Pentax K-01 - Flash won't come on

**limestonecowboy** · 01-05-2018, 04:45 PM

I sold a K-01 on e-Bay to someone in Italy just before Christmas, all seemed to be fine.

Item arrived today and the customer cannot get flash to activate. He's not new to Pentax (has a K1)

Anyone encountered this problem, hope to sort it out without having to get a refund/return sorted.

Thanks in advance

Nick

hcc · 01-05-2018, 04:59 PM

Can the flash pop up? Sometime, the flash might be sticky and not come up (ie pop up). For example, with sweat, I had this a couple of time and I gently wash with warm (lightly) soapy water the flash housing to remove any 'sticky' substance. Off course, it if best to dry afterwards the flash with aclean tissue to remove any substance and moisture, before using the camera again.

Hope this might help.

**limestonecowboy** · 01-05-2018, 05:07 PM

The camera is in Italy and I'm in UK, buyers message (verbatim)

Ciao,ieri ho ricevuto la Pentax K-01,oggi lo testata,va tutto bene tranne il Flash,il Flash non esce,e' bloccato,anche se schiaccio il pulsante il flash non esce,vorrei sapere se tu sapevi di questo difetto,ora che si fa?

Hello, yesterday I received the Pentax K-01, today the headline, everything is fine except the Flash, the Flash does not come out, and 'locked, even if I press the flash button does not come out, I would like to know if you knew of this flaw, now what do you do

I haven't used the camera a lot but I have tested the flash on Av and Auto and it worked for me.

Nick

---------- Post added 01-05-18 at 05:11 PM ----------

I have an identical K-01 here, Flash button doesn't work on movie and SCN but flash pops up whenever needed.

Any more ideas?

**luftfluss** · 01-05-2018, 05:48 PM

The flash on my K-01 comes up on SCN - it might depend on the scene selected, I only tried portrait - but it doesn't come up on HDR.

**limestonecowboy** · 01-05-2018, 05:59 PM

Thanks, I haven't heard back from customer yet. Hopefully he's got it sorted.

**Bob 256** · 01-05-2018, 09:10 PM

First, the power must be on before the flash will pop up.

The flash is mode dependent and isn't available in two of the main modes (movie & HDR).

In scene mode, a "sub-mode" has to be selected using the rear selection buttons before it will deploy and if the mode has just been changed, two button presses are required to deploy the flash. Some of those sub-modes (e.g., SUNSET, BLUE SKY, NIGHT SCENE HDR, and a few others) will also inhibit the flash.

Then there is the FLASH OFF mode which will prevent the flash from deploying altogether.

You can provide your buyer a copy of the user guide which is available at the Ricoh site. Flash instructions begin on page 216 but the guide doesn't mention the modes which exclude flash use (other than a small clip on page 77) so one kind of has to gain that from experience. The guide alludes to the fact that the flash may not work with some lenses but I believe that pertains to cutting off a portion of the flash beam with the lens and not flash functionality. If the user is in SCN (Scene) mode, the camera may be in one of those "sub-modes" that prevent the flash from deploying.

The flash should always deploy in PROGRAM mode with at least the second flash button push assuming power is on and a lens is attached.

**limestonecowboy** · 01-06-2018, 12:00 PM

Thanks, I'll point him to that.

I'll see if I can find on my K-01 first.

Much appreciated.

**limestonecowboy** · 01-06-2018, 02:48 PM

I've tried everything on my K-01 and flash comes up for most functions either on demand or if "up" button is pressed.

**limestonecowboy** · 01-07-2018, 11:23 AM

Ok, no luck fixing problem in Italy. Now I'm looking for cheap but decent courier to get the K-01 back to the UK. Any suggestions?

**limestonecowboy** · 01-10-2018, 04:01 PM

Any italian natives/speakers here - Im sure Im losing something in translation . Is it really difficult to post something from Italy to UK

**luftfluss** · 01-10-2018, 04:15 PM

Have you checked out Ecoparcel?

From an American's perspective, Italy is the most difficult of the EU countries to ship to/from. But I would think it shouldn't be such an issue shipping intra-EU,

**limestonecowboy** · 01-19-2018, 08:09 AM

I got the K-01 back from Italy. Everything works fine except the flash which won't "pop-up" unless "persuaded" to do so. Once up it works fine.

Comparing it to another K-01 I can't see any difference in condition of the buttons/moving parts on the flash. Anyone got a photo of the underside of the flash compartment to show how to dismantle (if I can be bothered).

McMac · 01-16-2022, 09:19 AM

Hi everyone,

maybe this is of help to someone else facing the same issue: I just found out that the builtin flash on the K-01 stays down whatever you do if you put a generic (non-pentax) hotshoe-cover into the hot shoe (Maybe that's what the sawed-off edge in the Pentax ones is for: distinguishing between a flash and a cover in the hotshoe).

Regards,
Markus

kypfer · 01-16-2022, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by McMac

Hi everyone,
maybe this is of help to someone else facing the same issue: I just found out that the builtin flash on the K-01 stays down whatever you do if you put a generic (non-pentax) hotshoe-cover into the hot shoe (Maybe that's what the sawed-off edge in the Pentax ones is for: distinguishing between a flash and a cover in the hotshoe).
Regards,
Markus

Good spot … I'd often wondered about the little microswitch in the hot-shoe, but never got around to figuring out exactly what function it performs

pschlute · 01-16-2022, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by luftfluss

But I would think it shouldn't be such an issue shipping intra-EU,

Italy to UK is not intra-EU anymore.

01-05-2018, 04:45 PM	#1
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151	Pentax K-01 - Flash won't come on I sold a K-01 on e-Bay to someone in Italy just before Christmas, all seemed to be fine. Item arrived today and the customer cannot get flash to activate. He's not new to Pentax (has a K1) Anyone encountered this problem, hope to sort it out without having to get a refund/return sorted. Thanks in advance Nick

01-05-2018, 09:10 PM	#6
Bob 256 Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	First, the power must be on before the flash will pop up. The flash is mode dependent and isn't available in two of the main modes (movie & HDR). In scene mode, a "sub-mode" has to be selected using the rear selection buttons before it will deploy and if the mode has just been changed, two button presses are required to deploy the flash. Some of those sub-modes (e.g., SUNSET, BLUE SKY, NIGHT SCENE HDR, and a few others) will also inhibit the flash. Then there is the FLASH OFF mode which will prevent the flash from deploying altogether. You can provide your buyer a copy of the user guide which is available at the Ricoh site. Flash instructions begin on page 216 but the guide doesn't mention the modes which exclude flash use (other than a small clip on page 77) so one kind of has to gain that from experience. The guide alludes to the fact that the flash may not work with some lenses but I believe that pertains to cutting off a portion of the flash beam with the lens and not flash functionality. If the user is in SCN (Scene) mode, the camera may be in one of those "sub-modes" that prevent the flash from deploying. The flash should always deploy in PROGRAM mode with at least the second flash button push assuming power is on and a lens is attached. Last edited by Bob 256; 01-05-2018 at 10:18 PM.

01-16-2022, 09:19 AM	#13
McMac New Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 5	Found another reason for builtin flash to stay down Hi everyone, maybe this is of help to someone else facing the same issue: I just found out that the builtin flash on the K-01 stays down whatever you do if you put a generic (non-pentax) hotshoe-cover into the hot shoe (Maybe that's what the sawed-off edge in the Pentax ones is for: distinguishing between a flash and a cover in the hotshoe). Regards, Markus

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01-05-2018, 04:59 PM	#2
hcc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,002	Can the flash pop up? Sometime, the flash might be sticky and not come up (ie pop up). For example, with sweat, I had this a couple of time and I gently wash with warm (lightly) soapy water the flash housing to remove any 'sticky' substance. Off course, it if best to dry afterwards the flash with aclean tissue to remove any substance and moisture, before using the camera again. Hope this might help.

01-05-2018, 05:07 PM	#3
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	The camera is in Italy and I'm in UK, buyers message (verbatim) Ciao,ieri ho ricevuto la Pentax K-01,oggi lo testata,va tutto bene tranne il Flash,il Flash non esce,e' bloccato,anche se schiaccio il pulsante il flash non esce,vorrei sapere se tu sapevi di questo difetto,ora che si fa? Hello, yesterday I received the Pentax K-01, today the headline, everything is fine except the Flash, the Flash does not come out, and 'locked, even if I press the flash button does not come out, I would like to know if you knew of this flaw, now what do you do I haven't used the camera a lot but I have tested the flash on Av and Auto and it worked for me. Nick ---------- Post added 01-05-18 at 05:11 PM ---------- I have an identical K-01 here, Flash button doesn't work on movie and SCN but flash pops up whenever needed. Any more ideas?

01-05-2018, 05:48 PM	#4
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	The flash on my K-01 comes up on SCN - it might depend on the scene selected, I only tried portrait - but it doesn't come up on HDR.

01-05-2018, 05:59 PM	#5
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	Thanks, I haven't heard back from customer yet. Hopefully he's got it sorted.

01-06-2018, 12:00 PM	#7
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	Thanks, I'll point him to that. I'll see if I can find on my K-01 first. Much appreciated.

01-06-2018, 02:48 PM	#8
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	I've tried everything on my K-01 and flash comes up for most functions either on demand or if "up" button is pressed.

01-07-2018, 11:23 AM	#9
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	Ok, no luck fixing problem in Italy. Now I'm looking for cheap but decent courier to get the K-01 back to the UK. Any suggestions?

01-10-2018, 04:01 PM	#10
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	Any italian natives/speakers here - Im sure Im losing something in translation . Is it really difficult to post something from Italy to UK

01-10-2018, 04:15 PM	#11
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	Have you checked out Ecoparcel? From an American's perspective, Italy is the most difficult of the EU countries to ship to/from. But I would think it shouldn't be such an issue shipping intra-EU,

01-19-2018, 08:09 AM	#12
limestonecowboy Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 151 Original Poster	I got the K-01 back from Italy. Everything works fine except the flash which won't "pop-up" unless "persuaded" to do so. Once up it works fine. Comparing it to another K-01 I can't see any difference in condition of the buttons/moving parts on the flash. Anyone got a photo of the underside of the flash compartment to show how to dismantle (if I can be bothered).

01-16-2022, 10:44 AM	#14
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,593	Originally posted by McMac Hi everyone, maybe this is of help to someone else facing the same issue: I just found out that the builtin flash on the K-01 stays down whatever you do if you put a generic (non-pentax) hotshoe-cover into the hot shoe (Maybe that's what the sawed-off edge in the Pentax ones is for: distinguishing between a flash and a cover in the hotshoe). Regards, Markus Good spot … I'd often wondered about the little microswitch in the hot-shoe, but never got around to figuring out exactly what function it performs

01-16-2022, 05:45 PM	#15
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,202	Originally posted by luftfluss But I would think it shouldn't be such an issue shipping intra-EU, Italy to UK is not intra-EU anymore.