K7 - black pictures?

geoffm · 03-23-2010, 03:57 AM

I've recently purchased a K7 DSLR and have been learning to use it with a Pentax DA 1:4 17-70mm zoom lens. On a couple of seemingly random occasions I've managed to capture a completely black photo - i.e. a screen full of NOTHING with, perhaps, a thin horizontal line. In case you're wondering, No, I haven't been snapping in the dark or with the lens cap on

I phoned our local (Australian) support people & received the advice that I may have a memory card problem, or perhaps I could try a firmware upgrade. I went the firmware upgrade path & followed the installation instruction to the letter . . . i.e. make sure the battery is fully charged before you start, don't interrupt the upgrade process etc etc etc. or I could end up with an unusable camera. Sure enough, part way through the upgrade, Murphy's Law struck home, the upgrade process froze and Yes, they were right ! . . . I ended up with an unusable camera.

Cutting a long story short, roughly 2 weeks later I had my camera back with a new main circuit board (free of charge apart from my initial freight costs) and a firmware upgrade.

Guess what? Camera works fine (most of the time), but I still get the odd black photo. Shutter is releasing, or at least sounds like it's releasing, flash works OK when I choose to use it, but still the odd very annoying black photo in the group.

Anyone out there with similar experiences? Could it be an intermittent memory issue? Any other suggestions?? Am I doing something dumb?

Cheers
gm

Wheatfield · 03-23-2010, 05:20 AM

Did you try a different card?

bymy141 · 03-23-2010, 05:28 AM

No, I have not had the same experience, while having made 6000+ photos with my K-7. However.....

I have seen the opposite effect though: almost complete white pictures.
It took me some time to find the cause: the AEL button.

Sometimes, when taking the camera out of the bag in a hurry with a long lens attached I do everything in one move:
Take the camera out, switch it on at the same time.
However, to hold the camera I'm having my thumb (accidently) on the AEL button and the lens cap is still on the lens!
My thumb is needed on the camera to take it out with the large lens on, and I'm sometimes more focussed on the subject than on what I'm doing with the camera.
Then, when I take the photo within 30 secs, the exposure is still set to complete darkness

resulting in an overexposed photo by far!

Perhaps, your problem is the result of some sort of user action as well....

- Bert

JeffJS · 03-23-2010, 10:48 AM

How about if you post one of these 'black' photos so we can see what's going on?

Marc Sabatella · 03-23-2010, 12:20 PM

With EXIF, of course, and info on the lighting when you shot it - not much that can be said from a black picture itself. But with that additional info, we can at least say if it seems that appropriate exposure settings were used.

GoremanX · 03-24-2010, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Did you try a different card?

This is the most likely issue, I think. I've had it happen on more than one occasion. Memory cards go bad eventually, especially if they've been used a lot.

Wheatfield · 03-24-2010, 01:44 PM

Elvis appears to have left the building....

GoremanX · 03-24-2010, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Elvis appears to have left the building....

I've agreed with you on more than this occasion. There's nothing wrong with agreeing with sensible advice that doesn't include the words "...you're an idiot." in it.

geoffm · 03-25-2010, 02:43 AM

Think you might be onto something with the card thing - Trying to re-create the problem today, I ended up in a position where I couldn't take a photo that WASN'T black. (I also noticed that the camera in this state starts reporting a flat battery, even though it's not)

Anyhow, when trying to revive the camera to where it would at least take SOMETHING, I re-formatted the memory card. First attempt allowed me to again take pictures (grossly underexposed), so I re-formatted it again & the camera now seems to be operating normally???

The logic in this smells like bad memory card as you suggest, so from here on I guess its a process of elimination . . . watch this space

Thanks to all who replied - if it happens again, I'll upload a picture or 2 as others have suggested.

geoffm · 04-20-2010, 04:12 AM

Hi all - still getting the black photos occasionally. Is there any way I can post a file attachment to this site in its original form with the EXIF info intact?

cheers
gm

**Rondec** · 04-20-2010, 04:32 AM

Your best option is to open a photobucket account or something like that and then link to your photo. I don't know about other sites, but photobucket leaves the exif intact.

03-23-2010, 03:57 AM	#1
geoffm New Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Posts: 11	K7 - black pictures? I've recently purchased a K7 DSLR and have been learning to use it with a Pentax DA 1:4 17-70mm zoom lens. On a couple of seemingly random occasions I've managed to capture a completely black photo - i.e. a screen full of NOTHING with, perhaps, a thin horizontal line. In case you're wondering, No, I haven't been snapping in the dark or with the lens cap on I phoned our local (Australian) support people & received the advice that I may have a memory card problem, or perhaps I could try a firmware upgrade. I went the firmware upgrade path & followed the installation instruction to the letter . . . i.e. make sure the battery is fully charged before you start, don't interrupt the upgrade process etc etc etc. or I could end up with an unusable camera. Sure enough, part way through the upgrade, Murphy's Law struck home, the upgrade process froze and Yes, they were right ! . . . I ended up with an unusable camera. Cutting a long story short, roughly 2 weeks later I had my camera back with a new main circuit board (free of charge apart from my initial freight costs) and a firmware upgrade. Guess what? Camera works fine (most of the time), but I still get the odd black photo. Shutter is releasing, or at least sounds like it's releasing, flash works OK when I choose to use it, but still the odd very annoying black photo in the group. Anyone out there with similar experiences? Could it be an intermittent memory issue? Any other suggestions?? Am I doing something dumb? Cheers gm

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03-23-2010, 05:20 AM	#2
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,991	Did you try a different card?

03-23-2010, 05:28 AM	#3
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	No, I have not had the same experience, while having made 6000+ photos with my K-7. However..... I have seen the opposite effect though: almost complete white pictures. It took me some time to find the cause: the AEL button. Sometimes, when taking the camera out of the bag in a hurry with a long lens attached I do everything in one move: Take the camera out, switch it on at the same time. However, to hold the camera I'm having my thumb (accidently) on the AEL button and the lens cap is still on the lens! My thumb is needed on the camera to take it out with the large lens on, and I'm sometimes more focussed on the subject than on what I'm doing with the camera. Then, when I take the photo within 30 secs, the exposure is still set to complete darkness resulting in an overexposed photo by far! Perhaps, your problem is the result of some sort of user action as well.... - Bert

03-23-2010, 10:48 AM	#4
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	How about if you post one of these 'black' photos so we can see what's going on?

03-23-2010, 12:20 PM	#5
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	With EXIF, of course, and info on the lighting when you shot it - not much that can be said from a black picture itself. But with that additional info, we can at least say if it seems that appropriate exposure settings were used.

03-24-2010, 01:35 PM	#6
GoremanX Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Georgia, VT Photos: Albums Posts: 1,657	Originally posted by Wheatfield Did you try a different card? This is the most likely issue, I think. I've had it happen on more than one occasion. Memory cards go bad eventually, especially if they've been used a lot.

03-24-2010, 01:44 PM	#7
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,991	Elvis appears to have left the building....

03-24-2010, 01:47 PM	#8
GoremanX Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Georgia, VT Photos: Albums Posts: 1,657	Originally posted by Wheatfield Elvis appears to have left the building.... I've agreed with you on more than this occasion. There's nothing wrong with agreeing with sensible advice that doesn't include the words "...you're an idiot." in it.

03-25-2010, 02:43 AM	#9
geoffm New Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Posts: 11 Original Poster	Think you might be onto something with the card thing - Trying to re-create the problem today, I ended up in a position where I couldn't take a photo that WASN'T black. (I also noticed that the camera in this state starts reporting a flat battery, even though it's not) Anyhow, when trying to revive the camera to where it would at least take SOMETHING, I re-formatted the memory card. First attempt allowed me to again take pictures (grossly underexposed), so I re-formatted it again & the camera now seems to be operating normally??? The logic in this smells like bad memory card as you suggest, so from here on I guess its a process of elimination . . . watch this space Thanks to all who replied - if it happens again, I'll upload a picture or 2 as others have suggested.

04-20-2010, 04:12 AM	#10
geoffm New Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Posts: 11 Original Poster	Hi all - still getting the black photos occasionally. Is there any way I can post a file attachment to this site in its original form with the EXIF info intact? cheers gm

04-20-2010, 04:32 AM	#11
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,668	Your best option is to open a photobucket account or something like that and then link to your photo. I don't know about other sites, but photobucket leaves the exif intact.