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11-21-2009, 12:12 PM   #1
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Pentax K2 ouch !

I just bought, for the grand sum of $40.00, a Pentax K2 film slr with a Pentax 80-200 f4.5 zoom. I have tried everything, including the battery button, but it seems that electronics are frozen. Batteries are in right. The manual speeds of 1/1000, 1/125, and B are working. It seems like a nice camera but the finger of doom has made it inoperable. Any help?

11-21-2009, 12:39 PM   #2
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Are the battery terminals clean? If a previous owner left old batteries in then they may have leaked slightly. Try some very fine abrasive paper to clean them.

IIRC the little black button on the back of the K2 is a battery test button - press that and you should get an LED next to it.
11-21-2009, 01:16 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dangermouse Quote
Are the battery terminals clean? If a previous owner left old batteries in then they may have leaked slightly. Try some very fine abrasive paper to clean them.

IIRC the little black button on the back of the K2 is a battery test button - press that and you should get an LED next to it.
A pencil eraser works well to abrade the contact - if you can find one, the old white Typewriter eraser is better. With either, be patient, very gentle and be prepared to "scrub" for several minutes. Do not press hard - the metal tab needs to retain its spring tension. Upright the camera and blow the grit out with a bulb blower.
11-21-2009, 04:24 PM   #4
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Eric of course most likely has just the bits to bring one to life - he did so for my ES-II

11-22-2009, 12:57 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Greg M Quote
I just bought, for the grand sum of $40.00, a Pentax K2 film slr with a Pentax 80-200 f4.5 zoom. I have tried everything, including the battery button, but it seems that electronics are frozen. Batteries are in right. The manual speeds of 1/1000, 1/125, and B are working. It seems like a nice camera but the finger of doom has made it inoperable. Any help?
sad to hear it. i have one to. onece i have problem with batter, i wipe all the battery
with a cloth before i putt it in..

and it works..

--

@nesster

eric can solve the frozen circuit? i mean he can fix a dead metering?
11-22-2009, 08:36 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by fearview Quote
@nesster

eric can solve the frozen circuit? i mean he can fix a dead metering?
Most likely the answer is YES!!! I had a dead meter in my Spotmatic and he fixed it. He has a lot of spare parts and test equipment.
11-22-2009, 11:48 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by wlank Quote
Most likely the answer is YES!!! I had a dead meter in my Spotmatic and he fixed it. He has a lot of spare parts and test equipment.
He completely resurrected a rather decrepit MX I sent him: no working meter, cracked pentaprism, etc. Now it still looks like hell (basically more brass than black) but it works flawlessly, meter included!

11-24-2009, 03:44 PM   #8
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Probably worth sending to Eric for an estimate.

With only $40.00 invested in camera and lens you really don't have much to lose. If it can be repaired for a reasonable price you will have a great camera. I've used mine for almost 20 years now. The K2 is one of the best 35mm film cameras Pentax ever made.

Tom G

Last edited by 8540tomg; 11-24-2009 at 03:45 PM. Reason: typo
11-25-2009, 12:19 PM   #9
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Thanks for the replies

While watching television last night, I decided to scrub the battery terminal and the battery cover with a pencil eraser. I took about half an hour of slowly rubbing on the spring terminal, blew it out with canned air, crossed my fingers and put in fresh batteries. Lights came on, the battery check worked, and the needle moved for exposure indicator.
ONE MORE QUESTION. I put the Pentax 800-200 mm f4.5 on and noticed that at ASA 400 the automatic exposure button reads about three shutter speeds below the meter reading on my Gossen. The selector dial is very gummy and hardly moves. The asa selector lever is at 400. Outdoor meter reading stay about 1/60 at f16 in bright sunlight.
11-25-2009, 04:08 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Greg M Quote
The asa selector lever is at 400. Outdoor meter reading stay about 1/60 at f16 in bright sunlight.
That's not right... at ISO 400 in bright sunlight and f/16 you should be looking at at least 1/400 shutterspeed.

1/60 is waaay off.
11-25-2009, 05:28 PM   #11
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Sounds like a job for Eric.

Also, the Pentax community needs to send that man an apprentice.
11-26-2009, 11:42 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ratmagiclady Quote
. . .

Also, the Pentax community needs to send that man an apprentice.
That's something I can agree with! I have thought about that a few times myself.
11-26-2009, 06:26 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
That's something I can agree with! I have thought about that a few times myself.
Ditto and a Xmas present!

Phil.
11-27-2009, 06:13 AM   #14
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Since your camera had not been used in a long time there is a chance that some thin layer oxide is covering all the contacts.
Move the ASA lever/dial back and forth several times, same for the speed dial, and exercise the camera for a few hundred frames.
Then check again, sometimes it works.


QuoteOriginally posted by Greg M Quote
While watching television last night, I decided to scrub the battery terminal and the battery cover with a pencil eraser. I took about half an hour of slowly rubbing on the spring terminal, blew it out with canned air, crossed my fingers and put in fresh batteries. Lights came on, the battery check worked, and the needle moved for exposure indicator.
ONE MORE QUESTION. I put the Pentax 800-200 mm f4.5 on and noticed that at ASA 400 the automatic exposure button reads about three shutter speeds below the meter reading on my Gossen. The selector dial is very gummy and hardly moves. The asa selector lever is at 400. Outdoor meter reading stay about 1/60 at f16 in bright sunlight.
11-27-2009, 06:14 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
Ditto and a Xmas present!

Phil.
Xmas present? great idea, I suggest a nice gift-card to a restaurant?
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