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08-01-2011, 10:18 PM   #1
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No SD Card - keep shooting

Got a k7. Made a big mistake. Pulled out the camera, started shooting. It was outdoor hand held stuff - I didn't even do one review in the field. Anyways, finished up my shots a couple of hours later.

Back at home, went to unload - no SD Card in slot.

OK, so of course this is a stupid mistake on my part, but the camera didn't even say anything, other than the picture counter was dashes. I would expect it to flash a big message saying "dont even try to take pictures ya idiot, there's no SD card in the slot!". Is there a setting for this?

08-01-2011, 10:39 PM   #2
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I did this once, shortly after getting my K-r.

The screen on mine does flash up "No Memory Card" after taking a shot, but it doesn't help if you don't review the shots after taking them. It'd be nice if it did something distinctive, like 3 beeps, when you take a shot with no card, or a full card.
08-01-2011, 11:00 PM   #3
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People no doubt did this alllll the time in the film days. Just think of it as a nostalgic photo shoot

At least theres a message on the LCD screen - dunno about K-7's, but its pretty hard to miss it coming on with its message and the lack of orange light blinking on the K20D.. Shame you didn't happen to notice it. Maybe cause the K20D is bigger its not a problem
08-02-2011, 01:15 AM   #4
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Just goes to prove that computers are not infallible and as good as we make them mistakes or omissions are the order of the day in any software.

I just took my card out of my K-7 and much to my surprise the thing does let me take a picture, however if you do look at your LCD, which of course you should do! You will see a flashing red SD card, and the message telling you that there is no card in the camera. That is perfect, but only if user looks at screen.

Yet Pentax can do it! If your card is in but the card door is open, the camera appears dead no pictures can be taken.

I suspect that a firmware modification would but this to rest, just make it act the same no card in camera or card door open, no pictures allowed.

My Ricoh gets around this by having a useful internal memory as well as card slot, but of course one has to look at the screen to know ......

I hope your shots were not for something important! That would make me annoyed with myself.

08-02-2011, 01:29 AM   #5
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Don't worry, I did this in filndays a lot, go out shooting without film because it was to expoensive. It will train your skills on making pictures. Then again, maybe putting in a SD card would come in handy.
08-02-2011, 01:32 AM   #6
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I will admit to doing it twice. Once with film and once with digital, fortunately both occasions were not important ones!
08-02-2011, 02:14 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by adr1an Quote
People no doubt did this alllll the time in the film days.
With an ME Super it's quite obvious if there is no film loaded - the wind-on lever feels far too light.

08-02-2011, 05:27 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by SPB Quote
I just took my card out of my K-7 ... You will see a flashing red SD card, and the message telling you that there is no card in the camera.
Not on mine at all - with the SD Card out, all it shows is just three dashes, where the picture count would normally be. The only time I get a message is when I go to review a picture.

Hmmm, I wonder what firmware I have...
08-02-2011, 07:26 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by ManOf7 Quote
Not on mine at all - with the SD Card out, all it shows is just three dashes, where the picture count would normally be. The only time I get a message is when I go to review a picture.

Hmmm, I wonder what firmware I have...
Perhaps we should all upgrade to Brain Firmware 1.1!

Seriously those 3 dashes do help. I've gotten in the habit of glancing there 1st thing, so I know how much memory is left on the card. If I see the dashes I know something's up, most likely that I've forgotten the card . It's also important to get in the habit of checking the rear LCD screen - you never know when you may have left your settings in some configuration that's totally inappropriate.
08-02-2011, 07:32 AM   #10
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I am more than happy to change my habits, and I will.

but ya gotta admit - three dashes is a far cry from a message saying "No SD Card". keerist.

Make the computer come to the user, not the other way around - its called being "user friendly". I am amazed at how much people put up with bad software design, its like they are proud they understand the complexities, somehow special.
08-02-2011, 08:48 AM   #11
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Different experiences

"I am more than happy to change my habits, and I will.

"but ya gotta admit - three dashes is a far cry from a message saying "No SD Card". keerist.

"Make the computer come to the user, not the other way around - its called being "user friendly". I am amazed at how much people put up with bad software design, its like they are proud they understand the complexities, somehow special."

Did you buy your K-7 new or used? I have thus far purchased seven digital cameras (all used) and only three of them came with cards. Even with the very first dslr (an Olympus E-520), I turned the camera on and read something like "no card present" and rushed down to Radio Shack to get one.

Perhaps you are more experienced than I was when I bought the E-520, but my most-recent purchase, a K20d, did come after I was more experienced, but it came with a card; so it isn't a precise comparison; nevertheless I shoot in manual so it wouldn't have been possible for me to set it to "M" and then go out to shoot. I needed to set various other things as well and I would definitely have noticed if there were no card installed.

In fact even if I've purchased a camera that has a card, before I ever snap the shutter, I pull the card out to see what size it is -- and usually decide to upgrade to a larger size.

Also, surely this bad experience could only have happened once. Surely from then on you would leave a card in your camera. I personally have never wished for a firmware change to preclude my shooting without a card.

I have shot photos without film in the camera, but I thought that sort of thing wasn't possible in the dslr world.
08-02-2011, 08:51 AM   #12
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The next firmware reportly will add the remote TEWS (testicular electrical warning stimulation) feature. Should fix it.
08-02-2011, 11:39 AM   #13
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Bummmer I have never done this..

And the real kicker is when I did not do this, I had an extra card in the battery crip and a couple in my bag...

But I have never done this ..............

Special K enhanced fimrware might require cables haha
08-02-2011, 06:06 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by daacon Quote

Special K enhanced fimrware might require cables haha
Self-contained, like a mini taser, that mounts in the tripod socket.

I did walk about 100 yards to take a particular shot, 100 miles from home, to find I had no card in the camera (was in the computer card reader...at home). Luckily I had a spare, back in the car...

I usually pop a shot to check settings (daylight and ISO 1600?) when I leave my car now, if not sooner.
08-02-2011, 06:44 PM   #15
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In the bottom of my Ameribag, which goes wherever I do (contains pills, passport, folding kite, etc as well as lenses and P&S) is a little bag containing spare batteries and cards for all my cameras. So even if I fock up, I'm not focked. How did I come to carry that bag? Let's just say:

We learn good judgment from our experiences.
We gain experience by making bad judgments.
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