[leikey1982]

Yesterday I went out to take some pictures, at first about 10 pics, it is good, but I found it it became tilt, every pics lean to right. After I unmount the lens, I found one side of the mirror is partly out side of the hold frame, I think the frame is distorted, so it can not hold the mirror at the right place. I am pretty sure I hold the camera very well, maybe I am not a expert on photographing, but I still have some experience on photographing, the pictures not only lean to right, but also the objects in the pics distorted. It is shame, I only bought it from someone about or less one month ago(secondhand), only took about 100 pics. I do not think it is in warranty. Is there a easy way to deal with this problem? Or sell it as a dead body, or only throw it into pacific ocean?

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Last edited by leikey1982; 02-24-2009 at 03:13 PM.

[jeffkrol]

Yesterday I went out to take some pictures, at first about 10 pics, it is good, but I found it it became tilt, every pics lean to right. After I unmount the lens, I found one side of the mirror is partly out side of the hold frame, I think the frame is distorted, so it can not hold the mirror at the right place. I am pretty sure I hold the camera very well, maybe I am not a expert on photographing, but I still have some experience on photographing, the pictures not only lean to right, but also the objects in the pics distorted. It is shame, I only bought it from someone about or less one month ago(secondhand), only took about 100 pics. I do not think it is in warranty. Is there a easy way to deal with this problem? Or sell it as a dead body, or only throw it into pacific ocean?

you can throw it my way, my D is getting long in the tooth...
Anyways, a few things to look for.
1)tilted viewfinder screen. The most common complaint in many DSLR discussions of such a problem.
2)Unlikely that it is a tilted sensor...
3)Possible mirror alignment problems (mere mortals advised not to try to adjust it.)
The image is not taken through the mirror so any anomolies here would mostly affect AF and tilt.
For a down and dirty test find a bubble level that you trust, mount it on the hotshoe and test the camera from a tripod, ignoring what the screen sees.... see if it is still tilted. Antishake off of course.
1-3 degree viewfinder tilt is not that uncommon..... in many models/brands.
As to lens distortion, I'm assuming it's just the lens property.
1degree counterclockwise rotation makes it look more on level

[leikey1982]

you can throw it my way, my D is getting long in the tooth...
Anyways, a few things to look for.
1)tilted viewfinder screen. The most common complaint in many DSLR discussions of such a problem.
2)Unlikely that it is a tilted sensor...
3)Possible mirror alignment problems (mere mortals advised not to try to adjust it.)
The image is not taken through the mirror so any anomolies here would mostly affect AF and tilt.
For a down and dirty test find a bubble level that you trust, mount it on the hotshoe and test the camera from a tripod, ignoring what the screen sees.... see if it is still tilted. Antishake off of course.
1-3 degree viewfinder tilt is not that uncommon..... in many models/brands.
As to lens distortion, I'm assuming it's just the lens property.

Hi, thank you for your reply. I know the mirror dose not affect the image, but you have to hold it horizontaly according to the mirror, right? If the mirror is wrong, your judgement is wrong, then the pics lean. It seems not only affecting the horizontal line, also affect the distortion(I am not sure, maybe a tilt ellusion). I test it to put a photo frame and a camera on the flat table at the same time, using M mode, MF and estimating the focus length, the pictures seems good, but I can see the strait line and verticle line of the viewfinder are not parallel to the photo frame edges. I ummount the lens it is very clear one side of the mirror is partly out of the hold frame.

About the distortion, I think also it was casued by the mirror, because even I use a F50/1.7(it is not a wide angel lens), the pics seem strange also.

The first pic is taken putting the camera and photo frame on the desk(SR OFF)
The second pic is taken with a F50 lens

[B Grace]

It's not your camera or lens that is distorted but rather the view through your viewfinder from the tilted mirror. It seems you're lining up your shots so they look good through the distorted finder and then your camera records a rotated image thanks to the rotated camera position. The bad news is you'll need to have the mirror fixed to get accurate shots without guessing. Your shot with the camera on the table looks good.

It seems odd that a tilted mirror would swing up and out of the way as it should and not block part of the recorded image though. Weird.

[leikey1982]

It's not your camera or lens that is distorted but rather the view through your viewfinder from the tilted mirror. It seems you're lining up your shots so they look good through the distorted finder and then your camera records a rotated image thanks to the rotated camera position. The bad news is you'll need to have the mirror fixed to get accurate shots without guessing. Your shot with the camera on the table looks good.

It seems odd that a tilted mirror would swing up and out of the way as it should and not block part of the recorded image though. Weird.

, Yes, rotating the image maybe helps the results, but I think most of us do not like this. Maybe I will sell it if some one wants to do research on it, or sell all my pentax things out, leave pentax to canon or nikon.

[Wheatfield]

You've indicated the mirror isn't correctly mounted in it's frame.
Your camera is broken.
It is probably worth repairing.
Either get it fixed and enjoy it, or sell it to someone as a broken camera and let them get it fixed.
Why the histrionics about "selling out of Pentax"?
You bought a broken camera. It happens. People take advantage of each other.
Buy a used Nikon, you might have the same problem.
This is hardly rocket science.

[borno]

I had a k10d with an alignment problem (not that bad) and waited to get it fixed until the warranty was about over. I got a great deal on a k100super to have in case it took a while but they fixed it in 4 days (in usa) It sounds like the previous owner, instead of getting it fixed by a professional, screwed with it on their own and messed it up. I would try to get my money back if you can. You have alot of nice lenses Good luck with it leikey

[leikey1982]

I had a k10d with an alignment problem (not that bad) and waited to get it fixed until the warranty was about over. I got a great deal on a k100super to have in case it took a while but they fixed it in 4 days (in usa) It sounds like the previous owner, instead of getting it fixed by a professional, screwed with it on their own and messed it up. I would try to get my money back if you can. You have alot of nice lenses Good luck with it leikey

Thanks all my friends, I sold my K100D out after I got this K10d, so I do not want to buy a k200d, because K*0D is more convenient than K*00D. I am not sure how many pics I can take even I fix it, that is the key point. Yes, I do not want to leave Pentax either, I made good effort to collect the lens. And my F24-50 and the carl zeiss 80 is on the way to me, but I do not have a camera to use, what a shame. I do not think I have more money to buy a K20D and keep the K10D.

[flyer]

You should try to return the camera to the seller and get your money back. It's obvious there is something wrong with it and you can't fix it yourself. If you bought it on eBay using PayPal, you should have some leverage against the seller. If it was through a dealer, there should be some kind of warranty. If it was a private sale, I guess your country should have some kind of consumer protection laws that could give you some way to pressure the seller into refunding your money. I know such things aren't interesting to deal with, but you don't seem to have much choice. You seem to have bought the camera in good faith, but the seller, knowingly or not, seem to have taken advantage of you.

[leikey1982]

You should try to return the camera to the seller and get your money back. It's obvious there is something wrong with it and you can't fix it yourself. If you bought it on eBay using PayPal, you should have some leverage against the seller. If it was through a dealer, there should be some kind of warranty. If it was a private sale, I guess your country should have some kind of consumer protection laws that could give you some way to pressure the seller into refunding your money. I know such things aren't interesting to deal with, but you don't seem to have much choice. You seem to have bought the camera in good faith, but the seller, knowingly or not, seem to have taken advantage of you.

Hi, thank you for your suggestion, but I think the seller is honest, at least I thought he is a kind man. So I do not want to push all the responsibility to the seller(it is a private buy and sell). I post my experience here is not to want to complain the seller or something like that, I just want to get more help from our lovely forum. At least I have to take most of the responsibility for that even it is a short time and I ask the seller several time about this issue before I bought it(The camera is OK at the beginning), because I bought it voluntarily.

One thing I need your help, pentax claimed they take the responsibility for this defect and prolong the warranty one year more for this special defect, right? I do not know whether I have the chance to send it to them.

[borno]

The repair involves cleaning or replacement of viewfinder assembly and optics and adjustment of focus frame indicator(according to the repair). No mention of the mirror. My mirror looked fine, that's why I thought something might have happened to it. I don't know about the extra warranty but it might be worth calling them to see.

[SpecialK]

Both my K100D and K20D lean as your does. At first I thought it was just me, but after several conscious efforts at getting a level horizon, it is obvious a camera issue. Thank goodness for the leveling tool in Elements.

[Buddha Jones]

I had an horizon issue myself, turned out it wasn't my camera, as it may be in your case, but me. I solved my problem by buying this PENTAX LL-80 AF Divided Matte Focusing Screen - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site

[Buddha Jones]

sell it and buy a Canon.

Are you going to become a troll?

[jeffkrol]

After I unmount the lens, I found one side of the mirror is partly out side of the hold frame, I think the frame is distorted, so it can not hold the mirror at the right place.

Not sure what your expecting. Just send it in to Pentax and get an estimate to repair. Decide from there....
Only other real choice is to live w/ it, shoot RAW, develop as TIF to correct perspective/tilt without worrying about jpg artifacts......
A busted reflex mirror is not an easy fix especially if the frame is twisted.
AF is also dependent on a "true" mirror assembly.