[George Lama]

That K-r video honestly made me sick... Have had my K5 for a couple of months, a little over 4600 shutter actuations as of today and always shoot big gigs on full batteries. So far I thankfully have not had this issue come up. Both my K5 batteries are Pentax, series 201101.

My concern is whether this issue is in fact caused by usage or caused by time, as I put my cameras to heavy use on a regular basis. Am I looking at possible failure in a few months' time or within a few hundred shutter actuations? Philosophical question of course considering neither answer would make me feel better :-(

Ugh...

[lammie200]

Am I looking at possible failure in a few months' time or within a few hundred shutter actuations?

I have been told that the original poster started experiencing the flopping at about 6800 shutter activations. It would be interesting to know how many you have now since you haven't experienced flopping thus far. I am not close to that number yet.

[rvannatta]

I have been told that the original poster started experiencing the flopping at about 6800 shutter activations. It would be interesting to know how many you have now since you haven't experienced flopping thus far. I am not close to that number yet.

My k5 is in the shop now I got it in early February and used it a bunch, but I must confess that I don't know how to make it tell how many clicks it has---but don't have it now to check anyway, but would like to know how to retrieve that information.

[interested_observer]

My k5 is in the shop now I got it in early February and used it a bunch, but I must confess that I don't know how to make it tell how many clicks it has---but don't have it now to check anyway, but would like to know how to retrieve that information.

You do not have to have it. Just take one of your last images and run it through photome and look for the field shutter count. That will tell you. The easy way is to type "shutter count" in the the find box down at the bottom, and it will search through all the fields and find it for you...

Photome is a free down load from http://www.photome.de/

[macTak]

I have been told that the original poster started experiencing the flopping at about 6800 shutter activations. It would be interesting to know how many you have now since you haven't experienced flopping thus far. I am not close to that number yet.

No flopping here and I'm just around 10000 shutter actuations. I'll also add that I've only charged the battery a few time (5 or so).

[Jim Radcliffe]

No flopping here and I'm just around 10000 shutter actuations. I'll also add that I've only charged the battery a few time (5 or so).

10,000 shutter actuations and you've only charged the battery 5 times? I need to get one of those batteries!

[Jim Radcliffe]

That K-r video honestly made me sick... Have had my K5 for a couple of months, a little over 4600 shutter actuations as of today and always shoot big gigs on full batteries. So far I thankfully have not had this issue come up. Both my K5 batteries are Pentax, series 201101.

My concern is whether this issue is in fact caused by usage or caused by time, as I put my cameras to heavy use on a regular basis. Am I looking at possible failure in a few months' time or within a few hundred shutter actuations? Philosophical question of course considering neither answer would make me feel better :-(

Ugh...

George, I feel your pain. I bought the K5 because I also do concert work and had become disenchanted with my Canon 5D MKII. (Weight, bulk, etc.) but more importantly I always have a camera with me wherever I go. The K5 is currently that camera.

This issue is very irritating almost as irritating as Pentax' silence on the matter.

[rvannatta]

You do not have to have it. Just take one of your last images and run it through photome and look for the field shutter count. That will tell you. The easy way is to type "shutter count" in the the find box down at the bottom, and it will search through all the fields and find it for you...

Photome is a free down load from PhotoME - Exif, IPTC & ICC Metadata Editor

thanks. that software reports just over 1000 shutter clicks. and provides the date of manufacture as 12/9/2010. It's out of the first batch made after they fixed the staining issue around thanksgiving. It's in the data base with a serial number beginning with 392. There have been few staining complaints post 391.

[twitch]

This issue is very irritating almost as irritating as Pentax' silence on the matter.

Jim, I've seen you say this a couple of times, but I expect the chance of Pentax making an official announcement is close to zero. It's not the Pentax way, and culturally the Japanese don't do public Mea Cupa's like Western companies. Eg, Pentax have form with the SDM issues, that and not the sensor stain issue seems to be how this mirror flopping problem is going to be treated.

It takes very large failure rates such as the sensor stain (which seemed 80%+) for them to come out publically.

However just because they aren't publically apologising over the issue this doesn't mean they aren't quietly working on a fix and will continue to address faulty camera's under warranty.

[rvannatta]

However just because they aren't publically apologising over the issue this doesn't mean they aren't quietly working on a fix and will continue to address faulty camera's under warranty.

I hope you are right as mine is in Arizona now.

[Jim Radcliffe]

Jim, I've seen you say this a couple of times, but I expect the chance of Pentax making an official announcement is close to zero. It's not the Pentax way, and culturally the Japanese aren't keen on public Mea Cupa's like Western companies. Eg, Pentax have form with the SDM issues, that issue and not the sensor stain issue seems to be how this mirror flopping issue is going to be treated.

It takes very large failure rates such as the sensor stain (which seemed 80%+) for them to come out publically.

However just because they aren't publically apologising over the issue this doesn't mean they aren't quietly working on a fix and will continue to address faulty camera's under warranty.

I don't want an apology.. I want an acknowledgement that they are aware of the problem. Those are really two different things. Just let anyone experiencing this issue know that they are aware of it and know how to fix it. Japanese or not.. it is the proper thing to do. They don't deserve any slack because they are Japanese and have a cultural issue with admitting a problem.

Having been a Canon user for over 10 years I am well aware of the Japanese mentality when it comes to admitting mistakes, problem, saving face, Etc.

There are many people who have been put off with Pentax because of SDM issues, sensor stains and now mirror flops. The Japanese may not understand admitting a problem but they do understand lost sales and bad press. The quicker they make a corrective response (other than we've not heard of that) the better off they will be.

I love the K5. I think it is one of the best DSLRs I have ever owned but mine and the ones owned but others do have this issue and we, as owners and Pentax customers, who have paid very good money for this camera, deserve acknowledgment and a fix.

[kmarceau]

Does anybody have a direct number for the CRIS repair team?

I have called Pentax Service number (800-877-0155) a few times but I keep getting people who can't tell what or if anything is being done to resolve this issue. They still tell me they haven't heard of the problem yet.

I just want to know if this has been established as an existing problem and if there is a part replacement that is fixing it. I don't want to send my K-5 in and have the repair folks not be able to reproduce the malfunction, then send it back unaltered.

[RyanW]

There are many people who have been put off with Pentax because of SDM issues, sensor stains and now mirror flops. The Japanese may not understand admitting a problem but they do understand lost sales and bad press. The quicker they make a corrective response (other than we've not heard of that) the better off they will be.

As Sony and Toyota have learned, hopefully Pentax will one day too. I was struck by the contrast between the silence from Pentax with how up front Nikon is. I was on the Nikon Professional services website. Right on the front page there is a section for service advisories.

[Qwntm]

I don't want an apology.. I want an acknowledgement that they are aware of the problem. Those are really two different things. Just let anyone experiencing this issue know that they are aware of it and know how to fix it. Japanese or not.. it is the proper thing to do. They don't deserve any slack because they are Japanese and have a cultural issue with admitting a problem.

Having been a Canon user for over 10 years I am well aware of the Japanese mentality when it comes to admitting mistakes, problem, saving face, Etc.

There are many people who have been put off with Pentax because of SDM issues, sensor stains and now mirror flops. The Japanese may not understand admitting a problem but they do understand lost sales and bad press. The quicker they make a corrective response (other than we've not heard of that) the better off they will be.

I love the K5. I think it is one of the best DSLRs I have ever owned but mine and the ones owned but others do have this issue and we, as owners and Pentax customers, who have paid very good money for this camera, deserve acknowledgment and a fix.

JIm, have you sent yours in?

I bet you get an acknowledgement if you do...

They are not going to do anything publicly unless 80% come back. But they will work with you if you send it in.

And they are never going to acknowledge an individual problem without inspecting that persons individual camera.

So unless 80% start showing up at Pentax, (which is impossible if people don't send them in,) or you send yours in, you're never going to get what you want...

Just sayin'

[Qwntm]

Does anybody have a direct number for the CRIS repair team?

I have called Pentax Service number (800-877-0155) a few times but I keep getting people who can't tell what or if anything is being done to resolve this issue. They still tell me they haven't heard of the problem yet.

I just want to know if this has been established as an existing problem and if there is a part replacement that is fixing it. I don't want to send my K-5 in and have the repair folks not be able to reproduce the malfunction, then send it back unaltered.

If you don't send it in, how are they going to figure it out?

Complaining about them not doing anything by someone who isn't doing anything is a catch 22 of the worst kind...

Send it in, if they don't fix it, get them to cover the postage until it's fixed. Fair enough.