New K10D sometimes shots black images.

rcl · 03-23-2008, 05:33 AM

Hello,

I just bought a new K10D at PIXMANIA last week. Sometimes after turning the camera on I shot black pictures, like if the lens cap was on. I need to turn off an the on again to shot correctly, and sometimes it does not work at first. As I could not identify the origin of the problem so I can not recreate this phenomenon.

- Hardware
- K10D with firmware 1.0 and latter 1.3. It has about 700 pictures taken.
- A new almost empty 2GB SanDisk Extreme III. I never tried other. But it seams to work well.
- Lens smc DA 18-55.

- Problem
- Black images sometimes when I turn the camera on or when it starts from auto power off. Like if the lens cap was on.
- This happens about 1 in 20 times after switching it on. Normally this gets fixed after switching off and on the camera.
- If I shot at ISO1600 the black image appears with some noise.

- Things that I made to try to solve the problem.
- I already updated firmware from version 1.0 to 1.3. The problem stills.
- I did reset in the camera menu. The problem stills.

Best Regards,
RC

Rickster · 03-23-2008, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by rcl

Hello,

I just bought a new K10D at PIXMANIA last week. Sometimes after turning the camera on I shot black pictures, like if the lens cap was on. I need to turn off an the on again to shot correctly, and sometimes it does not work at first. As I could not identify the origin of the problem so I can not recreate this phenomenon.

- Hardware
- K10D with firmware 1.0 and latter 1.3. It has about 700 pictures taken.
- A new almost empty 2GB SanDisk Extreme III. I never tried other. But it seams to work well.
- Lens smc DA 18-55.

- Problem
- Black images sometimes when I turn the camera on or when it starts from auto power off. Like if the lens cap was on.
- This happens about 1 in 20 times after switching it on. Normally this gets fixed after switching off and on the camera.
- If I shot at ISO1600 the black image appears with some noise.

- Things that I made to try to solve the problem.
- I already updated firmware from version 1.0 to 1.3. The problem stills.
- I did reset in the camera menu. The problem stills.

Best Regards,
RC

Can you post a link to one of the black images that is original from the camera with out any post processing so we can look inside the file to see what the camera conditions were for the exposure? You could email it to rick@rickster.org if you do not have a way to post on the web.

I suspect that perhaps your camera is not as new as you think. Maybe the dealer got rid of a defective returned unit by selling it to you.

SupremeMoFo · 03-23-2008, 07:54 AM

Completely black or so underexposed it's nearly black? I had severe underexposure issues after updating to 1.3. Got it sent off, I think the mainboard was replaced and the CCD block reassembled?

Buddha Jones · 03-23-2008, 08:13 AM

It happens to me sometimes too, not sure why, but I have to 'reboot' the camera. Happened to me at all firmware levels.

**DAZ** · 03-23-2008, 08:26 AM

Is the mirror moving all the way up? I had this happen to me on a camera. Drove me nuts until I figured out what it was. It started with it just doing it ever ones in a while. It got to the point that most of the photos were black. If I set the camera to a longer exposure I could see that the viewfinder was not getting all black.

DAZ

rcl · 03-23-2008, 09:42 AM

At this moment I could take some pictures and I found something new.

The results were these:
(i sent these pictures to Rickster)
Camera was set in Green position (automatic) with ISO Auto and flash off.
1st Picture
- Shot taken in a dark house.
- Completely magenta with some noise on it. (Parameters, Speed 0.5", ISO400, F5.6).
2nd Picture
- The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun.
- Completely back without any noise. (Parameters, Speed
1/125, ISO100, F8.0).
3rd Picture
- The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600).
- Completely green with some noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/1000, ISO1600, F11).
4th Picture
- The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600).
- Black without any noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/1500, ISO1600, F13).
A lot of completely black pictures...
...and then I found a strange picture:
7th Picture
- The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600).
- At the middle black without any noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/250, ISO1600, F9.5).
- At the top vertical, and a little at the button some traces with magenta and dark blue!

(i sent these pictures to Rickster)

After switching off and on the camera it took a nice picture.

At the beginning I was expecting that was a with mirror (like DAZ says, but I hear it moving, not sure if it moves properly) or in the lens (may be some problem with aperture).

The strange thing is that when I turn off and on the camera, the problem gets fixed!

Thanks very much for the replays.
RC

Rickster · 03-23-2008, 12:14 PM

RC,

I looked at your files. Take your camera back for a replacement. It's broke.

kenyee · 03-23-2008, 01:07 PM

are you swapping lenses w/ the power on? Only time that happened to me was when I did that...

03-23-2008, 05:33 AM	#1
rcl New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal Posts: 2	New K10D sometimes shots black images. Hello, I just bought a new K10D at PIXMANIA last week. Sometimes after turning the camera on I shot black pictures, like if the lens cap was on. I need to turn off an the on again to shot correctly, and sometimes it does not work at first. As I could not identify the origin of the problem so I can not recreate this phenomenon. - Hardware - K10D with firmware 1.0 and latter 1.3. It has about 700 pictures taken. - A new almost empty 2GB SanDisk Extreme III. I never tried other. But it seams to work well. - Lens smc DA 18-55. - Problem - Black images sometimes when I turn the camera on or when it starts from auto power off. Like if the lens cap was on. - This happens about 1 in 20 times after switching it on. Normally this gets fixed after switching off and on the camera. - If I shot at ISO1600 the black image appears with some noise. - Things that I made to try to solve the problem. - I already updated firmware from version 1.0 to 1.3. The problem stills. - I did reset in the camera menu. The problem stills. Best Regards, RC

03-23-2008, 09:42 AM	#6
rcl New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal Posts: 2 Original Poster	Some new strange things! At this moment I could take some pictures and I found something new. The results were these: (i sent these pictures to Rickster) Camera was set in Green position (automatic) with ISO Auto and flash off. 1st Picture - Shot taken in a dark house. - Completely magenta with some noise on it. (Parameters, Speed 0.5", ISO400, F5.6). 2nd Picture - The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun. - Completely back without any noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/125, ISO100, F8.0). 3rd Picture - The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600). - Completely green with some noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/1000, ISO1600, F11). 4th Picture - The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600). - Black without any noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/1500, ISO1600, F13). A lot of completely black pictures... ...and then I found a strange picture: 7th Picture - The shot was taken for the ground with a nice sun (forced ISO1600). - At the middle black without any noise. (Parameters, Speed 1/250, ISO1600, F9.5). - At the top vertical, and a little at the button some traces with magenta and dark blue! (i sent these pictures to Rickster) After switching off and on the camera it took a nice picture. At the beginning I was expecting that was a with mirror (like DAZ says, but I hear it moving, not sure if it moves properly) or in the lens (may be some problem with aperture). The strange thing is that when I turn off and on the camera, the problem gets fixed! Thanks very much for the replays. RC

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03-23-2008, 07:41 AM	#2
Rickster Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SE Idaho - Rocky Mtns Photos: Gallery Posts: 580	Originally posted by rcl Hello, I just bought a new K10D at PIXMANIA last week. Sometimes after turning the camera on I shot black pictures, like if the lens cap was on. I need to turn off an the on again to shot correctly, and sometimes it does not work at first. As I could not identify the origin of the problem so I can not recreate this phenomenon. - Hardware - K10D with firmware 1.0 and latter 1.3. It has about 700 pictures taken. - A new almost empty 2GB SanDisk Extreme III. I never tried other. But it seams to work well. - Lens smc DA 18-55. - Problem - Black images sometimes when I turn the camera on or when it starts from auto power off. Like if the lens cap was on. - This happens about 1 in 20 times after switching it on. Normally this gets fixed after switching off and on the camera. - If I shot at ISO1600 the black image appears with some noise. - Things that I made to try to solve the problem. - I already updated firmware from version 1.0 to 1.3. The problem stills. - I did reset in the camera menu. The problem stills. Best Regards, RC Can you post a link to one of the black images that is original from the camera with out any post processing so we can look inside the file to see what the camera conditions were for the exposure? You could email it to rick@rickster.org if you do not have a way to post on the web. I suspect that perhaps your camera is not as new as you think. Maybe the dealer got rid of a defective returned unit by selling it to you.

03-23-2008, 07:54 AM	#3
SupremeMoFo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 668	Completely black or so underexposed it's nearly black? I had severe underexposure issues after updating to 1.3. Got it sent off, I think the mainboard was replaced and the CCD block reassembled?

03-23-2008, 08:13 AM	#4
Buddha Jones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,587	It happens to me sometimes too, not sure why, but I have to 'reboot' the camera. Happened to me at all firmware levels.

03-23-2008, 08:26 AM	#5
DAZ Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Everett, WA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 744	Is the mirror moving all the way up? I had this happen to me on a camera. Drove me nuts until I figured out what it was. It started with it just doing it ever ones in a while. It got to the point that most of the photos were black. If I set the camera to a longer exposure I could see that the viewfinder was not getting all black. DAZ

03-23-2008, 12:14 PM	#7
Rickster Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SE Idaho - Rocky Mtns Photos: Gallery Posts: 580	RC, I looked at your files. Take your camera back for a replacement. It's broke.

03-23-2008, 01:07 PM	#8
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	are you swapping lenses w/ the power on? Only time that happened to me was when I did that...