everymansaved 0 #1 July 17, 2008 Well, when I bought my camera and decided to go Pentax because I already had lenses, I wish I would have thought about the fact that there would be very few people to help me when I run into problems... So, on to the actual problem: I have had by camera (Pentax *istDL) for about 200-250 jumps, with no problems whatsoever. I went up to shoot a friend's brother's ash jump this Saturday, and was quite disapointed to come down and find that my camera had not taken a single picture in freefall. The one I took in the plane just before exit was there, but none from FF. I brushed it off, assuming I had probably turned it off and forgotten to turn it back on right before exit. The next day, I went up to shoot a tandem, and had the exact same thing happen, 2 jumps in a row. On the second one, I test fired the cam right after opening, and found that it would not fire. Once I turned the camera off and back on, it worked fine. I was quite stumped, and didn't really know what to do. I changed the batteries for fresh ones, and changed the SD card. I did another jump and it took the pics in freefall, but it took them @ 125 shutter speed when I was sure I set it at 500. I think I'm sure, but I could have been wrong. Does anyone have any ideas why it might do this?God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #2 July 17, 2008 Hopefully it's just your remote that's busted. Otherwise, well, there's a reason almost all photographers jump either canon or nikon, they tend to hold up, and also you could exchange remotes, lenses, batteries easier of course. I'd try a new remote. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #3 July 17, 2008 That was a thought, but why would it work perfectly after simply turning the cam off and on? The position/orientation of the tongue switch didn't change at all.God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #4 July 17, 2008 Because in freefall there's a lot of pressure on the remote plug, I have busted a remote myself on exit (bent the plug) and now it usually works but sometimes it refuses to auto-focus and gets stuck on the focus it had while still in the plane, ie a foot or so way too close. Anyway it's the cheapest option to try first and it may very well cause this, it's way cheaper to change the remote than having to have the camera's remote port or whatever's broken fixed that would probably mean buying a new camera for skydiving. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #5 July 17, 2008 I see what you're saying, I'll have to build me a new remote and try it out. Does anyone have any other ideas in case that's not the problem?God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rover 9 #6 July 17, 2008 QuoteHopefully it's just your remote that's busted. Otherwise, well, there's a reason almost all photographers jump either canon or nikon, they tend to hold up, and also you could exchange remotes, lenses, batteries easier of course. I'd try a new remote. Had the same problem with a remote years ago on a Canon. Worked fine on the ground but would fail in freefall. Had to replace the camera. Built a deflector / support and never had the problem again.2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 1 #7 July 18, 2008 QuoteI see what you're saying, I'll have to build me a new remote and try it out. Does anyone have any other ideas in case that's not the problem? My XT had issues with temp changes after door opened at altitude when weather was near freezing up top. Warm days up high: no problems. I went with an XSI and it works in all conditions I've seen so far. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #8 July 18, 2008 I had some problems with my XT firing intermittently in the beginning of the year... After fiddling a bit I decided it must have been a break somewhere in my cable (I closed my pelican case on the cable a month or so before it failed) and replaced it... I haven't had a problems since... I'm not saying it will fix your problem but it might...Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #9 July 19, 2008 If it was the remote, why did you have to replace teh camera? Was it the remote port on the camera that failed?God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
