Possible software issue with brand new K70

Hi.
Purchased a new K70 recently and experiencing some software issues. Pehaps someone who has this camera or who has experienced something similar can shed some light on this.
I am using legacy lenses on it in Manual mode. When I place my Tamron 90mm f/2.5 on the camera, I set the focal length on the screen to 85mm (closest available). Set the aperture ring to, say, f/5.6, focus on something, the viewfinder is bright. I press the Green button, it suggests a shutter speed. I take a picture, it is roughly correct exposure. I press the Playback or View button, and the image appears on the screen.
Now I place my Tamron 70-210 f/3.5 on the camera. I set the focal length on the screen to 200mm. Immediately there is a clunk. The mirror has gone up and come down. I focus on something and take a meter by pressing the Green button. I take an image. I press the Playback button and there is another clunk as the mirror gets raised and drops again. The image shows on the screen. When I press the Playback button again to go back to the standard info display on the screen, the mirror goes off again. Every time I press the Playback button, the mirror gets activated. Also, when I take an exposure, there is a double clunk.

Second issue. Quite often when I operate the Live View button, it comes on, then a second or two later goes back to main screen info. Occasionally, it goes back to main screen info and then back to Live View. It flicks between the two. Another time the Live View comes on and stays on without a problem.
There appears to an issue with the workings of this camera.
Have a just bought a lemon or are these simple issues that can easily be sorted?

Thanks for your input.
Joats

How does the camera behave with a modern lens ?

I suggest first giving the mount on the camera and the mount on the lens a clean using microfibre cloth and some alcohol. Pay special attention to the contacts.

It sounds as if you are changing/fitting lenses in live view which isn't good practice as the sensor is exposed, and the manuals recommend turning the camera off when doing this anyway. When you activate Live View the mirror is raised for the sensor to receive the image and switching to playback will flip the mirror back down, switching back to Live View will reverse the process. I cannot explain your second issue but if you switch the camera off and follow the above advice, only switching to Live View after you have inputted the lens focal length (it only needs this for IBIS) then maybe it will stabilise.

No I never change lenses in Live View nor when the camera is switched on. Don't think I made myself clear. When I said the Playback/View button I meant the Playback button, not Live View. Live View is the button top left. Playback or View button is for viewing the image taken and is centre-right on the camera. Issue one is concerned with the Playback/View button, issue two is concerned with Live View.

Hi. Should the contacts require cleaning? The camera is two weeks old. Unless my camera is not as new as I was lead to believe! There is no electrical connection with the Tamron Adaptall and the camera body, just a mechanical connection via a bayonet lug that connects with the camera body that opens the iris during exposure in Manual mode.

Sorry, forgot to answer your first point. I only have one modern lens, a Pentax 15mm f/4 ED. Seems to work fine with that. Just wondering whether there are known issues with manual film lenses causing electrical or software issues with the camera?

Joats

I don't think the camera is at fault as it works fine with your 15mm lens. Perhaps there is a problem with the connectivity of the Tamron mount. I have seen instances where the mount is not made of the correct material and throws the cameras electrics haywire.

I would suggest you try https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/ Someone there must be using this lens and may have some suggestions.

Hi
I was using the method similar to the procedure in my older Kx. Put the manual lens on, set aperture on the ring dial on the lens, focus, press Green button for shutter speed direction, take the picture. On this K70, it worked like that some of the time. With the Tamron 70-210 it didn't at all. One thing I didn't mention before was that I have three old film era Pentax K SMC lenses - a 50mm f1.7, a 28mm SMC, an SMC 35-105 f/3.5, and a couple of Russian M42 lenses with a Pentax K adapter ring. When this problem started, a friend who is more experienced suggested I place the 50mm f/1.7 on the camera and hold it against a window glass so it points at exactly the right spot, set the aperure, focus and press the green button. The results should be consistent providing the light didn't change outside. I also did this with the 35-105 at different focal lengths and apertures. The 50mm suggested 1/1000th for the f/5.6 setting. Pressing again it dropped to 1/250th and then again it came down to 1/60th. The 35-105 was also variable. The camera appeared to have trouble metering. On another day it was more consistent, then on another day it would have trouble again. I took the camera outside and tripod mounted it and focused on a brick wall. North facing and out of sunlight. Same issues, with non-consistent metering each time the green button was pressed. Turned the camera off, and back on again. Battery level was good. This time results were more consistent. Can't explain why it does it. Anyway, SRS Microsystems have picked the camera up and I am awaiting their response.
Are electrical issues a known issue with the K70? I seem to have been very unlucky with Pentax dSLRs. My original K100D Super developed a battery issue where it would only work with certain types of 1.5v AAs. my Kx which I still have, developed the same issue, but even worse. It won't come on at all unless I use fully charged Eneloops. I admit to losing faith in Pentax cameras.
We will see what happens.
Joats

I haven't got a K70 but I remember years ago when I got my *istDL2 having problems when mounting a screw mount lens (with the proper Pentax adapter) shorting out the lens contacts on the body when fully tightened, which caused all sorts of un-predictable behaviour. Initially I used a piece of insulation tape to prevent the shorting, but then (after reading the manual!) found the menu setting to allow lenses without the 'A 'setting on the aperture ring to be used. Doesn't exactly describe your problem but may be worth checking. Cut and pasted from the K70 manual:

"! Caution
• When the aperture ring is set to a position other than A or a lens without an A position or accessories such as an extension tube are used, the camera does not operate unless [24 Using Aperture Ring] is set to [Enable] in the E4 menu. Refer to “Using the Aperture Ring” (p.123) for details.
• When a retractable lens is attached and is not extended, you cannot take pictures or use some functions. If the lens is retracted during shooting, the camera stops working."

Could be,

I doubt it, in Joats’s description of the window test he sets the aperture first on different lenses so I am guessing those are set on the lens rather than in camera, in which case the green button is unlikely to work - this is a temporary auto mode so needs to modify aperture, speed and ISO, as prioritised in the presets. Even if they are auto lenses they are likely to give different results arising from their differences in construction and light transmittance.

Anyhow I am sure SRS can sort something out.

Silly question ........ I presume when you are using the green button the mode is set to 'manual'? Also, a lot of M42 lenses don't need the green button. If the switch on the lens is set to 'manual' they will work with the camera in AV mode. If you have just taken a picture in live view and you press 'play' the mirror will indeed thump around because live view is cancelled before an image can be displayed and as soon as you half press the shutter button to cancel the image display the mirror will again thump up to resume live view from where it left off. Best to cancel live view deliberately before viewing an image and only re-engage it when you next want to use it or it could end up driving you potty.

Yes. Only use Green button in manul (M) mode.