[BelDel]

A quick look at the EXIF shows the picture to have been taken with a Samsung/Schneider D-XENON 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED, which of course is a rebadged Pentax lens. The reason there's no "A" setting is 'cos it's fully automatic … no aperture ring

There must be something amiss with the EXIF then - I don’t own a 50-200mm lens of any brand! 😳 I have an 18-50, a 17-70 and a 100-300mm.
Odd!

---------- Post added 03-23-22 at 12:26 AM ----------

You don't need a lead for a firmware update, just download the file to your computer, unpack it to retrieve the .bin file inside, copy this file to the root of your SD card, re-fit the card in the camera then switch on the camera with the menu button depressed to update the firmware.
The only important criteria is that the process MUST be performed with fully-charged batteries.
FWIW, as recommended by many, I use eneloop rechargeable AA batteries in my Pentax cameras that require AA batteries … they're totally reliable and once the initial outlay for charger and batteries has been made they'll last for very many years
I see from your image EXIF that you're using a fully auto lens, so it won't have an "A" setting 'cos it doesn't have a manual aperture ring
Also from the EXIF, ISO 1600 shouldn't be necessary in good light under normal circumstances. If the shutter speed and/or the aperture were reduced by two stops (or one of each, say 1/500 @ f/11) the ISO would come down to 400 and you'd get a much less noisy image
Enjoy

Thanks for the info on the firmware update! I’ll give it a go!
I’ve recently bought some eneloop batteries but haven’t tried them in the camera yet. I’ll test them out, but I’m not that impressed with their charge hold as yet. 🙁

---------- Post added 03-23-22 at 12:27 AM ----------

That is interesting, it is the same with my K200D. I purchased it recently as it had a very low shuttercount so I couldn't resist.
But when it arrived it came with ordinary AA Alkaline batteries and worked with those, resisted all my Eneloops.


As I have the external powersupply which works perfect it was clean that it must be a contact problem and when I checked it was clear:
The previous owner had cleaned all battery contacts but there were leftovers of a battery leak.
So I got 50% back and changed the contacts of the bottom battery door (one can use ONLY the contacts of another K200D, those of an *istD, K100D or Km will not work, have minimal different dimensions! but I had a few here). It is better but not perfect.

So I chose to buy a load of Energizer Lithium Ultimate which are perfect for the K200D, I can leave it in my car (well protected against humidity though) with some special SMC Pentax A-lenses and modified Pentax 360-I flash (also with the Energizer Lithiums Ultimate).

Quite a good solution, the K200D is a great body.

I highly can recommend some SMC-Pentax A lenses:
- A 70-210/4 ... very cheap to be found and almost as good as the

- A 35-105/3,5 (stack of primes)

and for the lower end I use the venerable DA16-45

and as a fast prime a heavy used FA50/1,7

Thanks for the lens recs- I’ll check them out!
And yes, I know I don’t need anything like 1600 in good light - see below!😊

---------- Post added 03-23-22 at 12:31 AM ----------

Thanks again everyone for your help.
It appears I have found the root of the problem - the auto ISO had somehow set itself at 1600!
I’ve fixed that now and also learn a lot more about the P and M functions of the camera. As well as the green button!!!
Now, when I get out of the other ISO 🤣 and feel well again, I can test it out!