Why does my Olympus PEN E-PL5 screen go black and seem to “lock” only in S mode?
Asked 12/16/2012
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2 answers
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I’m using an Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 and only have a problem in Shutter Priority (S) mode. After I take a photo, the screen goes black and it sounds like the shutter is stuck until I restart the camera. Other modes seem to work normally. Could this be a setting issue, or does it suggest a shutter fault?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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Have you checked if you are using a shutter time longer than expected? Or maybe Bulb mode?
In S mode the shutter time is shown as a highlighted number in the camera display, but if this number is shown with quotes then the time is in fact in seconds.
So a number like 30 means the shutter will be open for 1/30 of a second, but a number like 30" means the shutter will be open for 30 seconds. Time enough for you to interpret this as a locking or error if this wasn't what you intended.
Try rotating the camera dial to the right in order to make sure you have a small shutter time and see if the problem persists.
Originally by user46. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user46
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
First check the shutter speed you’ve selected in S mode. On Olympus cameras, a value like 30 means 1/30 second, but 30" means 30 seconds. If you accidentally set a long exposure or Bulb-like timing, the camera can appear to be “locked” while the shutter is still open.
Try turning the dial to a faster speed, such as 1/120, and test again.
A simple diagnostic: remove the lens, set S mode to a fast speed like 1/120, and take a shot while watching the sensor area. Then try a slow speed like 2". At 2", normal behavior is that the shutter closes, opens for the exposure, then closes again. If it stays closed the whole time or behaves inconsistently, that points to a shutter problem rather than a setting.
If the issue happens only with unexpectedly long shutter settings, it’s likely user setting confusion. If it persists even at fast shutter speeds, the camera may have an intermittent shutter fault and should be checked by Olympus or returned to the seller.
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