New k-3 firmware v1.21

[tduell]

An update of the firmware for the K-3 has been released, see here http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/engli...ital/k3_s.html

Cheers,
Terry

[Wizofoz]

thanks for the heads up, Terry

[tduell]

Anyone with a K-3 upgraded to v1.21 yet?
Any indication that there has been any change/improvement to auto-focus for your lenses?
The reason I ask is that there was some suggestion that the auto-focus had been improved on the K-3ii, and curious to know if this improvement has now been ported to K-3.

Cheers,
Terry

[Snpsht]

Thank you...done

[Kym]

Installed, all good

[erds]

Thanks for the heads-up.
Although, I usually only update the firmware if it's going to be beneficial to me. I prefer others to be the beta testers. I'm still on v1.11 (installed due to an episode of mirror flap). V1.20 was to accommodate for the new lenses, which I don't have, and won't have anytime soon...and the latest is a correction to the previous firmware's bug which turns on the back LCD when the shutter release is half-pressed. As for the "Improved stability for general performance" aspect that seems to accommodate every firmware upgrade, I'm not convinced. If it was anything significant, they'd mention it specifically. I'll probably install it after I see that no one has had issues with it. Call me skeptically cautious.

[ameerat42]

Erds, now that you're on this forum and have implicitly asked a question as to practice, may I say that by installing the latest
firmware you are NOT beta-testing. That has already been done. You are just getting the benefits of an improvement.

Generally, most users (OK, everybody I know) update to the latest firmware. I certainly do.

Am.

[Kym]

Those 'general stability' fixes are important.
They don't enumerate them but they are fixes to odd glitches found by the service department around the globe.
Chances are you may get a lock up (I have on older firmware) where you need to remove batteries to clear it; the newer firmware have solved this for me.

[Snpsht]

Those 'general stability' fixes are important.
They don't enumerate them but they are fixes to odd glitches found by the service department around the globe.
Chances are you may get a lock up (I have on older firmware) where you need to remove batteries to clear it; the newer firmware have solved this for me.

It seems to have fixed the lock up for me too...and I haven't had the mirror flap again. I hope both problems stay away!

[maishy]

does anyone know if there is a way to download it directly without using an SD card?

[ameerat42]

Maishy. Do you mean directly to the camera? If so, I would doubt that you can.
AFAIK - from doing this quite a few times over the years - cameras are "programmed" to look for
firmware update files in the root directory of their storage media (mine, a mix of SD and CF cards).

So basically I would:
1. Download from site to computer.
2. Copy file (after running a good security check over it) to appropriate storage card...
- you can either hook the camera to computer by USB cable, or put the card into a card reader...
- paste the copied file straight onto the drive letter - eg, say "E: Pentax"...
3. Put card into camera and switch on, then find your firmware update menu and follow it.

NOTE: the process can take a few minutes, and my camera settings WARN me to make sure I have a full battery
before proceeding, so that it doesn't crash out and - &%*&*^#*(&40(*& - who knows what?!

Ie, it's a cakewalk.

- - - Updated - - -

PS: The update file does not take up much space, and you can delete it later if it's a problem.

[tduell]

So basically I would:
1. Download from site to computer.
2. Copy file (after running a good security check over it) to appropriate storage card...
- you can either hook the camera to computer by USB cable, or put the card into a card reader...
- paste the copied file straight onto the drive letter - eg, say "E: Pentax"...
3. Put card into camera and switch on, then find your firmware update menu and follow it.
.

Make sure you read the 'destructions' on the web site...the Pentax firmware file usually has to be de-archived before copying onto SD card.

Cheers,
Terry

[ameerat42]

That's interesting, TC. Mine seems to (if compressed at all) unpack on the fly.
Looking up the Pentax updating, I see some people have had problems de-archiving.

[tduell]

That's interesting, TC. Mine seems to (if compressed at all) unpack on the fly.

The windows firmware update file is supposed to be self extracting, but not the one for Mac/OSX which one would also grab if using Linux.

Cheers,
Terry