so.

I'm in real trouble, it's a second body which is about to be returned

and I'm not sure what B&H will say

**Mikesul** · 09-14-2015, 05:33 AM

B&H will probably be very accommodating if the flaw is as obvious in person as in your photos. Taking care of problems like this is how they made their reputation.

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09-13-2015, 07:27 AM	#2
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	Looks like something lodged between the eyepiece and the viewfinder; remover the eyepiece and use air-blower to clean it, and I think you should be fine.

09-13-2015, 07:55 AM	#3
Lev Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Posts: 1,197 Original Poster	Originally posted by aleonx3 Looks like something lodged between the eyepiece and the viewfinder; remover the eyepiece and use air-blower to clean it, and I think you should be fine. Never done that and i'm not sure how to remove this eyepiece either. It looks like this 'water like' thing is inside somewhere in pentaprism, behind front viewfinder glass, between this glass and the focusing glass

09-13-2015, 08:04 AM	#4
mee Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 7,403	The rubber eyepiece pulls up and off.. then there should be a series of tiny screws that remove the other parts.. BE CAREFUL because there are 2 pieces of 'glass' (I think it is plastic really) one is concave and the other convex.. they have to be in the proper order once you reinstall otherwise your viewfinder will be very very very off (know this by experience). I've taken apart this stuff on a K-r recently. If you don't trust yourself and it is bugging you that much, send it in.. but it isn't that big of a job.. just have to be careful and slow. ---------- Post added 09-13-15 at 10:08 AM ---------- Actually.. since it is a K-3 II it might have weather sealing... so it might be a bit more complex.. if it is under warranty and is bugging you I'd send it in..

09-13-2015, 08:17 AM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,468	First if you want to try removing the rubber eyecup it is pretty easy. Take both hands and group the camera in a way that allows you to put a thumb on either side at the bottom corners of the eyecup. Push up so that the inner plastic frame is what you are pressing on. It will slide up slowly...

09-13-2015, 10:42 AM	#7
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,468	Repair time

09-13-2015, 10:52 AM	#8
Lev Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Posts: 1,197 Original Poster	repair after couple of days of use?

09-13-2015, 01:28 PM	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,468	Originally posted by Lev repair after couple of days of use? I mean return for replacement.

09-13-2015, 02:27 PM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	As noted above...repair/replace time. What I see in the photos looks to be a chip out of the glass. Steve

09-13-2015, 04:00 PM	#11
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	It could be a chip in the focussing screen glass introduced when they were fitting the focussing screen (or something else) in the mirror box at assembly. A tool knocked a glass edge and caused a chip? It's very rare for such physical damage to happen internally as a result of user intervention, but if someone was clumsily trying to do a focussing screen change with the wrong tools, for example, I could see it happening.

09-13-2015, 10:33 PM	#12
Lev Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Posts: 1,197 Original Poster	Thanks for replies guys, it wasn't droped nor hitted, not under any kind of stress, but i can't say for sure that it was there or developed later, I just see what I see, maybe I didn't notice it immediately

09-14-2015, 03:44 AM	#13
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,695	Originally posted by stevebrot hat I see in the photos looks to be a chip out of the glass. Then where are the pieces that came out of it? From the look of the reflections and the way light warps around it, to my eye it looks like a bubble in one of the many pieces of Glass or Plastic used in the eyepiece. Originally posted by rawr It could be a chip in the focussing screen glass introduced when they were fitting the focussing screen Focusing screens are made of plastic these days, glass was phased out in the mid 80s in favor of lighter poly-carbonate Fresnel screens.

09-14-2015, 04:07 AM	#14
Lev Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Posts: 1,197 Original Poster	Originally posted by Digitalis Then where are the pieces that came out of it? From the look of the reflections and the way light warps around it, to my eye it looks like a bubble in one of the many pieces of Glass or Plastic used in the eyepiece. I've looked inside with flashlight - nothing is there! and yes, it looks like a bubble, or residue, or glue which came out from the corner of something. One thing coming to my mind is that I can't fix it myself, and even more, I DON'T want to fix it myself as I'm not experienced enough to do so. I'm in real trouble, it's a second body which is about to be returned and I'm not sure what B&H will say

09-14-2015, 05:33 AM	#15
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	B&H will probably be very accommodating if the flaw is as obvious in person as in your photos. Taking care of problems like this is how they made their reputation.