[Mart]

Hi everyone, I'm a very content owner of a beautiful Pentax K10D.

Unfortunately, I do have a problem with the camera. I did try a search to see if anyone else had reported this issue before me, but I can't seem to find anything (either that, or I'm not searching with the right terms, English is not my native language).

The problem is this. Every once in a while, if I take photos, the resulting image is a fully black, magenta or blue image, sometimes filled with black, magenta, red or blue noise. This is not a "layer" on top of the original image, but the color's just all I get. There's not a hint of the subject matter which should be on the photo, it's just a blank colored image. The RAW and JPEG version of the image are exactly the same. I added two resized photos as an example.

I can't seem to find any steps to reproduce this, it just happens, and once it happens, any photo taken will have the same problems (although sometimes with the colors changing). Turning the camera off and on again always fixes the problem, and afterwards, the camera functions perfectly like it should.

The warranty for my camera has expired, so I can't just send it back to Pentax. I did update my firmware to version 1.30, but this did not fix the problem. Has anyone here perhaps encountered this or a similar issue with their own camera? Any feedback would be appreciated!

Regards,
Mart

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[bwyan]

Hi Mart

I have the same sort of problem, suddenly showing up on on istDS that has been fine for the past 3-4 years.
Every image I take shows as completely black - both on the viewer as well as when inspecting the pic on the PC - nothing but black. Tried different SD cards, formatting, new batteries, everything but same problem - in my case, it's not intermittent but persistent.

My research so far on the net seems to suggest a stuffed sensor - see the following:

Photos are black no image - FixYa
Widespread CCD problems in consumer imaging products

I'm hoping that Pentax do the right thing by us - have contacted them and waiting to hear back.............meanwhile, any advice from you guys on the forum would be appreciated.....

Cheers
Bryan

[BobRad]

Hi Mart,

I'm having a similar problem with my K10D but have not resolved it yet, so I can't provide much help. I started intermittently getting images with a dark green or purple tint, but could still make out the image. It eventually got so frequent (nothing but time would cause it to clear) that I have stopped using the camera and am looking at getting a replacement and/or having it repaired.

Based on the few responses I received for a similar thread, it is likely a failure of the motherboard and could cost approximately $300-400 to have it repaired in the US, although I have not sent the camera to Pentax for a formal estimate. Pentax US will not quote an estimate by phone or on-line - you have to ship the camera to the service facility for an estimate.

I'm planning to try out the K-x and then decide how to proceed.

Good luck,
Bob

[KungPOW]

Have you tried another SD card?

[Canada_Rockies]

As KungPow said, it could be the SD card. Get a new card, from a reliable dealer, and try it. You might be inexpensively surprised.

[MSsuper]

It's just a dry joint somewhere on the circuit. My ist DS had this until they took it apart and reassembled early in warranty. Is hopefully just a simple connector to the main pcb.
Unscrew the body panel off and replug all the connectors. Will likely fix it.
I'm generally not impressed with the QC of assembly in the Phillipines. These sort of issues are far lower from the Jap factories.

[Ash]

Let us know how it goes after you've changed the SD card - reputable branded SD cards have far fewer of these types of problems.