Is my K-m failing prematurely?

séamuis · 06-08-2009, 05:07 AM

Originally posted by Stefan Carey

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?

could be. I have been using sanyo eneloops with it from day one.

dave9t5 · 06-08-2009, 05:32 AM

Originally posted by 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

This was my first thought, after reading the OP.

I have different brands of rechargeable NiMh and one of the brands is noticeable more loose.

Those batteries, I don't use in my camera body (they are quite old only 1300mAh). But I do use them in my computer mouse and quite often the power to the mouse dies. Then a shake of the mouse restors power.

I put in a shim of aluminium-foil to make the fit tighter. My mouse only uses a singe AA, so it's easy to shim.

You might try something similar on your body to but with 4 AA's be careful not to short the circuit if you use foil. Jan's suggestion is better.

jdg · 06-08-2009, 06:49 AM

yeah i noticed that some AA are a little bit smaller than usual.

jantjooh · 06-08-2009, 07:00 AM

I have used multiple types of NiMh AA batteries with no obvious differences. (Eneloops are not available in Holland).

In my previous post, I stated it was the minus springs, but that was a mistake, it is the positive part of the spring. I will attach a photo (if possible, this is my first appearance in this Forum).
Strangely, putting foam under all 4 did NOT work! Why??
Regards, Jan

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

RBellavance · 06-08-2009, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by kitkat

1. I contacted 'them' through the Contact Pentax Canada page in pentax.ca (Pentax Canada - Contact Us).

In my experience, they are not very responsive to email requests. It's probably best to call them. The service center can be reached at 905-286-5590. Strangely, this number is nowhere on www.pentax.ca.

kitkat · 06-08-2009, 07:38 AM

Here are some other Pentax Canada numbers:
1-800-461-6203 (for general inquiries, but not support)
1-800-301-8833 (for tech support)
905-286-5585 (head office)

simico · 06-09-2009, 12:39 AM

Originally posted by jantjooh

(Eneloops are not available in Holland).

Try Varta ready2use, it's the same technology. I use it since day 1 without any issues.

opiedog · 06-09-2009, 09:13 AM

i think it's a battery contact problem. i'm going to try to 'wipe' the battery contacts.

btw, how do you post pictures in this forum?

tnx

jantjooh · 06-10-2009, 02:55 AM

Originally posted by opiedog

i think it's a battery contact problem. i'm going to try to 'wipe' the battery contacts.

btw, how do you post pictures in this forum?

tnx

-- post reply
---addition options
----attach files, manage attachments

opiedog · 06-10-2009, 06:35 AM

Originally posted by jantjooh

-- post reply
---addition options
----attach files, manage attachments

thanks for the tip.

j2l3 · 06-14-2009, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by 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

THAT was really helpful! Thank you, what a simple fix!

kitkat · 06-23-2009, 06:14 PM

Got my K-m back from repair by Pentax Canada today, three weeks less a day from sending it in. They replaced the battery door - no other explanation. The condition of the returned camera seems very good - they even cleaned it! (The inside of the focussing screen had collected dust-possibly from static.)

Incidentally, with the camera was an instruction sheet on the effect of static electricity on the camera. I haven't checked to see if this information is in the manual. It states 'In rare cases, the camera may not operate correctly due to static electricity. This can be remedied by taking the batteries out and put (sic) them back in again. Then, turn the power on. The mirror will retract. After the procedure is done, if the camera operates correctly, it does not require any repairs.' Problem is, there is no information on what the symptoms might be from the effect of static electricity, and what does 'the mirror will retract' mean?

I've got a 90-day warranty on the repair.

kitkat · 06-23-2009, 06:43 PM

SR is turned off on my very-recently repaired K-m. It worked before. How do I turn it on? I'm using the kit lens, AF is selected. The manual says to select SR and turn it on, but the SR option is greyed out and I can't select it.

kitkat · 06-23-2009, 06:55 PM

Duh! The remote control had been activated - hence no SR. Sorry for the post, lads and lassies.

eyou · 06-23-2009, 09:43 PM

My k-m broke yesterday with some of these symptoms. before it totally stopped working, it starte shaking. then it would work intermittently and finally has completely stopped working. when i turn the camera on, the only thing i see turned on is the AF indication in the VF and also .8 written in im guessingwhere the aperture was. i'll try changing batteries but it seems broken

i got my camera from prodigital and im from US. i hope i can get it fixed with no problem

06-08-2009, 07:02 AM	#20
RBellavance Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Montréal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,716	Originally posted by kitkat 1. I contacted 'them' through the Contact Pentax Canada page in pentax.ca (Pentax Canada - Contact Us). In my experience, they are not very responsive to email requests. It's probably best to call them. The service center can be reached at 905-286-5590. Strangely, this number is nowhere on www.pentax.ca. Last edited by RBellavance; 06-08-2009 at 07:44 AM.

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06-08-2009, 05:07 AM	#16
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	Originally posted by Stefan Carey 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? could be. I have been using sanyo eneloops with it from day one.

06-08-2009, 05:32 AM	#17
dave9t5 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada & Taichung, Taiwan Photos: Albums Posts: 329	Originally posted by 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 This was my first thought, after reading the OP. I have different brands of rechargeable NiMh and one of the brands is noticeable more loose. Those batteries, I don't use in my camera body (they are quite old only 1300mAh). But I do use them in my computer mouse and quite often the power to the mouse dies. Then a shake of the mouse restors power. I put in a shim of aluminium-foil to make the fit tighter. My mouse only uses a singe AA, so it's easy to shim. You might try something similar on your body to but with 4 AA's be careful not to short the circuit if you use foil. Jan's suggestion is better.

06-08-2009, 06:49 AM	#18
jdg Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cavite, Philippines Posts: 85	yeah i noticed that some AA are a little bit smaller than usual.

06-08-2009, 07:38 AM	#21
kitkat Forum Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kanata, Ontario, Canada Posts: 85 Original Poster	Here are some other Pentax Canada numbers: 1-800-461-6203 (for general inquiries, but not support) 1-800-301-8833 (for tech support) 905-286-5585 (head office)

06-09-2009, 12:39 AM	#22
simico Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 821	Originally posted by jantjooh (Eneloops are not available in Holland). Try Varta ready2use, it's the same technology. I use it since day 1 without any issues.

06-09-2009, 09:13 AM	#23
opiedog Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NC Posts: 787	i think it's a battery contact problem. i'm going to try to 'wipe' the battery contacts. btw, how do you post pictures in this forum? tnx

06-10-2009, 02:55 AM	#24
jantjooh Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 39	Originally posted by opiedog i think it's a battery contact problem. i'm going to try to 'wipe' the battery contacts. btw, how do you post pictures in this forum? tnx -- post reply ---addition options ----attach files, manage attachments

06-10-2009, 06:35 AM	#25
opiedog Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NC Posts: 787	Originally posted by jantjooh -- post reply ---addition options ----attach files, manage attachments thanks for the tip.

06-14-2009, 02:58 PM	#26
j2l3 Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5	Originally posted by 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 THAT was really helpful! Thank you, what a simple fix!

06-23-2009, 06:14 PM	#27
kitkat Forum Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kanata, Ontario, Canada Posts: 85 Original Poster	Got my K-m back from repair by Pentax Canada today, three weeks less a day from sending it in. They replaced the battery door - no other explanation. The condition of the returned camera seems very good - they even cleaned it! (The inside of the focussing screen had collected dust-possibly from static.) Incidentally, with the camera was an instruction sheet on the effect of static electricity on the camera. I haven't checked to see if this information is in the manual. It states 'In rare cases, the camera may not operate correctly due to static electricity. This can be remedied by taking the batteries out and put (sic) them back in again. Then, turn the power on. The mirror will retract. After the procedure is done, if the camera operates correctly, it does not require any repairs.' Problem is, there is no information on what the symptoms might be from the effect of static electricity, and what does 'the mirror will retract' mean? I've got a 90-day warranty on the repair.

06-23-2009, 06:43 PM	#28
kitkat Forum Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kanata, Ontario, Canada Posts: 85 Original Poster	SR is turned off on my very-recently repaired K-m. It worked before. How do I turn it on? I'm using the kit lens, AF is selected. The manual says to select SR and turn it on, but the SR option is greyed out and I can't select it.

06-23-2009, 06:55 PM	#29
kitkat Forum Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kanata, Ontario, Canada Posts: 85 Original Poster	Duh! The remote control had been activated - hence no SR. Sorry for the post, lads and lassies.

06-23-2009, 09:43 PM	#30
eyou Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 224	My k-m broke yesterday with some of these symptoms. before it totally stopped working, it starte shaking. then it would work intermittently and finally has completely stopped working. when i turn the camera on, the only thing i see turned on is the AF indication in the VF and also .8 written in im guessingwhere the aperture was. i'll try changing batteries but it seems broken i got my camera from prodigital and im from US. i hope i can get it fixed with no problem