K200D finds full batteries dead

Scartist · 01-09-2010, 10:28 AM

Yesterday when I replaced the dead batteries in my K200D with full ones, it wouldn't turn on. The dead battery sign was blinking on the screen. I tried starting it with several packs of batteries, all of which worked well with my flash for example, but not with the camera. It either turned on for a few seconds and then turned off, or didn't turn on at all.

Anyone had the same problem? What causes this? Is it possible that the electronics got damaged because I used accessories not made by Pentax? (Metz, Mikrosat falshes for instance)

epqwerty · 01-09-2010, 02:43 PM

I had the same thing happen to me recently.

Is the set of batteries you are trying NiMH?
If so are you using a rapid charger or a slow 16+ hour charger?

I found that my rapid 2hour charger chargers the battery to a lower voltage for most devices it's not a problem but for my Pentax Km. It would do they same thing as yours. What I did to get it to work again is pull out my 24+ trickle charger to charge them. No problem afterward full charge and powering on.

Also FYI NiMH should be fully discharged before they are charged again. They suffer from memory effect.

Marc Sabatella · 01-09-2010, 09:44 PM

Yeah, what kind of batteries? Alkalines areknown to not work well, so don't bother with those - says so right in the manual. If they are rechargeable, "full" is a relative term. Some rechargeable can be more "full" than others. If these were older cells, or lower capacity cells (eg, below 2000mah), that could be the problem - they mifght have enough pwoer for your flashes but not the camera. As you'll see if you browse other threads on these forums, Sanyo Eneloops and other "hybrid" cells - aka "low self-discharge" or "percharged" cells - are the best. Well, those or non-rechargeable Energizer lithium, if you're made of money and don't care abut throwing away toxic cells.

Netsoft · 01-10-2010, 07:15 AM

I have a similar problem as yours as this was a result of purchasing some batteries from your convenient 7 eleven stores. A pack of 4 Energizers Lithium Advanced can last me 100-200 shots before I have to buy again, this has caused me to miss many photo moments.

Start investing in Sanyo Eneloop batteries. Each set of 4X can last roughly up to 800-900, sometimes 1,200 if you're lucky. I have 3 sets of Sanyo Eneloop batteries now and they're ready for at least up to 3,000 shots. (Far more enough - but just in case of emergency).

Clicker · 01-10-2010, 07:44 AM

When i had the rechargeable Energizers, they died on me on a full charge and i learnt from here real quick about "battery types" so it's now either Energizers Li-ion in a pinch or "hybrid rechargeables" my choice being Ray-o-vac's Hybrids, since then never had any sort of failure except for being out in -20c temperatures which switching a fresh set of warm ones kept me going till i was red in the face

Scartist · 01-10-2010, 07:50 AM

Thank you for your replies. I believe it was the recharger - it's not one of the fast ones, but it's an old recharger that doesn't empty the batteries totally before refilling it.
My batteries are Sanyo and Energizer Ni-MH's, pretty new ones too.

I'm glad the camera is fine. Something I do find strange though, I though it required more battery power to load a flash than to turn on a camera

Clicker · 01-10-2010, 07:56 AM

Just note those rechargeable Energizers do not hold their charge, you'll need to make sure you charge them every time you before you use them.

Marc Sabatella · 01-10-2010, 10:17 AM

The flash would, of course, also benefit from a stronger charge. But being an analog device, it can at least do *something* with less than 1.2 volts, whereas the camera, being essentially a digital computer, needs a certain amount of voltage to operate, period.

TheRealMrEd · 03-22-2010, 07:20 PM

I use only a certain brand of 2900mh LI-I batteries, and charge each set on the same charger. Sometimes, I'll install a newly-charged set of batteries and the camera won't turn on. I take the batteries completely out and re-install them. On the second or third try, the camera always works. It acts as though I've stuck a battery in backwards or something, but thats not the case. Bending or cleaning tabs hasn't made any difference. The batteries eventually always work, but the strange little problem probably occurs about every sixth or seventh change. Makes no sense at all from a technical point of view, unless their's a circuit that doen't complete at times...

01-09-2010, 10:28 AM	#1
Scartist New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hungary Posts: 18	K200D finds full batteries dead Yesterday when I replaced the dead batteries in my K200D with full ones, it wouldn't turn on. The dead battery sign was blinking on the screen. I tried starting it with several packs of batteries, all of which worked well with my flash for example, but not with the camera. It either turned on for a few seconds and then turned off, or didn't turn on at all. Anyone had the same problem? What causes this? Is it possible that the electronics got damaged because I used accessories not made by Pentax? (Metz, Mikrosat falshes for instance)

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01-09-2010, 02:43 PM	#2
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	I had the same thing happen to me recently. Is the set of batteries you are trying NiMH? If so are you using a rapid charger or a slow 16+ hour charger? I found that my rapid 2hour charger chargers the battery to a lower voltage for most devices it's not a problem but for my Pentax Km. It would do they same thing as yours. What I did to get it to work again is pull out my 24+ trickle charger to charge them. No problem afterward full charge and powering on. Also FYI NiMH should be fully discharged before they are charged again. They suffer from memory effect.

01-09-2010, 09:44 PM	#3
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Yeah, what kind of batteries? Alkalines areknown to not work well, so don't bother with those - says so right in the manual. If they are rechargeable, "full" is a relative term. Some rechargeable can be more "full" than others. If these were older cells, or lower capacity cells (eg, below 2000mah), that could be the problem - they mifght have enough pwoer for your flashes but not the camera. As you'll see if you browse other threads on these forums, Sanyo Eneloops and other "hybrid" cells - aka "low self-discharge" or "percharged" cells - are the best. Well, those or non-rechargeable Energizer lithium, if you're made of money and don't care abut throwing away toxic cells.

01-10-2010, 07:15 AM	#4
Netsoft Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 58	I have a similar problem as yours as this was a result of purchasing some batteries from your convenient 7 eleven stores. A pack of 4 Energizers Lithium Advanced can last me 100-200 shots before I have to buy again, this has caused me to miss many photo moments. Start investing in Sanyo Eneloop batteries. Each set of 4X can last roughly up to 800-900, sometimes 1,200 if you're lucky. I have 3 sets of Sanyo Eneloop batteries now and they're ready for at least up to 3,000 shots. (Far more enough - but just in case of emergency).

01-10-2010, 07:44 AM	#5
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	When i had the rechargeable Energizers, they died on me on a full charge and i learnt from here real quick about "battery types" so it's now either Energizers Li-ion in a pinch or "hybrid rechargeables" my choice being Ray-o-vac's Hybrids, since then never had any sort of failure except for being out in -20c temperatures which switching a fresh set of warm ones kept me going till i was red in the face

01-10-2010, 07:50 AM	#6
Scartist New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hungary Posts: 18 Original Poster	Thank you for your replies. I believe it was the recharger - it's not one of the fast ones, but it's an old recharger that doesn't empty the batteries totally before refilling it. My batteries are Sanyo and Energizer Ni-MH's, pretty new ones too. I'm glad the camera is fine. Something I do find strange though, I though it required more battery power to load a flash than to turn on a camera

01-10-2010, 07:56 AM	#7
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Just note those rechargeable Energizers do not hold their charge, you'll need to make sure you charge them every time you before you use them.

01-10-2010, 10:17 AM	#8
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	The flash would, of course, also benefit from a stronger charge. But being an analog device, it can at least do something with less than 1.2 volts, whereas the camera, being essentially a digital computer, needs a certain amount of voltage to operate, period.

03-22-2010, 07:20 PM	#9
TheRealMrEd New Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2	I use only a certain brand of 2900mh LI-I batteries, and charge each set on the same charger. Sometimes, I'll install a newly-charged set of batteries and the camera won't turn on. I take the batteries completely out and re-install them. On the second or third try, the camera always works. It acts as though I've stuck a battery in backwards or something, but thats not the case. Bending or cleaning tabs hasn't made any difference. The batteries eventually always work, but the strange little problem probably occurs about every sixth or seventh change. Makes no sense at all from a technical point of view, unless their's a circuit that doen't complete at times...