[Edvinas]

I am in conversation with Pentax Europe (the one in Hamburg) about the issue.

They have now issued a statement in their FAQ section, found here:
http://media.pentax.de/downloads/photo/de/17531/Fragen%20und%20Antworten.pdf
(it is the last question & answer, in German language)


For your conveniene, I provide my manual translation here:



I have asked Pentax Europe GmbH (W.Baus) to provide further clarification.

Does not sound encouraging at all. Not likely that firmware could fix it. Also they do not tell that it's batch of defective sensors. Seems like flaw in Samsung sensor itself...

When major review sites pick up this issue, it will definitely do huge damage to K-7 sales. Let's hope it won't mean the end of Pentax.

[mtngal]

Thanks for translating this and posting it. Its definitely disheartening to read that they are thinking its a design flaw and not just a batch of defective sensors, especially since I can't escape the heat here in SoCal. I can live without using video as it's not my thing anyway, but I do occasionally use live view, and that live view button is easy to hit accidentally also.

I wonder if they will issue a recall for all of us who've bought these when they figure out how to fix the problem? I sure hope so, as letting the sensor cool is not always practical when the air temperature is 35 C plus.

Thanks again for the information and I'm really sad that Pentax is stuck in this situation, it's going to be a nightmare for them and I hope they survive it.

[deejjjaaaa]

Does not sound encouraging at all. Not likely that firmware could fix it. Also they do not tell that it's batch of defective sensors. Seems like flaw in Samsung sensor itself...

When major review sites pick up this issue, it will definitely do huge damage to K-7 sales. Let's hope it won't mean the end of Pentax.

did anybody notice that images from Imaging Resource have "production id" tag = 2, while all others "production id" = 1 per photome ? did Pentax supply a "special" camera to them ?

[deejjjaaaa]

So, they have a camera that can be used at -10C but not in the middle of summer unless kept in an ice chest?

one more lesson how to make a virtue out of necessity

[jeffkrol]

I am in conversation with Pentax Europe (the one in Hamburg) about the issue.

They have now issued a statement in their FAQ section, found here:
http://media.pentax.de/downloads/photo/de/17531/Fragen%20und%20Antworten.pdf
(it is the last question & answer, in German language)


For your conveniene, I provide my manual translation here:



I have asked Pentax Europe GmbH (W.Baus) to provide further clarification.

and that wouldn't show up in testing prior to release? Seems quite odd. And 1 line (or the 3 you saw)? Something's not quite right.

[brecklundin]

one more lesson how to make a virtue out of necessity

hahaha...I can picture it in my mind right now...bags of "blue ice" strapped to the outside of your camera so it stays about 34F....hehehehe...funny.

BTW, in your "production ID" did you mean "ProductionCode" instead? I looked at the EXIF here:
Imaging Resource Exif Report: K7hHOUSE.JPG

And the only field I found as the ProductionCode = 2.2

Still it was known in most previews that there were bodies with different sensors so I would not read a lot into any difference there, except that they might have receive a different sensor build.

[brecklundin]

btw, I am not concerned that this issue is as doom and gloom as it could be. First, because every major release has seemed to have some sort of issue either in firmware or in one of the Canon's a whole shutter replacement. Second, I sort of view early versions of almost anything electronic as a late beta or release candidate sort of thing which is why prices stay higher, it is not just for more profit, it is built-in recall or engineering change order funding. HoyaTax will be fine, but this is a blow to their reputation and hardly supports the latest round of lens price increases to improve "the brand". yeah, I detest marking hyperbole and those who invented it...hehehehe...

I am very confident the issue will be fixed I just feel badly that those who trusted in HoyaTax. Who is trading on the name and good will that Pentax built up over the decades and dropped the ball so obviously here.

[deejjjaaaa]

BTW, in your "production ID" did you mean "ProductionCode" instead?

no, "Production ID" is the tag 0215 in PhotoMe. Get the raw file and open it in PhotoMe.

[kittykat46]

I'm not sure its such a big practical issue; I shoot still photos with the K-7 every day, all the time in over 30c - 34c temperatures, 80-100% humidity; same with the other users in our little corner of the world.

But the bad publicity related to it may hit the K-7 and Pentax substantially.

Every camera ever made has its restrictions and limits, but within those documented restrictions and limits, you expect the camera to perform as normal. Thin-blue lines on images are No-No.

[noel]

I am in conversation with Pentax Europe (the one in Hamburg) about the issue.

They have now issued a statement in their FAQ section, found here:
http://media.pentax.de/downloads/photo/de/17531/Fragen%20und%20Antworten.pdf
(it is the last question & answer, in German language)


For your conveniene, I provide my manual translation here:



I have asked Pentax Europe GmbH (W.Baus) to provide further clarification.

Hope this issue with the sensor can be mitigated with firmware upgrade. Otherwise it's ridiculous to have a weather-resistant body that has to be kept "cool and dry"

[pawzitiv]

So the Swiss Army camera isn't measuring up to people's expectations, huh?

I've only used my K-7 as a dedicated still camera with an optical viewfinder and golly .. I've had no issues.

I truly wish there was a way to strip out the Live View and video recording capabilities.

I've got my Nomex suit on .. let the flaming begin.

[atiratha]

I actually had a very similar issue with an Olympus E-400, which, like K20D and probably K-7 has the function of pixel mapping. After doing the pixel mapping, the line was gone. Has anyone tried this?

[chirpy]

I actually had a very similar issue with an Olympus E-400, which, like K20D and probably K-7 has the function of pixel mapping. After doing the pixel mapping, the line was gone. Has anyone tried this?

I did this twice - it didn't help.

[brecklundin]

So the Swiss Army camera isn't measuring up to people's expectations, huh?

I've only used my K-7 as a dedicated still camera with an optical viewfinder and golly .. I've had no issues.

I truly wish there was a way to strip out the Live View and video recording capabilities.

I've got my Nomex suit on .. let the flaming begin.

well, you're in Canookia...like heat is a worry, ya llive in the ice chest the body seems to have been designed for....hehehehe...sorry that was such an easy one to write (and yeah, I know it gets hot there too...)

HEY, anyone have access to a walk in freezer? If you do try shooting some video in there and see if you can induce the issue. Just curious is all.

[brecklundin]

I actually had a very similar issue with an Olympus E-400, which, like K20D and probably K-7 has the function of pixel mapping. After doing the pixel mapping, the line was gone. Has anyone tried this?

Think a bit...HoyaTax has issued a press release acknowledging there is an over heating issue...get it...it is not about pixel mapping, it's a design/component issue that even if pixel mapping made it go away visually, the flaw would still exist and reduce the lifespan of the body.

I wonder if Pentax will start with a longer warranty on their bodies as a result of this? Do that and add a few years to the lens warranties now that they prices are less attractive than even 2-months ago and it might help.