K10D update and Model Revision 8.1 Yes /No??

Jman02 · 04-29-2008, 05:44 PM

I've been following this thread for awhile now. I bought my K10D new last July of 2007. I recently downloaded the Photo-ME software to see the statistics on my camera. The build date was 5-26-07. The firmware is original and has never been updated from 1.0. I did look at the Pentax website at the 1.3 firmware update instructions, but have not done it yet. The main issues I have had with this camera are low light hesitations and AF hunting. It did this with the original 18-55mm kit lens as it does with the Tamron 18-250mm that I now am using. First I called my dealer about the 8.1 revision and he did not know of it, but said that usually revisions in firmware are done via website downloads. Today I called Pentaximaging and talked with a Paul. I explained my issues as mentioned above and some of what the others here have said. He did not know of the 8.1 revision, but I thought I was talking with someone in Colorado being that is where their address and phone# are listed form. He was actually in North Carolina. He put me on hold and called the Colorado division to speak with their tech people. He told me they said the 8.1 revision is firmware and hardware revisions and that is why you must send it in. He claimed it would take about 5-7 days to turn around and that it was usually done if you were having major issues with back focus, etc. He also made it sound like only certain serial numbers were covered under warranty and other wise you would need to pay a fee.........as seen by others on here. I asked for a direct phone number for the Colorado tech division and they would not give me one.

1st my question is...."does the 1.3 firmware revision help any of the two issues I mentioned?

Secondly, does anyone know about the serial number issue........where mine would fall into? Mine is #2546279

PS: I love this camera, but these two items I mention kind of bug me. My neighbor has a D70 Nikon and it is very quick and responsive in low light and focuses very fast compared to my K10D. I feel I have just a good of photo quality and better fit and finish though.

MSM · 04-29-2008, 07:34 PM

Jman, I suspect given reading through this thread that the revision moniker is nothing more than an indicator that your camera has been serviced. I haven't seen anyone that ever noted buying a k10d new with the so-called 8.1 revision (what ever that means). Some have posted that they had their camera repaired in the Summer of 2007 and had the 8.1 revision. Yet, Pentax continued producing new K10d's with the older revision and more still continued to 'update' from 1.2 to 2.1, etc. Doesn't make any sense to me. just a thought. If it was free, go ahead if that's what you or anyone wants to do. If not, I wouldn't waste the money without any more solid evidence of a true enhancement.

cheers

molbar77 · 04-30-2008, 12:29 AM

I Have to agree with MSM.

My K10 d (if we can belive Photome) manufacture date is 2007.12.10. (It has to be one of the latest production)
The revision is 2.1
The body arrived with firmware 1.0

Is there any oficcial issue, what does 8.1 means??

(Maybe starting with 8 means it is repaired... :-)))

molbar77 · 04-30-2008, 12:39 AM

Jman,

I dont think any update of firmware is able to increase AF speed.
Unfortunately Nikon and Canon has more experience, money.. And it is a fact that they perform much better and faster in AF also in lower light conditions, and also with non-HSM lenses.

BUT WE LIKE PENTAX ANYWAY! (it is something that hard to explain)

Try to invest in DA* supersonic lens. It costs a lot but increases AF performance.

fearview · 04-30-2008, 02:35 AM

mine was manufactured at 27-04-12
model revision 1.1

anyway

benjikan · 04-30-2008, 03:13 AM

When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see.

Ben

gkopeliadis · 04-30-2008, 05:16 AM

Originally posted by benjikan

When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see.

Ben

Same thing in Greece.
They say they know nothing about it but they were more than willing to ask Pentax Europe about this.
I have no back focus issue though with my lenses even with my K10D being rev 2.1
Should I pursue the issue further, just in case the problem will show up with some new lenses?
Or as the thread heading asks:
K10D update and Model Revision 8.1 Yes /No??

Last edited by gkopeliadis; 04-30-2008 at 05:56 AM.

cygnet · 04-30-2008, 07:21 AM

molbar and jman, it has been noted in many Nikon forums that while their cameras may seem to focus faster, they get many more out of focus shots percentage-wise. So that D70 may be telling your neighbor that his camera is in focus when it's not. The Pentax may take longer, but when it finally does focus it is actually in focus, unless of course you have that back focus problem discussed here (which the other brands also have).

Gadget_Guy · 04-30-2008, 08:40 AM

My body and flash are still at Pentax...... I am jonesing without them....

I will keep you posted as to what happens next.

D.

Jman02 · 04-30-2008, 10:22 AM

Thanks everyone. Is the 1.30 firmware update worth doing? I have my camera battery charged and my card formatted ready to go after reading the procedures. As for the DA lenses, I would love to try the 16-45mm lens, but after spending about the same amount on my Tamron 18-250mm, I think I'll wait awhile. I do want to get the 1.4 50mm lens for low light situations though. I am also going to buy the AF-540 flash and possibly the battery grip with spare battery too.

dtsui · 04-30-2008, 07:13 PM

Hi Jman02, the v1.30 firmware is a must have if you want to use SDM lenses. I myself have rolled back from 1.30 to 1.10 to access the undocumented service menu to fix a backfocus problem. Between 1.10 and 1.30 the changes are not significant other than the support for SDM lenses. I will stick with 1.10 until I have a SDM lens.

Jman02 · 04-30-2008, 07:59 PM

As of now I only have the Tamron. I got rid of the stock 18-55 when I traded for the 18-250 Tammy. Maybe the firmware isn't worth it for me at this point. Maybe we'll hear more about this 8.1 revision......who knows. They seemed kind of tight lipped on it, like I really had to gripe about some issues for them to offer anything under warranty. I don't feel like shelling out $250 for something like this. Might as well sell it and get a new one.

BTW, check out this review on the K200........

Editor's Choice, April 2008: Pentax K200D

Rusty · 04-30-2008, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by Rusty

I contacted CRK and at first they didn't know what I was talking about - they thought I meant firmware update

I directed them to the Exif data which showed the Model Version and that seemed to be the first time they had heard about it.

They responded that version upgrades were not available under warranty, and if I were having a focus issue to send in the camera and lens for calibration.

I then asked how the upgrade would affect the camera and how much it would cost. Just received a reply that they will check it with the factory and come back to me in a couple of days.

I'll keep you posted.

Rusty

Received this reply from CRK today.

The factory has no comment to make on the accuracy of information coming from third party software, and further they do not even acknowledge the concept of hardware versions.

From our local point of view we could potentially strip down your camera and install a new main PCB , but I cant be sure that will make any difference to the "hardware version" or the focusing accuracy .

Personally, If I were looking to upgrade my camera body , I would be looking to the new K20D which has significantly better image quality , particularly noise performance , it also has the ability to custom set the focus point for up to 20 lenses

kind regards

Okami · 05-01-2008, 06:27 AM

Has anyone done a more real comparison of before and after servicing? My K10d has a slight front focusing problem and was wondering if it's really worth it to send in.

**Ebbe S** · 05-01-2008, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by benjikan

When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see.

Ben

Sounds interesting. Looking forward to what Pentax France will do.
Just got my K10D having a BF issue back from Pentax Germany. No change to the revision model at all. Same as before repair, model 1.2, manufacture date 2006-12-10.

Well the repair fixed some lenses but also gave me problems with other lenses, so I still have a problem with my focus, maybe I do need to ask specifically for the update to version 8.1

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04-29-2008, 05:44 PM	#61
Jman02 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 39	I've been following this thread for awhile now. I bought my K10D new last July of 2007. I recently downloaded the Photo-ME software to see the statistics on my camera. The build date was 5-26-07. The firmware is original and has never been updated from 1.0. I did look at the Pentax website at the 1.3 firmware update instructions, but have not done it yet. The main issues I have had with this camera are low light hesitations and AF hunting. It did this with the original 18-55mm kit lens as it does with the Tamron 18-250mm that I now am using. First I called my dealer about the 8.1 revision and he did not know of it, but said that usually revisions in firmware are done via website downloads. Today I called Pentaximaging and talked with a Paul. I explained my issues as mentioned above and some of what the others here have said. He did not know of the 8.1 revision, but I thought I was talking with someone in Colorado being that is where their address and phone# are listed form. He was actually in North Carolina. He put me on hold and called the Colorado division to speak with their tech people. He told me they said the 8.1 revision is firmware and hardware revisions and that is why you must send it in. He claimed it would take about 5-7 days to turn around and that it was usually done if you were having major issues with back focus, etc. He also made it sound like only certain serial numbers were covered under warranty and other wise you would need to pay a fee.........as seen by others on here. I asked for a direct phone number for the Colorado tech division and they would not give me one. 1st my question is...."does the 1.3 firmware revision help any of the two issues I mentioned? Secondly, does anyone know about the serial number issue........where mine would fall into? Mine is #2546279 PS: I love this camera, but these two items I mention kind of bug me. My neighbor has a D70 Nikon and it is very quick and responsive in low light and focuses very fast compared to my K10D. I feel I have just a good of photo quality and better fit and finish though.

04-29-2008, 07:34 PM	#62
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	Jman, I suspect given reading through this thread that the revision moniker is nothing more than an indicator that your camera has been serviced. I haven't seen anyone that ever noted buying a k10d new with the so-called 8.1 revision (what ever that means). Some have posted that they had their camera repaired in the Summer of 2007 and had the 8.1 revision. Yet, Pentax continued producing new K10d's with the older revision and more still continued to 'update' from 1.2 to 2.1, etc. Doesn't make any sense to me. just a thought. If it was free, go ahead if that's what you or anyone wants to do. If not, I wouldn't waste the money without any more solid evidence of a true enhancement. cheers

04-30-2008, 12:29 AM	#63
molbar77 New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Budapest, Hungary Photos: Gallery Posts: 6	I Have to agree with MSM. My K10 d (if we can belive Photome) manufacture date is 2007.12.10. (It has to be one of the latest production) The revision is 2.1 The body arrived with firmware 1.0 Is there any oficcial issue, what does 8.1 means?? (Maybe starting with 8 means it is repaired... :-)))

04-30-2008, 12:39 AM	#64
molbar77 New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Budapest, Hungary Photos: Gallery Posts: 6	Jman, I dont think any update of firmware is able to increase AF speed. Unfortunately Nikon and Canon has more experience, money.. And it is a fact that they perform much better and faster in AF also in lower light conditions, and also with non-HSM lenses. BUT WE LIKE PENTAX ANYWAY! (it is something that hard to explain) Try to invest in DA* supersonic lens. It costs a lot but increases AF performance.

04-30-2008, 02:35 AM	#65
fearview Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Jakarta Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,067	mine was manufactured at 27-04-12 model revision 1.1 anyway

04-30-2008, 03:13 AM	#66
benjikan Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Paris, France Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,308	When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see. Ben

04-30-2008, 05:16 AM	#67
gkopeliadis Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: ATHENS, GREECE Posts: 308	Originally posted by benjikan When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see. Ben Same thing in Greece. They say they know nothing about it but they were more than willing to ask Pentax Europe about this. I have no back focus issue though with my lenses even with my K10D being rev 2.1 Should I pursue the issue further, just in case the problem will show up with some new lenses? Or as the thread heading asks: K10D update and Model Revision 8.1 Yes /No?? Last edited by gkopeliadis; 04-30-2008 at 05:56 AM.

04-30-2008, 07:21 AM	#68
cygnet Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hill Country Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 104	molbar and jman, it has been noted in many Nikon forums that while their cameras may seem to focus faster, they get many more out of focus shots percentage-wise. So that D70 may be telling your neighbor that his camera is in focus when it's not. The Pentax may take longer, but when it finally does focus it is actually in focus, unless of course you have that back focus problem discussed here (which the other brands also have).

04-30-2008, 08:40 AM	#69
Gadget_Guy Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Burlington, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 374	My body and flash are still at Pentax...... I am jonesing without them.... I will keep you posted as to what happens next. D.

04-30-2008, 10:22 AM	#70
Jman02 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 39	Thanks everyone. Is the 1.30 firmware update worth doing? I have my camera battery charged and my card formatted ready to go after reading the procedures. As for the DA lenses, I would love to try the 16-45mm lens, but after spending about the same amount on my Tamron 18-250mm, I think I'll wait awhile. I do want to get the 1.4 50mm lens for low light situations though. I am also going to buy the AF-540 flash and possibly the battery grip with spare battery too.

04-30-2008, 07:13 PM	#71
dtsui Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 29	Hi Jman02, the v1.30 firmware is a must have if you want to use SDM lenses. I myself have rolled back from 1.30 to 1.10 to access the undocumented service menu to fix a backfocus problem. Between 1.10 and 1.30 the changes are not significant other than the support for SDM lenses. I will stick with 1.10 until I have a SDM lens.

04-30-2008, 07:59 PM	#72
Jman02 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 39	As of now I only have the Tamron. I got rid of the stock 18-55 when I traded for the 18-250 Tammy. Maybe the firmware isn't worth it for me at this point. Maybe we'll hear more about this 8.1 revision......who knows. They seemed kind of tight lipped on it, like I really had to gripe about some issues for them to offer anything under warranty. I don't feel like shelling out $250 for something like this. Might as well sell it and get a new one. BTW, check out this review on the K200........ Editor's Choice, April 2008: Pentax K200D

04-30-2008, 08:10 PM	#73
Rusty Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 73	Originally posted by Rusty I contacted CRK and at first they didn't know what I was talking about - they thought I meant firmware update I directed them to the Exif data which showed the Model Version and that seemed to be the first time they had heard about it. They responded that version upgrades were not available under warranty, and if I were having a focus issue to send in the camera and lens for calibration. I then asked how the upgrade would affect the camera and how much it would cost. Just received a reply that they will check it with the factory and come back to me in a couple of days. I'll keep you posted. Rusty Received this reply from CRK today. The factory has no comment to make on the accuracy of information coming from third party software, and further they do not even acknowledge the concept of hardware versions. From our local point of view we could potentially strip down your camera and install a new main PCB , but I cant be sure that will make any difference to the "hardware version" or the focusing accuracy . Personally, If I were looking to upgrade my camera body , I would be looking to the new K20D which has significantly better image quality , particularly noise performance , it also has the ability to custom set the focus point for up to 20 lenses kind regards

05-01-2008, 06:27 AM	#74
Okami Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 376	Has anyone done a more real comparison of before and after servicing? My K10d has a slight front focusing problem and was wondering if it's really worth it to send in.

05-01-2008, 06:57 AM	#75
Ebbe S Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery Posts: 31	Originally posted by benjikan When I spoke to Pentax France last week the tech guy said "What is Revision 8.1?" perhaps he didn't want to admit that such a thing exists, or it uses another name, but he did tell me to bring in my K10D bodies for a software update. We shall see. Ben Sounds interesting. Looking forward to what Pentax France will do. Just got my K10D having a BF issue back from Pentax Germany. No change to the revision model at all. Same as before repair, model 1.2, manufacture date 2006-12-10. Well the repair fixed some lenses but also gave me problems with other lenses, so I still have a problem with my focus, maybe I do need to ask specifically for the update to version 8.1