[garyk]

I have two K-5's now. One, the new one as my main shooting camera now and one as a back up.
My concern is the build quality? I am a wildlife shooter and am starting to get kind of concerned. The first one has serious shutter problems. First with an occasional freeze up. To now happening 10 times a day in MY normal use. 100-1000 shots a day. All high speed shooting bursts of 3-10 per shutter release. At first with a battery change or a quick off and on to now almost utterly useless. It is an easy field fix. Of now taking it off the lens and now lightly smacking the side of the camera. This is my second post about this and am more curious than anything about heavy use of the Pentax K-5. I used the K-x with not problems at all befor the K-5.

Now with two weeks on the new unit it is showing the same signs as the first. Occasionally a freeze up.

In BKK at the pentax service center in a fairly relaxed talk the Tec. said forget it. It is a no fix. All have the problems at this level of use. Now I am insisting on a repair of the first unit now. It is going back. So I hope problem solved with it for a while. But with the second unit showing early signs of the problem it is rather disturbing.

Question? Do any of you guys shoot very heavily with the K-5. Say a demanding semi pro level? And if so do you have any quality issues.

Thanks

---

Last edited by garyk; 06-03-2011 at 08:05 PM.

[imtheguy]

deja vu all over again with this topic but I am happy to share one persons experience. Since making the K-5 my permanent outdoor camera since last october, it consistantly locks up when shooting with a too low battery. Regardless of grip on/off or pentax/oem battery. 90% of the time when it gets low, instead of a message (like with my indoor k20d) I have to drop the battery or both with a grip. Moving on to a second K-5 in November is the exact same issue. so as i wait for a firmware cure, i simply swap out a battery when it has been clicking on yellow for a little bit. I dont like it but its not a huge deal and I expect issues on the bleeding edge.

This stuff about smacking the camera to release the shutter gives me a shutter. If I ever hit the point when dropping the battery does not release the shutter, i will simply send it in under warranty. BTW, when I say it can lock up on low battery I mean once it hits that point it will lock every time until I change batteries. Very repeatable thus very avoidable.

if I want reliability till the battery is depleted I can take the K20D but would spend far more time cleaning up noisy iso1000 shots and tossing blurry AF.C shots than i would have spent just swapping batteries one time.

Good luck with that smacking the camera approach.

[garyk]

At first mine was a battery issue then it starting sticking or something. There are several guys out there with the same problem.

You know I just googled this problem and had a hit on B&H photo of the same problem and another in England. I don't know how many are out there not reporting. I think the tec. is correct in saying it is an on going problem and Pentax is not fixing it. I am not changing but think the lack of quality control is just the worst I have ever seen. I went thru the stain issue. Now this. WTF.
You know Lee. It is kinda getting old. One of the best camera in the world for birding. Just racked with quality issues.

[sebberry]

I'm so happy I just bought a K-5 to come and read stuff like this.

[jbinpg]

I shoot birds. I do not machine gun my exposures. I do not have any QA issues with my K-5.

[Eruditass]

it is an on going problem and Pentax is not fixing it.

That is ridiculous.

[Ash]

I'm so happy I just bought a K-5 to come and read stuff like this

Don't read these forums if you are swayed into believing all the problems you hear will occur with your camera.

I've been on this forum for years, seen so many 'issues' being spoken about and can only confirm one of them occurring any of my Pentax cameras: P-TTL overexposure on the K-5, which I'm sure can be sorted out by firmware update or trimpot adjustment...

Keep it in perspective.

[Ash]

I am not changing but think the lack of quality control is just the worst I have ever seen

Perhaps if you feel so passionately about it, a system change is not an unreasonable option. Your thoughts on it however are certainly exaggerated. If you invested in equivalent equipment even in the big two companies you will see that there are significant QC issues there as well. Electronic photographic equipment is more prone to glitches than older chiefly mechanical film cameras.

[rfortson]

Gary, sorry that you're having problems. It seems that you're snakebit when it comes to the K5. I've had nothing but joy with mine.

[imtheguy]

I'm so happy I just bought a K-5 to come and read stuff like this.

Don't mistake complaining about issues for unhappiness with the overall package. I am happy to change batteries early to garner all the good stuff. Its good that you KNOW of these possibilites in case you have to deal with it. I assume your cell phone has dropped calls, your computer locked up and your car ....well, you get the point. Great camera. My first DSLR was a Nikon and I returned it after only 4 days due to overall shortcomings. The K-5 can only be pried from my fingers after death.

[asdf]

Of now taking it off the lens and now lightly smacking the side of the camera.

Now with two weeks on the new unit it is showing the same signs as the first. Occasionally a freeze up.

That just indicates you must smack it harder.

[Verglace]

I'm so happy I just bought a K-5 to come and read stuff like this.

If no one complains it wont get fixed. Although ignorance can be bliss, its better to be informed.

[Rupert]

My K5 has been near perfect in all areas, including the flash operations with both the 360 and 540 in any position. The few problems I have encountered were found to be my fault in using improper settings and failure to read the manual.......which I intend to read....someday.

Still, I am quite certain that there are some not so fortunate, and there can be no denying that Pentax needs to step up its QC considerably, given the very bad start the K5 encountered. While keeping in mind that the vast majority seem well satisfied, I am not one to berate anyone for voicing their frustrations as long as they are a serious Pentax shooter and not some clown or troll. When a soldier goes down, his buddies are there to help or assist him, comfort him and share his pain.....not to kick him in the gonads. We have a few downed soldiers, let's be realistic.........maybe we can help them, maybe not, but listening to them will not keep my K5 from being all that it is....and it is a lot!
Best Regards!

[Fl_Gulfer]

Mine has a glitch when shooting about 30 or 40 shots in a short time, Mine will take photos like a machine gun when I just try and push the button to auto focus on a shot.
But after reading other cameras forums I feel lucky.