[stuarrt]

Hey guys
I went to turn on my Pentax KS-1 this morning, only to find out it won't take any pictures. The LCD screen works fine. I can go into the menus etc, but when I try to take a picture nothing happens. AF doesn't come on either. So I tried to make it look through the screen, and it's completely black. The sensor opens just fine. Once I make it look through the screen, I can't get it to go back and it becomes unresponsive. The only way to turn it off is it take out the battery.
Back in April it rolled down a waterfall about 50 feet. I put it in rice for a week and it seemed as if everything was okay. I've been using it ever since.

Any suggestions on what might be wrong? How much are sensor replacements?
Thanks in advance

[jatrax]

Does not sound good. Just to check all things, you don't have the lens cap on do you?

So I tried to make it look through the screen, and it's completely black.

I assume you mean Liveview with this? So completely black no noise no shadows?

The sensor opens just fine.

Not sure what you mean by this...

How much are sensor replacements?

Most likely more than a new (or used) camera.

You might try a complete reset, unlikely to help but you have nothing to lose at this point.

[BigDave]

Here is a thought, it may need a good internal cleaning. Although you dried it out, there may have been something in the water that caused some oxidation of the circuitry to start. That would certainly explain the delay in the problem.

Good luck with this!

Regards,
BD

[K57XR]

The sensor opens just fine. Once I make it look through the screen, I can't get it to go back and it becomes unresponsive.

I think what the OP means here is the mirror flipping up for live view then the camera locks up completely afterwards. Remove/Reinsert battery is the only way to get it back up somewhat operational.

Back in April it rolled down a waterfall about 50 feet.

stuarrt - based on this the camera may have more issues than just failed sensor. I would try jatrax suggestion. If that doesn't resolve the issue then it might be more economical to look for a replacement camera instead - sorry to say.

[Simen1]

Try to lock up the mirror and see if the shutter have jammed. Though, it sounds like more then just a shutter failure.

[niceshot]

Try using the sensor cleaning mirror up mode, as if you were going to clean the sensor. I f the mirror doesn't go up it is the aperture block motor failure strikes again

---------- Post added 06-05-16 at 05:03 PM ----------

Pentax needs to make easier to replace this motor as it tends to fail quite often

[Adam]

While I'd suspect that the mirror/shutter motor is what failed, to me it sounds like the camera has succumbed to the prior water damage.

If you're still covered under warranty, maybe give that a shot. Otherwise you might have to replace the camera

Adam
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[p38arover]

I've read a couple of reports that claim drying with rice is not effective.

http://smartphones.wonderhowto.com/how-to/myth-debunked-uncooked-rice-isnt-b...phone-0154799/

This one is from a company with a vested interest but it is worth a read. I wonder if they use a vacuum to dry phones?

Rice Myth Busted: New Study Proves Using Rice to Dry a Wet Phone Is Not Effective | Business Wire

[mee]

Hey guys
I went to turn on my Pentax KS-1 this morning, only to find out it won't take any pictures. The LCD screen works fine. I can go into the menus etc, but when I try to take a picture nothing happens. AF doesn't come on either. So I tried to make it look through the screen, and it's completely black. The sensor opens just fine. Once I make it look through the screen, I can't get it to go back and it becomes unresponsive. The only way to turn it off is it take out the battery.
Back in April it rolled down a waterfall about 50 feet. I put it in rice for a week and it seemed as if everything was okay. I've been using it ever since.

Any suggestions on what might be wrong? How much are sensor replacements?
Thanks in advance

It would be cheaper to replace than to repair a sensor.

You have two options as far as I can see:
1) send it in to repair and await the estimate
2) call it a loss and replace the camera body

Neither are fun.. A K-S2 though has weather sealing.. not that it would have super helped with being launched off a waterfall though.

[niceshot]

Get out the sledge hammer and smash it to pieces and the get a new one.Only kidding put it up on EBAY for parts and get a new camera. Don t bother getting it fixed it will never be right any how.

[Simen1]

I've read a couple of reports that claim drying with rice is not effective.

Myth Debunked: Uncooked Rice Isn't the Best Way to Save Your Water-Damaged Phone « Smartphones

This one is from a company with a vested interest but it is worth a read. I wonder if they use a vacuum to dry phones?

Rice Myth Busted: New Study Proves Using Rice to Dry a Wet Phone Is Not Effective | Business Wire

I just did som research on how to keep my equipment dry in a boat where moist air are very present. Only my camera body and one lens are WR, but I don't want salt water drops on it anyway. The rest are not WR and more vulnerable to any water and moist. There is various commercial solutions like silica-gel bags (for manual heating and regeneration) or more expensive silica-gel containers with electric regeneration. However I found diapers to be an excellent solution. It sucks up air moisture just like the other two solutions, but more effectively and with more capacity and easier to wrap around vulnerable things. Diapers are cheap and contain sodium polyacrylate (also called super absorbent polymers or SAP), and its packed within an outer layer that protects the surroundings from getting in touch with the wet core.

Anyway, If I had an accident like stuarrt, I would have dried up the camera in front of a fan, a warm and dry place. I use that technique when I need to dry clothes very fast. Stationary air gets locally saturated and extends the drying time.

[niceshot]

I just did som research on how to keep my equipment dry in a boat where moist air are very present. Only my camera body and one lens are WR, but I don't want salt water drops on it anyway. The rest are not WR and more vulnerable to any water and moist. There is various commercial solutions like silica-gel bags (for manual heating and regeneration) or more expensive silica-gel containers with electric regeneration. However I found diapers to be an excellent solution. It sucks up air moisture just like the other two solutions, but more effectively and with more capacity and easier to wrap around vulnerable things. Diapers are cheap and contain sodium polyacrylate (also called super absorbent polymers or SAP), and its packed within an outer layer that protects the surroundings from getting in touch with the wet core.

Anyway, If I had an accident like stuarrt, I would have dried up the camera in front of a fan, a warm and dry place. I use that technique when I need to dry clothes very fast. Stationary air gets locally saturated and extends the drying time.

the only thing to do is pull the battery dis assemble it and dry it up internally, B ut that doesnt stop the corrosion of the electrical components such as solder joints wire etc.

[stuarrt]

Does not sound good. Just to check all things, you don't have the lens cap on do you?

I assume you mean Liveview with this? So completely black no noise no shadows?

Not sure what you mean by this...

Most likely more than a new (or used) camera.

You might try a complete reset, unlikely to help but you have nothing to lose at this point.

That's correct It flips up, then the only way to get it back down is to reset the camera by removing the battery.

I'll try a reset now, but I don't have much hope for it

---------- Post added 06-06-16 at 12:44 PM ----------

While I'd suspect that the mirror/shutter motor is what failed, to me it sounds like the camera has succumbed to the prior water damage.

If you're still covered under warranty, maybe give that a shot. Otherwise you might have to replace the camera

Warranty ran out about a month before it fell

---------- Post added 06-06-16 at 12:46 PM ----------

Does not sound good. Just to check all things, you don't have the lens cap on do you?

I assume you mean Liveview with this? So completely black no noise no shadows?

Not sure what you mean by this...

Most likely more than a new (or used) camera.

You might try a complete reset, unlikely to help but you have nothing to lose at this point.

Yes, liveview. Sorry.

I think I'll just start looking for a new camera. Really want the K-3

[Adam]

The K-3 would be a very nice upgrade if you decided to go down that route. Sorry about the warranty

[stuarrt]

How much could I possibly get for the camera as is if I sold it on ebay for parts?