Question on K-r start srcreen

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 01:01 AM

Hi guys

I wonder if you could help explain the strange setting that has appeared on my Pentax K-r. Every time I remove the battery out (for charging), the camera start screen will require me to reset the date and time as soon as re-insert the battery back in. It is time-consuming to do this whenever I turn on my camera. What could be the causes? And is there any way to sort it out once for all?

Many thanks

**twilhelm** · 08-19-2017, 01:37 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by lushdimple11

Hi guys

I wonder if you could help explain the strange setting that has appeared on my Pentax K-r. Every time I remove the battery out (for charging), the camera start screen will require me to reset the date and time as soon as re-insert the battery back in. It is time-consuming to do this whenever I turn on my camera. What could be the causes? And is there any way to sort it out once for all?

Many thanks

If the battery is out for an extended period of time, the camera will "restart". Do you have a second battery? How long do you have the battery out before this happens? I'm not sure how long the internal is suppose to retain information.

JohnX · 08-19-2017, 02:23 AM - **1 Like**

The camera has a small internal battery intended to retain settings like time and date when the main battery is removed. It would seem it's either dead through age, in which case it will not be worth changing it (if indeed it's possible) as it'll have be be done by a service company, and the cost is likely to be more than the camera's worth, or its lost its charge because the main battery has been left out too long.

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 02:30 AM

Originally posted by twilhelm

If the battery is out for an extended period of time, the camera will "restart". Do you have a second battery? How long do you have the battery out before this happens? I'm not sure how long the internal is suppose to retain information.

The battery was out for a few hours (for charging). I put it back in as soon as it was full.

**BigMackCam** · 08-19-2017, 02:34 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by lushdimple11

The battery was out for a few hours (for charging). I put it back in as soon as it was full.

That's the reason. If you leave the battery out for more than a few minutes, that's usually long enough for the internal backup battery to deplete.

The best approach is to buy a second battery. Keep one in the camera, and the spare fully charged - then, when you remove the camera battery to re-charge it, put the spare in the camera

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 02:36 AM

Originally posted by JohnX

The camera has a small internal battery intended to retain settings like time and date when the main battery is removed. It would seem it's either dead through age, in which case it will not be worth changing it (if indeed it's possible) as it'll have be be done by a service company, and the cost is likely to be more than the camera's worth, or its lost its charge because the main battery has been left out too long.

Hi JohnX, The battery was out for a few hours for charging. I put it back in as soon as it's fully charged. Thus, I think the first assumption is more likely. I've used this camera for around 5 years. Is the dead internal battery an indication that the camera has served its course and I need to upgrade to another one?

---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 02:39 AM ----------

Originally posted by BigMackCam

That's the reason. If you leave the battery out for more than a few minutes, that's usually long enough for the internal backup battery to deplete.

The best approach is to buy a second battery. Keep one in the camera, and the spare fully charged - then, when you remove the camera battery to re-charge it, put the spare in the camera

This phenomenon has happened lately during my trip to Indonesia. It never happened to the camera before, when I also took out the battery for charging.

**BigMackCam** · 08-19-2017, 02:45 AM

Originally posted by lushdimple11

This phenomenon has happened lately during my trip to Indonesia. It never happened to the camera before, when I also took out the battery for charging.

It's quite possible that, with age, the internal battery is storing less of a charge than previously...

I would run a test:

- Charge the battery fully
- Put it in the camera, set the date and time, then switch the camera off and leave it for a few hours
- Now take the battery out for one minute
- Put the battery back into the camera and switch it on

Does the camera request the date and time again? If yes, then it's probably time to replace the camera. If not, then I'd just get a spare battery and be sure to put that in the camera when you remove the depleted one. A minute is more than long enough to grab the spare battery and install it in the camera

For what it's worth, I rarely leave any of my cameras without a partially-charged battery in them, and I always swap in a fully charged battery when I take one out to recharge it.

**Skodadriver** · 08-19-2017, 04:30 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by lushdimple11

Hi JohnX, The battery was out for a few hours for charging. I put it back in as soon as it's fully charged. Thus, I think the first assumption is more likely. I've used this camera for around 5 years. Is the dead internal memory an indication that the camera has served its course and I need to upgrade to another one?

Should the suggestion of keeping a spare charged battery for a quick swap not enable the internal memory to keep day and date data, it might be a good reason to update to a new camera.
I shall be looking out for just a scenario..........though somehow I doubt it will get past the wife!

**twilhelm** · 08-19-2017, 04:53 AM - **1 Like**

I have an old *ist DL and I have about a two hour window these days with it. If I take the batteries out for more than that, I have to re-enter the information. I believe it had something in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 hours when I purchased it. Does it mean the camera is done for? Not on your life, I still like using it and it works fine. The internal battery only keeps the stored information, and it recharges off your main battery.

But for me... that's an excuse for a second camera body...
Just saying.

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 04:55 AM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

It's quite possible that, with age, the internal battery is storing less of a charge than previously...

I would run a test:

- Charge the battery fully
- Put it in the camera, set the date and time, then switch the camera off and leave it for a few hours
- Now take the battery out for one minute
- Put the battery back into the camera and switch it on

Does the camera request the date and time again? If yes, then it's probably time to replace the camera. If not, then I'd just get a spare battery and be sure to put that in the camera when you remove the depleted one. A minute is more than long enough to grab the spare battery and install it in the camera

For what it's worth, I rarely leave any of my cameras without a partially-charged battery in them, and I always swap in a fully charged battery when I take one out to recharge it.

Thank you for further details. Now I'm curious about what is the best thing to do when I don't use the camera regularly. Let's say I use it once a month or once every 3 months when I travel. Should I leave the (fully charged, partially charged) battery in it?

**BigMackCam** · 08-19-2017, 05:03 AM

Originally posted by lushdimple11

Thank you for further details. Now I'm curious about what is the best thing to do when I don't use the camera regularly. Let's say I use it once a month or once every 3 months when I travel. Should I leave the (fully charged, partially charged) battery in it?

I do with mine. If you're camera's internal backup battery depletes completely, any settings you'd changed will be lost. With a battery fitted, the internal battery will keep charged from that and use up relatively-little power from the main battery...

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 05:45 AM

Originally posted by twilhelm

I have an old *ist DL and I have about a two hour window these days with it. If I take the batteries out for more than that, I have to re-enter the information. I believe it had something in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 hours when I purchased it. Does it mean the camera is done for? Not on your life, I still like using it and it works fine. The internal battery only keeps the stored information, and it recharges off your main battery.

But for me... that's an excuse for a second camera body...
Just saying.

When you said re-entering information, did you mean all settings or just the date and time? I'm looking into upgrading to another Pentax body, too.

---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 05:46 AM ----------

Originally posted by Skodadriver

Should the suggestion of keeping a spare charged battery for a quick swap not enable the internal memory to keep day and date data, it might be a good reason to update to a new camera.
I shall be looking out for just a scenario..........though somehow I doubt it will get past the wife!

I'm thinking the same.

---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 05:50 AM ----------

Originally posted by BigMackCam

I do with mine. If you're camera's internal backup battery depletes completely, any settings you'd changed will be lost. With a battery fitted, the internal battery will keep charged from that and use up relatively-little power from the main battery...

Thank you. It's a good practice to keep in mind, for my future gear. Even when you leave the battery in the camera body, it will discharge after some time. Do you take it out and charge it once in awhile. And for the settings will be lost after the internal and external batteries' power run out, did you mean the camera will switch back to default settings?

Na Horuk · 08-19-2017, 06:31 AM

You can buy a spare battery. I think some Pentax DSLRs still use the same battery as the K-r. I think the KP is one of them, so you can use the spare battery even on the next camera. This way the camera would only be without battery for a couple seconds.

I agree with the above posts about internal battery, but I think its just a capacitor. Still, same principle; over time it may lose effectiveness. It probably won't get any better.
We had threads about this issue with various DSLRs before, you can search for threads if any has an answer for you

Not a Number · 08-19-2017, 08:14 AM

As noted in the above discussion most likely the backup battery or super capacitor to keep the clock running has lost charge holding capacity. The fix is to replace the battery/accumulator/capacitor. Since this is soldered to the main board and requires disassembly it is not consider user changeable. The work around as noted above is to swap in a charged main battery. However the backup source main be so degraded that it doesn't hold charge long enough for even that fastest swap.

If I remember correctly the older Pentax DSLR use this Seiko battery/accumulator. Newer models use a super capacitor such as this one.

The advantage of super capacitors over batteries/accumulators is a longer service life although they may not supply backup power for as long a period.

See these threads:
Clock resets with battery change - PentaxForums.com
Date and time lost without batery - PentaxForums.com

lushdimple11 · 08-19-2017, 08:31 AM

Many thanks. Does the depletion of internal battery affect the date and time only? Will the camera adjust my customised settings back to default settings, too?

08-19-2017, 01:01 AM	#1
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28	Question on K-r start srcreen Hi guys I wonder if you could help explain the strange setting that has appeared on my Pentax K-r. Every time I remove the battery out (for charging), the camera start screen will require me to reset the date and time as soon as re-insert the battery back in. It is time-consuming to do this whenever I turn on my camera. What could be the causes? And is there any way to sort it out once for all? Many thanks

08-19-2017, 02:36 AM	#6
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by JohnX The camera has a small internal battery intended to retain settings like time and date when the main battery is removed. It would seem it's either dead through age, in which case it will not be worth changing it (if indeed it's possible) as it'll have be be done by a service company, and the cost is likely to be more than the camera's worth, or its lost its charge because the main battery has been left out too long. Hi JohnX, The battery was out for a few hours for charging. I put it back in as soon as it's fully charged. Thus, I think the first assumption is more likely. I've used this camera for around 5 years. Is the dead internal battery an indication that the camera has served its course and I need to upgrade to another one? ---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 02:39 AM ---------- Originally posted by BigMackCam That's the reason. If you leave the battery out for more than a few minutes, that's usually long enough for the internal backup battery to deplete. The best approach is to buy a second battery. Keep one in the camera, and the spare fully charged - then, when you remove the camera battery to re-charge it, put the spare in the camera This phenomenon has happened lately during my trip to Indonesia. It never happened to the camera before, when I also took out the battery for charging. Last edited by lushdimple11; 08-27-2017 at 05:04 AM. Reason: typo

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Where to start with a flash purchase?	gerax	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	15	07-08-2016 04:11 AM
Where to start with ND filter	applejax	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	4	02-28-2016 07:47 PM
Do you start the timer when you start pouring?	Jamey777	Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom	11	12-20-2013 11:40 AM
Old Question, New guy asking, What lens for the K-7 to start?	Mrchip56	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	6	05-14-2010 01:52 PM
masive newb question but we all have to start somewhere	INcreative	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	2	12-26-2006 05:05 PM

08-19-2017, 01:37 AM - 1 Like	#2
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	Originally posted by lushdimple11 Hi guys I wonder if you could help explain the strange setting that has appeared on my Pentax K-r. Every time I remove the battery out (for charging), the camera start screen will require me to reset the date and time as soon as re-insert the battery back in. It is time-consuming to do this whenever I turn on my camera. What could be the causes? And is there any way to sort it out once for all? Many thanks If the battery is out for an extended period of time, the camera will "restart". Do you have a second battery? How long do you have the battery out before this happens? I'm not sure how long the internal is suppose to retain information.

08-19-2017, 02:23 AM - 1 Like	#3
JohnX Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 1,116	The camera has a small internal battery intended to retain settings like time and date when the main battery is removed. It would seem it's either dead through age, in which case it will not be worth changing it (if indeed it's possible) as it'll have be be done by a service company, and the cost is likely to be more than the camera's worth, or its lost its charge because the main battery has been left out too long.

08-19-2017, 02:30 AM	#4
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by twilhelm If the battery is out for an extended period of time, the camera will "restart". Do you have a second battery? How long do you have the battery out before this happens? I'm not sure how long the internal is suppose to retain information. The battery was out for a few hours (for charging). I put it back in as soon as it was full.

08-19-2017, 02:34 AM - 1 Like	#5
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,682	Originally posted by lushdimple11 The battery was out for a few hours (for charging). I put it back in as soon as it was full. That's the reason. If you leave the battery out for more than a few minutes, that's usually long enough for the internal backup battery to deplete. The best approach is to buy a second battery. Keep one in the camera, and the spare fully charged - then, when you remove the camera battery to re-charge it, put the spare in the camera

08-19-2017, 02:45 AM	#7
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,682	Originally posted by lushdimple11 This phenomenon has happened lately during my trip to Indonesia. It never happened to the camera before, when I also took out the battery for charging. It's quite possible that, with age, the internal battery is storing less of a charge than previously... I would run a test: - Charge the battery fully - Put it in the camera, set the date and time, then switch the camera off and leave it for a few hours - Now take the battery out for one minute - Put the battery back into the camera and switch it on Does the camera request the date and time again? If yes, then it's probably time to replace the camera. If not, then I'd just get a spare battery and be sure to put that in the camera when you remove the depleted one. A minute is more than long enough to grab the spare battery and install it in the camera For what it's worth, I rarely leave any of my cameras without a partially-charged battery in them, and I always swap in a fully charged battery when I take one out to recharge it.

08-19-2017, 04:30 AM - 1 Like	#8
Skodadriver Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hampshire Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 892	Originally posted by lushdimple11 Hi JohnX, The battery was out for a few hours for charging. I put it back in as soon as it's fully charged. Thus, I think the first assumption is more likely. I've used this camera for around 5 years. Is the dead internal memory an indication that the camera has served its course and I need to upgrade to another one? Should the suggestion of keeping a spare charged battery for a quick swap not enable the internal memory to keep day and date data, it might be a good reason to update to a new camera. I shall be looking out for just a scenario..........though somehow I doubt it will get past the wife!

08-19-2017, 04:53 AM - 1 Like	#9
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	I have an old *ist DL and I have about a two hour window these days with it. If I take the batteries out for more than that, I have to re-enter the information. I believe it had something in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 hours when I purchased it. Does it mean the camera is done for? Not on your life, I still like using it and it works fine. The internal battery only keeps the stored information, and it recharges off your main battery. But for me... that's an excuse for a second camera body... Just saying.

08-19-2017, 04:55 AM	#10
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam It's quite possible that, with age, the internal battery is storing less of a charge than previously... I would run a test: - Charge the battery fully - Put it in the camera, set the date and time, then switch the camera off and leave it for a few hours - Now take the battery out for one minute - Put the battery back into the camera and switch it on Does the camera request the date and time again? If yes, then it's probably time to replace the camera. If not, then I'd just get a spare battery and be sure to put that in the camera when you remove the depleted one. A minute is more than long enough to grab the spare battery and install it in the camera For what it's worth, I rarely leave any of my cameras without a partially-charged battery in them, and I always swap in a fully charged battery when I take one out to recharge it. Thank you for further details. Now I'm curious about what is the best thing to do when I don't use the camera regularly. Let's say I use it once a month or once every 3 months when I travel. Should I leave the (fully charged, partially charged) battery in it?

08-19-2017, 05:03 AM	#11
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,682	Originally posted by lushdimple11 Thank you for further details. Now I'm curious about what is the best thing to do when I don't use the camera regularly. Let's say I use it once a month or once every 3 months when I travel. Should I leave the (fully charged, partially charged) battery in it? I do with mine. If you're camera's internal backup battery depletes completely, any settings you'd changed will be lost. With a battery fitted, the internal battery will keep charged from that and use up relatively-little power from the main battery...

08-19-2017, 05:45 AM	#12
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28 Original Poster	Originally posted by twilhelm I have an old *ist DL and I have about a two hour window these days with it. If I take the batteries out for more than that, I have to re-enter the information. I believe it had something in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 hours when I purchased it. Does it mean the camera is done for? Not on your life, I still like using it and it works fine. The internal battery only keeps the stored information, and it recharges off your main battery. But for me... that's an excuse for a second camera body... Just saying. When you said re-entering information, did you mean all settings or just the date and time? I'm looking into upgrading to another Pentax body, too. ---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 05:46 AM ---------- Originally posted by Skodadriver Should the suggestion of keeping a spare charged battery for a quick swap not enable the internal memory to keep day and date data, it might be a good reason to update to a new camera. I shall be looking out for just a scenario..........though somehow I doubt it will get past the wife! I'm thinking the same. ---------- Post added 08-19-17 at 05:50 AM ---------- Originally posted by BigMackCam I do with mine. If you're camera's internal backup battery depletes completely, any settings you'd changed will be lost. With a battery fitted, the internal battery will keep charged from that and use up relatively-little power from the main battery... Thank you. It's a good practice to keep in mind, for my future gear. Even when you leave the battery in the camera body, it will discharge after some time. Do you take it out and charge it once in awhile. And for the settings will be lost after the internal and external batteries' power run out, did you mean the camera will switch back to default settings?

08-19-2017, 06:31 AM	#13
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	You can buy a spare battery. I think some Pentax DSLRs still use the same battery as the K-r. I think the KP is one of them, so you can use the spare battery even on the next camera. This way the camera would only be without battery for a couple seconds. I agree with the above posts about internal battery, but I think its just a capacitor. Still, same principle; over time it may lose effectiveness. It probably won't get any better. We had threads about this issue with various DSLRs before, you can search for threads if any has an answer for you

08-19-2017, 08:14 AM	#14
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	As noted in the above discussion most likely the backup battery or super capacitor to keep the clock running has lost charge holding capacity. The fix is to replace the battery/accumulator/capacitor. Since this is soldered to the main board and requires disassembly it is not consider user changeable. The work around as noted above is to swap in a charged main battery. However the backup source main be so degraded that it doesn't hold charge long enough for even that fastest swap. If I remember correctly the older Pentax DSLR use this Seiko battery/accumulator. Newer models use a super capacitor such as this one. The advantage of super capacitors over batteries/accumulators is a longer service life although they may not supply backup power for as long a period. See these threads: Clock resets with battery change - PentaxForums.com Date and time lost without batery - PentaxForums.com

08-19-2017, 08:31 AM	#15
lushdimple11 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 28 Original Poster	Many thanks. Does the depletion of internal battery affect the date and time only? Will the camera adjust my customised settings back to default settings, too?