[Ubuntu_user]

So, I've had my K7 for a month now and have absolutely fallen in love... I mean, seriously. Recently I spent time in a big group of friends (all of which were shooting Canon gear) and so I got to lay my hands on several 50Ds and 7Ds. Nice cameras, but I thought that they were terribly lacking in their handling and controls. Changing settings is soo much faster on my K7... Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way... What was funny, everyone I talked to had never even heard of Pentax. It just shows that people buy based on friends and media, I guess. Oh well...
Anyway, that's not the reason I am writing. My reason is that I have a problem. The power switch (mostly noticeable when turned to the depth of field or digital preview setting) is sometimes sticky. It's really strange because sometimes it's snappy as can be and then other times it is sticky. Like, it will stick on the DOF setting instead of going back to "on." Very big pain to be pulling the switch back to the on position. And, my second problem is the shutter button. It sticks too! It will stick half way down and when I go to focus again (I run mostly on AFS) I let up on the button (the plastic comes up but down inside it stays down) and press down again, all to no avail because it didn't really come up. It's still locked on the same focus.
Now I can see if I spilled syrup or honey on the camera or something, but I haven't gotten one thing on it. So, what on earth could be causing this? It started having this problem about a week after I got it, and since then it is off and on. It changes fast too, within ten minutes it may go from bad to good, or vice versa.

I need counsel. I really don't want to have to send the camera in for a repair because I have photo shoots lined up for the next couple months so I can't really send the camera off for who knows how long, but also I can't live it the way it is...

[Ex Finn.]

That sucks, send it in expedited maybe. Should not stick, how many actuation's so far?.
Just curious.

Cheers, Mike.

P.S.
Several money paying shoots lined up, I would have a backup body on hand.

[chromo]

I remember reading someone else having the same problem with the shutter button, somewhere in these forums I'm pretty sure.

You could try pressing on the surrounding area when it sticks and see if it releases it. But that won't fix it permanently of course, but it might show misalignment.

Sounds like a manufacturing defect like missalignment or flash left on a plastic part, not lubricated properly, bent metal shim, broken spring etc. It may have a bit of grit moving around inside like a tiny bit of plastic that shouldn't be there.

If you've only had it a month and kept it clean, I'd be sending it back. Pentax may have neglected something and it may only get worse.

Chromo. (woof!)

[Ubuntu_user]

That sucks, send it in expedited maybe. Should not stick, how many actuation's so far?.
Just curious.

Cheers, Mike.

P.S.
Several money paying shoots lined up, I would have a backup body on hand.

I have put close to 2k actuations on so far... Good idea on the backup body, I never really considered that before.

I remember reading someone else having the same problem with the shutter button, somewhere in these forums I'm pretty sure.

You could try pressing on the surrounding area when it sticks and see if it releases it. But that won't fix it permanently of course, but it might show misalignment.

Sounds like a manufacturing defect like missalignment or flash left on a plastic part, not lubricated properly, bent metal shim, broken spring etc. It may have a bit of grit moving around inside like a tiny bit of plastic that shouldn't be there.

If you've only had it a month and kept it clean, I'd be sending it back. Pentax may have neglected something and it may only get worse.

Chromo. (woof!)

Yeah, pressing the surrounding area doesn't help any. And I forgot to mention earlier, that it is only getting worse! It may be completely inoperable sometime soon.

Hmm... I'll call Pentax today and send it in. Thanks guys for your help!

[Ex Finn.]

Yup, something not right.

Cheers, Mike.

[Ubuntu_user]

Oh! I'm discouraged. The Pentax customer service rep told me that to repair my problem will take 3 or 4 weeks!!! That's not including shipping time either!
Argh. I can't live without my camera for over a month! What do I do???

[cucme]

I have the same problem that developed yesterday! Mine is K200D with about 4K shutters.

[Adam]

This can only really happen if something gets stuck underneath the button- maybe if you try wiggling it back and forth a little bit, the problem will go away on its own. If not, you'll have to send it in, as others are saying- but I can't see how a repair like this could take 3-4 weeks! Maybe a non-Pentax repairman could be more hasty in fixing it?

[seachunk2]

Before I came across this post, I posted recently that my K7 on-off switch seems to be sticking also. Someone replied that it might be due to the weather sealing of the switch. Another person remarked that it might be due to the humidity. I don't know if either of these reasons are correct but I'll share the information anyway. I have about 4500 actuations and it was purchased in early February..
I had compared the switch feel to a Kx I purchased last week and the Kx is much smoother than the K7. I don't recall the K7 being so stiff until I started to notice it about a month ago. In comparing to the K7 I beginning to think there is a problem but not enough to give up the camera at the beginning of the summer.

[Ex Finn.]

I mentioned the weather sealing but, after several hundred on/off cycles, as you must have gone through, now notice a change, then there could be a problem developing.

Cheers, Mike.

[Ubuntu_user]

I've come to the conclusion that high temperature and/or high humidity = bad on/off/shutter mechanism.

[hcc]

I've come to the conclusion that high temperature and/or high humidity = bad on/off/shutter mechanism.

If your experience is confirmed (with other K-7s), it would be consistent with the behaviour of some rings & O-rings. With both temperature and humidity, a number of O-rings expand slightly, while they shrink (slightly) in cold dry weather. This would suggest that the weather sealing of the camera is based upon some rubber rings and O-rings, e.g. the SD card door and battery door. In turn one could expect the switch to be tighter to operate in hot humid conditions.
If this is correct, there is nothing to worry.

[tomwil]

Perhaps a wash might help, to remove dust, grime, or coke?

[Ubuntu_user]

Perhaps a wash might help, to remove dust, grime, or coke?

Cool photo! Is that taken in the bottom of a refrigerator? I love the fact that Pentax equipment is undaunted by water...