[davemdsn]

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I just double checked mine and I guess I got one of the straight ones. Any that are off should definitely be sent for repair.

[matsoberg]

I just double checked mine and I guess I got one of the straight ones. Any that are off should definitely be sent for repair.

Second that.

I need to say I´ve owned a few cameras since the mid -70´s (not just Pentax) and I´ve never accountered such a thing as a non levelling image before.

I mean, it isn´t THAT cheap a camera......

// Mats

[Occam]

Thanks for the encouragement ... I contacted the retailer and they are sending me a replacement. No doubt I will be happier without having to think about compensating for alignment (and I was already very happy with the camera so far).

[axl]

Trying to eyeball the camera into the horizontal this way doesn't work well, at least in my experience. You may want to try one of those little bubble levels that fit into the hot-shoe. Here's an example that's currently on E-Bay.

SLR Bubble Level

I'm using spirit level fitting to hot shoe, but my images still seem to come out tilting a bit. Never checked it really properly (I mean if I have SR on/off etc) but I've heard about this problem on K100D before. Anyway I think I'll test it soon.

[matsoberg]

I'm using spirit level fitting to hot shoe, but my images still seem to come out tilting a bit. Never checked it really properly (I mean if I have SR on/off etc) but I've heard about this problem on K100D before. Anyway I think I'll test it soon.

axl.

You seem to have a different problem than me (another K10D issue to deal with for the assembly plant in the Phillippines?) if you are levelling the camera body straight, but get a tilting pic´. If I´m levelling the camera body straight, the image comes out straight. Which means the sensor is sitting ok in the body.

My problem is the tilted veiwfinder image which makes it impossible to shoot straight when levelling the veiwfinder image.

// Mats

[hinman]

All of my shots are tilted clockwise for an angle. I always have SR turned on but I doubt if turning off would make anything better.

I have 1000 of photos and almost 60% of shots go through 'Picasa Straighten' for it

Picasa Straighten & Focal B&W - Hin's Tech Corner

The tilting in my blog post was on purpose but the following shots are NOT

Pictures taken with Pentagon 50mm f/1.4





with Bowers m42 adapter from BHphoto

Pentax M42 adapters - Hin's Tech Corner

Pentax M42 Pentagon 50mm f/1.8 - Hin's Tech Corner

Thanks,
Hin

[karma mechanic]

I just checked my GX10, using a mirror and a tripod, with the kit lens.

I made sure that the very edge of the mirror was just visible inside the matte of the viewfinder. The result shows not only the lean (I make it about 1.2 degrees) but the amount of 'spare' space at the foot of the image (which is the left in a landscape shot) is larger than the corresponding amount at the opposite end. Unfortunately the camera focused on itself rather than the mirror frame....

This is annoying me now. The camera was purchased on August 1st, so I don't know whether I should go via the dealer or Samsung - that's if the amount of lean is considered out of spec !

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Last edited by karma mechanic; 02-03-2011 at 11:09 AM.

[gawan]

I just double checked mine and I guess I got one of the straight ones. Any that are off should definitely be sent for repair.

I agree! After having my K10D for three months and wondering why I could not shoot straight, I finally checked it with a tripod. I had just the symptoms described here:

Clockwise leaning - both the viewfinder's outer rectangle and the matte screen's hairlines in relation to each other and to the sensor. The sensor it self seemed to be Ok in relation to the body.

I sent my camera to repair, but after two weeks I got a new body, they said the leaning could not be fixed. I am happy with my new body now, although it it does not have quite the same feel that I was used to with the first one

Anyway I recommend sending any leaning body to repair while still in warranty.

gawan

[Tom M]

I guess I should feel special - My camera does not exhibit this problem.

I recently did a shoot of a painting and everything was tripod shot using a Manfrotto studio leg set and the Bogen 3047 tilt/pan head.. If you know the head, it has 'double-bubble levels'.

With both bubbles leveled, 2sec delay (SR is on but shuts off when 2sec delay is chosen) every single image was DEAD-ON, perfectly straight...

Having said that... I have noticed that there is a somewhat unique issue when hand-holding a shot, say, a landscape shot that you can easily get a horizon for leveling. And I would appreciate it if others can try this and see if what I'm speaking of is what you're experiencing..

First off, all shots are rotated to the right, clock-wise some small degree, correct? Here's what I found. When I depress the shutter button, two things happen. First, if I'm not very careful, I will accidentally tilt the camera to the right, same side as the shutter release button simply from the force of pressing the button..

Secondly, even if I'm careful, I notice that images can still be cocked to the right a little and this appears to me to come from the actual shutter release. The action is hard enough to rotate the camera a slight bit and is worse with some lenses. Though, it is not anything wrong with the camera, it's simply a matter of understanding what's happening and compensating for it. As proof, I no longer have any tilting images unless I'm careless.

A good example of a lens that I notice this rotational movement with is actually my favorite, The Vivitar Series 1 105mm f2.5 Macro... This lens also exhibits a strange focus ring movement when holding the focus ring and pressing the shutter release, the barrel actually tries to rotate a little (to the right I'll add as well).. I've had no issue with it though and figured it was probably due to some thick grease from this NOS copy that's been sitting new in a box for nearly 20 years.. How the shutter release manages to impress the barrel to rotate I'll never understand but, it really happens.

[rei_vilo]

Bonjour,

I was surprised to realise that some of my pictures hadn't a truly horizontal horizon, despite being very careful at holding the camera and using the AF frame on the viewfinder .

After checking on numerous forums, I went to Pentax this afternoon, and let my K10D to be repaired. After a quick review, the after-sales technician said the focusing screen on the viewfinder may have moved a little. Fixing it would take two weeks.

That means two weeks without taking picture


[EDIT: Test protocol added] So I decided to investigate: here is what I've found so far.

Many forums talk about the problem

dpreview
Pentax User - Pentax Camera Magazine
aficionados K10D (in French)
K10D forums (in French)

Here's my test

The K10D and an object (here, a level-meter) are placed on a table, at 120 cm. Both are centered.


The picture taken by the K10D is perfectly right and horizontal. I used the remote + 3 seconds, and the shake-reduction system is off.


However, the viewfinder shows something different: the image is twisted. That means that, if I rely on the viewfinder to check my picture is horizontal, I may have a twisted picture.


I performed the same test with a DA 18-55mm at 35mm and 55mm, and with a DA* 50-135mm at 50mm. Same results .

So I plan to send my K10D to be repaired !

Are you experiencing something similar with your K10D ?

Best regards,

[distudio]

Secondly, even if I'm careful, I notice that images can still be cocked to the right a little and this appears to me to come from the actual shutter release. The action is hard enough to rotate the camera a slight bit and is worse with some lenses. Though, it is not anything wrong with the camera, it's simply a matter of understanding what's happening and compensating for it. As proof, I no longer have any tilting images unless I'm careless.

When the assembly is tripod mounted try aligning a straight level subject (keeping it as parallel to it as practical to the sensor plane) along the top or bottom of the finder and then see if 1) the visually set level agrees with your spirit level and 2) that the subject appears level in the image file.

This simple test should rule in or out the situation that you describe. When I use the procedure above it's plain to see that my finder is rotated relative to the sensor plane/base plate.

[rei_vilo]

Bonjour,

I reported before that I noted some of my pictures were turning right. Here's what I've found so far and the protocol I used.


Many forums talk about the problem

• dpreview
• Pentax User - Pentax Camera Magazine
• pentaxforums
• aficionados K10D (in French)
• K10D forums (in French)

Here's my test

The K10D and an object (here, a level-meter) are placed on a table, at 120 cm. Both are centered.


The picture taken by the K10D is perfectly right and horizontal. I used the remote + 3 seconds, and the shake-reduction system is off.
In my case, the sensor is perfectly aligned with the body.


However, the viewfinder shows something different: the image is twisted. That means that, if I rely on the viewfinder to check my picture is horizontal, I may have a twisted picture.
In my case, the view-finder is aligned but the focusing screen is twisted.


I performed the same test with a DA 18-55mm at 35mm and 55mm, and with a DA* 50-135mm at 50mm. Same results .

As said before, those pictures helped the after-sales technician to identify the cause, out of the many possible ones (sensor alignment, viewfinder alignment, focusing screen alignement).

I hope this could help you!

[jnorth]

I just checked my GX10, using a mirror and a tripod, with the kit lens.

I made sure that the very edge of the mirror was just visible inside the matte of the viewfinder. The result shows not only the lean (I make it about 1.2 degrees) but the amount of 'spare' space at the foot of the image (which is the left in a landscape shot) is larger than the corresponding amount at the opposite end. Unfortunately the camera focused on itself rather than the mirror frame....

This is annoying me now. The camera was purchased on August 1st, so I don't know whether I should go via the dealer or Samsung - that's if the amount of lean is considered out of spec !

Without double checking, I believe the specs quote the viewfinder at 95%. Now you know where the other 5% is that you don't see through the viewfinder.

[Tom M]

For those of you with the tilted matte screen, follow the instructions for replacing your matte screen and simply realign the matte screen - Save yourself the hassel of sending it back. Problem solved.

[matsoberg]

As the original poster, I feel obligated to report how thing´s have turned out for me.

It´s been 6 weeks since I sent the camera to the workshop here i Sweden for fixing my leaning veiwfinder image. After three weeks I sent an email asking for status update in the matter but didn´t get any reply, so I called them and they told me they had the camera, but needed to send it to Germany for tuning.

I was then told by a workshop technician that Pentax allowed 0.3 degrees of misalignment and my unit was 1.03 degrees off (pretty much as hinman´s and Karma Mechanic´s examples above). This meant that some of the units they have recieved for tuning were sent back to the customer without further measure. I don´t know how much 0.3 degrees looks like, but 1.03 is defenetly alot.

Anybody here who have got the same figure for allowance? I have been told recently that a 0.5 degree misalignment would be the figure.

Anyway, I have yet to recieve my camera back and will report upon arrival.

Thanks,

// Mats