K20D vertical banding

This occurs in RAW in my case. Looks to me like a flaw in the sensor/prime engine processing.

Don't be too paranoid about this, I don't think it is that common a fault as there have been very few mentions of it until recently.

I only shot RAW. So don't no if it effect JPEGs

Well,

I have seen it in RAW (I only shoot RAW). Only on a few occasions but I saw it. The main bother is that it is hard (if not impossible) to reproduce it...

Prieni

just came across this post on pentaxforums.com

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/43634-k20d-vertical-st...

same problem, and a lot of folk there think it's a temperature problem. i really hope my new camera is not affected as i'll be outdoors with it a lot!

as with everything though, you get problems that affect a tiny wee minority and it becomes big news.

Always the problems get news, never the fact that Pentax are making good cameras that can hold up and beat some of the big boys..

I actually got out on Saturday and took some photo's and 9 of the 40 had vertical bandings. Looking at the metadata there seems to be nothing in common that is causing this problem.
Last week I took 2 shots within 20 seconds of each other, exactly the same settings, 1 had the bandings the other didn't.SR wasn't used.

A majority of the bandings can't be seen unless you crop at least 100% but it's the fact that they shouldn't be there at all.

I emailed Pentax on Saturday and actually had a reply today asking me to phone them. The rep on the phone hadn't heard of this problem so has passed my details on to their tech support who should contact me soon.I'll let you know what they say.

I agree Terry and although I'm having this problem I still wouldn't swap my K20D for any other camera.Except another K20D that is.

Funnily enough I took some photos yesterday and one of them showed the problem again.
And yes, Steve, I only noticed when adjusting the CA in SilkyPix and therefore looking at 400% size. It's easily corrected in SilkyPix but it shouldn't be there to start with...

And no, I wouldn't swap my K20D either. (I would, though, swap the fiddly lens cap of the DA* 16-50 for one that is easily removable even with sweaty fingers and that wouldn't fall off 9 out of 10 times when I get my camera out of the bag...)

Prieni

Prieni, it's easy to overcome, a half turn removes the lens hood, the cap is then much easier to locate correctly onto the lens, then a half turn refits the hood.( I also use a Jacobs Cap Keeper, so my cap is never far away

Roscoe,

I know that it is easier with the hood off. However, even with the hood off my cap doesn't hold on the lens well. (I cannot fit the lens with hood on in my bag.) And the design of the "pinchers" also could be improved by providing some dent where the fingernails (or fingertips) would get some grip. Considering the prize of that lens I think they could have spend a few cents extra on the cap.

Prieni

I had an email from Pentax yesterday asking me to send them a sample image of the bandings as they hadn't heard of this problem. This I did yesterday evening and I have just received another email asking me to send in my K20D.

So I am now going to cameraless for the next 2 weeks plus. Beginning to wish I hadn't sold my istDL2 to my sister now.

Yes you might miss it but if Pentax do find a fault and fix the banding, then just think our many K20D owners your helping

Thanks for biting the bullet and sending your camera in! I hope you get a good result. I will also (of course!!) be very interested to know what Pentax's findings are.

Well I put my camera in the post to Pentax yesterday afternoon. I will keep you informed as soon as I hear anything.

Just hoping they manage to get it sorted because it's a very good camera, even with the vertical banding issue.

Thanks Pothers. I think they are good cameras too. Apart from this problem I'm more than pleased with the camera itself and the results so far.

I am very pleased with mine(K20D's) beats my old Nikon system hands down, and at the moment no banding.