Stiff e-dial in cold

Hi all

I was out shooting today (on Saturday) and I noticed the e-dial switch was very stiff, allmost stugged. Temperature was about +3 C.

Is it common for Pentax, especially for K-x, that e-dial goes guite stiff when temperature is near zero or below zero?

I'm going to test the camera again to morrow when it's seem to be colder than to day to see is the e-dial stiff again.

I can't comment on the K-x but I didn't notice any problems with my K5 in Norway in February - and it was a lot colder then +3C .

Does it behave normally indoors in the warmth?

I've never noticed a problem, maybe it's a faulty dial.

It seems work quite well in room temperature. But let's see what happen tomorrow, I'll hope it works, because the guarantee is no longer valid. On the other hand the shutter count is only 1706.

some kr's had a glitchy e-dial (mine being one of them) caused by a lubricant over used at the factory, (I fixed mine with wd-40, still works great) I suspect the lube is just too cold... try using live view or record some video to generate some heat next time and see if it improves, and let us know.

Yes Don, it seems quite obvious that they have used same lubricant on my K-x, too.

This morning I tested e-dial at room temperature and first it was quite stiffy. I roteted e-dial couple of time to both direction and it began to work fine. But couple hours later I tested e-dial again (K-x was in room temperature all the time) and it was stiffy again.

So it seems that used lubricant has lost its properties. I bought K-x on summer 2010 and in my opinion, that kind of faulty e-dials are still under warranty and I have to take contact to warrenty servicies.

Have a nice day

If you had been the first owner you would be able to get it repaired for a small fee if not for free under EU rules. Not sure about second-hand goods though.

i would email pentax over this problem, if you search on google about this it will bring up many pages on the same problem.
Yes the warrentee maybe expired, but it should be sold fit for purpose,
ie it should last for many years problem free....
Thats the idea.
I would also telephone JP Service Solutions on 01782 753350
they might be able to advise...

I sent email to Pentax support in UK, but I have take contact also to our Finnish repair center. I'll hope that this is still under warrenty. As col.. said: It should last for many years problem free....

Bw. I didin't find any link to stiff dials, but quite many where lubriciant has caused bad contacts on dials.

see link below searched for entax kr problems with dial....
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-r-forum/138906-pentax-k-r-e-dial-8.h...
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-r-forum/119569-k-r-e-dial-responds-s...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=36745296
Hope this helps

Those links seems to handle cases where dial wheel selections jumps or behave more a less accurately, but not stiffy dial wheel.

I believe on those cases lubricant cause bad contact, insulation between contacts.

On my case lubricant might be too dry or too solid. Some component from lubricant is apparently evaporated off. E-dial works electrically fine, stepping to both direction work, but mechanically it's too stiff. Electronics cleaning sprey might help, but you can't know what happens when the cleaner evaporates. There can be more problems after that. You have to know what kind of rotary switch is used and disassemble the camera's upper cover and e-dial and clean rotary switch and its shaft. It's possible disassemble the camera, but is it very wice if you don't have proper instructions.

K-x is now shipped to Finnish Pentax repair center. I'll hope it's back on two of weeks.

My camera is back, very quick service: UPS picked the camera on Tuesday and brought home on Friday.

According to service information main PC board assy and one circuit is chainged and repaired.

And all without charges.

Wow that is impressive! I hope you now can get out in the cold and enjoy your camera .