KM Help please - No Auto Focus/Shutter release

Howdo all,

Away on holiday, several thousand mniles from home and my KM appears to have put a spanner in the works

Been working OK for the last week and earlier today but withut notice I now have no autofocus or shutter release - I have tried cleaning contacts, checking with my other lens, new batteries but all to no avail.

Shutter will "open/close" using the sensor clean option so mechanically it seems OK but regardless of the mode selected I can't get anywhere

I'm wondering if I was to flash with the latest firmware (Ver 1.1) from the original Ver 1.0 if that might get me going again.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Rgds
"Mr Grumpy !!"

Has it been inadvertently switched to manual focus? If that's the case, the shutter would only release when the camera thinks it is focused, so if it was slightly off it could give the impression that the shutter wasn't operating properly.

Thanks John but it is in AF - checked, double checked and so on. Tried sliding the AF/MF switch a couple of times too.

The Status screen does not seem to show the shutter relese speed in any mode whereas it is shown in the viewfinder display.

Thanks in advance.

If you are using a lens with an aperture ring, is it set firmly to "A"?

If you are using an M series lens with no electrical contacts on the mount have you activated the custom function "Using aperture ring" to "Permitted"? I notice you may have quite a few older lenses.

Mmm...My "M" stuff is all at home - I only have the two DA lenes with me that came with the KM.

If I change the Apperture Ring setting using the Menu Option to "Permitted" which then puts a Number 2 next to that setting it seems I'm up and running again -

Must confess I seem to be stuck on the apperture ring setting (I can't see anything on these DA lenses) and is the "Permitted" option what it would have been before - I can't see how it can have changed though.

Appreciate your help so far though.

Regards
"Maybe not so Mr Grumpy"

Further to the above whilst I seem to be able to at least get Autofocus and shutter release I seem to be stuck with F4.5 or F5.6 for actual apperture settings for pictures taken regardless of the F stop shown in the viewfinder display.

Even in Apperture priorty mode the F stop displayed in the Status Display does not change whilst in the viewfinder it does.

MMMmmm....

MTIA.

Have you tried cleaning the lens and body contacts?

Thanks Mannesty - yep, cleaned the main contacts together on the lower edge near the lens release button together with the two on "their own" just inside - no change

It certainly seems to be something to do with the apperture settings/detection. As mentioned above in, say Av mode whilst the F stops can be changed and an associated Shutter speed these are shown in the viewfinder display but the F stops do not change on the main Status screen whilst the shutter speed does.

Whilst I'm at least able to take some shots things are not really what they should be

I'm back to wondering if a firmware load might help ?

Thanks so far for all the input - appreciated especially considering the time !

Cheers

It's starting to sound like a lack of communication between lenses and body. I would check all the contacts on mount and lens very carefully - is one damaged on the mount?

Also make sure the lenses are clicked firmly into position (firmly but not too much!)on the body as any misalignment in mounting could be an issue as well.

Morning (Afternoon) John,

Thanks - would somebody be able to confirm how many contacts are on the mount. Clockwise from the bottom I have one brass coloured contact, then six silver however the fourth one isn'r raised above the mount face as with the others - not sure if this is its correct position ?

Thanks again.

On the K10d there are four raised contacts from 6 o'clock to 7 o'clock, then one recessed and two more raised, for a total of 7 contacts. The recessed contact is distinctly different in style to the others, and looks to be for compatibility with older lenses, as there is no matching point on the kit lense. Or my older 'm' lenses...

Thanks RD - yep it looks like that one should be recessed as I found a decent picture after sending my message on Wikepedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_K_mount

Using a small pin all the "ball" contacts seem to be OK with none stuck and I've cleaned the contacts on both the body mount and both lenses several times

The autofucus contact seems OK when sliding the MF/AF slide switch.

Cheers

For auto aperture the camera needs the info from the Lens that it is an auto aperture lenses so it's a fault between the comunication of the two, it might be the contacts or something else.
Try a firmware upgrade then atleast you know it isn't that, if you still have a problem send it back to the shop or to Pentax.

Thanks Stefan - I can only assume (dangerous !) it is some issue on the body as the problem appears with both my DA lenses and up until yesterday afternoon both were OK and there is an obvious descrepency between the Status screen F stops and those in the viewfinder display,

I seem to be stuck with F4 and F5.6 so using Tv mode and adjusting the shutter speed seems the best way at the moment. If I can get by this afternoon (aviation stuff over the beach in St Maarten) I'll be happy enough !

I'd prefer to avoid the firmware option if it makes things worse but on the other hand it might clear the problem too perhaps ?

Cheers

Really try a firmware update, it will reset all settings and restore the files. it would solve the problem if that is it.
If it's a hardware problem it wouldn't solve it though but an update would not change your situation.