Troubleshoot Pentax

Troubleshooting Guide: Pentax + SmartTimer

If your Pentax camera doesn’t trigger correctly with the SmartTimer, don’t worry! Pentax cameras require a few specific settings to work with external triggers like the SmartTimer — but once set up correctly, everything works smoothly.

Here’s a tested setup that worked reliably for a Pentax KP and should apply to many other Pentax DSLRs and mirrorless models.

Step-by-step Setup for Pentax Cameras

1. Set external input mode

Go to:
MENU → WRENCH [tab 3] → External Input Devices → Select “Cable Release”
Important: Do not use “Auto” or “Microphone” here — only “Cable Release” allows external triggering.

2. Check focus mode

Switch your camera to Manual Focus using the physical switch on the left side of the camera.
Autofocus is possible too, but you’ll need to increase the Focus Delay in the app under Trigger Settingsto at least 1000 ms (1 second) to give the camera time to focus before the shot.

3. Drive mode

Press the right D-pad button and make sure you’re in:
Single Frame Shooting (green rectangle)
Do not use M.UP unless you intentionally want to use Mirror Lock-Up (more on that below).

4. Check your cable

Make sure the cable is:
- Fully inserted
- The correct type for your camera model
- Connected to the correct port
A quick Google search of your camera model + “remote trigger port” can help confirm this.

5. SmartTimer settings

In the SmartTimer app, go to:
Settings → Trigger Settings → Shutter Signal Duration
We recommend using 200–400 ms.
(Some users found even the default 80 ms worked fine.)

Still not triggering?

Try this quick checklist:

Is your camera in shooting mode (not playback)?
Is the lens fully mounted and clicked in?
Is the battery charged?
Is a camera menu open (which may block external triggers)?

If you’re still stuck, try the Test Shot button in the app — if the SmartTimer blinks white, it’s sending the signal correctly.

Optional: If you're using Bulb Mode (for long exposures)

If you’re shooting long exposures in Bulb Mode, a few extra steps are needed:

Enable Bulb Mode:

MENU → C [tab 1] → Bulb (B) Mode Options → Set to “1”
Description: “Press and hold shutter release button for exposure. Releasing button stops exposure” — this is compatible with the SmartTimer.

Switch top dial to B

Make sure the camera is set to B on the top-left mode wheel.
The top-left of the LCD should show Bulb (not a predefined shutter time).
To toggle between Bulb and fixed times, press the green button.

If using Mirror Lock-Up (M.UP):

You can use it to reduce camera shake, but the camera needs to be primed first:
- Press the shutter button once to lift the mirror
- Then trigger exposure via the SmartTimer
  (or use the Test Shot button in the app beforehand to prepare the camera)