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K3 banding on long exposures

noborders
Posted 24/03/2015 - 11:02 Link
I have severe light bands across the image at exposures of 5 secs or more. Oddly not all images are affected, I have tried turning off the noise reduction and other auto image functions which does reduce the banding but it is still there.
Solutions please
DrOrloff
Posted 24/03/2015 - 11:06 - Helpful Comment Link
Step 1. Cover the viewfinder.
davidstorm
Posted 25/03/2015 - 23:55 - Helpful Comment Link
Agree with Dr. O, this will cure it completely. Pentax supply a cover for the eyepiece, alternatively you can easily make one by cutting out some cardboard in the correct shape (cereal box card will do) and covering with black electrical tape. It will slide under the rubber around the viewfinder and this will hold it in place.

Regards
David
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richandfleur
Posted 26/03/2015 - 00:02 Link
davidstorm wrote:
Pentax supply a cover for the eyepiece

Pentax used to include an eye piece cover, but newer models don't have this anymore.

Have you seen this discussion link ?
davidwozhere
Posted 26/03/2015 - 00:17 Link
I got one with my K5 (and stored it somewhere). The problem with it is that you have to remove the eyepiece to leave a bare viewfinder before you can mount the cover. So where do you keep (lose) the eyepiece in between times? As long as you don't touch the camera and cause shake, a well placed thumb does the job.
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SteveLedger
Posted 26/03/2015 - 00:54 Link
richandfleur wrote:

Pentax used to include an eye piece cover, but newer models don't have this anymore.

I think it's only ever been the flagship models that come with the view-finder cap, Richard.
The K-3 has it.

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richandfleur
Posted 26/03/2015 - 00:59 Link
SteveLedger wrote:
richandfleur wrote:

Pentax used to include an eye piece cover, but newer models don't have this anymore.

I think it's only ever been the flagship models that come with the view-finder cap, Richard.
The K-3 has it.

Not important enough aye?

It's a pain to use though, in that you have to remove the rubber eye cup from memory if you use the official one.
SteveLedger
Posted 26/03/2015 - 01:27 Link
I never used the one that came with the K-7. I bet 80% of people never use theirs at all.
RussV
Posted 26/03/2015 - 09:31 Link
SteveLedger wrote:
richandfleur wrote:

Pentax used to include an eye piece cover, but newer models don't have this anymore.

I think it's only ever been the flagship models that come with the view-finder cap, Richard.
The K-3 has it.


I think they all do. My K100DS came with one. Although I lost it now.
SteveLedger
Posted 26/03/2015 - 10:02 Link
I think you'll find that the flagship models (those with the top LCD) did come with the VF cap, the consumer models (without top LCD) did not.
RussV
Posted 26/03/2015 - 10:30 Link
SteveLedger wrote:
I think you'll find that the flagship models (those with the top LCD) did come with the VF cap, the consumer models (without top LCD) did not.

I don't think the K100DS was ever considered a flagship model. It has a top LCD and came with the VF cover.

(after all they only cost a few pence to make)
Edited by RussV: 26/03/2015 - 10:32
StephenHampshire
Posted 26/03/2015 - 10:49 Link
richandfleur wrote:
SteveLedger wrote:
Quote:

Pentax used to include an eye piece cover, but newer models don't have this anymore.

I think it's only ever been the flagship models that come with the view-finder cap, Richard.
The K-3 has it.

Not important enough aye?

It's a pain to use though, in that you have to remove the rubber eye cup from memory if you use the official one.

That is why I seldom use mine, but do use a home- made cover ( or at a push a cupped hand, not perfect but does block a fair bit of light in dark situations) Mind you I rarely use long exposures in daylight, although I have recently bought a 10 stop ND so that might change
screwdriver222
Posted 26/03/2015 - 11:00 Link
I don't think the K-R had one, but both the K5 & K3 did.

Always had it with me just never bothered to use it. A lot of my long exposure shots are dusk, dawn or night but after having some spoiled images in daylight with the sun behind I am going to make sure I use mine.

But it is a pain to use so I might just chuck a cloth over the viewfinder.

Regards

Jeff
SteveLedger
Posted 26/03/2015 - 11:51 Link
RussV wrote:
SteveLedger wrote:
I think you'll find that the flagship models (those with the top LCD) did come with the VF cap, the consumer models (without top LCD) did not.

I don't think the K100DS was ever considered a flagship model. It has a top LCD and came with the VF cover.

(after all they only cost a few pence to make)

Not sure why you want to argue something which is easily confirmed by checking the manuals of Top LCD models v non-Top LCD models (Consumer models).
They may only cost a small amount, but that is quite irrelevant.
SteveLedger
Posted 26/03/2015 - 11:53 Link
screwdriver222 wrote:
I don't think the K-R had one

Correct.
Neither did the K-m, K-x.
The K-30, K-500 and K-50 don't either.

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