Jim Radcliffe
Member
Recently my K5 has exhibited unexpected behavior. I can take a shot with the camera and a few seconds later the camera makes a sound like it is firing on its own... sometimes several times.
Sometimes I will do a half press of the shutter release and the camera sounds like it is making multiple shutter actuations.. mind you, this is a half press, not a full shutter release. Catch in focus is OFF. Camera is set to single shot mode.
Every now and then the same thing happens when I press ANY button on the camera.
At no time does the camera actually capture an image.. it just sounds like it is.
I have researched this on several Pentax forums and have found that this behavior is not limited to my K5.
This morning I was out shooting and mounted the DA * 50-135mm on the camera and had not even taken a single shot when the camera seemed to actuate the shutter. I then took one shot and the camera totally locked up. It would no longer focus at all on anything. A half press of the shutter release did nothing. I powered it off, removed the battery and replaced the battery, powered it up and the camera functioned normally for about five minutes... then the self-actuation began again.
There are a number of theories regarding this behavior, anything from a faulty shutter to faulty electronics to a firmware issue.
Several people have reported this issue and have sent their K5 in for repair only to get it back and the same problem still exists.
Do any of the forum members here have experience with this issue? Have you found a cause? Have you found a solution?
My theory is that it is a heat related problem as the camera tends to exhibit this behavior only when I have been outside shooting in temperatures in the 90s and above. When shooting in bright sunlight during 90 degree weather the black body of the K5 is absorbing a lot of heat. I wonder if this heat absorption is having an effect on the electronics or possibly some close tolerance mechanical switch or some other device.
This has never occurred with my K5 until the weather here became really hot, 90 - 102 degrees. I have used the K5 with no problems until the last month.
Any insight will be much appreciated. This is a very annoying issue.
I prefer not to send the camera in for "repair" at this time due to reports from others who have done so only to have the problem reappear.
Sometimes I will do a half press of the shutter release and the camera sounds like it is making multiple shutter actuations.. mind you, this is a half press, not a full shutter release. Catch in focus is OFF. Camera is set to single shot mode.
Every now and then the same thing happens when I press ANY button on the camera.
At no time does the camera actually capture an image.. it just sounds like it is.
I have researched this on several Pentax forums and have found that this behavior is not limited to my K5.
This morning I was out shooting and mounted the DA * 50-135mm on the camera and had not even taken a single shot when the camera seemed to actuate the shutter. I then took one shot and the camera totally locked up. It would no longer focus at all on anything. A half press of the shutter release did nothing. I powered it off, removed the battery and replaced the battery, powered it up and the camera functioned normally for about five minutes... then the self-actuation began again.
There are a number of theories regarding this behavior, anything from a faulty shutter to faulty electronics to a firmware issue.
Several people have reported this issue and have sent their K5 in for repair only to get it back and the same problem still exists.
Do any of the forum members here have experience with this issue? Have you found a cause? Have you found a solution?
My theory is that it is a heat related problem as the camera tends to exhibit this behavior only when I have been outside shooting in temperatures in the 90s and above. When shooting in bright sunlight during 90 degree weather the black body of the K5 is absorbing a lot of heat. I wonder if this heat absorption is having an effect on the electronics or possibly some close tolerance mechanical switch or some other device.
This has never occurred with my K5 until the weather here became really hot, 90 - 102 degrees. I have used the K5 with no problems until the last month.
Any insight will be much appreciated. This is a very annoying issue.
I prefer not to send the camera in for "repair" at this time due to reports from others who have done so only to have the problem reappear.