Auto-Focus problem part 2

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

Hello everyone... I'm getting mad at my *ist DS lately, I had to send it for repairs at the beginning of July because my auto-focus wasn't working anymore after only 400 pics. Got the camera back took around 500 pics with it and guess what? The exact same problem happened, so my camera is back in Pentax Canada office for the same repair. I haven't reached the 1000 pics yet with my camera. Anyone had recuring problems with their DS or am I the exception?

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

Oh and the problem was coverd by warranty... maybe my camera is a sigh lemon!

Jinwoo Lee · Aug 9, 2005

Hi,

Did they say what was repaired?

Did you try a set of fresh battery?
--
http://www.pbase.com/jinwoo

RiceHigh · Aug 9, 2005

I have my DS for 3 weeks now and took about 500 shots, no problem so far (putting aside the performance and reliability/accuracy of the AF system).

--

Even a thumb can be used as a measurement tool and that's why we get the 'rule of thumb'!

RiceHigh - the Pentax DSLR Measurbator! ;->

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My Gears are fully listed in my Profile.

RoscoT · Aug 9, 2005

I feel your pain. Might first body has been at Pentax USA with fried electronics, for 3 weeks.

I would say that twice with the same problem in such a short time span, you would be justified in asking Pentax to replace the camera. Of course you would be taking a chance there, also.

Good luck

--
Rosco
Stage 2 LBA
http://www.pbase.com/roscot

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

I reloaded the firmware, changed the batteries... nothing worked. On the invoice it only says" Mirror mech. repaired Cleaned & adjusted"

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

lol... well the focus just doesn't lock on anything. It sets itself to infinite and stops there. Even in manual focus it doesn't give the visual or audio signal the focus is set

Michael Barker · Aug 9, 2005

Maybe there's a problem with the specific brand of battery you're using?

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

I'm trying to negotiate a replacement camera with the dealer, it's probably an assembly error. But I feel bad when I see so many of my friends with Nikons and Canons without any problems...

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

I was using energizer Lithium AA batteries, same set of batteries both time.

Godfrey · Aug 9, 2005

CapitaineAbitibi said:
I'm trying to negotiate a replacement camera with the dealer, it's
probably an assembly error. But I feel bad when I see so many of my
friends with Nikons and Canons without any problems...

In any manufactured product run, there will always be some units that have problems. It's a pain when it happens to be the one you purchased, but with industry standard averages being about 1-2% of units have a defect, it's inevitable that some defect will affect the cameras of about 1-2 people out of 100.

That said, I had no problems with my Canon 10D (despite the moaning and wailing of many dozens of unsatisfied users on the Canon DPReview forum), and I've had no problems with my Pentax *ist DS. The first DS body has over 8000 exposures on it now, still operating flawlessly. I like it so much that I bought a second as a backup body, and 100 exposures into its life I see no problems.

I would push on your supplier to replace the body for another.

Godfrey

muussmon · Aug 9, 2005

I reported the same problem about two months ago.

It started doing the same thing with the focus after about 3000 pics. Now I got it back, mine had also some problems with mirror. I hope it doesn't happen again to me.

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

I wish it won't happen to you again

wlachan · Aug 9, 2005

CapitaineAbitibi said:
I was using energizer Lithium AA batteries, same set of batteries
both time.

Energizers AA are good and made by Sanyo. Looks like u got a lemon. Definitely work it hard and demand for a new DS if it ever failed again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/wlachan/

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

I'm sending an official letter to Pentax tomorrow, I'll see what happens

mikerigel · Aug 9, 2005

i have the exact same problem, my camera has been at Pentax usa for almost a month now. I hope they will fix it right the first time. Reading your experience kinda scared me now!

)

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 9, 2005

It's almost good to see someone elsehas the same problem. I don't know about Pentax USA, but here in Canada if you give them some presure they fix it in less than a week.

muussmon · Aug 10, 2005

I wasn't that lucky.

I live in Finland and bought my Ds from US.
Pentax-Finland said that they don't take it on warranty.

I had to pay it all from my own pocket, and it was on repair for almost two months, because of the summer vacations. :/
Many lost pics.

-muusituusi

racehorse in the desert · Aug 10, 2005

muussmon said:
On the invoice it only says" Mirror mech. repaired Cleaned & adjusted"

What they did makes sense. The light goes through the mirror and then hits a sensor behind the main mirror to actuate the auto focus.

--
John Power
Racehorse in the Desert

Links to Common Past Pentax Forum Threads and some Exceptional Images are at: http://www.solutns.com/pages/pentaxforum.html

CapitaineAbitibi · Aug 11, 2005

I totally agree it make sense... but the thing is they patched it without really fixing the source of the problem the first time. What bothers me is 400 pictures the first time, 500 the second time, 600 the third time??? I don't like those kind of odds

Auto-Focus problem part 2

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