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**tonyzoc** · 07-01-2021, 10:37 AM

I picked up a black KX this week in pretty nice condition. Everything works but the meter. Also the battery check doesn't work (and I'm using new batteries that check ok on my other KX) so I'm guessing power is not reaching the circuitry. I took off the bottom and check the battery holder, took it out to check if the wire underneath was corroded or broken and it checked out ok. My next move is to remove the top and check for power coming from the bottom leads. I can tell this body has had some disassembly because the aperture peek window is misaligned and there's a little clear plastic disk floating around behind the eye piece. I have another ugly black KX who's meter works fine so I'm thinking of sending it out for repair... Assuming I can't find anything obvious under the top.
Has anyone had this problem and can offer any advice/pointers? Thanks

LesDMess · 07-01-2021, 10:41 AM

Hopefully it could be as simple as the battery holder that's happened on a few of mine. Simple cleaning of it solved the problem. I used my multimeter to check voltage going through it. Also, I think the MX shares same holder if you have one as a quick swap.

**boriscleto** · 07-01-2021, 12:00 PM - **1 Like**

The aperture window is usually misaligned. I've owned three KX bodies and the Judas window hasn't worked on any of them.

**tonyzoc** · 07-01-2021, 01:44 PM - **2 Likes**

SWell here's what I found...

Power was getting up to the top. The battery check lead had power and the red lead connecting to the PCB had power. Either the PCB was fried or the needle broken or jammed. Oh, and the aperture peek was missing a tiny mirror. I also found someone had broken off the reverse thread screw on the frame counter disk. (It's nice to have 2 bodies to check against each other)

So I had 2 black KX bodies... One ugly with dents and a damaged hot shoe, and one good looking with a dead meter. I took the best of both and put together a functional decent looking body with everything working. It could use new light seals and a CLA though so I may send it out next week. I spent $38 for one body and $60 for the other than came with a 50/2 lens...so I'm into it for $100....plus a CLA.

AAlfano · 07-01-2021, 02:11 PM

You did well! The KX is a great camera and everyone knows black cameras take better pictures.

LesDMess · 07-01-2021, 03:05 PM

Great job!

Aaron28 · 07-01-2021, 03:32 PM

good deal making the best of what ya got!

**pentaxus** · 07-03-2021, 12:03 AM

The last two KX cameras I was in had the aperture mirror floating around the bottom of the mirror box. Remove the front panel and check.

**tonyzoc** · 07-03-2021, 05:04 AM

Originally posted by pentaxus

The last two KX cameras I was in had the aperture mirror floating around the bottom of the mirror box. Remove the front panel and check.

Actually, when I was done reassembling the two bodies I found the missing mirror on my desktop so it must have fallen out at some point. I went back in and reglued it and it's fine now. Also on that body (the one with the dead meter) the hot shoe wasn't working as the prism was dinged. Someone else tried to fix it and that's probably how the reverse thread screw over the frame counter disk got stripped off. What I found with the hot shoe is that it was missing the two tiny plastic pins that complete the circuit when a flash is attached. Luckily I had a K2 parts body and got those pins replaced. Now the hot shoe work...actually everything works on that body except the meter. I'm going to put it back on eBay for $25.

07-01-2021, 10:37 AM	#1
tonyzoc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 994	Pentax KX no power I picked up a black KX this week in pretty nice condition. Everything works but the meter. Also the battery check doesn't work (and I'm using new batteries that check ok on my other KX) so I'm guessing power is not reaching the circuitry. I took off the bottom and check the battery holder, took it out to check if the wire underneath was corroded or broken and it checked out ok. My next move is to remove the top and check for power coming from the bottom leads. I can tell this body has had some disassembly because the aperture peek window is misaligned and there's a little clear plastic disk floating around behind the eye piece. I have another ugly black KX who's meter works fine so I'm thinking of sending it out for repair... Assuming I can't find anything obvious under the top. Has anyone had this problem and can offer any advice/pointers? Thanks

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07-01-2021, 10:41 AM	#2
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Hopefully it could be as simple as the battery holder that's happened on a few of mine. Simple cleaning of it solved the problem. I used my multimeter to check voltage going through it. Also, I think the MX shares same holder if you have one as a quick swap.

07-01-2021, 12:00 PM - 1 Like	#3
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	The aperture window is usually misaligned. I've owned three KX bodies and the Judas window hasn't worked on any of them.

07-01-2021, 01:44 PM - 2 Likes	#4
tonyzoc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 994 Original Poster	SWell here's what I found... Power was getting up to the top. The battery check lead had power and the red lead connecting to the PCB had power. Either the PCB was fried or the needle broken or jammed. Oh, and the aperture peek was missing a tiny mirror. I also found someone had broken off the reverse thread screw on the frame counter disk. (It's nice to have 2 bodies to check against each other) So I had 2 black KX bodies... One ugly with dents and a damaged hot shoe, and one good looking with a dead meter. I took the best of both and put together a functional decent looking body with everything working. It could use new light seals and a CLA though so I may send it out next week. I spent $38 for one body and $60 for the other than came with a 50/2 lens...so I'm into it for $100....plus a CLA.

07-01-2021, 02:11 PM	#5
AAlfano Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 147	You did well! The KX is a great camera and everyone knows black cameras take better pictures.

07-01-2021, 03:05 PM	#6
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Great job!

07-01-2021, 03:32 PM	#7
Aaron28 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,131	good deal making the best of what ya got!

07-03-2021, 12:03 AM	#8
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,320	The last two KX cameras I was in had the aperture mirror floating around the bottom of the mirror box. Remove the front panel and check.

07-03-2021, 05:04 AM	#9
tonyzoc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 994 Original Poster	Originally posted by pentaxus The last two KX cameras I was in had the aperture mirror floating around the bottom of the mirror box. Remove the front panel and check. Actually, when I was done reassembling the two bodies I found the missing mirror on my desktop so it must have fallen out at some point. I went back in and reglued it and it's fine now. Also on that body (the one with the dead meter) the hot shoe wasn't working as the prism was dinged. Someone else tried to fix it and that's probably how the reverse thread screw over the frame counter disk got stripped off. What I found with the hot shoe is that it was missing the two tiny plastic pins that complete the circuit when a flash is attached. Luckily I had a K2 parts body and got those pins replaced. Now the hot shoe work...actually everything works on that body except the meter. I'm going to put it back on eBay for $25.

Pentax KX no power

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