Poorly Pentax K-1 (full frame)

My Pentax K 1 (full frame), after not being used for a long time, cannot 'remember' the date/time settings. I need to re-enter them each time I switch the camera on. I need to reenter them even if the camera goes in sleeping mode.
I contacted SRS and they told me it is impossible to change the internal battery
The only options are:
1) live with it
2) buy a new camera.

Has anyone seen the same problem? Even better, has anyone got a solution?

Luisella

I am no expert but I believe it will be a capacitor that has died and cannot hold a charge.

Many thanks for the advice. I have just put a freshly charged battery in, and I will leave the camera on overnight. It may not be so bad: with the sleep mode off, I can use the camera for a while without losing the date/time. Luckily, all the camera settings remain.
I'll let you know if it works!

Luisella

Electronic cameras, like computers, watches, and other gizmos, can only "remember" the time and other ephemeral data if there is a battery inside it that isn't flat. Since the main battery has to be taken out of the device from time to time all these machines have another battery inside to keep the memory functioning. On computers they are often called the CMOS battery or the clock battery.
If the main battery goes flat, the clock battery will in time go flat too, and in time reach the stage where it isn't rechargeable.
On the first Pentax DSLRs the clock battery was replaceable, but on later ones they are hard-wired for cost saving reasons, and I imagine that other brands are the same.
If you are an electronic whizz-kid with superior soldering skills you might be able to de-solder the clock battery and replace it. But that's a big if.
I stopped shooting for quite a while and now have two K10D's and one K20D with the same problem. Over the winter I might strip down one of the 10's and see if a repair might in any way be feasible.

This seems a little different to the usual problem.
My K-01has needed the clock to be set whenever I change battery ... so long as it has a charged battery it seems to keep the clock going.
I have just tried it after not using it for some while and it shows the correct date and time.
Certainly the setting persists while the camera is off as I've just tested.

I recall for some reason that firing the flash on the models with built in flash helped charge the clock battery/capacitor.

My Pentax Q7 died and refused to start again for the last year or so. Recently it came back to life when I kept putting charged batteries into it over a long period of time.

The internal battery must be on its last legs. I guess the only solution is to keep charged batteries in the camera.

Thanks to this thread, I decided it was time to see whether my long unused K20D was still working. Thankfully it's OK and the main battery still has some charge. However, better safe than sorry so the main battery is going to be recharged later today. Then the K20D can be safely left for another long while...

As for the date/time battery, discharging a lithium ion battery to a low level causes physical and chemical changes to its internals which reduces it's ability to hold charge and its performance while discharging. The changes depend on the charge/discharge history and environmental factors (temperature etc.). Once the damage is done, it can't be undone. Usual advice is not to let its charge drop below 20%. That shouldn't be a problem with the main battery as there should still be enough charge in the battery when the camera says 'battery depleted'. However, the date/time battery does not appear to be monitored so it's best to keep a charged main battery in the camera to avoid a deep discharge.

Steve

After leaving the camera on overnight, it still asks me date and time when I switch on. BUT... If I just ignore the request (press menu and it goes), the camera knows the correct time and date! If I push Info, it gives me the correct time/date, as entered earlier on. So the camera is fully usable, just a very, very minor annoyance.

Thank you again for the help

Luisella

Excellent . I hope it lasts. Certainly a lot cheaper than a new camera!

Steve

I have no soldering skills, so I am not even think about it.!
Another problem with the K 1 is the weather sealing. After you open the camera and repair the battery, the camera is not sealed anymore.
I am getting a couples of new batteries, and I will make sure that there is always a charged one in the camera. I also need to try to use the camera sometimes....