E-DIAL wheel on PENTAX IST DS help please

grgo12 · 10-31-2008, 11:52 AM

hello there
I have the pentax ist ds and having some trouble recently
1. it hapened only once after took shot,
there was no prewiev, and camera froze on display only ---, then after taking bateries out back to normal
BUT the main problem is following
at prewiev when i zoom in it only zooms once and then thats it
also the edial wheel, doesnt let me go to + numbers, it only goes to - and hardly go back to zero.
[B]
So obviosly the wheel e dial (pulse switch) is broken I guess, or anyone has any idea whats wrong?what can b done to repair it? if the whole part needs to b changed?
or anyone has similar trouble?
thank you very much
Martin

**ChipB** · 10-31-2008, 01:27 PM

Might be dirty electrical contacts - get a good quality electrical contact cleaner (one that leaves no residue) and, with the camera off, spray into the wheel area and work the wheel. If the problem was dirty contacts you should be good to go. A LOT less expensive than replacing the switch assembly!!

**Mallee Boy** · 11-04-2008, 02:21 PM

Ditto to Chip's advice. It works (for awhile), but the problem will come back down the track.

XATN3q · 03-25-2009, 03:34 AM

Hi all,

Sorry for dig up this thread,

My *istDS dial wheel also got sick

I can only dial in one way, mostly to the "zoom out" or minus the parameters, I can not zoom in (in review mode) nor adjust to "Add" the parameters

anybody has the same problem?

Thanks

shiestmiester · 03-25-2009, 05:53 AM

Im not sure if this works on istDS, but with my K200 you can use the (it's 2 of these 3 can't remember exactly which) AE lock, green button, EV comp, to zoom in and out in palyback menu.

Not a solution, but a temporary work-around if it's compatible with your body.

Hope the contact cleaner works,

Travis

leadbelly · 02-19-2010, 02:08 AM

with my K100D, the rear dial is also acting chippy. Instead of adjusting, it jumps around in aperture mode going from f5.6 to f22, then f16 to 2.8 randomly. All this while turning the wheel to the right. If turning to the left, it's worse. I can never shoot now at 2.8 since now that it's stuck at f22, it jumps from f8 to f22 randomly. Any ideas?

wildlifephotog · 02-19-2010, 05:58 AM

Use contact cleaner as they said above. The small contact fingers get dirty, due to the camera not being sealed.

hramat · 07-03-2010, 01:34 AM

I have just received new K-x. Already on first day I have noticed that e-dial is only changing values to + values. Luckily I can reset to 0 by green button but there is not way how to get to - values.

I am quite surprised that brand new k-x has this kind of problem. If it would be few years old I would say it is dirty, but now?
I have also notice two small paint particles in the camera through view finder. These are in the camera, not in view finder, and luckily not affecting the pictures.

I will contact Pentax to replace the e-dial and clean the camera inside. I have it for two weeks now so I suppose they should repair it in warranty.

pxpaulx · 07-03-2010, 11:35 AM

Originally posted by hramat

I have just received new K-x. Already on first day I have noticed that e-dial is only changing values to + values. Luckily I can reset to 0 by green button but there is not way how to get to - values.

I am quite surprised that brand new k-x has this kind of problem. If it would be few years old I would say it is dirty, but now?
I have also notice two small paint particles in the camera through view finder. These are in the camera, not in view finder, and luckily not affecting the pictures.

I will contact Pentax to replace the e-dial and clean the camera inside. I have it for two weeks now so I suppose they should repair it in warranty.

First day, send it back for a replacement - if you bought out of the country which would make an exchange expensive, get it serviced under warranty - with the *istDS this was a known issue that cropped up only after several years of use. Your K-x is defective, plain and simple!

hramat · 07-03-2010, 02:42 PM

Here is the footage of the e-dial.

You Tube

On Monday I will contact Pentax for advice how to proceed

kittykat46 · 07-04-2010, 01:25 AM

From the above video, it Looks like its definitely faulty.
The rear e-dial on my K-7 when awry after about 7 months.
There is a bit of electronic circuitry attached to the E-dial, and that was what had gone faulty, and they replaced it under warranty. The E-dials on the weather-sealed cameras are pretty resistant against dust and moisture, so they are much less likely to get gued up with dirt.

For non-WR cameras, the likelihood of dirt being trapped in there on older cameras is quite high - but contact cleaners are pretty effective at cleaning that up.

hramat · 07-30-2010, 02:02 AM

Originally posted by hramat

On Monday I will contact Pentax for advice how to proceed

E-dial was repaired within one day, most probably only cleaned, without costs. The dial was not replaced. Now it is working well.

duyquyet · 12-02-2011, 02:10 AM

my Pentax K7 has same to, now i can't change aperture value how to fix it?

van-Pen · 12-20-2011, 12:47 PM

I had the same trouble with my 100D and after using the contact cleaner (from suggestions here) it worked for awhile but then reverted back to the problem - cleaned it again and it has been fine for the last 6 months.

van-Pen · 12-20-2011, 12:53 PM

Suggestion for Pentax - I have a Blackberry Bold work phone that has a trackpad rather than a wheel or trackball (older versions of BB had these). I think that little track pad would work way better than the edial

10-31-2008, 11:52 AM	#1
grgo12 New Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2	E-DIAL wheel on PENTAX IST DS help please hello there I have the pentax ist ds and having some trouble recently 1. it hapened only once after took shot, there was no prewiev, and camera froze on display only ---, then after taking bateries out back to normal BUT the main problem is following at prewiev when i zoom in it only zooms once and then thats it also the edial wheel, doesnt let me go to + numbers, it only goes to - and hardly go back to zero. [B] So obviosly the wheel e dial (pulse switch) is broken I guess, or anyone has any idea whats wrong?what can b done to repair it? if the whole part needs to b changed? or anyone has similar trouble? thank you very much Martin

07-03-2010, 01:34 AM	#8
hramat Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rosenheim, Germany Posts: 54	K-x e-dial wheel broken I have just received new K-x. Already on first day I have noticed that e-dial is only changing values to + values. Luckily I can reset to 0 by green button but there is not way how to get to - values. I am quite surprised that brand new k-x has this kind of problem. If it would be few years old I would say it is dirty, but now? I have also notice two small paint particles in the camera through view finder. These are in the camera, not in view finder, and luckily not affecting the pictures. I will contact Pentax to replace the e-dial and clean the camera inside. I have it for two weeks now so I suppose they should repair it in warranty.

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10-31-2008, 01:27 PM	#2
ChipB Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Eau Claire, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,701	Might be dirty electrical contacts - get a good quality electrical contact cleaner (one that leaves no residue) and, with the camera off, spray into the wheel area and work the wheel. If the problem was dirty contacts you should be good to go. A LOT less expensive than replacing the switch assembly!!

11-04-2008, 02:21 PM	#3
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	Ditto to Chip's advice. It works (for awhile), but the problem will come back down the track.

03-25-2009, 03:34 AM	#4
XATN3q Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 92	Hi all, Sorry for dig up this thread, My *istDS dial wheel also got sick I can only dial in one way, mostly to the "zoom out" or minus the parameters, I can not zoom in (in review mode) nor adjust to "Add" the parameters anybody has the same problem? Thanks

03-25-2009, 05:53 AM	#5
shiestmiester Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 97	Im not sure if this works on istDS, but with my K200 you can use the (it's 2 of these 3 can't remember exactly which) AE lock, green button, EV comp, to zoom in and out in palyback menu. Not a solution, but a temporary work-around if it's compatible with your body. Hope the contact cleaner works, Travis

02-19-2010, 02:08 AM	#6
leadbelly Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 597	with my K100D, the rear dial is also acting chippy. Instead of adjusting, it jumps around in aperture mode going from f5.6 to f22, then f16 to 2.8 randomly. All this while turning the wheel to the right. If turning to the left, it's worse. I can never shoot now at 2.8 since now that it's stuck at f22, it jumps from f8 to f22 randomly. Any ideas?

02-19-2010, 05:58 AM	#7
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	Use contact cleaner as they said above. The small contact fingers get dirty, due to the camera not being sealed.

07-03-2010, 11:35 AM	#9
pxpaulx Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,867	Originally posted by hramat I have just received new K-x. Already on first day I have noticed that e-dial is only changing values to + values. Luckily I can reset to 0 by green button but there is not way how to get to - values. I am quite surprised that brand new k-x has this kind of problem. If it would be few years old I would say it is dirty, but now? I have also notice two small paint particles in the camera through view finder. These are in the camera, not in view finder, and luckily not affecting the pictures. I will contact Pentax to replace the e-dial and clean the camera inside. I have it for two weeks now so I suppose they should repair it in warranty. First day, send it back for a replacement - if you bought out of the country which would make an exchange expensive, get it serviced under warranty - with the *istDS this was a known issue that cropped up only after several years of use. Your K-x is defective, plain and simple!

07-04-2010, 01:25 AM	#11
kittykat46 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 923	From the above video, it Looks like its definitely faulty. The rear e-dial on my K-7 when awry after about 7 months. There is a bit of electronic circuitry attached to the E-dial, and that was what had gone faulty, and they replaced it under warranty. The E-dials on the weather-sealed cameras are pretty resistant against dust and moisture, so they are much less likely to get gued up with dirt. For non-WR cameras, the likelihood of dirt being trapped in there on older cameras is quite high - but contact cleaners are pretty effective at cleaning that up.

07-30-2010, 02:02 AM	#12
hramat Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rosenheim, Germany Posts: 54	Originally posted by hramat On Monday I will contact Pentax for advice how to proceed E-dial was repaired within one day, most probably only cleaned, without costs. The dial was not replaced. Now it is working well.

12-02-2011, 02:10 AM	#13
duyquyet Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hanoi Photos: Gallery Posts: 2	my Pentax K7 has same to, now i can't change aperture value how to fix it?

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12-20-2011, 12:47 PM	#14
van-Pen New Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver-Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 12	I had the same trouble with my 100D and after using the contact cleaner (from suggestions here) it worked for awhile but then reverted back to the problem - cleaned it again and it has been fine for the last 6 months.

12-20-2011, 12:53 PM	#15
van-Pen New Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver-Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 12	Suggestion for Pentax - I have a Blackberry Bold work phone that has a trackpad rather than a wheel or trackball (older versions of BB had these). I think that little track pad would work way better than the edial