[snkenai]

I don't own a pentax digital but reading all the posts - the random freezing - sounds like a flaky computer. I have had more than my share of those. Usually hardware/software conflicts, or faulty boards, etc. (By the way these cameras are computers.) Usually do-it-yourself is iffy at best unless you are a "tech" with testing equipment. Sometimes you get lucky by changing parts.

Steve N

[NorthPentax]

Pentax know about this problem. It should go on your warranty if you bought second hand or new. I don't think you need a receipt. Contact Pentax.

Do you get black, white or white with pink stripes images before it freezes?

When it freezes and you turn the camera off, do the remaining file count show in the top LCD display?
If you turn it on again, do the battery indicator show in the top LCD display?

Do you have to take out the battery to make the camera work?

All of the above happens to my K20D when it freezes. Some times black images and some times the images are with and/or whit with pink stripes like the one here:

[steve147]

It seems to be the same as you have, i did get two images with the pink stripe
and a couple of black ones but mostly it locks after taking an image and that image does not get to the card.
The top LCD flashes and then its either the battery icon or as you say amount of shots and the main LCD is black.
Removing the battery clears it and i can take images as normal until it happens again,
i have tried cheap cards and Sandisk ones but the outcome is the same.
For the first few days of having the camera it seemed fine and started when i used the tripod
which was a pin as i had it setup and then had to remove it each time to take the battery out.
Although second hand the camera has only taken 495 shots from the Exif data and is perfect condition so it has not been knocked around by the other owner so this is a pain.
I will ring Pentax and see what they say.

[steve147]

Just to update the last post, i contacted Pentax uk and was transferred to Holland for some reason.
I told them the problem and its the same old story , they are not interested once you have bought the camera and its out of warranty .
The answer i got was to send it in and they will fix it if i pay the cash, they could not even tell me an approximate amount but you bet your life it would be a lot.
As it is a manufacturing problem by the look of it then it should be fixed for free by them but how can you prove it unless a lot of people have the same thing happen and all get together and sign a letter of complaint.
I had to sell a lot of my gear to buy this camera and dont have lots of spare cash to throw at companies just wanting to make money.
The only other choice i have now and will look into is the small claims court so i will contact the citizens advice to find out more on the consumers laws.
I changed from Nikon to Pentax thinking they would be a better company for service but shows how wrong you can be, my advice is if you buy a Pentax k20d then buy it new and get as much warranty as you can on it just to be safe.

[NorthPentax]

Do you have one year warranty in the UK?

11% of 64 K20D users on this forum have this problem.

[steve147]

We do have 1 year warranty in uk and you can get 2 years from some places and extended if you want to pay more.
Unfortunately as i mentioned in another post i bought mine second hand and Pentax told me even if it had warranty left on it from the previous owner which it has not they would not be able to use that warranty.
Their policy is that a warranty can only be used by the person that originally bought it.
I did notice today when taking shots that it did not lock up quite so much in bright sunlight with higher shutter speeds but if you took images indoors the lower shutter speed soon locked it up and also live view when its clicked on seems to make it happen a lot.
I have re charged both batteries fully and want to see if its a low power problem as using the live view must drain the battery more and it does lock a lot when using live view.
I did mention to Pentax about others having the same problem but the guy made no comment

[NorthPentax]

Do you have the receipt?

In Norway the warranty follows the item. All you need is the receipt or know where it was bought. Most stores have the buyers information and the receipt on their computer system. I don't need my receipt when I'm going to send it in for repair. The camera store know that I have bought K20D, K-m and several DA lenses. They also have all the items serial number.

Don't you have an agency that protects consumers? Someone that you can complain to and they help if it's necesary?

[NorthPentax]

Try the new FW update, maybe it helps?

[breethagh]

FW Update didnt helped.
I bought my K20D 11/2008
I had the problem from begining, i change the memory cards few times,
its not a memory card problem.
It hangs up today on low battery (but ppl have problems with grips r other batteries)
I read 1/2 year ago something about mirror mechanics problem from guy, who send his K20D to servis.

I will test other K20D in next week.
Will check FW, SN etc.

Mine:
K20D FW was 1.00
Bought with kit 18-55

------- sry about my English ----------

[NorthPentax]

No, FW update did not help

I can hear when it's going to freeze. There a sound from the camera when I take the picture that cause the freeze.

I've heard that this a voltage problem in the camera's motherboard.

[TCerbo]

Although I recently purchased a new K20D, I quickley updated to Ver. 1.03 firmwear although I was not having any adverse issues with the camera. I would suggest formating the SD HC memory card within the K20D itself and NOT on you PC, just as a precaution.
Tom

[res3567]

I don't own a pentax digital but reading all the posts - the random freezing - sounds like a flaky computer. I have had more than my share of those. Usually hardware/software conflicts, or faulty boards, etc. (By the way these cameras are computers.) Usually do-it-yourself is iffy at best unless you are a "tech" with testing equipment. Sometimes you get lucky by changing parts.

Steve N

Checked out your pics at the gallery. Nice! What kinda Pentax You biddin on?

[steve147]

Have been very busy and not had a chance to look into it much further but as was mentioned its not the card and also i charged battery fully and it happened straight after on second shot so batteries or low power do not seem to be the cause.
Today i took some shots in the garden as it was sunny and out of about thirty i got 8 white ones, some had the pink stripe and others just plain white.
I did compare the Exif values of each but it does not show anything out of the ordinary, i have decided to save all of these in a separate folder just for proof if needed.
I must admit i dont get any warning of when its going to happen(different sound) but last time it locked the shutter release so i could not use it after the shot but today it would fire two or three times with a black screen.
It also happens with different lenses attached because i thought today i would try out my manual lenses and Sigma auto focus zoom and it still does it.
I am convinced now the problem was probably always there from the start but it seems to show up at different times on different cameras so maybe more people will experience this when their cameras get older.
Firmware update does nothing to improve the problem as i updated the same day it came out hoping i might be lucky.

[enoxatnep]

I guess since I started this thread, I should let everyone know that I sent my K20D to Pentax Canada for repair and the pickslip they sent back with the camera said "circuit replaced". In only the few days I've used it since it has returned, there have been no problems, although I only had two freeze-ups over a 3-month period before I sent it in.

[TTQ225]

I owe K20D for 13 months, 5200+ shots, never froze or failed in any way. Great camera!