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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-02-2010, 06:04 AM
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I got the camera back late last week and so far it is working flawlessly. I'm going to be shooting photos every day at least some to try to put it through the test and am hoping this was the fix that will be permanent. They replaced the main pcb board, updated the firmware and set everything to factory specs. I paid for the pcb board, but they waived the labor for me because I had tried to have it repaired twice while under warranty. Anyway, it's shooting great photos and I've especially tried to shoot under poor lighting and so far it has done great. Now I'm looking forward to using it, a lot!
Thanks again to all who tried to help!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-28-2010, 07:02 PM
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The new batteries came today. Got them charged and tried them and the camera is still locked up, no difference. So, I'll be shipping off the camera tomorrow. Oh well, I needed more batteries anyway. I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks everyone for all the advice!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-25-2010, 10:31 AM
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I'm hard headed at times, but you guys have me convinced, and hopeful. Trying not to get my hopes up too high, cause this camera has been locked most of its life. This would sure clear up a lot of questions though, since it has done it pretty much from the beginning.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-25-2010, 09:47 AM
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Wow! So, just by replacing the faulty battery everything cleared up and worked fine? Man. You sure make me want to try a new battery before I send it off now.
I just ordered two new batteries and I'm going to wait to ship the camera until I've had a chance to test it with the new batteries. I found BestBatt.com and ordered two batteries with express shipping for about the price of one new battery on other sites I found. I was looking for quick turnaround. They told me it would ship today if I ordered it before 4pm. I'm really anxious to try this out now that you explained all this to me Russell. Thanks for taking the time. I'll let you know what happens.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-25-2010, 07:29 AM
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Pentax customer support sent me a prepaid UPS label to ship it to them. When I get the camera back, I will buy two new batteries for it though.
When you said your camera locked up with the intermittent battery problems you had, did your menus and modes still display like the camera was fine? Just curious. Mine acts like everything works. All the menus and settings display, you can change settings, bump clean the CCD, lift the mirror for CCD cleaning etc. But pressing the shutter release is like it is disconnected from the camera, nothing happens, nothing displays through the viewfinder or lights up in the viewfinder, the AF button does nothing... Everything else seems normal. Push the F button and you can change the ISO settings, the flash settings, trigger settings etc. It's just the shutter release that does nothing. Would a bad battery cause issues like this? I've searched here and all over the internet looking for anyone who's had similar problems. I've seen other issues where the display flashed off and on continuously and other strange issues, but never seen anything like the issue I'm having.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-25-2010, 06:23 AM
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Strange! Well, I stand corrected. Never heard of battery caused issues like that.
Well, hopefully they will get to the bottom of my problem this time. I told them to keep it as long as it takes to get this resolved, especially if it gets there and is working again, like it has in the past.
I put the battery in it last night after it being out of the camera for more than 24 hours and it didn't change anything. So, I packed the camera up with the battery in it this time just in case. I'll drop it off at UPS today. Y'all keep your fingers crossed for me!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 11:51 AM
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Lowell, I appreciate all the suggestions and ideas, as well as everyone else here who have tried to help. I'm going to try a few more things you have suggested tonight before I pack it up. Of course, the battery has been out of it since yesterday--watch it be working when I get home.:D
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 11:37 AM
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I just got an email from Mark Davis at Pentax and it looks like they are going to take care of things. I'll be packing up the K10D and shipping it to them tomorrow. I will let you guys know how this all works out. God I pray that it is still locked up when it arrives in AZ! That's been my nemesis!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 07:52 AM
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I sat there the other night and tried every combination I could come up with, including AF-C, AF-S, Manual, including all the different modes and couldn't get the camera to operate the shutter or focus. Now, I didn't try turning off the camera, changing to AF-C or AF-S or Manual, then turning the camera on in that mode specifically, but I did try everything I could imagine at the time. By the "hit and miss" method, I may have inadvertently done exactly what I just said I didn't do specifically, if you know what I mean... I also tried turning on the camera with no lens and seeing if it would activate the shutter. No luck there either.
If I go through the menus and lift the mirror for CCD cleaning, it works, and it sets the mirror back down when you turn it off, like normal. It will also do the "shake the CCD" clean function. Like I said, everything looks normal on the displays as you go through menus, change modes, hit the "F" button, it all looks like it is ready to go, but the shutter release button and the AF button do nothing, with or without a lens present.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 07:36 AM
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Ahhh, OK. That probably is the one I was looking at.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 07:27 AM
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It is interesting that they replaced the lens mount. Makes me wonder if there might have been a service bulletin back when I sent mine in cause they seemed to want to look at the lens mount and clean the contacts.
I was eyeballing the lens mount night before last and it looks to me like one of the little gold plated bumpies, or contacts, is a little pressed in--doesn't stand out like all the others do. It was late and my eyes were tired but I was curious if that one was able to make contact or not. I'll try to get a less tired eyeball on it and see if it looks different tonight. I'll also check the custom aperture ring setting also.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 07:09 AM
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When I first got the camera and was getting familiar with it, of course one of my first things to try was one of my zoom lenses from the ME Super. So I set it up for that lens.
Have you set the custom menu to "use aperture ring" it should be set to option 2?
I really don't remember if I did this or not. I have shot several photos using the 200mm non-AF lens though and it worked fine. Since it has that setting already in the camera, I guess it defaults to it when it doesn't sense an AF lens on it.
Typically, the camera only has gone crazy with the AF lens on it. It starts zipping back and forth from one end of the focus to the other, back and forth several times, then it is locked up. I don't remember if it has ever locked up with the manual lens on it. Of course if it has locked up and I put the manual lens on it, it does nothing, stays locked. This is not to say that every time I've used the AF lens it has gone crazy and locked up though. Like I said before, I've shot at least 100 or more photos with it, and most of them have been with the AF lens. Sometimes it has gone a month or two without locking up. This 10 month period is the longest it has stayed locked up though, best I can remember. I'm pretty sure it was October 09 when I was able to shoot the last photos with it before it went goofy and locked up.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 06:41 AM
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That is exactly my point in the PM I sent Dorian, a member here who works with customer service, asking her for help. I also sent Ned an email asking (pleading) for them to make this right. I haven't heard back from either of them, but I just sent messages to them yesterday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I really want this camera to work. I've been using Pentax equipment since I bought my ME Super back in the late 70's, which I still have and it still works like new. Wish they made a digital back for the ME Super! |
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-24-2010, 06:09 AM
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I won't argue with you guys about the battery, y'all know more about cameras than I do! I've never seen intermittent problems with a battery though. Usually a battery is either good or bad, not sometimes good and sometimes bad. Its been doing this since the camera and battery were new. Have you guys ever seen a battery that was intermittently good and bad?
I don't have a problem buying a new battery to test this theory.
Are there any known issues with certain memory cards? I bought two 2gb Scandisk SD cards when I bought the camera. What do you guys use in your K10D's?
Edit: When the camera has worked, it might work for days or months, just fine. It worked long enough to cause me to miss getting it diagnosed during the warranty period, even though I sent it in twice during the first year to be fixed and they couldn't get it to malfunction either time. This is why I can't get my arms around the battery as a possible cause! Maybe I'm hard headed.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 08:32 PM
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It is a K10D. I got it at the beginning of 07. I've used it very little and am not overly familiar with it as you can see. Yes, I have the Pentax rechargeable battery that came with it. I actually had no idea whether or not a duracell was even made for it, but assumed there was. Some here have suggested I replace the battery. I assumed it was because I had a rechargeable and assumed they felt like it wouldn't hold a charge anymore. I guess there isn't a non-rechargeable battery for it. So I guess that means I would have to order a new one. Probably not going to do that unless I know the camera will be fixed. I've got a basically new camera that has had barely 100 shots through it that I spent around $1000 for. I doubt I'll be spending anymore on it.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 02:13 PM
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I'm not aware of any internal battery. Unless it isn't 'user serviceable".
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 09:25 AM
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The thought just occurred to me that the only times, that I remember anyway, that I've removed the battery for any extended period of time (other than to charge it and put it right back in the camera) was the two times I shipped the camera to have the service center work on it. And both times, they called me when they got it and said "we unpacked your camera, put the battery in and turned it on and it worked fine." So.... maybe leaving the battery out for a couple days might get the camera working again??? Of course that isn't a permanent fix, but maybe it will tell me something.
I got an email response back from Pentax support that basically said that when I sent it in for warranty work, there should have been a warranty period for that warranty work, and if that time has passed, then new charges would apply if I sent it to Pentax for them to fix it. I understand this policy, I really do. But this issue has existed with this camera since I bought it brand new, and I have proof, and it's been to a factory authorized service center twice for this problem, during the warranty period, and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Seems to me that Pentax would want to make this right and keep a loyal customer of over 25 years. I've owned several Pentax cameras, still have my second one from 25 years ago, ME Super, and have always loved their products. That camera still works flawlessly. Just don't use 35mm anymore.
I wrote a long letter back to their support detailing everything that has happened, and everything I have tried to resolve it. I doubt it will make any difference, but I did beg them to plead my case with their superiors.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 06:56 AM
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Thanks for that info Tim. Makes sense. I'll try that.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 06:44 AM
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A couple things I forgot to mention. Last night I realized that when the lens is off and I turn on the camera, it defaults to the setting for the 200mm zoom lens, so I had earlier mentioned that it "recognized" the 200 mm lens, but since that lens is manual, it's just defaulting to that setting when either that lens or no lens is present.
Also, I tried the mirror up to clean the CCD and it worked fine, and when I turned off the camera the mirror went back to the down position like it should. It also will do the CCD shake and clean.
When the camera is turned on, looking through the viewfinder there is nothing lit up, ever. I don't recall if there is supposed to be any indicators in the viewfinder when the camera is turned on, but throughout all the modes, I never saw anything lit up in the viewfinder... Could it be that a ribbon cable is not quite plugged into its socket on one of the boards in the camera? It just sounds like something is disconnected electronically somewhere, in my experience with electronics. (I've been around electronics troubleshooting most of my adult life, never formally trained or educated in it, but learned a lot from those around me. I've been fairly successful repairing and replacing component parts over the years, when they are obviously bad)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-23-2010, 06:26 AM
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Last night I tried everything that was suggested. I did try the AF button on the back of the camera, with it in both AF modes with the AF lens on. Nothing. I pulled the battery and put it back in several times. I did fully charge the battery before trying all this. I will pick up a new battery tonight (non-rechargeable) to see if that makes any difference. I cleaned the contacts on both the lens and the camera, tried my 200mm manual zoom lens, tried with anti-shake turned off and on, did a reset to default settings, went through all the modes and tried it, made sure the knobs were in a detent position, pulled out the SD card, camera said no card, locked the card, camera said card locked, unlocked it and put it back in. Card is a 2mb scandisk I believe. Are there any known cards that are troublesome with this camera?
You folks can probably understand that I'm not real familiar with this camera, having had it locked up more than not in the few years I've owned it. In fact, what is the little round button up in the top right of the back of the camera that has a key shaped icon next to it? Could I have locked the camera and don't know the unlock sequence?
I did hold the menu button and turn the camera on and it says I have version 1.0 of the firmware. I assumed so since I've never updated the firmware since I've had it. Should I update it to 1.31 ? Thanks again for all the suggestions!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-22-2010, 08:05 PM
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I don't have a grip, or a shutter remote. I'll put her to the test and report back. I only have one battery and will be getting another soon. Might buy a duracell to try. Only have the rechargeable. Maybe it is weak, but it's done this on and off since I bought it new. I haven't used the camera enough to even know about the AF button on back of camera. I've always used the shutter release to focus. I'll check it out.
More later...
By the way, thanks y'all for the quick and helpful responses!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-22-2010, 02:27 PM
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Wow! Thanks for the quick responses. I'll be more specific. I have tried everything I can think of, from switching to MF on the camera, changing lenses to manual lenses, back to AF lens, different SD cards, battery out and back in etc. Nothing will unlock it when it gets to this state.
I've held the shutter release in slightly (AF focus) and nothing. I can go through all the menus and check settings like there's nothing wrong, but I can't get it to focus or in MF, can't get it to fire off a shot. If I remember, it even still recognizes my 70-201 MF lens when I put it on, but the shutter still won't function.
And it's wild. I send it to San Antonio to a repair shop and it works by the time it arrives. I guess I could ship it to myself!:D
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-22-2010, 01:33 PM
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Hi folks,
I found this forum while searching for articles on issues like mine, so yes, my first post is about an ongoing issue.
Bought the K10D about three years ago and we used it frequently for a few months before it acted up. While preparing to shoot a photo, lightly holding the shutter release to get it to auto focus (standard AF lens that came with the camera) the AF function started cycling back and forth, in and out til it stopped and the camera was locked up. The display on the back looks normal, and the camera is on, but nothing will work. It even changes modes according to the screen but touching the shutter release does nothing. Turning it off, removing the reinstalling the batteries, nothing. I called an authorized repair facility and sent it to them. They got it and it worked fine. Sent it back to me and it did work for a while. Then, at our family Christmas gathering, it locked up again. I was days from the warranty running out so I called the repair service and sent it on to them again. Same thing, it worked fine. They looked it over good, cleaned the contacts where the lens links up to the body and sent it back to me.
I haven't used it much since then, but sure enough, the last time I used it, it locked up again. I called Pentax and they said since it is out of warranty I'll have to pay for repairs! I asked if they could look up the warranty repairs on it to see that I've had problems since I got it and sent it in twice for service and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, but the person I spoke to said they didn't have any records on it and I'd have to pay for it to be fixed.
So, I've sat on it for a couple months. Checked it the other day and it is still locked up. So, I found this site and thought I'd ask for some opinions.
I have never done any firmware update to it. (didn't know there were any til reading about them here.)
It's really frustrating, spending that much on a nice camera and not being able to trust it. I've owned other Pentax 35mm equipment all my life, part of why I bought this camera, have several lenses that I can use on it etc.
Next month we go on vacation to Colorado and it would be nice to have it working for that trip!
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