[sjwoo]

I've had the K-x for about a week now, and I experienced something very strange yesterday. I had the camera in M mode, and I'd set it down on the table after taking a few shots. After a minute or so, I looked at the camera, and the LCD screen had about 8 columns of various colors that ran vertically. I turned the camera off, and the LCD columns were still there! I turned it on and off again, and the columns disappeared and the camera was back to normal.

Earlier in the day, I'd upgraded the firmware from 1.00 to 1.01. But I can't imagine that would've caused that. Should I be worried?

[shoebox]

Sounds to me like a defective LCD screen. Perhaps you should return it.

SB

[Wheatfield]

I would be if my camera was doing that.

[OutOfFocus]

Something similar happened to my K-x once, quite a long time ago now. The rear LCD filled with patterned noise and the camera was completely unresponsive.

It happened well after I had upgraded my camera's firmware.

It did happen the first time I put a particular lens (Tamron 70-300mm) on it, but that appears to have been a coincidence.

Nothing similar has happened again.

[Ira]

Maybe you accidentally hit the LiveView button, and it just overheated, as it's supposed to do. And those color bands are the symptoms of that.

Don't know because I haven't used LV long enough for it to overheat.

[sjwoo]

Maybe you accidentally hit the LiveView button, and it just overheated, as it's supposed to do. And those color bands are the symptoms of that.

Don't know because I haven't used LV long enough for it to overheat.

I'm fairly certain it wasn't on LiveView -- I've hardly put the camera in that mode. But wow, it can overheat? I had no idea. How long does it take for something like that to happen?

You know, something else that might have triggered this, if it is an overheat thing -- to do the firmware update, I'd just put new batteries in, they were hot from the charger because they'd just finished charging. I wonder if that might have triggered it.

I've taken like 3000 shots so far, and this is the only time I've seen the isssue.

[rawr]

Just play it by ear. If it happens again, return the camera. If it doesn't, it was a one-time event related to the firmware update or something, and everything is OK.

[Warren s]

Mine did something almost exactly like that once when I removed the memory card while the camera was on and displaying an image from the card on the LCD.

The camera (Just a computer with a lens) needed a reboot to clear the error. Power on and off, or remove the batteries for a few seconds.

[Ira]

I'm fairly certain it wasn't on LiveView -- I've hardly put the camera in that mode. But wow, it can overheat? I had no idea. How long does it take for something like that to happen?

You know, something else that might have triggered this, if it is an overheat thing -- to do the firmware update, I'd just put new batteries in, they were hot from the charger because they'd just finished charging. I wonder if that might have triggered it.

I've taken like 3000 shots so far, and this is the only time I've seen the isssue.

If you look at the manual on LV, they explain about the overheating, and it can do it fast, in like 5 minutes. (Nothing to do with the firmware though, I don't think.)

Also, on the kx, the LV is just a button on the back of the camera. It would be real easy to accidentally hit it while putting the camera down.

[glanglois]

I've had the K-x for about a week now, and I experienced something very strange yesterday. I had the camera in M mode, and I'd set it down on the table after taking a few shots. After a minute or so, I looked at the camera, and the LCD screen had about 8 columns of various colors that ran vertically. I turned the camera off, and the LCD columns were still there! I turned it on and off again, and the columns disappeared and the camera was back to normal.

Earlier in the day, I'd upgraded the firmware from 1.00 to 1.01. But I can't imagine that would've caused that. Should I be worried?

Thirty minutes or so after changing from Eneloops to lithium. Left battery type set at NiMH by mistake. In and out of the car. Outdoor temp ~ 45F. No deliberate use of live view.

After shot or three, LCD seemed to fade, first image then exposure text. Red xfer LED was on. Bright multi-colored vertical bands appeared. Power switch did nothing. Then it shut down.

Removed batteries for 30 seconds or so, put them back in, booted fine. After another photo, same ugly thing. Took batteries out again, booted fine again. Light dawned, changed battery type to lithium. Powered down and waited a minute or so. Power switch turned to "on".

Camera was bricked.

Left camera at room temperature overnight with batteries out. Put lithium back in, nothing new. A brick.

Replaced lithium with Eneloops, fired right back up.

Warranty is ticking. Weather is warming. May not duplicate conditions for quite a while.

I'm tempted to ask Pentax to look at the camera, if only to preserve any rights to a recall or other remedial measures. I doubt they'd stand around in the Colorado Rockies for an hour or two to duplicate the temperature. Official spec is 32F so that should be fine.

Any ideas?

PS: Maybe they would replace the day-glo salmon color with a real red.

[sjwoo]

Thirty minutes or so after changing from Eneloops to lithium. Left battery type set at NiMH by mistake. In and out of the car. Outdoor temp ~ 45F. No deliberate use of live view.

After shot or three, LCD seemed to fade, first image then exposure text. Red xfer LED was on. Bright multi-colored vertical bands appeared. Power switch did nothing. Then it shut down.

Removed batteries for 30 seconds or so, put them back in, booted fine. After another photo, same ugly thing. Took batteries out again, booted fine again. Light dawned, changed battery type to lithium. Powered down and waited a minute or so. Power switch turned to "on".

Camera was bricked.

Left camera at room temperature overnight with batteries out. Put lithium back in, nothing new. A brick.

Replaced lithium with Eneloops, fired right back up.

Warranty is ticking. Weather is warming. May not duplicate conditions for quite a while.

I'm tempted to ask Pentax to look at the camera, if only to preserve any rights to a recall or other remedial measures. I doubt they'd stand around in the Colorado Rockies for an hour or two to duplicate the temperature. Official spec is 32F so that should be fine.

Any ideas?

PS: Maybe they would replace the day-glo salmon color with a real red.

This is far more severe than what I noticed, but it's funny -- yours happened with cold temperature, and I think mine happened with hot (the Eneloop batteries had just come out of the charger and were piping hot). My guess is that either extreme may trigger this.

Here's a suggestion for you -- stick your camera in the fridge for half an hour. It's about 40F in there, and you'll be able to replicate the cold conditions that way.

- Sung

[glanglois]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I'll try to get to it today, depending on progress on my real work. Which has nothing to do with photography. Which is why photography is my hobby.