DEAD k5/time to leave Pentax??

Clicker · 07-04-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally posted by psychdoc

I like my pentax lenses. Maybe I should do 2 brands. Nikon or Canon for low-light/sports/anywhere where a reliable camera is needed and Pentax for when I need to pack light and keep only the limiteds for the Pentax.

This is my solution BUT i should have gone with Nikon.

I'm using a 7D but like i should have gone Nikon, i'm adding a 5DII soon.

psychdoc · 07-04-2011, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by abgsiddiq

Chill dude, my k10d and k7 shutter died last time. I did also wonder of jumping ship. After some checking, it was my lens which destroyed both of the shutter. Just take it to repairs.

The lens can do this to the shutter?

xjjohnno · 07-04-2011, 06:43 PM

The freeze is a problem with the K5 but a warranty replacement is no problem. I had the freeze happen first time with a manual focus lens with no electronic contacts. The mainboard was replaced. The second time I was using a lens without AF, can't remeber if it was an A or FA series lens. In that instance the body was replaced. I'm hoping Pentax are looking into the cause of the problem as I don't see the last of folk reporting this problem.

**Schraubstock** · 07-04-2011, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by Rupert

Can't argue with you much.....I'm not in your shoes and my K5 is near perfect so far, not even any flash problems whatsoever.

There are things that are not easily explained....like my 43 year old son that is about to embark on his 4th marriage.......got three bad ones? Well, there are all kinds of ways to look at it, isn't there? They were all different "brands", and so is his new one......eventually he will get a "good one"......or take up golf......do you play golf?

Best Regards & Good Luck!

Hi Rupert,
Could your son be the bad one possibly? :ugh:

Class A · 07-04-2011, 07:51 PM

I hope you'll get a good K-5 copy this time and will stay a Pentaxian.

If things don't work out, however, consider a full-frame SONY (A900 or A850). Beautiful camera. High ISO performance is not a forte but colours, smoothness of tonality, and the viewfinder are droolicious.

Usuqa · 07-07-2011, 02:31 AM

I guess i must be lucky, Ive had no problems with my k5 at all, infact I feel its probably the best camera ive used to date.

Verglace · 07-07-2011, 02:59 AM

Originally posted by psychdoc

What the &****heck!!!
I like my pentax lenses. Maybe I should do 2 brands. Nikon or Canon for low-light/sports/anywhere where a reliable camera is needed and Pentax for when I need to pack light.

This is also my long term plan. At the moment its when I need to pack light Pentax + Limiteds. In the future, get a full frame Nikon/Cannon for times when I don't have to worry about the weight.

**Byrd-2020** · 07-07-2011, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by Verglace

This is also my long term plan. At the moment its when I need to pack light Pentax + Limiteds. In the future, get a full frame Nikon/Cannon for times when I don't have to worry about the weight.

It's looking more and more that I'll be heading down this road too. I suspect that I'll have to take a hit on some of my high-end K-mount glass (esp. Zeiss ZK) when I go to sell it, though.

eddie1960 · 07-07-2011, 10:30 AM

Originally posted by psychdoc

Went to the camera store to try out the Nikon D7000 as a possible replacement for K5 if after I send it in for repair it acts up again.

No hope of salvation! Just did not like the way it felt in my hands. Did not like the way you check for white balance options after a shot.

Guess I need to look at some Canon options. I had a friend who had a cheaper one that had some kind of jog-wheel that I detested. Hope they have one with a nicer body.

What is a comparable Canon with the K5 and Nikon D7000. Anybody?

the logical is the 7d

I tried a friends and didn't like the functionality, but actually found it better than the other canons i tried this way

i actually prefer the nikon of the 2 (still feel the pentax interface while not perfect is a damn site better than the rest

The Sony FF AFAIK are both on the discontinued file (though are still out there) and there is due to be a replacement (possibly) this fall
have to say they do well in good light with that really nice Zeiss lens assortment

Rupert · 07-07-2011, 10:36 AM - **1 Like**

I can sympathize with those that have severe problems.....and hope that Ricoh is going to bring solutions to the problems that Hoya has not addressed...but before I would jump ship I would look closely at those Nikon and Canon Forums.....if you think you are entering a "Promised Land" it will give you a reality check that you might appreciate before you roam the desert for 40 years.....

The K5 is a fine camera...for the vast majority of users.....but the same can be said for Canon and Nikon products. To think that they are all satisfied users without similar problems is to deny reality. I want Pentax to improve their QC.....same thing many Canon and Nikon shooters want from their products.......just go look for yourself.

Best Regards

eddie1960 · 07-07-2011, 10:43 AM

Originally posted by Rupert

I can sympathize with those that have severe problems.....and hope that Ricoh is going to bring solutions to the problems that Hoya has not addressed...but before I would jump ship I would look closely at those Nikon and Canon Forums.....if you think you are entering a "Promised Land" it will give you a reality check that you might appreciate before you roam the desert for 40 years.....

The K5 is a fine camera...for the vast majority of users.....but the same can be said for Canon and Nikon products. To think that they are all satisfied users without similar problems is to deny reality. I want Pentax to improve their QC.....same thing many Canon and Nikon shooters want from their products.......just go look for yourself.

Best Regards

Well put rupert

the really issue is of course mass produced electronics will have a failure rate (usually in the 5% in the first year range) Some people unfortunately get unlucky and get more problems than others. Brand will not change that
If you look even higher up the chain you'll see bitching about leica as well and hassy and phase one and mamiya..... almost always down to the electronics/computerization.....ask about issues with mechanical workhorses and you will rarely here anything beyond maintenance issues
cars are no different, for the most part actually the high performance spend more time in the shop than the middle of the road stuff (i have a Ferrari mechanic friend - he's never at a lack for work)

Docrwm · 07-07-2011, 01:30 PM

Originally posted by JohnBee

I remember when we owned an Olympus and it was a dog of a camera.
Problems up the Ying-Yang!

Then a salesperson at a nearby shop convinced me to go with a Canon.
And so we returned out Oly and made the swap.
However ... as it turned-out the Canon was fairly new and riddled with quirks and OS problems - AARG! I was fit to be tied!

So we took the camera back and exchanged it for a 20D which was older but stable and we shot with that camera for about 2 years.

Then I jumped to Nikon for about a year then Pentax.

The moral of the story is that there is no safe spot when it comes to overcoming system quirks and defects. In fact... I found most all of the manufacturers that we had to deal with were pretty much the same in terms of customer care(that's shitty btw).

Anyways, I can say this.
By the time I got to Pentax, the K100 was quite mature and a godsent in terms of dependability. And so went our journey with Pentax. But while we were in transition(looking, experimenting etc) it was very rough going.
I found switching systems to be very hard on a person.

My two cents.

PS. we have two K-5's and both have been problem free so far(knock on wood).

Sorry about the problems with the K-5. As JohnBee said, all the makers have such. My sister had wanted a Nikon SLR for years. I bought her one for her birthday last year. It had a known problem and sure enough it showed up in her camera. Fortunately Amazon swapped it out no questions asked. Anyway, hope things settle down for you.

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07-04-2011, 05:47 PM	#31
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Originally posted by psychdoc I like my pentax lenses. Maybe I should do 2 brands. Nikon or Canon for low-light/sports/anywhere where a reliable camera is needed and Pentax for when I need to pack light and keep only the limiteds for the Pentax. This is my solution BUT i should have gone with Nikon. I'm using a 7D but like i should have gone Nikon, i'm adding a 5DII soon.

07-04-2011, 06:21 PM	#32
psychdoc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bham Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 949 Original Poster	Originally posted by abgsiddiq Chill dude, my k10d and k7 shutter died last time. I did also wonder of jumping ship. After some checking, it was my lens which destroyed both of the shutter. Just take it to repairs. The lens can do this to the shutter?

07-04-2011, 06:43 PM	#33
xjjohnno Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,115	The freeze is a problem with the K5 but a warranty replacement is no problem. I had the freeze happen first time with a manual focus lens with no electronic contacts. The mainboard was replaced. The second time I was using a lens without AF, can't remeber if it was an A or FA series lens. In that instance the body was replaced. I'm hoping Pentax are looking into the cause of the problem as I don't see the last of folk reporting this problem.

07-04-2011, 07:15 PM	#34
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by Rupert Can't argue with you much.....I'm not in your shoes and my K5 is near perfect so far, not even any flash problems whatsoever. There are things that are not easily explained....like my 43 year old son that is about to embark on his 4th marriage.......got three bad ones? Well, there are all kinds of ways to look at it, isn't there? They were all different "brands", and so is his new one......eventually he will get a "good one"......or take up golf......do you play golf? Best Regards & Good Luck! Hi Rupert, Could your son be the bad one possibly? :ugh:

07-04-2011, 07:51 PM	#35
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	I hope you'll get a good K-5 copy this time and will stay a Pentaxian. If things don't work out, however, consider a full-frame SONY (A900 or A850). Beautiful camera. High ISO performance is not a forte but colours, smoothness of tonality, and the viewfinder are droolicious.

07-07-2011, 02:31 AM	#36
Usuqa Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scotland Photos: Gallery Posts: 348	I guess i must be lucky, Ive had no problems with my k5 at all, infact I feel its probably the best camera ive used to date.

07-07-2011, 02:59 AM	#37
Verglace Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 468	Originally posted by psychdoc What the &****heck!!! I like my pentax lenses. Maybe I should do 2 brands. Nikon or Canon for low-light/sports/anywhere where a reliable camera is needed and Pentax for when I need to pack light. This is also my long term plan. At the moment its when I need to pack light Pentax + Limiteds. In the future, get a full frame Nikon/Cannon for times when I don't have to worry about the weight.

07-07-2011, 10:16 AM	#38
Byrd-2020 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: eastern Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 151	Originally posted by Verglace This is also my long term plan. At the moment its when I need to pack light Pentax + Limiteds. In the future, get a full frame Nikon/Cannon for times when I don't have to worry about the weight. It's looking more and more that I'll be heading down this road too. I suspect that I'll have to take a hit on some of my high-end K-mount glass (esp. Zeiss ZK) when I go to sell it, though.

07-07-2011, 10:30 AM	#39
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by psychdoc Went to the camera store to try out the Nikon D7000 as a possible replacement for K5 if after I send it in for repair it acts up again. No hope of salvation! Just did not like the way it felt in my hands. Did not like the way you check for white balance options after a shot. Guess I need to look at some Canon options. I had a friend who had a cheaper one that had some kind of jog-wheel that I detested. Hope they have one with a nicer body. What is a comparable Canon with the K5 and Nikon D7000. Anybody? the logical is the 7d I tried a friends and didn't like the functionality, but actually found it better than the other canons i tried this way i actually prefer the nikon of the 2 (still feel the pentax interface while not perfect is a damn site better than the rest The Sony FF AFAIK are both on the discontinued file (though are still out there) and there is due to be a replacement (possibly) this fall have to say they do well in good light with that really nice Zeiss lens assortment

07-07-2011, 10:36 AM - 1 Like	#40
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I can sympathize with those that have severe problems.....and hope that Ricoh is going to bring solutions to the problems that Hoya has not addressed...but before I would jump ship I would look closely at those Nikon and Canon Forums.....if you think you are entering a "Promised Land" it will give you a reality check that you might appreciate before you roam the desert for 40 years..... The K5 is a fine camera...for the vast majority of users.....but the same can be said for Canon and Nikon products. To think that they are all satisfied users without similar problems is to deny reality. I want Pentax to improve their QC.....same thing many Canon and Nikon shooters want from their products.......just go look for yourself. Best Regards

07-07-2011, 10:43 AM	#41
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by Rupert I can sympathize with those that have severe problems.....and hope that Ricoh is going to bring solutions to the problems that Hoya has not addressed...but before I would jump ship I would look closely at those Nikon and Canon Forums.....if you think you are entering a "Promised Land" it will give you a reality check that you might appreciate before you roam the desert for 40 years..... The K5 is a fine camera...for the vast majority of users.....but the same can be said for Canon and Nikon products. To think that they are all satisfied users without similar problems is to deny reality. I want Pentax to improve their QC.....same thing many Canon and Nikon shooters want from their products.......just go look for yourself. Best Regards Well put rupert the really issue is of course mass produced electronics will have a failure rate (usually in the 5% in the first year range) Some people unfortunately get unlucky and get more problems than others. Brand will not change that If you look even higher up the chain you'll see bitching about leica as well and hassy and phase one and mamiya..... almost always down to the electronics/computerization.....ask about issues with mechanical workhorses and you will rarely here anything beyond maintenance issues cars are no different, for the most part actually the high performance spend more time in the shop than the middle of the road stuff (i have a Ferrari mechanic friend - he's never at a lack for work)

07-07-2011, 01:30 PM	#42
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by JohnBee I remember when we owned an Olympus and it was a dog of a camera. Problems up the Ying-Yang! Then a salesperson at a nearby shop convinced me to go with a Canon. And so we returned out Oly and made the swap. However ... as it turned-out the Canon was fairly new and riddled with quirks and OS problems - AARG! I was fit to be tied! So we took the camera back and exchanged it for a 20D which was older but stable and we shot with that camera for about 2 years. Then I jumped to Nikon for about a year then Pentax. The moral of the story is that there is no safe spot when it comes to overcoming system quirks and defects. In fact... I found most all of the manufacturers that we had to deal with were pretty much the same in terms of customer care(that's shitty btw). Anyways, I can say this. By the time I got to Pentax, the K100 was quite mature and a godsent in terms of dependability. And so went our journey with Pentax. But while we were in transition(looking, experimenting etc) it was very rough going. I found switching systems to be very hard on a person. My two cents. PS. we have two K-5's and both have been problem free so far(knock on wood). Sorry about the problems with the K-5. As JohnBee said, all the makers have such. My sister had wanted a Nikon SLR for years. I bought her one for her birthday last year. It had a known problem and sure enough it showed up in her camera. Fortunately Amazon swapped it out no questions asked. Anyway, hope things settle down for you.