So I got myself a Pentax K2000 (or K-M, depending on the country).
I noticed on an actual photo that there is quite some dirt on the sensor. Unfortunately, I can’t clean it because it thinks the batteries are too weak for that, so it won’t flip up the mirror. Which is nonsense, as I am using four new Ni-Mh AA rechargeables with > 2000 mAh each, but the battery display is always either red or yellow. I wonder how to fix that.
Like other Pentaxes it has this great function, “dust alert”. Basically, it takes an image, analyses the dust patterns and creates a sketch of it. Complementing this is the “dust removal” function where it shakes the sensor for half a second, hoping that the dust will fall off. So when I tried the dust alert and it showed me some spots on the right half of the sensor and a big black blotch on the left part. In shock, I used the sensor-shake like twenty times and then had another go. NOW I got an interesting result:
Whoah! What’s that? A production error? Or did someone in the factory leave a cryptic message for me? Another ten dust removals later, I checked again:
These weird patterns don’t show up on actual photos - I tried a test shot against a white surface afterwards and it shows only normal dots everywhere. I just wonder what I am looking at - would anyone who is technically adept enough venture to have a guess? My best idea is that it’s somehow (how?) picking up the electronic circuitry around the sensor. The difference between the shots might be explained by the sensor having moved to a different position, although it seems rather extreme. (The camera does have IBIS, that’s why it can shake the sensor in the first place.)
Very strange… what you pointing the camera at when taking these dust alert images, and do you have a lens on? It looks to me like a door latch on the lower left…
Edit: re the low battery warning, you could try normal “alkaline” (norechargeable) AAs - they have a slightly higher voltage.
I also just had a tiny bit of luck when I put in fresh batteries again and for very brief moment it displayed as green so it let me open up the mirror. Interestingly, it even has a setting for which batteries are in the camera, and I set it to Ni-Mh, so it shouldn’t expect to much. I think the contacts are a bit corroded.
Not really - it’s easy to say once one knows I think it’s supposed to be pointed at a blank white out of focus surface, with the lens at a small aperture like f22 or something, to help the dust show clearly.
Quite likely I expect - you might be able to wrap a bit of fine sandpaper around a pencil or something and give them a bit of a polish…
Do post some images taken with the K2000 if you want to - it’s always nice to see older cameras in action! I have a K10D… not sure if that’s older or newer…
This is correct. AA NIMH batteries spec at 1.2v, AA alkaline (non-rechargeable) spec at 1.5v.
If it is corroded contacts and can’t get them clean, you might be able to find an AC adapter for the camera this would provide enough power for the mirror-up cleaning function to work and use either a blower or a Pentax “lollipop” sensor cleaning kit.
I was seeing a door handle in your dust alert from first image. Thought I had to take a break from work as doors feature in my dayjob.
I had (strictly speaking have) a K100D which was picky with batteries. If I bought the Energizer Lithium AA’s it worked like a charm and lasted a very long time. Most other batteries just didn’t work. For that camera model it was known that some lemon copies were picky about batteries.
I used to own a K2000. Best results for me using Dust Alert was to take picture with lens on, and make sure I was either pointing it at something far away (featureless blue sky) or really close (evenly lit white closet door or wall from just far enough away to not disturb the light). It’s basically taking a picture at the smallest aperture and enhancing the detail/contrast to show dust spots, so you want to avoid having anything in the field-of-view that could potentially be in focus. Sounds like you’ve already figured it out, though. Enjoy the camera, I liked mine!
That gave me a chuckle. Btw I have two Pentax D-SLRs, a D-ist and a KX. I run both of these on rechargeable Ni-Mh AA rechargeables with > 2000 mAh. I get green display for the batteries. I have set the camera the Ni-Mh the same as you. Corroded or dirty terminals could be an issue. I hav efor years owned an aerosol tin of electrical contact cleaner which I have found very useful for cleaning contacts. You could also try cotton buds with a bit of cleaning alcohol or metho. The Pentax should work fine on rechargeables as I have always used them. I have found the best rechargeable batteries to be the Eneloop ones by far. Good luck.
Thanks everyone for your help! I managed to clean the sensor and the battery (Amazon Basics by the way) always shows yellow, which is ok. Except that it won’t hot-pixel map either, but I can do that another time.
Tried it out today on a morning walk and I have to say it’s actually a very nice camera! Light and small with alright ergonomics (although not many buttons).
I had the color profile set to “luminous” or whatever it’s called in English by accident which is a bit extreme, but I think it gives quite nice colours!
Nice ! Agree about the colours - the first two look really good actually, the third is a little extreme for my taste but still very nice in a slightly-vintage-digital-sort-of-way
Pentax has image stabilisation built into the body so you can put on great pentax lenses from you film camera days and they are image stabilised (stabilized for the Americans reading the post). That is what I love about Pentax since the lens mount is backwards compatible for nearly all their lenses.
I think it’s supposed to be pointed at a blank white out of focus surface, with the lens at a small aperture like f22 or something, to help the dust show clearly.
Enjoy the camera, I liked mine!
! Agree about the colours - the first two look really good actually, the third is a little extreme for my taste but still very nice in a slightly-vintage-digital-sort-of-way