[kitkat]

My three-month old K-m is exhibiting signs of premature failure. Problem is, these failures are intermittent. Here's what it does.

1. Even with new (fresh unpacked Energizer Advanced Lithium) batteries, the camera sometimes shuts down with a low battery error. Replacing the batteries with a fresh pack of the same batteries, then replacing those immediately with the previous new batteries seems to fix that problem. The orientation of the batteries is always checked and rechecked before shutting the door to ensure they have been correctly installed.

2. Camera sometimes will not start, even with good batteries. I have to remove then reinstall the batteries to get the camera to start.

3. New symptom today. The camera did not start when the power was turned on. I turned the power switch to off. Camera began buzzing (could be the sensor shake motor running very quickly - I could feel and hear the vibration) when the camera was turned off (yes, off!). Turning the power switch to on (repeat, on) stopped the buzzing, but the camera did not turn on. I removed the batteries and reinstalled them and the camera works fine.

I'm hesitant to return the camera under warranty because the symptoms might not reappear. It would be returned with a fault not found. Anyone know if these power problems are a known issue?
...Chris

[code4code5]

I can't say that I've ever heard of those problems before, I think if my K100 were demonstrating those problems, I'd be sending it back under warranty. IMHO, it's better to be without a camera for a few weeks than to let the warranty expire and be without it at all.

[opiedog]

chris,

i've had my k2000 for about 3 months now. when i got it new, it had the same issues. it would shut down with the new lithium energizers. this was true specially if i fired off continuous shots.

i tried to set the battery type to alkali and that seems to have fixed it, but strangely enough, after switching it back to lithiums, the symptom did not return until the actual battery (original battery in box) died.

i haven't encountered the camera not starting yet. if it happens again, i'd send it in to pentax.
something is obviously wrong. you will need to explain to them that it's intermittent though and yep, you're right. if they can't reproduce the problem they can't fix what's not broken.

one good thing is that you'll have a record of that type of problem w/ pentax. so if it does happen out-of-warranty, you may be able to refer to this and hopefully they'll fix it w/o cost.

good luck.

jordan

[X Man]

I'd send it off to Pentax, and explain the problems just as you've laid them out here...

My three-month old K-m is exhibiting signs of premature failure. Problem is, these failures are intermittent. Here's what it does.

1. Even with new (fresh unpacked Energizer Advanced Lithium) batteries, the camera sometimes shuts down with a low battery error. Replacing the batteries with a fresh pack of the same batteries, then replacing those immediately with the previous new batteries seems to fix that problem. The orientation of the batteries is always checked and rechecked before shutting the door to ensure they have been correctly installed.

2. Camera sometimes will not start, even with good batteries. I have to remove then reinstall the batteries to get the camera to start.

3. New symptom today. The camera did not start when the power was turned on. I turned the power switch to off. Camera began buzzing (could be the sensor shake motor running very quickly - I could feel and hear the vibration) when the camera was turned off (yes, off!). Turning the power switch to on (repeat, on) stopped the buzzing, but the camera did not turn on. I removed the batteries and reinstalled them and the camera works fine.

Regards,
Mike

[kitkat]

i've had my k2000 for about 3 months now. when i got it new, it had the same issues. it would shut down with the new lithium energizers. this was true specially if i fired off continuous shots.

Hi Jordan. That was the situation when I first noticed the problem. I was a guest at a wedding and was shooting a lot of continuous shots (on the original batteries) when the camera shut down. Installing a fresh set of lithium Energizers did not fix the problem. I removed the fresh set and opened a new packet and installed those. The problem went away, causing me to suspect the second set of batteries had a problem. Since then I've noticed that after shooting a lot of continuous shots the problem can reoccur (but not always).

I will return the camera with an explanation so even if Pentax cannot find a problem at the time there is a record if the camera fails totally.
...Chris

[opiedog]

Hi Jordan. That was the situation when I first noticed the problem. I was a guest at a wedding and was shooting a lot of continuous shots (on the original batteries) when the camera shut down. Installing a fresh set of lithium Energizers did not fix the problem. I removed the fresh set and opened a new packet and installed those. The problem went away, causing me to suspect the second set of batteries had a problem. Since then I've noticed that after shooting a lot of continuous shots the problem can reoccur (but not always).

I will return the camera with an explanation so even if Pentax cannot find a problem at the time there is a record if the camera fails totally.
...Chris

chris,

at first i also suspected the batteries. i also tried some eneloops (Ni-mh) and it was ok. didn't shut down w/ continuous shooting. but again, strangely, after switching back to the original lithiums, the problem 'went away'.

good luck and keep us posted on what pentax says. i'd be very interested since it sort of happened to my k2000 too.

regards,

jordan

[kitkat]

Status update: I'm trying to find the process to return the camera, for example, do I need an RMA? And what address do I send it to? According to pentax.ca Web site I should be able to take it into an approved repairer, but my local repairer says they won't accept a camera that's in warranty. I've written via the support request input form at pentax.ca for instruction but have not yet received a response. Unfortunately, the pentax.ca Web site is totally devoid of information*, and any requests get answered by pentaxdigital in the USA, who don't know how pentax canada works.
* I get my Pentax product information from either the USA or OK Web sites.
It's unfortunate that Pentax Canada seems not to be helpful to Canadian customers. It took me ages to get pentax.ca to spell correctly their company name on their Web home page (they spelt it Penaxt, or something like that, I forget).

[lesmore49]

Status update: I'm trying to find the process to return the camera, for example, do I need an RMA? And what address do I send it to? According to pentax.ca Web site I should be able to take it into an approved repairer, but my local repairer says they won't accept a camera that's in warranty. I've written via the support request input form at pentax.ca for instruction but have not yet received a response. Unfortunately, the pentax.ca Web site is totally devoid of information*, and any requests get answered by pentaxdigital in the USA, who don't know how pentax canada works.
* I get my Pentax product information from either the USA or OK Web sites.
It's unfortunate that Pentax Canada seems not to be helpful to Canadian customers. It took me ages to get pentax.ca to spell correctly their company name on their Web home page (they spelt it Penaxt, or something like that, I forget).

Contact them through this website under 'contact us' and they will get a Pentax rep. to contact you. I spoke to one over the phone about 4 months ago and they answered my question about my K10D quickly.
Pentax Canada

[kitkat]

Contact them through this website under 'contact us' and they will get a Pentax rep. to contact you. I spoke to one over the phone about 4 months ago and they answered my question about my K10D quickly.
Pentax Canada

1. I contacted 'them' through the Contact Pentax Canada page in pentax.ca (Pentax Canada - Contact Us). Got this answer today: 'Thank you for contacting Pentax. Pentax Imaging Company supports the US, only. However, Pentax is represented in Canada at the following addresses:...(mailing address and phone numbers)' Even though I thought I'd be contacting Pentax Canada (because that's what the Web page told me), any request gets routed to Pentax Imaging in the US. Maybe Pentax Canada has closed (as has been rumoured).

2. I took my camera into the selling store. They had the forms etc to allow them to send it to Pentax for repair, without cost to me. Otherwise I would have had to pay shipping etc. Now to wait three to four weeks to get the camera back.

[lesmore49]

1. I contacted 'them' through the Contact Pentax Canada page in pentax.ca (Pentax Canada - Contact Us). Got this answer today: 'Thank you for contacting Pentax. Pentax Imaging Company supports the US, only. However, Pentax is represented in Canada at the following addresses:...(mailing address and phone numbers)' Even though I thought I'd be contacting Pentax Canada (because that's what the Web page told me), any request gets routed to Pentax Imaging in the US. Maybe Pentax Canada has closed (as has been rumoured).

2. I took my camera into the selling store. They had the forms etc to allow them to send it to Pentax for repair, without cost to me. Otherwise I would have had to pay shipping etc. Now to wait three to four weeks to get the camera back.

I bought a KM in April...so far...so good. Please let us know your continuing saga with your KM...in case others have the same difficulty with their KM...Thanks.

[jantjooh]

... with this symptom. The sales rep. took another (new) copy from the shelf: ditto!
After some fiddling one would power up finally. As I was keen to buy a K-m, I was brave and did so. At home, after changing batteries, or even tapping the cam lightly on the table: power off.
I decided it had to do with the battery compartment. The golden springs in the opening door/lid are very weak... I put a tiny piece of plastic foam under the small golden spring where the minus of 2 of the batteries are sitting (when closed). This improves spring tension. No requirement to remove screws.
Since then(January 2009): no single failure!
Regards, Jan

[kitkat]

It will take a few weeks before I get my camera back from Pentax. Hopefully there will be an explanation either way (there is a fault, or no fault found). One time I turned the camera to the ON position and it did not start, so I turned it to the OFF position and the camera started buzzing/vibrating. I did mention this in my complaint to Pentax, so it wil be interesting if they acknowledge this and what their answer is. Just prior to sending the camera to Pentax the sales rep told me that if I had bought the store's extended warranty they would have replaced the camera. Regardless, once I get the camera back, if I notice the problem again I will load the springs as suggested by Jan.

[Stefan Carey]

I think your camera could possibly be doing what mine did, but earlier.

Mine will not run with Energisers, but will with Eneloops and Sony. Yet oddly, in the beginning it ran with Energisers. Have you checked the battery type setting, is it set to Auto or NimH?

Switch to Eneeloops (better than Energisers I think)?

[séamuis]

hmm. as a US resident who bought a K-m from canada instead of a K2000 from the US I am very thankful I have not had any of the symptoms described above. I am also interested in how this turns out.

[Stefan Carey]

hmm. as a US resident who bought a K-m from canada instead of a K2000 from the US I am very thankful I have not had any of the symptoms described above. I am also interested in how this turns out.

I am afraid I bought mine from Canada too.

Perhaps the K-m is hypersensitive to something in the batteries we are not aware of?