Pentax K10D shutter stuck closed

artrasa · 01-06-2023, 10:33 AM

Hi all

Yesterday I noticed my K10D suddenly simply stopped taking pictures altogether. There's no action when I press the shutter button.

I can't see anything abnormal on the camera. It's switched on and its battery is fully charged. Lens is attached firmly, the lens contacts wiped clean. Camera's user interface, displays, dials, buttons work just like normal.

But when I press the shutter button, I can only hear a very quiet sound. I presume it comes from the Shake Reduction mechanism on which the sensor is attached to. Maybe the SR coils are energized to center the sensor? But there's no other action. The mirror, shutter, etc. do not move at all. When I use a wooden stick to carefully lift the mirror out from the way I notice the shutter is permanently closed.

Here's a picture:

Pentax K10D stuck shutter - Album on Imgur

Any ideas what may cause this?

Fenwoodian · 01-06-2023, 11:56 AM

.
Try putting it in "mirror up" mode for cleaning. Maybe that will snap it back to normal.

artrasa · 01-06-2023, 02:00 PM

Thanks for your suggestion. I tried "Sensor Cleaning" -> "Mirror up" but the mirror won't move at all. "Dust removal" rattles the sensor as usual.

Maybe some electric motor failed inside the camera. But why would that affect the shutter? Very confusing.

Henrico · 01-06-2023, 02:23 PM

When you lift the mirror, what position has the shutter? The K-01's around now suffer stucked shutter syndrome most probably because of failing solenoids. How that looks you can find here:

K-01 shutter stuck - PentaxForums.com

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-06-2023, 02:35 PM

The camera does a sequence of events when you press the shutter button. SR happens early. The arm that controls the lens has to move to the right position so the lens aperture is the one you chose. The mirror goes up. Then the shutter opens (the shutter has a bunch of events by itself). The mirror has to be up and out of the way before the shutter opens, otherwise the precise timing of the shutter opening is wasted. The camera probably detects when the mirror is out of the way before continuing. The mirror movement is controlled by a motor, which is probably dead. The motor is right at the heart of the camera so labor costs to replace it are high.

artrasa · 01-06-2023, 02:56 PM

Originally posted by Henrico

When you lift the mirror, what position has the shutter? The K-01's around now suffer stucked shutter syndrome most probably because of failing solenoids. How that looks you can find here:

K-01 shutter stuck - PentaxForums.com

Thanks for linking that thread. Mine looks exactly like that K-01 in your linked thread. Maybe the shutter solenoid is the culprit.

**paulh** · 01-06-2023, 05:52 PM

The K-01 and K10D are very different cameras with I believe very different shutter mechanisms.

Not a Number · 01-06-2023, 07:50 PM

Seems like a simple case of shutter failure. How many actuations has the shutter seen?

**photogem** · 01-06-2023, 09:43 PM

Originally posted by paulh

The K-01 and K10D are very different cameras with I believe very different shutter mechanisms.

No, the K-01 just lacks the mirror-up-motor but has a motor for aperture-control (the K10D has the Japan-DSLR Solenoid here, K20D as well)
The shutter mechanism is the same, controlled by 2 strong solenoids.

I believe it is the mirror-up-motor which failed, but it could be one or two of those solenoids as well.
Shutter mechanism and mirror-up motor interact. If one is damaged, the other won't work.

Not worth even thinking about repairing it because it sits on the diaphragm-control-unit.
To get that one out is much to much work (Mainboard out, batterybox out, etc.) and the risk that still something else might not be alright.
More so for the solenoids of the shutter!

artrasa · 01-07-2023, 04:41 AM

Thank you all for your comments & information. I have disassembled the plastic covers before. Sounds like shutter/mirror motor repairs might require some special tools and equipment that I don't have. Maybe I'll try to sell it for spare parts for 5 € or something.

At the moment I'm thinking of buying a K-mount film SLR to replace the K10D. I was using the K10D with an SMC F35-80 lens that was designed for film SLRs.

Not a Number:
Shutter count is 29 673.

I'd like to share the last picture this camera took from New Year's eve.

New Year's Eve 1.1.2023 - Album on Imgur

**photogem** · 01-07-2023, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by artrasa

Maybe I'll try to sell it for spare parts for 5 € or something.

Too cheap:
It has:

1. 1 x Japan DSLR Solenoid (sold for around $ 50 on ebay)
2. Spare parts useful for repair of other K10D's

So it is worth a little bit more then € 5.

01-06-2023, 10:33 AM	#1
artrasa Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Lempäälä Posts: 132	Pentax K10D shutter stuck closed Hi all Yesterday I noticed my K10D suddenly simply stopped taking pictures altogether. There's no action when I press the shutter button. I can't see anything abnormal on the camera. It's switched on and its battery is fully charged. Lens is attached firmly, the lens contacts wiped clean. Camera's user interface, displays, dials, buttons work just like normal. But when I press the shutter button, I can only hear a very quiet sound. I presume it comes from the Shake Reduction mechanism on which the sensor is attached to. Maybe the SR coils are energized to center the sensor? But there's no other action. The mirror, shutter, etc. do not move at all. When I use a wooden stick to carefully lift the mirror out from the way I notice the shutter is permanently closed. Here's a picture: Pentax K10D stuck shutter - Album on Imgur Any ideas what may cause this?

01-06-2023, 09:43 PM	#9
photogem Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 2,974	Originally posted by paulh The K-01 and K10D are very different cameras with I believe very different shutter mechanisms. No, the K-01 just lacks the mirror-up-motor but has a motor for aperture-control (the K10D has the Japan-DSLR Solenoid here, K20D as well) The shutter mechanism is the same, controlled by 2 strong solenoids. I believe it is the mirror-up-motor which failed, but it could be one or two of those solenoids as well. Shutter mechanism and mirror-up motor interact. If one is damaged, the other won't work. Not worth even thinking about repairing it because it sits on the diaphragm-control-unit. To get that one out is much to much work (Mainboard out, batterybox out, etc.) and the risk that still something else might not be alright. More so for the solenoids of the shutter! Last edited by photogem; 01-06-2023 at 09:50 PM.

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01-06-2023, 11:56 AM	#2
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,816	. Try putting it in "mirror up" mode for cleaning. Maybe that will snap it back to normal.

01-06-2023, 02:00 PM	#3
artrasa Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Lempäälä Posts: 132 Original Poster	Thanks for your suggestion. I tried "Sensor Cleaning" -> "Mirror up" but the mirror won't move at all. "Dust removal" rattles the sensor as usual. Maybe some electric motor failed inside the camera. But why would that affect the shutter? Very confusing.

01-06-2023, 02:23 PM	#4
Henrico Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Utrecht Photos: Gallery Posts: 176	When you lift the mirror, what position has the shutter? The K-01's around now suffer stucked shutter syndrome most probably because of failing solenoids. How that looks you can find here: K-01 shutter stuck - PentaxForums.com

01-06-2023, 02:35 PM	#5
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,192	The camera does a sequence of events when you press the shutter button. SR happens early. The arm that controls the lens has to move to the right position so the lens aperture is the one you chose. The mirror goes up. Then the shutter opens (the shutter has a bunch of events by itself). The mirror has to be up and out of the way before the shutter opens, otherwise the precise timing of the shutter opening is wasted. The camera probably detects when the mirror is out of the way before continuing. The mirror movement is controlled by a motor, which is probably dead. The motor is right at the heart of the camera so labor costs to replace it are high.

01-06-2023, 02:56 PM	#6
artrasa Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Lempäälä Posts: 132 Original Poster	Originally posted by Henrico When you lift the mirror, what position has the shutter? The K-01's around now suffer stucked shutter syndrome most probably because of failing solenoids. How that looks you can find here: K-01 shutter stuck - PentaxForums.com Thanks for linking that thread. Mine looks exactly like that K-01 in your linked thread. Maybe the shutter solenoid is the culprit.

01-06-2023, 05:52 PM	#7
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 30,153	The K-01 and K10D are very different cameras with I believe very different shutter mechanisms.

01-06-2023, 07:50 PM	#8
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 9,720	Seems like a simple case of shutter failure. How many actuations has the shutter seen?

01-07-2023, 04:41 AM	#10
artrasa Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Lempäälä Posts: 132 Original Poster	Thank you all for your comments & information. I have disassembled the plastic covers before. Sounds like shutter/mirror motor repairs might require some special tools and equipment that I don't have. Maybe I'll try to sell it for spare parts for 5 € or something. At the moment I'm thinking of buying a K-mount film SLR to replace the K10D. I was using the K10D with an SMC F35-80 lens that was designed for film SLRs. Not a Number: Shutter count is 29 673. I'd like to share the last picture this camera took from New Year's eve. New Year's Eve 1.1.2023 - Album on Imgur

01-07-2023, 12:05 PM	#11
photogem Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 2,974	Originally posted by artrasa Maybe I'll try to sell it for spare parts for 5 € or something. Too cheap: It has: 1. 1 x Japan DSLR Solenoid (sold for around $ 50 on ebay) 2. Spare parts useful for repair of other K10D's So it is worth a little bit more then € 5.

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