Exposure problem

For reason unknown to me, my K20 developed a glitch: When I turn it on, I cannot take any pictures, the shutter just purrrs. However when I turn it to preview mode, the shutter works OK... what have I done, anyone, please? And most importantly, what might be the remedy?

try a factory reset.

Thanks. Have found that it works only when set to manual focus, otherwise if just purrs. Am away from UK, did you mean reset to initial settings? If not, where do I find 'factory rest', please?

Look for 'Reset' in the 'Set-up' menu.

If you've set anything in the Custom Setting menu there's a separate 'Reset' feature there too.

Have you tried updating the camera's firmware?

When you say it only works in manual focus, does it mean its the AF continually hunting and not the shutter purring? Could be dirty contacts on lens etc (which lens are you using?)

alfpics:have cleaned the conacts, still the same. Could this have happened when I changed the lens from 18-55 to 50-200 and back again? I don't hear the familiar click when the lens is docked home. They both work OK in manual focus and in AF.C, although only one frame is taken. In either mode it does not auto focus. Not sure, but have noticed that when I press the shutter button, the Flash sign blinks on and off, with the A icon on when in all the modes, AF.S, AF.C and MF. Maybe there all the time, but have not noticed it before. Have reset the custom settings and now get 'All the custom functions values are by default' and a little square appears in the LCD panel, left corner, next to the flash and the A icon, which is always on. As I am away from the UK, cannot refer to by books.. Have not done the upgrade, as had to fully charge the battery, as suggested elsewhere. Have checked and have Version 1.0..

JohnX: Have obtained the firm update software. The file is FWD183B. Have copied it to the root of the DCIM folder on the card and confirmed that it is at DCIM/FWD183B.
The readme file that came with the update told me to turn on the power whilst pressing the Menu button. When I do this, only the version number, which is 1, appears. It does not say 'loading'. just displays the version number and after a second or two goes to the usual menu items. No updating request is displayed?
What should I do to achieve the task, please?
As I am out of the UK, cannot look up my manuals.

Hi Karl,
Can't think of anything else at present - if I do, will post. Having just said that, if the familiar click isn't happening, have a look at the lens locating pin and the focus drive. The pin is to the left of the electrical contacts/ the focus drive to the right as you look at the camera lens mount without lens attached. The pin and the drive should be protruding from the lens mount surface without a lens on the camera. If you press the pin in, you should see the drive shaft retract into the body as well (to protect bit when mounting/ dismounting the lens. If the pin is not protruding/ the two aren't moving togther, looks like you have a problem - you could try 'pinging it' with a fingerbail to see if it has got slightly stuck.

I suppose you might have damaged something if you removed the lens without having fully pushed in the bayonet release.

When you say the A icon stays on all the time, do you mean the AF icon?

I guess that in the mean time, you can at least take pictures, albeit manually focussed

Andy

You've put it in the wrong place! It should NOT be in the DCIM folder.

Use a re-formatted card, then install to the root. You should not have any other folders.

Switch off the camera; insert the card into the card slot; turn on the camera; follow the instructions on the LCD.

That said, Andy seems to be on to a potential hardware issue, and on the face of it updating the firmware won't help. Check that out before upgrading firmware.

Although a firmware upgrade is straight forward you'll see some threads on here (and elsewhere) where people have 'bricked' their cameras because the firmware upgrade wasn't completed for various reasons At least at the moment you have a camera that limp's along. Maybe safest to use it as best you can and send it in for repair on your return to the UK (unless you have time to get it fixed locally?).

If the firmware upgrade goes wrong it means a new, and expensive, main board for the camera PLUS the cost of any hardware fix. The repairer should do the firmware upgrade FOC whilst the camera is in for repair.

I would agree with JohnX - do not try a firmware upgrade until you understand the full extent of the problem.

Battery out - for a couple of hours and turn on to get any residual charge from smoothing caps in the power line to discharge

Memory card out.

Lens off and clean contacts, look for scratches or bent pins, dirt on contacts, pins not protruding. Push all ins in gently, clean the latch area ...

Fully charge batteries,

Exercise the lens off camera - focus and focal length.


Reassemble carefully and listen for graunching noises and satisfying clicks.

Gently exercise the lens - focus and focal length.

Insert battery and card, turn on and see what happens.

polchraine: will do as suggested. Have had a look at the pins. When I press the lens locating pin, the focus drive does not budge. Btw, what is'pinging'?

Just a thought:

(Do this with the lens off)

Do check that when you switch from MF to AF-S or AF-C that the focus screw pin retracts and pulls out. i.e. when on MF, the focus screw is retracted (flush with the body); when on AF-x, the focus screw protrudes from the lens mount.

The screw pin itself is on a spring loaded mechanism, and sometimes this doesn't engage correctly with the lens (it's so the AF screw can rotate and 'find' the correct orientation with the lens).

It's possible that's where the noise is coming from...

Try pressing the "AF" button on the back of the K20D. If it makes the same noise when you press just the AF button then it's a focus issue
(Normally the camera will auto focus when you half-press the shutter, but this can be adjusted in the custom menus)

Matt

Wrong interpretation !

Smart phone users also Ping each other rather than using SMS texting. But that is different again. No idea how it works though. My phone will allow me to make phone calls, and send texts and that's it.

Hi Karl,

What I meant by 'pinging' was to try and flick or prod the locating pin, or focus drive shaft if it wasn't protruding properly to see if it might spring out and back into its proper position.

Andy