Picture mode malfunction - Pentax *ist DL

[David J]

I have had my Pentax *ist DL in 2006 and I have been thinking of upgrading for the last few months. Now I think the decision may have been made for me.

Last Sunday week I was walking through the bush in Bunyip State Park when I came across a wombat in a perfect pose. I got my camera out, changed the picture mode, zoomed and focused and pressed the shutter release. Nothing happened and the wombat ambled off.

I tried another couple of shots on different picture modes but, again, nothing happened. I had some difficult walking ahead of me so I put the camera away.

During the week I was at Halls Gap and thought I might get some shots of the very tame kangaroos. Again my camera didn't work but I had time to check the displays.

The LCD panel was blank apart from the battery indicator and the number of shots remaining.

The viewfinder showed nothing but a flickering aperture indicator.

I then checked the LCD monitor as I changed picture modes and, apart from a brief flash, nothing and certainly not the usual image denoting picture mode.

Is this a terminal problem or something I can have repaired for less than the cost of a new camera?

Thanks

David

[Kym]

Sounds like an electronic fault.
1. Call CR Kennedy (Pentax distributor) and at least ask for a quote

Then either/both...
2. Have a look at the new K-5 due out late this month or the new K-R
3. Watch the 2nd hand market for K-X or K20D or K-7 (due to the K-5 and K-r)

[ZedEx]

what lens do you have? If there is an apeture ring, be sure you have it set to A or similar, for auto. Either that, or maybe communication error between the body and the lens. Check the pins are clean and not stuck down etc

[David J]

Good options for my replacement camera Kym, but ZedEx has postponed my new acquisition

I changed back to the 18-50mm lens and the problem disappeared. I then fiddled with the aperture ring on my 80-210mm (the lens I was using when the malfunction happened) and the camera is now working fine with that lens too.

Damn - I had just about convinced my wife that I had to have a new camera

Thanks for your help

[ricktas]

Good options for my replacement camera Kym, but ZedEx has postponed my new acquisition

I changed back to the 18-50mm lens and the problem disappeared. I then fiddled with the aperture ring on my 80-210mm (the lens I was using when the malfunction happened) and the camera is now working fine with that lens too.

Damn - I had just about convinced my wife that I had to have a new camera

Thanks for your help

hehehehe. Now you know what caused it, you can easily 'break' it again..then go show the wife.

[ZedEx]

hehe I thought that's what it would be, stumbled across this problem a couple of times actually. Had a customer who bought a pentax dSLR and a great whopping sigma 300 f2.8 off me a while back, and he was dismayed that his 4 grand worth of kit wasn't taking pictures!
At least you know how to 'break' it again, as Rick said, so there is always time to get a new one

[JM Tran]

Im willing to bet that the cost of repairs will be more than the camera is worth, the DL would be worth $200 or less these days anyway - so just use it as an excuse to upgrade to a newer body

I had water damage in my DL from falling into a river in the snows in 2005, took it back under warranty and told them it just stopped working hehehe, so they fixed it and didnt ask a question - luckily.

[David J]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and comments.

I was about to upgrade to a K-7 and had put in the groundwork for approval. However, I ended up buying a new car and have put the camera on hold for a while. The new models may change my choice or, if the price is right, speed up purchase of a K-7.

It has been a learning experience, not the least tracking down an on-line manual for the DL.

Regards

David

[ZedEx]

Um, I solved the problem a few posts back so no, the cost of repairs certainly was worth it (free)

Im willing to bet that the cost of repairs will be more than the camera is worth, the DL would be worth $200 or less these days anyway - so just use it as an excuse to upgrade to a newer body

I had water damage in my DL from falling into a river in the snows in 2005, took it back under warranty and told them it just stopped working hehehe, so they fixed it and didnt ask a question - luckily.

[Kym]

All Pentax manuals.... http://www.pentax.jp/english/support...ad_manual.html