[MNCurt-K10D]

When I first started using my K-3, it seemed that the retention of the Aperture Setting at power off differed from the behavior of my K-5. After a little side-by-side testing, I believe that the behavior of the two differs, but only in the User Mode behavior. Here is what I have found:

K-5: In Av mode, the aperture setting is retained at power off - that is, the aperture setting upon turning on the K-5 is the same as it was when the power was turned off. In User 1 mode, which I have configured to be Av, exactly the same behavior occurs.

K-3: In Av mode, the aperture setting is retained at power off, exactly as it is on the K-5. However, in User 1 mode, which I have also configured to be Av, the aperture always resets to what ever was set at the time the User 1 mode settings were saved. Note that the aperture is not set to some factory default value - it is set to the specific value in use at the time of the User mode was saved.

While I have not done as careful a check on retention of the shutter speed setting through a power cycle for the Tv mode, it does appear to have a similar pattern, namely that the K-5 retains the shutter speed setting though a power off/on cycle in both the Tv mode and a User mode programed for Tv operation, while the K-3 retains the shutter speed setting only in the Tv mode, but reverts to what ever shutter speed was set when the User mode was saved.

Can anyone confirm or refute my observations? As I have gotten used to the behavior of the K-5, I find the K-3 behavior a bit of an adjustment; however for the moment using the Av mode rather than a User mode is an acceptable workaround.

Thanks!

[bigdavephoto]

Keep in mind, I do not have a K3, but here it goes.


If I understand the user modes correctly, the user mode is to set your camera to do certain things with out going into the menu to change to those certain setting every time you need those settings.


If you set the user mode to be Av and what ever F-stop you were using at the time of saving will be set in the memory.


Why it changes on your K5 and not use what is in the memory, I can't answer that, other then that might have been a small bug in the firmware.


My question is, why would you set user mode to act the same as a normal camera function?

[TedW]

I notice that on my K50 that user mode settings return right back to saved setting even if the camera goes into sleep mode. When it wakes up it is back to default settings. I wish it would only do that on starting the mode or on camera startup not after going to sleep after 30 seconds.

[stevebrot]

When I first started using my K-3, it seemed that the retention of the Aperture Setting at power off differed from the behavior of my K-5. After a little side-by-side testing, I believe that the behavior of the two differs, but only in the User Mode behavior. Here is what I have found:

K-5: In Av mode, the aperture setting is retained at power off - that is, the aperture setting upon turning on the K-5 is the same as it was when the power was turned off. In User 1 mode, which I have configured to be Av, exactly the same behavior occurs.

K-3: In Av mode, the aperture setting is retained at power off, exactly as it is on the K-5. However, in User 1 mode, which I have also configured to be Av, the aperture always resets to what ever was set at the time the User 1 mode settings were saved. Note that the aperture is not set to some factory default value - it is set to the specific value in use at the time of the User mode was saved.

While I have not done as careful a check on retention of the shutter speed setting through a power cycle for the Tv mode, it does appear to have a similar pattern, namely that the K-5 retains the shutter speed setting though a power off/on cycle in both the Tv mode and a User mode programed for Tv operation, while the K-3 retains the shutter speed setting only in the Tv mode, but reverts to what ever shutter speed was set when the User mode was saved.

Can anyone confirm or refute my observations? As I have gotten used to the behavior of the K-5, I find the K-3 behavior a bit of an adjustment; however for the moment using the Av mode rather than a User mode is an acceptable workaround.

Thanks!

I don't own the K-5, but I was able to confirm your observations on my K-3 (firmware v1.11). My understanding with the K-3 is that User mode is basically a snapshot of the running state (settings + configuration). The user manual is a little vague in that regard except to say that "AE Metering" is saved (p73) and (in a memo, p74) that changes made after choosing the user mode are not retained. There was an earlier thread (some months ago) in the K-3 section of this site where a user had a similar observation.

Steve

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Last edited by stevebrot; 04-20-2015 at 01:07 PM.

[MNCurt-K10D]

Keep in mind, I do not have a K3, but here it goes.


If I understand the user modes correctly, the user mode is to set your camera to do certain things with out going into the menu to change to those certain setting every time you need those settings.


If you set the user mode to be Av and what ever F-stop you were using at the time of saving will be set in the memory.


Why it changes on your K5 and not use what is in the memory, I can't answer that, other then that might have been a small bug in the firmware.


My question is, why would you set user mode to act the same as a normal camera function?

I set the User mode identical to the Av mode as a test case. Normally (on both the K-5 and K-3) I set up a specific configuration, so that I can easily get back to a baseline after handling some "unusual" shooting situations. For the purposes of figuring out the difference between the -3 and -5 I wanted the User mode setting to be as similar to the Av mode to reduce/eliminate other variables.

By the way I applaud the change to three separate mode switch settings for the three User modes, versus the five menu options presented on the K-5... I often found that I would start adjusting the aperture setting before confirming the User mode with the "OK" button, resulting in an unintended change to one of the other User modes. That can't happen on the K-3.

[audiobomber]

On start-up, the K-3 User modes default to whatever settings were last saved. I have User 2 set up for flash, Av mode, f4, manual ISO, single shot, highlight protection, 0EV, etc.. When I'm shooting, I sometimes change settings. All I need to do to get back to my defaults is switch the camera off and on again. That is how I like it.

If I want to change a default, which I do when I change lenses for example, I go into the menu under Save User Mode. I don't even have to look for that menu item. I use it so often that I flip through the menus by rote (scroll right three times, up once).

[Stone G.]

Can anyone confirm or refute my observations?

I have both the K-5 and the K-3 and can confirm your observations: In user Mode the K-5 rembers the last setting used while the K-3 defaults to the setting used when the User Mode was saved.

[Scorpio71GR]

This correct with the K3. The user mode will always default to the original settings of the user mode even if they were changed when the K3 powers off. I verified this on my K3 as well as in the K3 user guide I have from Ebooks4cameras. I never had a K5 so I can not verify the K5.

[MNCurt-K10D]

I just ran the same checks on my K10D and K20D... they both exhibit the same behavior as the K-5. This would suggest that Ricoh/Pentax made a decision to change the user mode behavior with the K-3, for what ever reason. I just wasn't expecting this change, but I'm sure that I will be able to adjust my thinking!

[IchabodCrane]

I don't have my K-3 with me but one thought occurred.... could this be a function of how the Memory settings are chosen when saving the User mode?

[MNCurt-K10D]

I tried fiddling with the memory settings a bit in my pursuit of knowledge... I unchecked all of the items in the Memory option, then tried the power off/on routine - made no difference to the Aperture or Shutter Speed behavior. I do recall a bit of information regarding the lens diffraction correction option added to the lens correction menu at some point - the write up of the setting said it was retained in memory, even though it was not one of the "choices", and did not display on the "status" screen... so there are some minimally documented features in the K-3 firmware!