[shyrsio]

Just curious, do people who get the aperture block problem try to fix it themselves, it looks pretty simple in the tutorials?

[reh321]

Just curious, do people who get the aperture block problem try to fix it themselves, it looks pretty simple in the tutorials?

Some do, some of us do not.

[swanlefitte]

My abf camera was fine. The other cameras have no use syndrom, my k100d, mx and ashai pentax s never see use. 6mp is not big enough film "equivalent" and film acquisition failure are much worse than abf.

[DWS1]

Did the same thing. Old lenses work great. Even better I discovered the Pentax DA 55-300 plm version will also work (or any plm lens) with the latest firmware update. None of the other versions of the 55-300mm will work. It controls the aperture in the lens electronically and bypasses the aperture control module in the camera.

[peggers]

I was gutted when my K50 "died" with aperture block. However...I have since been experimenting with older (for film camera lenses) which have an aperture ring. These lenses tend to be of exceptional build quality and later versions have AF. My K50 has therefore started a new life and I am loving some of the results. Just saying...you don't have to take your camera apart or pay for someone else to fix it.

So this is where I heard it. Good news indeed.

[reh321]

Did the same thing. Old lenses work great. Even better I discovered the Pentax DA 55-300 plm version will also work (or any plm lens) with the latest firmware update. None of the other versions of the 55-300mm will work. It controls the aperture in the lens electronically and bypasses the aperture control module in the camera.

I’ve used my DA 55-300 PLM with my K-30.
The older version of the lens won’t work with my K-30, because it closes the aperture completely down, but the aperture stayed completely open on the PLM version, which works out better on dark Winter days, when that camera needs all the light it can get. Otherwise, I use the K-30 mostly with Takumars - typically with a 28mm Takumar.

[photogem]

Just curious, do people who get the aperture block problem try to fix it themselves, it looks pretty simple in the tutorials?

Most who find the tutorials apply DIY.
It is indeed pretty easy and doesn't leave you with a castrated Pentax.

Very few don't which is fine, usually it is because one feels to old, double-left-handed or shaky hands.
And of course for some it feels just scary. Also fine.

[peggers]

Did the same thing. Old lenses work great. Even better I discovered the Pentax DA 55-300 plm version will also work (or any plm lens) with the latest firmware update. None of the other versions of the 55-300mm will work. It controls the aperture in the lens electronically and bypasses the aperture control module in the camera.

Yes, this is correct. I attached my 55-300 PLM to the Ks1 with AB and yes, yes, yes, it works perfectly. My favourite lens with my close to becoming my favourite camera. A match made in AB heaven!

[reh321]

Most who find the tutorials apply DIY.
It is indeed pretty easy and doesn't leave you with a castrated Pentax.

Very few don't which is fine, usually it is because one feels to old, double-left-handed or shaky hands.
And of course for some it feels just scary. Also fine.

I don’t. I don’t consider myself to be old, I have only one left hand, and my hands don’t shake.
Simply, I don’t feel like doing it.
My K-30 doesn’t feel ‘castrated’ to me, any more than my first Pentax camera, a “ME/SE”, did. Period.

[photogem]

I don’t. I don’t consider myself to be old, I have only one left hand, and my hands don’t shake.
Simply, I don’t feel like doing it.
My K-30 doesn’t feel ‘castrated’ to me, any more than my first Pentax camera, a “ME/SE”, did. Period.

But somehow you felt adressed.

[DirkPentax]

I was gutted when my K50 "died" with aperture block. However...I have since been experimenting with older (for film camera lenses) which have an aperture ring. These lenses tend to be of exceptional build quality and later versions have AF. My K50 has therefore started a new life and I am loving some of the results. Just saying...you don't have to take your camera apart or pay for someone else to fix it.

Same same!! My K-50 suffered this wellknown failure a few years ago and having still a few 'old' lenses, I keep on taking pictures. also with some modern lenses without aperture rings. Stuck at the back of the lens next to the aperture lever a piece of plastic, thuich enough not to fall out and with in my case a F4.5 opening it works ok. :-)

[ChristianRock]

The sensor in the K-50 is wonderful and certainly it's a camera worth holding on to. Even if just with manual lenses.

[photogem]

I was gutted when my K50 "died" with aperture block. However...I have since been experimenting with older (for film camera lenses) which have an aperture ring. These lenses tend to be of exceptional build quality and later versions have AF. My K50 has therefore started a new life and I am loving some of the results. Just saying...you don't have to take your camera apart or pay for someone else to fix it.

If it's your only body, then you have a castrated camera. If you have other bodies, fine, then this solution is a possibility
but I daubt that those who claim that they use their camera that way actually do so on a regular basis.

If you have just one body, then you can't use your DA and similar lenses without A-Ring anymore,

that's why it is a castrated body imo.


A K-50 is worth to be repaired, the repair is simple.
To take the camera apart is not really a bid deal.

[GUB]

but I daubt that those who claim that they use their camera that way actually do so on a regular basis.

Well I do for one and there are plenty here who are creating with legacy lenses.
With Aperture ring lenses such a camera presents no compromise

[photogem]

Well I do for one and there are plenty here who are creating with legacy lenses.

I meant those who have more than just one body.
For legacy glass I use a K5 with a Katzeye.
The focusing screen of the K30 and others is not that great for manual focusing and I don't want to "have to use" LiveView.

Anyway: Such a body with ABF is only for a few experienced users:

With Aperture ring lenses such a camera presents no compromise

For you and those experienced with M-Mode using the green button it is,
but for me if it were my only body I'd see it as a Pentax very strongly reduced.

Most users and particularely those with entry-level Pentax bodies such as the K30, K50, more so K500 and K-S1 JUST use it with
DA lenses, I'd say 90%.

And those 90% are messed up.

I have started and learned "all manual" (external metering), guessing distance etc. but I loved it when Av and Tv

came, and often use Tav.


So of course I respect the minority but what I don't respect is when a minority thinks "we are superior because we learned it the only real way" or whatever.

I loved to use my legacy lenses but with age my eyesight is not "as it used to be" and I prefer the viewfinder against Liveview and more so because I use the viewfinder without glasses and often have the display switched off.