[006]

Anybody heard about any official Pentax comment due to k-5 sensor stains? is there any official procedure that distributors should implement when the stains on sensor are reported?

[Fries]

I don't believe Pentax Japan officially made a statement about the stains but Ned Bunell who is in charge of the US operation publicly acknowledged the problem. There is a official procedure in place though in most markets I know of. You send your stained camera back and receive a new one that has been checked for staines.

[Ole]

Yes, I asked Pentax what they'd recommend. Please check the link in their reply:

Dear Ole,

Thank you for contacting Pentax.

Not all K-5 cameras are affected by the sensor "stain" problem. The K-5 review page on the Enticing the Light Web site has excellent information on how to distinguish between dust on the sensor and an actual sensor “stain”. It also has a very good assessment of the actual effect of the stain on images. We encourage you to visit the link below for this information.

Review - Pentax K-5 | Enticing the Light

If you have confirmed that your camera has this sensor problem please reply to this email with your complete US mailing address AND your email address and PENTAX will send you a pre-paid UPS shipping label to use to send your K-5 camera to our service center for examination and warranty service. The earliest that the service center will be in a position to address this problem is after the holidays so you may wish to delay sending in your camera until next month. However, you may be assured that if it is confirmed that your K-5 has the sensor problem it will be handled as expeditiously as possible under your PENTAX warranty.



If you are in need of further assistance, please respond to this email or call our technical support center at 800-877-0155.

Sincerely,
Randall S.
Pentax Imaging Technical Support

[dexmus]

I would like to ask one more question - If it is just dust or smudges, does Pentax clean them up before sending the camera back? Or is it buyer's reponsibility to buy a sensor cleaning kit for a brand new camera?

[glanglois]

The moment you remove the body cap to mount a lens, you've exposed the mirror box and sensor to dust.

That doesn't mean that dust contaminates every sensor every time. But I don't quite understand why Pentax would be obligated to keep your sensor clean at all times.

It would be helpful if Pentax repair would clean every sensor prior to returning it. If that were to be the case, some owners would still find dust after mounting a lens. Therefore .....