K10 odd movement

Hi, OK something odd here. Just bought a brand new K10, battery's charging away, but whilst handling the camera (with or without lens attached, it doesn't matter) when I rapidly turn the camera from portrait to landscape position (and back) I can here something inside the camera sliding from one side to the other. I can't believe this is normal, so would much appreciate your advice.

Try this link, whcih appears to be a similar 'problem' :-

www.pentaxuser.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6476

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Hyram

Bodies: K20D (2), K10D, Super A, ME Super, Auto 110 SLR, X70, Optio P70
Pentax Glass: DA* 300, DA* 60-250, DA* 50-135, DA* 16-50, DA 70 Ltd, FA 31 Ltd, DA 35 Ltd, DA 18-55 (2), DA 12-24, DA 10-17, M 200, A 35-70, M 40, M 28, Converter-A 2X-S, 1.4X-S, AF 1.7, Pentax-110 50, Pentax-110 24
Other Glass: Sigma 105 macro, Sigma-A APO 75-300
Flash: Metz 58 AF-1 P, Pentax AF160FC ringflash, Pentax AF280T

It's perfectly normal, as is alarmed new K10D owners asking about it

Note to the not-so-new...

Do we yet have a definitive answer as to whether it's the sensor shifting or the orientation sensor?

I keep imagining that I recall K100D owners reporting the same quiet 'slide-thunk', and that the K100D doesn't have an orientation sensor... is this true?

I too found the dull thunk to be alarming as well, so much so I was about to return it to my local branch of Jessops. Even when the camera is switched on, I was still getting the knocking. One way to put your mind at ease is to dial in a long exposure time, of 30 secs and rock your camera from horizontal to vertical, you will find there is no noise then. I suspect it has something to do with the SR and when the shutter is open the SR motors kick in to do their job (or simply hold the sensor steady if the SR is switched off).

I just tried this... during a 10s exposure, rocked the camera from portrait one way to portrait the other. Got the same slide thunk. However, I failed to get it with SR switched off, which I hadn't tried before.

Whatever the actual mechanics, I think this confirms that it's the sensor moving. Nice one.

Hmm, hmm,
Just tried it again on my camera (with the SR on) and no clunk.
Curious and curiouser!

You mentioned rocking from horizontal to vertical.

I'm rotating mine from more than vertical one way, to more than vertical the other way, so more than 180 degrees.

The thunk happens right at the extremes.

With SR off, it doesn't at all. I'm in a place quiet enough to be able to hear the thunk as well as feel it.

Just tried rocking the camera in the way you have described, SR on and off, and still no noise.
Maybe, if our cameras are taking blur free pictures, we should stop worrying about it!
Has anyone asked Pentax about it?

Not really worrying (it's yours that's bust, mate )

Joking apart, it is strange if there's genuinely different behaviour going on.


The trouble is, getting definitive answers from Pentax about anything seems to be a lot harder than it should be. So I think people tend to try and work it out themselves.

If you get any joy from them, let us know

I have just fired off a quick e-mail to Pentax UK about this, if I get a reply, I'll let you know.

I asked a Pentax tech. in Canada, and he said it is indeed the sensor moving when the power is off because the electro-magnets aren't holding it anymore.

This is an example of how hard it is to get a definitive answer.

Power off? I don't have to have my camera switched off to get the noise, and neither, it would seem, does CallumJ.

Here we have two apparently identical, correctly functioning cameras (which firmware level is yours at, Callumj? Mine's at 1.3.), one which exhibits the behaviour at all times except during an exposure, and one which exhibits it at all times except during an exposure with SR off.

At best, "sensor moving when the power is off" is only a partial answer. Although I'm convinced now, that it is indeed the sensor.

I remember reading somewhere that Pentax acknowledged this phenomenon (to do with the SR mechanism). Apparently, they've put a lock on it when it's not being used on the K20D to prevent the thunk from worrying people

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Jonathan

Macro & Wildlife Photography

He should have said "when current isn't being supplied to the SR motor coils". They are only energized during an exposure and that's whether SR is on or off. You should be able to hear the clunk as you rotate the camera any other time. It's no mystery really.

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Rob Studdert
HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA
http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~distudio/publications/
Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998

Well you say it's no mystery, but CallumJ seems to be getting 'no clunk' during any exposure long enough to do the experiment, SR on or off. Whereas, I seem to be getting 'no clunk' only during exposures with SR off.

There has to be a reason for this difference, and without knowing what's supposed to be happening, it's impossible to know whether to be concerned, or whether one if us is just not being careful enough with our observations.

This is my point: without specific, accurate information, it's impossible to tell whether the camera is working correctly, and we are left either floundering around trying to deduce what should be happening from what appears to be happening, or resorting to "well does it seem to be producing good photos?" and muddling on regardless.