[fractal]

Ok, i've figured out why it was not working for me.

I've been saving the Text Document file in Windows and it automatically adds .txt on the end and this is why it was not working. Should have figured that one earlier

A config type menu appeared as soon as I turned on the camera. Now to have a play.

[fractal]

I've had a little play around with objects set up outside and it seems much better now.

The BF was most chronic at 18mm on my DA 18-250 and more or less disappeared after around 40mm. I mostly use this lens at 18mm so that's why it has been so frustrating.

I read of people dialing in as much as +120-140uM, but I dialed in +80uM and this seems to have solved the problem.

[siva.ss.kumar]

What extra settings do I get when I turn on the DEBUG mode? Thanks

[fractal]

It makes you take really good photos..

From the reading I have done it would appear the debug mode has only been used to fine tune the AF. For example if you are having front or back focus issues.

[Marc Sabatella]

OK, for those of us who not got past seeing the debug menu - could you explain where you found the af adjustment once you got into debug mode? It doesn't seem to work the same way on the k200d as on other cameras.

[fractal]

As described in the guides, it is located in the set-up menu. Is this what you are asking for?

[RKKS08]

Some more information oh those of you who are programmers (and willing to destroy your camera by using inadequate commands):

It seems our Pentax-friendly russian hackers are now concentrating on illegally disassembling the K7 ROM rather than working with the older models.

However, they have found out a lot more than just enabling debug mode. If someone is familiar with the scripting language of the REALOS operating system: All digital Petaxes have a built-in interpreter for this language. After enabling AUTORUN mode by a command in the SETMOD.xxx file one can place an AUTORUN.xxx file on the SD card which will be performed after switching the camera on.

To force a K200D to touch a script file on the SD card after switching on, you have to leave open the flash door during switching on (this behaviour can be changed in the debug menu; if you disable it, I don't know whether there is a way to enable it again). For other models, it will be (during switching on) to leave the flash door open/press the menu key/press the delete key or a combination of these.

In the AUTORUN file the Pentaxes will accept most commands of the REALOS scripting language, including loops, dependend forking, pauses, waiting for pressed keys, writing text to the display, starting and stopping timers, and so on. They also accept calls for ROM procedures. A list of more than 20 such procedures is already known. It seems you can force the camera to do virtually anything (except preparing tea, probably). It seems lens characteristics can be modified and the noise reduction can be switched off completely. They say that disabling it in user mode does not switch it off completely, not even for raw files.

The processors used by the Pentaxes are
Fujitsu Milbeaut M-3 MB91380: ist*D,K100,K110
Fujitsu Milbeaut M-3 MB91680: K200,K10,K20
Fujitsu Milbeaut M-5: K-m,K-7,K-x(?)

There is still a site opened to the public (which does not offer all their knowledge)
Welcome to Pentax Hack

Start saving for a replacement for your burnt-out Pentax *istD or K-whatever !!

[Marc Sabatella]

As described in the guides, it is located in the set-up menu. Is this what you are asking for?

It's been a while since I tried it, so to be honest, I don't remember what I saw. I just remember following the instructions that were provided at the time (perhaps they've been correct/updated since then) and finding two new menu items, but selecting those items brought me to a very cryptic looking screen that didn't appear to even slightly resemble the method for adjusting AF that is shown for other cameras. Since I didn't actually have an AF problem, I didn't really follow through. if you're saying that following the instructions that are currently on the site got you where you needed to be to actually adjust the AF, I'll trust that I would be able to do the same if I ever were sufficiently motivated.

[RKKS08]

Hi Marc,

If we are speaking about the K200D, you can follow the instructions from my post of yesterday.
After switching on (with flash door open) you will see the debug menu. It is in english with a japanese headline, no matter what the prsent language of your camera are.

I have NOT tried the options offered in this menu.
If you just confirm the <EN> (means "enable") of the first line by the OK key, you will leave that menu till you switch on your camera the next time (or after you revive it after standby). But the camera is in debug mode now. You now will have an additional menu with 3 new points after the last point of the "ordinary" setup menu:

For AF adjustment, select "AF test". You'll get the following screen:

To get rid of the debug mode, get the camera to show the first screen (by switching off and on again), or after returning from "sleep" mode, and now don't confirm the <EN> (="enabled"), but switch it by horizontal cursor keys to <DIS> (="disabled") and then confirm.

For other models than the K200D, the number xxx for the file SETMOD.xxxis different, the procedure to force the camera to read script files is different, and the location of the "TEST MODE" menu is different, but the general way is the same. In several blogs (also in the english speaking russian site I mentioned in a previous posing) users have found out by try and error the ways for a range of models and firmware version numbers.
As rumours say at least some of the Pentaxes can store AF corrections for 3 or 4 different lenses, it is possible this adjustment should just offer a fast way for the Pentrax service to find out the exact values for the correction, and the correction itself is afterwards stored by a special software tool.

[Marc Sabatella]

Thanks. Thatlooks way different than what I saw. The menu item I had seen that led to a very confusing screen was labelled "AF PINT DISP", but I have no idea how I got there. Anyhow, your description looks straightforward enough should I veer need to do this, so thanks!

[sinus007]

Hi RKKS08,
Thanks for the info.
Please forgive my ignorance and questions that may seem stupid.
My understanding is that you:
1. create file modset.474 (I have K-7) with one line [DEBUG_MODE EN]
2. copy it on SD card, insert the card and turn the cam with MENU button pressed.
3. It'll create additional tab TEST Menu, visible when you push the Menu button.
4. You select AF Test and adjust the AF
Do you know if that AF adjustment applies to the curently installed lens only or it's for all lenses?
Thank you very much,

[RKKS08]

Hi Sinus007,
I don't own an K-7, so I can speak only for the K200D. As far as I have posted infos about other models, I took this information from user feed back in various other forums, so I don't know whether it's correct.

To your questions:

1) From a logical point of view, I would suggest to write 2 lines in the MODSET file:
[DEBUG_MODE EN]
[OPEN_DEBUG_MENU]
I don't know whether the debug menu is available without the second line, you can try. This menu is not needed for autofocus correction, but with the K200D, without that menu you may not have a possibility to leave the debug mode again.

2) Information only from user postings: the focus correction works generally, that means, for all lenses the same way. It seems, the Pentax services have other means to store the corrections also for 3-4 lenses, but to find out whether that works only with selected models or with all Pentax DSLRs, someone would have to ask Pentax.

Good luck, if you try it, could you please also post your findings?

[siva.ss.kumar]

So, do we need to set the AF correction for each of the lens that we use. And we need to change the values whenever we change lenses?
It will be very much appreciated if some one could make a video on the steps (and what differences can be seen in the photos taken with and without debugging on)

[Marc Sabatella]

So, do we need to set the AF correction for each of the lens that we use. And we need to change the values whenever we change lenses?

Only if you have reason to suspect that more than one of your lenses happens to be enough out of spec to make any of this worthwhile, and then have gone through the steps to *prove* you actually have a problem with multiple lenses. Most focus problems are probably the result of misalignment in the body and are not lens issues at all.

It will be very much appreciated if some one could make a video on the steps (and what differences can be seen in the photos taken with and without debugging on)

Can't help with the steps, but in the rare case where you have proven that you have a problem, the difference would already be obvious, because you already would have done the necessary focus test and would have already seen how far off your lenses are. Basically, misalignment causes a camera or lens to focus slightly in front of or slightly behind where it should. Fixing tis results in pictures that are more in focus, exactly as you'd see if you simply focused manually to get the focus correct.