Pentax bulb setting weirdness

[cometcatcher]

With my Pentax K-x on bulb. if I take a 1 minute exposure the camera takes a minute to process it, 2 minute exposure, 2 minute process time etc before I can take another shot.

Is this normal? Is there a menu setting that needs changing?

[MrB]

It's the in-camera Dark Frame Subtraction.
The camera is taking another photo in the dark, with the shutter closed.
It then subtracts this 'dark' photo of the sensor noise and hot pixels from the 'Light' photo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark-frame_subtraction

Unfortunately, looks like it may not be something you can turn off in the K-x:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=88187

[cometcatcher]

Excellent. Thanks.

[MrB]

Hah, after reading that link more thoroughly, looks like you can turn it off.
Glad it worked for ya ;)

[cometcatcher]

It works but it is a bit of a pain having to go into debug mode to do it. Probably should have got a K-r, or a Canon, or just not bothered with astrophotography. ;)

[apaulo]

Hello Cometmaker

There is a thread I created to deal with this issue.

Once you enter the Debug mode the problem is solved.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=88187&highlight=pentax+dark+frame

You do need to update your firmware on the K-x and enter DBmode to enable it.

Regards Paul.

[cometcatcher]

Yep, all done thanks. It works.