[Rin]

Past weeks more and more posts appeared about random firing shutters on the K5 camera.

Now i am wondering, how common is this problem. Since Pentax doesnt seem to know about this yet.

Will this affect every K5 in time?

Mine doesnt have it yet. I currently use mine since march, fabrication date is februari. But it only has under 2500 actuations

[SpecialK]

Why do you think Pentax does not know about it?

I don't have the problem, though it freezes (5 times so far).

[imtheguy]

Have not heard of this one and I have been using the k-5 every day since last October 15. Judging by the lack of thread volume on this issue versus the infamous stain or FF, it sounds like its pretty small although granted if you are the one with the problem its bigger. This, coming from the guy who has his 3rd k-5 body exchange arriving tomorrow because of stains and freezing. But I still love it.

[rfortson]

Seems like it's a problem that takes time to develop? Overall, it still seems to be fairly small, though it's getting plenty of "air time" lately.

If it happens to me, I'll just return the camera for a warranty repair. It would be a pain, but the K5 is an awesome camera. I'm glad I got one, and I loved my K20D previously.

[sagiboy]

I had it...sent for repair...eventually many will have it...its a faulty circuit board- I was told.

[philbaum]

I've been participating in the mirror flopping issue, EVEN THOUGH my camera does not have it. And i'm not the only one. At this point, i'm just curious, like you, of what else is out there.

After reading too many posts about the subject, it sounds like an electronics problem with probably a small batch of some electrical component that doesn't work well when the battery is fully charged.

Total number of people who have reported it is about a dozen i'd guess, didn't count. Thats a very small number, except if you're one of the ones that have the problem. I no longer am concerned about it. Pentax will figure out which circuit board the component is on and it will become a standard repair for those that experience it. My camera did not have a stain, focus problem, etc. so maybe i'm due for it .
If we start hearing about hundreds of cameras in the next 2 months, then its a bigger problem, right now - not.

Meantime i'm going to enjoy the camera, still having fun with it.

[rvannatta]

Have not heard of this one and I have been using the k-5 every day since last October 15. Judging by the lack of thread volume on this issue versus the infamous stain or FF, it sounds like its pretty small although granted if you are the one with the problem its bigger. This, coming from the guy who has his 3rd k-5 body exchange arriving tomorrow because of stains and freezing. But I still love it.

I'm one with the issue, but it doesn't seem that as many as half a dozen on this forum have seen the problem, which out of many thousands is hardly a big deal.

The downside to forums like this is that 'problems' tend to get blown way out of proportion as a few bad pennies float to the top and cause a stir even though they are not statistically significant. The tragic issue is that mine is 'just'
out of the serial number sequences that did have a lot of problems which you mentioned. There are few reported issues of any kind with serial numbers later than '391' for the first digits---and of course my is a '392'

like you I really like the camera. Compared to the K10 I had before its head and shoulders better, and of late I've been fiddling with a K7, which I'm going to give to my daughter, and although they are in the same body, there are a lot of subtle improvements other than the sensor change which is usually mentioned,.
Specifically, Pentax has continued to flush out the menus making many more 'features' which had been hard coded now changable.

[sjwaldron]

Mine had the issue after a few months. They said the "top control board" is faulty. I've been without the K-5 for a few weeks as the part wasn't in stock or something.

[sagiboy]

Mine had the issue after a few months. They said the "top control board" is faulty. I've been without the K-5 for a few weeks as the part wasn't in stock or something.

still waiting for parts...

[dlacouture]

Well, my current K5 has stains, a faulty front wheel, and the shutter misbehavior...

But I simply cannot part with it yet!!! It's still too sweet a camera to be away from my hands, even for a short time!

[rvannatta]

Mine had the issue after a few months. They said the "top control board" is faulty. I've been without the K-5 for a few weeks as the part wasn't in stock or something.

Well they can add mine to the back order pile. I'm sort of surprised they consider the things worth changing board in. Years ago (when my *istD was in warranty, it just 'died'. They just mailed me a new one. Usually the costs
of an electonic marvel are mostly "R & D" as opposed to production costs, so replacement is cheaper than digging very deep to repair, but if the 'top board' is an easy fix, then I suppose what costs them a few bucks to produce (a top board) is worth it.

for my part I don't much care as long as it works. I'll likely never live long enough to get the kind of service that I got out of my K2. I bought one of them new shortly after they came out in 1975, it behaved flawlessly until it hit the floor sort of hard around 25 years later.

[Rin]

the problem for me is, and why i started this thread, i want to invest more in this system. Currently have the K5 and only a Sigma 50mm 1.4 lens for it, i want to buy this autumn a nice 31mm limited lens for it. But i am afraid my K5 will act up too and how stable the brand is right now with all the ricoh stuff and such.

First i had the stains, received a replacement, that one had scratches on the sensor, now i have a well working K5 without issues so far. But if i go to Asia later this year i dont want to be stuck with a faulty camera suddenly.

I do now on internet these problems appear bigger than it really is in terms of users affected because more people tend to vent on the internet about the problems and ask for information.

I am certainly worried that this can happen to every K5. why would it just happen to a small batch.

[amoringello]

No issue, yet - fingers crossed. Got stains but not bad enough to send in for eight-twelve weeks yet.
Already sent back this week
- a DA*16-50 three times for the same issue, (SDM motor died and zoom freezes)
- a second DA* 16-50 for same issues. (SDM motor died)
- a AF360FGZ for broken battery door, broken hotshoe lock, and broken slave flash sensor.

And not so recently,
- a 50-300mm lens for spontaneously not being able to focus - less than a year old.
- a 50-135 for focusing issues - less than two years old.
- K7 for faulty board in six months of use. (bought the K5 because the K7 was still in the shop when I needed it for a job)
- K10D for faulty board in about four months, sent back second time in under a year for same issue.

- a AF540FGZ is waiting in the wings to go back for various issues.
and of course the K5 for stains, just waiting for further QC issues...

I have so much invested, and it will cost so much more to switch brands... but I tell you, I am either a black hole of suck-age or Pentax is just in serious need of some QC. :-) Sadly, I have not heard of anyone having almost every piece of their Pentax kit die in under a year and every piece need service in under two... (and I d not make exceptionally heavy use or abuse of my equipment.... )

I know I am just crazy for sticking with their crap but what am I going to do? The K5 is the last of the line for me.

and I know this doesn't help, but I would not rely on Pentax quality, either before nor after repairs are made.
... but I'm just one data point...

[sjwaldron]

the problem for me is, and why i started this thread, i want to invest more in this system. Currently have the K5 and only a Sigma 50mm 1.4 lens for it, i want to buy this autumn a nice 31mm limited lens for it. But i am afraid my K5 will act up too and how stable the brand is right now with all the ricoh stuff and such.

First i had the stains, received a replacement, that one had scratches on the sensor, now i have a well working K5 without issues so far. But if i go to Asia later this year i dont want to be stuck with a faulty camera suddenly.

I do now on internet these problems appear bigger than it really is in terms of users affected because more people tend to vent on the internet about the problems and ask for information.

I am certainly worried that this can happen to every K5. why would it just happen to a small batch.

The grass is always greener on the other side. If you are really worried and it is preventing you from buying more Pentax glass, search the Internet for other manufacturer forums and see if their cameras have issues too. Another thing I would suggest is buying actual Pentax glass instead of something else. That's kind of the point of using one system over another.

It just sucks being one of the people who does have a problem (this is my first camera body to fail to this degree). I always have two camera bodies, so it doesn't really affect me much. Now I'm considering having three camera bodies at all times (well once I can get out of this financial rut, haha).

[Rin]

The grass is always greener on the other side. If you are really worried and it is preventing you from buying more Pentax glass, search the Internet for other manufacturer forums and see if their cameras have issues too. Another thing I would suggest is buying actual Pentax glass instead of something else. That's kind of the point of using one system over another.

It just sucks being one of the people who does have a problem (this is my first camera body to fail to this degree). I always have two camera bodies, so it doesn't really affect me much. Now I'm considering having three camera bodies at all times (well once I can get out of this financial rut, haha).

Well i bought the Sigma lens because the Pentax 50mm 1.4 was even more expensive here in holland. Next to that it is simply one of the better 50mm lenses out there. I bought the Pentax body mainly because of the feel of the system, i like how the menu's work, how the camera handles etc. But i do love the limited lenses. Those are truly unique in the current DSLR world in my opinion.

True that the grass is greener on the other side. But i think it is simply disrespect to its customers to ignore all those SDM problems out there with DA* lenses. If Pentax acts the same on those shutter problems like they did with the SDM lens issues then i see dark clouds entering Pentax land.