[Wheatfield]

The issue was documented very early on. People know what to look for. If you have an afflicted camera, it is pretty obvious. Corroboration or validation isn't required. Compare a shot from your sensor to a picture already posted. If it looks more or less the same, you've just validated that you have a problem child.
Are you actually saying that we should be critiquing each other's photos of sensor spots? Is this silliness going to spread to the "Post Your Photos" section as well?
Not that it would overly surprise me at this point.

This "issue" has been escalated on this forum way beyond discussion and is now well into hysteria.
However unfortunate it may be, 12 threads and I suspect over 700 posts on the topic is way over the top.
I realize that no one needs my approval regarding what they post, but please don't expect me to approve of mass insanity.

[dcmsox2004]

.... i would have loved to snap up a new k-5, and understand that ALL new products endure some sort of shaking out issues.... hey, the new hyundai sonata, a fine looking new offering, had steering related problems and a recall.....
so, the reason i didn't buy one is because i don't have a local pentax dealer to buy one from... because if i did, and got a k-5 clunker, i could just exchange it for an inspected new unit... and merrily be on my way...... buying online, while price competitive, does impede the replacement time for a new unit, which can be very inconvenient for pentaxians everywhere.....
leading to frustration, exasperation and sometimes just plain flaming fury.......
folks are entitled to be upset when a product they've purchased is defective, and pentax/sony et al did a poor job in their beta testing and quality assurance .... and should be chastised accordingly............ this obviously does not help their retail reputation... and sales...
i, now like many others, will wait until this issue is properly addressed by pentax, and these bad batches disappear in our rear view mirrors.....
we will survive.... promise.... but....... i do really want one.........now..........lol

[xGene]

The issue was documented very early on. People know what to look for. If you have an afflicted camera, it is pretty obvious. Corroboration or validation isn't required. Compare a shot from your sensor to a picture already posted. If it looks more or less the same, you've just validated that you have a problem child.
Are you actually saying that we should be critiquing each other's photos of sensor spots? Is this silliness going to spread to the "Post Your Photos" section as well?
Not that it would overly surprise me at this point.

This "issue" has been escalated on this forum way beyond discussion and is now well into hysteria.
However unfortunate it may be, 12 threads and I suspect over 700 posts on the topic is way over the top.
I realize that no one needs my approval regarding what they post, but please don't expect me to approve of mass insanity.

Jesus Wheatfield... cut it out! Nobody is asking you nor expecting you to approve anything! Why would we? Are you some sort of pseudo-elite? I don't think so!Just ignore the bloody threads and move on! Mass insanity??? For God's sake man, get a grip!
I am finding interesting information and follow-up in them, as likely many people do. The 700 posts you are referring to should be a clue... It's to the point now that you are actually counting the #of threads and posts? Go shoot pictures!

Gene

[Wheatfield]

Jesus Wheatfield... cut it out! Nobody is asking you nor expecting you to approve anything! Why would we? Are you some sort of pseudo-elite? I don't think so!Just ignore the bloody threads and move on! Mass insanity??? For God's sake man, get a grip!
I am finding interesting information and follow-up in them, as likely many people do. The 700 posts you are referring to should be a clue... It's to the point now that you are actually counting the #of threads and posts? Go shoot pictures!

Gene

At least I'm not counting the number of spots on sensors like some seem to be doing.
Maybe we need a thread on that too?
How many individual spots does your sensor have?

[dgaies]

At least I'm not counting the number of spots on sensors like some seem to be doing.
Maybe we need a thread on that too?
How many individual spots does your sensor have?

When we start that new thread on spot count, to do it right, we'll need to count the number of spots as a function of aperture size to keep things fair.

[imtheguy]

Contacted Pentax who took a week to email me that I could send the K-5 to AZ for maintenance at my expense.

Contacted Amazon and asked for exchange even though it had been 55 days. That was Thurs late afternoon, they sent one out Fri overnight/Saturday delivery and at 9:30am Sat. I had a clean copy in my hands. Deal is done.

Although we have heard that the issue is not serial# dependent (yet), the new clean one is a #3909xxx and the "string of pearls" was a #3823xxx.

I can only recommend you exchange it now if it bothers you.

Remember, Amazon.com buyers after Nov 1 have until Jan 31 (I believe) for returns due to their gifting return policy. That is for direct from Amazon, I don't know about their etailers.

Good luck all.

[Monobod]

Hi,

This morning i took a series of photos in the open of typical scenes and one of the sky, which at the moment is cloudy but not totally bland.

All taken at f/22 and ISO 1600. Even though I know where the sensor marks are, I could only see the worst one, which is in the centre of the image and then only in the sky shot. All the other images, where there was detail, such as brickwork or trees, the spots were not detectable. Very little noise at 1600 ISO, quite impressed.

At F/8 they could not be seen at all, even in the sky shot.

I am not saying that there isn't a problem, as I know there is, but if nothing were to be done by Pentax to correct this, I feel I could live with it. It is just annoying knowing it exists and this is only my particular version of the problem. I am sure some of you have it much worse.

I will now just carry on and wait for a decision from Pentax about the proposals.

[MrPetkus]

Don't know if anyone else has raised this, but:
Has anyone received their K5 with firmware 1.01 pre-installed?

I had an email exchange with Amazon over the replacement they sent, where they asked if the unit was defect-free. The customer rep referred to "new stock".

My original K5 with the SOP did not have the firmware update whereas the replacement, with an earlier serial number, did.

I'm curious if this one detail might signal units that have been vetted by Pentax? It all comes down to the answer to my first question.

Cheers

[pxpaulx]

I bought from provantage as well. They have a kind of finicky return policy! But, I have contacted Pentax as well - Pentax CS said they have made note of my issue and serial #, and provantage will now be contacting their own distributor to authorize a replacement, even though it is outside their 30 day return policy. I'll update with the resolution when it occurs.

I am a happy camper. Despite being outside provantage's return window, and the RMA from Pentax not coming to provantage until the end of the week (according to an email they sent me yesterday)...Provantage sent me a replacement which is arriving today. Not only are they outside their return, they are also accommodating an early exchange despite not having the RMA (yet - Pentax is sending the RMA to their supplier though) to make sure I have a new camera before our trip to Italy next week. I couldn't be happier, both Pentax and provantage have been great to deal with. Hopefully the replacement is in perfect order!

Update: got home to the new camera, after letting it warm up a quick test at F32 shows no spots/stains at all. SN3909. Definitely a newer batch as the firmware was updated, there was a note in the box from the factory about it.

[sterretje]

Sunday 20101205
Spots detected just before I went on holiday

Tuesday 20101207
Contacted dealer while I was on holiday; he told me to bring it in. He did not know about the issue.

Saturday 20101211
Took it on to the dealer who did a quick check and an attempt to clean and confirmed that it could not be cleaned.

Monday 20101213
Dealer contacted the agent who replied that it had to be taken the service center.

Tuesday 20101214 (yesterday)
I took it there

Wedneday 20101215
The service center confirmed the issue (after trying to clean it again). They advised the agent and I can pickup a new one at the dealer on Friday or Saterday.

This one must be good because the summer holiday ( ) starts here on monday so no chance for swapping till the new year.

[falconeye]

Update: got home to the new camera, after letting it warm up a quick test at F32 shows no spots/stains at all. SN3909. Definitely a newer batch as the firmware was updated, there was a note in the box from the factory about it.

Don't know if anyone else has raised this, but:
Has anyone received their K5 with firmware 1.01 pre-installed?

I'm curious if this one detail might signal units that have been vetted by Pentax? It all comes down to the answer to my first question.

I've been told that Pentax checked existing stock. At least in Europe and in their central warehouse.

Maybe, they apply the firmware update so checked units in the retail channel are easy to identify? As does the note in the box. AFAIK, factory units in the past always showed a 1.00 release number even if the firmware was pretty recent (as could be seen by the full photome version string).

[simico]

More than a week has passed without my camera and I still didn't get a new one. Usual crap customer support... Seems like I'll need some legal support to get my consumer rights appreciated.

[robgo2]

More than a week has passed without my camera and I still didn't get a new one. Usual crap customer support... Seems like I'll need some legal support to get my consumer rights appreciated.

I have no idea who your dealer is, but I would counsel patience. It may take time for Pentax to replace bad stock with good. Presumably, you don't want a replacement camera that has the same defect.

Rob

[mokey]

My K5 is being replaced by my retailer (Don's Photo in Edmonton) They've been great. I'm waiting til the new year to replace, I just don't want to chance having no camera for Christmas.

[geezer52]

Received my replacement K-5 from B&H today. It came with firmware version 1.01 already installed. Picture #1 came out clean so needless to say I am a happy camera. Kudos to B&H for being so helpful and cooperative and I would assume Pentax had a hand in honoring their warranty and making the easy exchange possible.