[Racer X 69]

I usually shoot in full manual mode with my K10, setting the aperture and shutter speed using the built in light meter. Lately I have noticed a weird behavior.

I will set the aperture and shutter, take the picture, take a quick look as it displays on the screen, then go to take another shot only to find the shutter or aperture have changed, with no input from me. The shutter speed changes sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes a stop or two, sometimes from 1/30th to 1/250th. The aperture will go from F3.5 to F11, or someplace in between.

Also, sometimes the e-dials either will not make the settings change, or they will change a few stops, then refuse to change further, and sometimes turning the dial does nothing at all.

This is crazy. I feel like the camera has become possessed.

As you might guess, this results in missing a shot most of the time.

Has anyone experienced this?

Is there a fix?

I have the latest firmware, the batteries are fully charged.

The problem happens no matter what lens I am using, and if I am using a manual lens, the shutter speed will misbehave.

[stevebrot]

Poltergeist?

Never had this happen and I shoot M mode a lot with my K10D. Do you ever have problems in Av (aperture changing by itself) or Tv (shutter speed changing by itself) modes?


Steve

[kev.pride]

I'm presuming the K10 has the green button - been a long time since I had mine, could it be that this button has been pressed & locked on.

Not sure about the e-dials.

If the electronics are playing up might be time to have it looked at or trade up.

[jcp5]

Could be a hardware problem but you should do a "reset" in Custom settings menu if you haven't already before making that conclusion. Check that your "Auto EV Comp" is not set to "ON"

[Old Man]

I have not heard of that before, nor experienced it with either of mine. Maybe it is time for a CLA.

[Racer X 69]

I'm presuming the K10 has the green button - been a long time since I had mine, could it be that this button has been pressed & locked on.

I think this may be what is happening. I have looked at the manual since this comment, and fiddled with the green button, and it does change the settings when pressed.

Somehow I may have inadvertently turned this feature on, but really do well without it.

Now I need to dig deeper and see if there is a way to turn it off.

[baro-nite]

AFAICT the green button will always do something in M mode on the K10D. Your choice as to whether this is change the shutter speed (Tv shift), change the aperture (Av shift), or change both according to Program Line. And no matter what the setting, if you have a fully manual lens on the camera, it will still always act in Tv mode.

[Lowell Goudge]

Sounds like the green button acting up. Also note through the K10 green button location is a little too accessible and can be hit easily

[Racer X 69]

AFAICT the green button will always do something in M mode on the K10D. Your choice as to whether this is change the shutter speed (Tv shift), change the aperture (Av shift), or change both according to Program Line. And no matter what the setting, if you have a fully manual lens on the camera, it will still always act in Tv mode.

Yes, after reading the manual some today (I know, read the manual, what a concept!), it appears that the green button may be the culprit.

Also note through the K10 green button location is a little too accessible and can be hit easily

For sure. I got the camera new, when it was released in 2006, and have used it in either AV or M mode almost exclusively. I also bought the battery grip at the same time and it also has a green button.

So it just seems odd that I am only recently realizing these issues.

Perhaps as I have gotten older, and arthritis and carpal tunnel problems have become more pronounced, I have become more "all thumbs". I'm going to try to be more aware of the button location, and see what happens over the next few weeks while taking pictures.

Thanks to you two, and to everyone else who responded here. The membership of this forum is composed of the very best people who have ever pointed a camera at something (or someone), and we all use the best cameras available, Pentax.

[alexcam]

I had the same problem with the green button on the grip. Here's a thread with my solution:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/201774-bg...in-layout.html
Hope this helps you!