Will only work when plugged into the mains
SOURCE: Pentax Optio S not functioning
I don't know if it would help but try to update the firmware for the camera.
SOURCE: Camera turns on, beeps, turns off.
I've managed to fix my camera - but it took several hours and I needed someone to help. Not sure
everyone will want to do this.
Here goes:
Need small Philips screw driver. Pair of tweezers for the small screws. A small flat screw driver for leveraging
1. Remove the battery and
memory card.
2. Remove wrist strap
3. Take off the battery cover by
gently lifting the retaining metal strap (with small flat screwdriver).
4. Remove all screws of the front cover
of the camera housing. (one of the screws is smaller than the others).
There's a screw above wrist strap loop.
5. The top of the cover is clipped in under
the shiny silver bit with the on/off switch and shutter button (I’ll call it
the switch/speaker assembly). I find that inserting a finger nail and gently
applying pressure works well.
6. The switch/speaker assembly is best kept secure by
an elastic band.
7. Verify the problem is the same: looking into the lens, at bottom right corner of camera is a small motor (silver). Look
carefully, you’ll see a white plastic gear which connects the motor with a
(hidden) pink gear. This pink gear is attached to a worm gear (a pin with a
fine screw thread) that is brass/golden. On this worm gear is
a U-shaped blue piece of plastic, which in my case was no longer at right
angles to the shaft/worm gear. That's the problem.
You should be able to see all of this
under a strong light and peering into the
little openings.
8. Resist the temptation to just fix this by leveraging the blue rider with a tiny
screwdriver (or something) until it is back in its original position. You might strip the screw thread inside the blue rider and that would be the end of the camera.
9. Next take the LCD display off.
Above the little motor is a metal clip attached with 2 screws hidden behind self-adhesive copper strips.
10. Fold the LCD panel away from the
camera body. Then carefully and gently unplug the power plug (pink & white
in my case). Careful, the green PCB (printed circuit board) to which the socket
is attached is flimsy. I don’t think it can take much force. Rather try to pry
the plug & socket apart by using a knife or tiny flat screwdriver?
11. With the power cable removed, you can
turn the LCD panel over (anti-clockwise) to undo the fold that is in the flat
cable. The flat cable is attached to a small white plug on the PC board that
contains the rear panel buttons of the camera. There is a thin, orange plastic
sheet stuck over this. Lift it away gently and store somewhere for later re-assembly.
12. The socket for the flat cable has a
black flap that can be lifted to release the cable. Gently tug the flat cable
out of its socket and you can put the LCD panel aside.
13. Remove the metal plate that covers the
rear of the lens assembly. First remove the two small screws, then unclip it at
the bottom and on the side.
14. CAREFUL: in the centre of the lens
assembly is the CCD (charge coupled device). This is the “thing” that contains
7 Megapixels and takes the pictures. NEVER TOUCH THE FRONT OF IT (or so I have
read – I think it prudent to observe this.
15. Remove the 3 screws that hold the CCD
in place. It needs to be lifted vertically from the lens assembly, otherwise it
gets stuck. NOTE that my camera had two small washers under the CCD assembly:
top right screw = copper, bottom screw = silver washer. The CCD assembly, too,
is attached with a flat cable. The socket works exactly the same as the LCD
display. I put my CCD assembly into my glasses case to prevent it from getting
dust or dirt on it.
16. Now remove the 4 screws that keep the
rear cover of the lens assembly attached.
17. Before removing the cover, unhook the
little metal spring that is attached to the mechanism next to the worm gear.
Take it right out, feed a bit of thread through one end (for re-assembly) and
put it aside. (If you attach the thread immediately, the risk of losing it is
reduced.)
18. Then, using your finger nail gently
unclip the plastic hook next to the worm gear and lift the lens assembly cover off.
There is a long plastic pin so you need to lift it quite high. Observe how the
pink gear is situated relative to the plastic mechanism crossing the lens
assembly. Remove the pink gear/worm gear with the blue “rider”. Be careful not
to lose the small white gear that makes the connection to the driving motor.
19. Unscrew the blue “rider” from the worm
gear. Ensure you keep the same orientation and gently find the correct way of
putting it back. That is at right angles to the worm. Leave it fairly close to
the end of the worm gear away from the pink gear.
20. Now put it back carefully. Try not to
lift the part that crosses the lens assembly (the one that was attached with
the little spring) too much. Otherwise a little lens flips down and you’ll have
extra work to put it all back correctly. There is also a pin on which the
plastic piece rides which then needs guidance when re-assembling. (Happened to
me, not the end of the world.) (BTW, I think this is the auto-focus mechanism,
but I can’t be sure.)
21. Hook the spring over one of its
attachment points. Feed the thread through to the other side and use it to hook
up the other end of the spring. Cut and remove the thread.
22. Replace the rear lens assembly cover. The
long plastic pin needs to find its corresponding hole near the middle of the
lens assembly. Remember the hook at the worm-gear corner. Do that one last
(after the screws), ensuring that all gears and shafts/pins are in their
respective holes.
23. Put back the CCD. I attached the flat
cable first (flip down the black locking lever on the socket), then put in the
screws. (Remember the washers.)
24. Now put back the metal plate. Clip it
in on the left side first, then at the bottom, then the screws.
25. Attach the LCD flat cable. (Remember to
lock the socket.) Flip it over and attach the power cable to the LCD. Remember
again to be careful with the plug & socket since the PCB is flimsy. Try to
apply pressure only on the plug & socket.
26. Replace the orange plastic that covers
the electronics.
27. If you like, try out the camera to see
the effect of the repair. I used an elastic band to keep the LCD and switch/speaker
assembly in place. The battery can be inserted as per normal. NOTE: Where you
observe the little blue rider in its installed position, there is a plastic pin
sticking up towards the front of the camera (just under the lens). You have to
hold something over this hole to prevent the pin (which is being pulled up by
the little spring we removed/replaced earlier) from coming up too far. I held my
thumb over the hole. If you don’t do this, you camera won’t switch on properly
or won’t focus correctly. (In normal operation the front cover stops the pin
from advancing too far.) Now switch on and see that all is in order. Careful
when operating the zoom and other switches, since you don’t want to break the
plastic covering of the switches.
28. If all is OK, then finish the assembly.
REMOVE the battery! Next is the little metal plate that keeps the LCD panel in
place from the side of the camera. (Remember to flatten/re-attach the adhesive
copper strips.)
29. Clean the LCD panel and inside of the
rear cover very well. Then put on the back cover.
30. Attach the front cover, clipping in the
top carefully. Be careful to position the speaker/switch assembly properly.
There is a tiny locating pin (made of plastic) - don’t break this.
31. Put back the screws all around the
camera housing. Remember there is one smaller screw that fits underneath the
lens. Remember also the screw just above the wrist strap loop.
32. Slide back the battery compartment
cover onto its metal strip. Insert battery & memory card. Attach wrist strap. Done!
Stephan
SOURCE: switching off as if battery is depleted when the battery is newly charged
I called Pentax and they said it's a known problem and the lens needs to be re-synchronized. They said this is usually caused by dust in the lens.
I have to send the camera to : -
Pentax U.K. Limited
Pentax House
Heron Drive
Langley
Slough
SL3 8P
It's a free repair if you bought the camera less than a year ago o/w they will send you a quote for the repair.
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