[dmbaile2]

Ok so I'm just trying to put this into perspective, because all products will have a few bad eggs...

What would you say the most dependable currently available Pentax dale would be?

[IchabodCrane]

oh really? maybe that was the latest firmware when I had the freeze, don't you think?

Are you presuming the latest firmware (1.06) doesn't address any camera stability issues? My K-30 has had a small number of very random freezes but I consider this to be inconsequential to the question of "Is it a reliable camera?". It's the least of my concerns about camera quality. No freezes under 1.06, by the way. Granted, it hasn't been on camera for all that long yet.

[Lokusart]

Are you presuming the latest firmware (1.06) doesn't address any camera stability issues? My K-30 has had a small number of very random freezes but I consider this to be inconsequential to the question of "Is it a reliable camera?". It's the least of my concerns about camera quality. No freezes under 1.06, by the way. Granted, it hasn't been on camera for all that long yet.

Can you tell me where I said that about the firmware 1.06? I don't know if you read my post, but my camera is on repair and firmware 1.06 was released last week, a bit soon to say "No Freeze at all" don't you think?. I don't know what a reliable camera means to you, but that's another question

---------- Post added 10-03-14 at 03:38 PM ----------

Ok so I'm just trying to put this into perspective, because all products will have a few bad eggs...

What would you say the most dependable currently available Pentax dale would be?

I'm not sure if the question is addressed to me, I just have to say that if I'd know what I know now, I would probably grab the K-50, I haven't read so many issues about it as I have with the K-30

[dmbaile2]

Did you read anything about the motor that Pentax shutter system that Pentax replaces it with? Do they fix the problem or just replace it with the same defective stuff? Does anyone know if Pentax offers extended warranties?

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

Two years additional at $20 - available if you purchase at roughly the same time as the body is purchased:
Pentax 2 Year Extended Warranty for all current Pentax DSLR, Compact and Q Cameras. (Total Warranty 3 years - 1 Year Standard + 2 Years Additional)

There is no "shutter motor" and in fact there is no "aperture motor." There is a mechanism related to the mirror and the the stop down function. A very small number of these have failed. And, no, given the overall extreme reliability of the mechanism, Pentax has had no reason to alter replacements, which is a good thing.

[dmbaile2]

Wow, cant beat that!! Hard to believe that an extra two years is so inexpensive! I wonder if you must purchase it from adorama for the warranty.

[Lokusart]

Did you read anything about the motor that Pentax shutter system that Pentax replaces it with? Do they fix the problem or just replace it with the same defective stuff? Does anyone know if Pentax offers extended warranties?

I can't say, I don't have that information. The only thing that comforts me is the good reviews I have heard about the repair center where I sent the camera, so I hope they manage to sort out the things Pentax messed at the factory. Because when you find a 6 years old and 100 bucks point-and-shoot camera more reliable than the K-30, something is wrong.

I like to talk about the good things, but also about the bad things. I'm not paid by Pentax nor the competition.

[dmbaile2]

I understand your irritation. My Kr has been giving me grief. In fact on vacation in January I found my self in Tokyo with a locked up camera!. I thought maybe it was the battery so I went all over the city looking for a battery caddie or replacement battery. Found a caddie and it still didn't work!! It would turn on, and then i would click the shutter, the shutter would flip and then the whole camera would lock up. So I went a whole day in Tokyo not being able to take photographs. That night at the hotel I got frustrated with it and tapped against a table top and it has worked fine ever since

I was a little mad at the time, but in hindsight, had that not happened I would have missed out on some awesome electronics stores I wondered into trying to find a battery caddie.

[jb0501]

I upgraded from a K10 to the K30 a year or so ago have thousands of clicks and never a freeze up. Camera is now running update 1.06 as of today. I just wish the K30 had a battery grip like my K10. All of the Pentax PTTL flashes 200, 360, and,540 work well with this camera.

[Lokusart]

I understand your irritation. My Kr has been giving me grief. In fact on vacation in January I found my self in Tokyo with a locked up camera!. I thought maybe it was the battery so I went all over the city looking for a battery caddie or replacement battery. Found a caddie and it still didn't work!! It would turn on, and then i would click the shutter, the shutter would flip and then the whole camera would lock up. So I went a whole day in Tokyo not being able to take photographs. That night at the hotel I got frustrated with it and tapped against a table top and it has worked fine ever since

I was a little mad at the time, but in hindsight, had that not happened I would have missed out on some awesome electronics stores I wondered into trying to find a battery caddie.

I have found some complains about the Kr around the internet too, but because it is now an out of production model, I haven't investigated much. You bet, very bad indeed when the camera you used to trust let you down that way

The 20$ warranty expansion for the K-30 is money well spent

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I understand your irritation. My Kr has been giving me grief. In fact on vacation in January I found my self in Tokyo with a locked up camera!. I thought maybe it was the battery so I went all over the city looking for a battery caddie or replacement battery. Found a caddie and it still didn't work!! It would turn on, and then i would click the shutter, the shutter would flip and then the whole camera would lock up. So I went a whole day in Tokyo not being able to take photographs. That night at the hotel I got frustrated with it and tapped against a table top and it has worked fine ever since

I was a little mad at the time, but in hindsight, had that not happened I would have missed out on some awesome electronics stores I wondered into trying to find a battery caddie.

Wow, I know that tap the darn thing on the table technique (have not needed to do so yet on any Pentax camera) - and it rarely works - certainly not permanently! I can see why you are so determined to not only replace the KR, but make sure the K-30 is dependable. At the risk of repetition, you probably shouldn't read too much into the freeze-up problem - as this is only a fail-safe mechanism to prevent real damage. As for the actual need for repair, it is unfortunate that a very unlucky few have had to send in the camera. However, the failure rate seems to be very low - among the 2-3 best Pentax models overall historically. I think its a bit more solid overall than the KR. Certainly more solid than my LX, which was the only claimed "pro" marketed model from Pentax (a consensus view, not my designation).

[dmbaile2]

I have a credit card that extends the warranty a year after the manufacturer, so I bought the K30 with that. If it is giving me grief ill just send it back to the CC and get a refund.. I'm not going into it thinking it will be a lemon though. Positive attitude! I'm excited to have a new toy to play with.

[Lokusart]

I have a credit card that extends the warranty a year after the manufacturer, so I bought the K30 with that. If it is giving me grief ill just send it back to the CC and get a refund.. I'm not going into it thinking it will be a lemon though. Positive attitude! I'm excited to have a new toy to play with.

good luck with yours, if you grab a good copy it is a good camera. Pay attention to the exposure problem, it is somehow common on that model

[geru2000]

good luck with yours, if you grab a good copy it is a good camera. Pay attention to the exposure problem, it is somehow common on that model

What exposure problem?

I searched the forum and found some problems posted but they seemed to be attributable to the person using the camera in the wrong metering mode for example.

Not questioning your problem I'd just like to know what the problem is?

[Lokusart]

What exposure problem?

I searched the forum and found some problems posted but they seemed to be attributable to the person using the camera in the wrong metering mode for example.

Not questioning your problem I'd just like to know what the problem is?

The symptom of this problem is getting rightly exposed images and sub-exposed images (sometimes over-exposed as well), while shooting the camera with the same parameters, in this case is not a person's error and I have found threads about it in this forum, flickr and if I'm not wrong is dpreviews as well.

They said the cause is the aperture's motor, aperture's mechanism or whatever people like to call it.