[reh321]

Don't know about specific cases, but in my case I used the mechanism all the time with manual lenses. It failed before 4500 shots, just outside of the 2 year warranty.

What do you mean by "manual lens"? You set aperture on lens?

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Yes, manual lens to me is any lens with a manual aperture ring. More specifically in my instance of failure an M28 f/2.8

What do you mean by "manual lens"? You set aperture on lens?

[reh321]

Yes, manual lens to me is any lens with a manual aperture ring. More specifically in my instance of failure an M28 f/2.8

That is very disappointing. My understanding was that manual aperture rings would continue to function correctly even if the K-30/50 aperture control mechanism fails. That is important to me because my preferred backup solution is a pair of AF lenses with manual aperture control {my other backup solution is a pair of AdaptAll lenses, and I have determined how to disable the mechanism that would enable the K-30/50 to open the aperture - so they would always have the correct aperture - but they aren't AF, of course}.

[Not a Number]

Which probably illustrates why Ricoh US treats each failure on a case by case basis. There may be more than one component failing. Didn't someone say they contacted RIcoh in his/her country and was told Ricoh would not cover the repair, and was told that no service alert or advisory had been sent out from Ricoh Japan?

[photogem]

Don't know about specific cases, but in my case I used the mechanism all the time with manual lenses. It failed before 4500 shots, just outside of the 2 year warranty.

What do you mean with "mechanism"?

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

They still work. I was just stating that the aperture mechanism in my unit still failed despite using manual aperture a lot. I can to this day still use manual aperture and get fine exposures. I just can't stop down to meter if I set aperture to Auto.

That is very disappointing. My understanding was that manual aperture rings would continue to function correctly even if the K-30/50 aperture control mechanism fails. That is important to me because my preferred backup solution is a pair of AF lenses with manual aperture control {my other backup solution is a pair of AdaptAll lenses, and I have determined how to disable the mechanism that would enable the K-30/50 to open the aperture - so they would always have the correct aperture - but they aren't AF, of course}.

[reh321]

They still work. I was just stating that the aperture mechanism in my unit still failed despite using manual aperture a lot. I can to this day still use manual aperture and get fine exposures. I just can't stop down to meter if I set aperture to Auto.

Since we don't know what causes this phenomenon, anything we say is purely speculation, but I would guess that using lenses in manual mode has no effect on progression of the "disease" {I.e., there is no evidence that the aperture control mechanism "wears out" ... if anything, "work" may be good for it}

[reh321]

Last weekend, my wife and I spent the three-day-for-us holiday at a Canadian NP; high on my agenda was taking some pictures in the swamp, which would require use of my Sigma 10-20mm lens {looking at my lenses with an aperture ring, the widest I can go is 28mm, which would be OK on most days, but not for this}. Each day, the first picture was dark, but every picture afterwards was OK, including the swamp pictures. So, I was expecting trouble today when we made a daytrip, but everything went OK today - even the first picture. I'm not sure what to make of what I'm seeing, so I'll just take pictures and let others "think".

[_GW_]

In my case, the aperture failure appeared out of nowhere. I tried most all recommendations (photo burst, batteries, etc.) to no avail. Ricoh was no help as they never responded to multiple inquiries (out of warranty, but figured I'd give it a try). I decided it was best to have someone do the repair instead of toying around with the electronics myself. I had the guy in Cali do the repair and am happy to say that my camera is back to its old self! Time will tell how permanent the repair is - but he does warranty the repair for a year. I am keeping a manual lens in my bag from now on just in case.

[reh321]

I am keeping a manual lens in my bag from now on just in case.

What kind of manual lens?
Did you use it while your aperture control wasn't working??

[billx2]

I first noticed my K30 started taking dark images last fall. Trying to take our annual family Halloween costume photo. It eventually started working after about 30 shots. Put it back in the case and had the same problem again around Christmas. (Not using it near as much these days). Took it out a week ago to get ready for my daughter's dance recital. Could not get it working. 50+ shots, a bunch of image previews. Finally read about the aperture solenoid problem. Took it apart and did some minor filing on the horseshoe, coated it in deoxit, it is working somewhat better, but I still get 5 or 10 dark images before it starts working.

So, I bid/won an auction for a $29 shipped *ist DS body today. Hopefully I get one that has two white solenoids.

[reh321]

I first noticed my K30 started taking dark images last fall. Trying to take our annual family Halloween costume photo. It eventually started working after about 30 shots. Put it back in the case and had the same problem again around Christmas. (Not using it near as much these days). Took it out a week ago to get ready for my daughter's dance recital. Could not get it working. 50+ shots, a bunch of image previews. Finally read about the aperture solenoid problem. Took it apart and did some minor filing on the horseshoe, coated it in deoxit, it is working somewhat better, but I still get 5 or 10 dark images before it starts working.

So, I bid/won an auction for a $29 shipped *ist DS body today. Hopefully I get one that has two white solenoids.

I have now had my K-30 for 37 months, roughly 3100 on the shutter count. I took ten or so pictures last Saturday; today, after roughly five days rest I took a picture of our cat resting on the piano - first image was black, second {allegedly same settings} was OK. "Folklore" suggests that these cameras don't like time off. The five day rest mine had took one shot to recover from; the longer one yours had was more of an issue. I'll see whether mine needs less rest, or more "warmup"/"recovery" over time.

[Evie]

I have now had my K-30 for 37 months, roughly 3100 on the shutter count. I took ten or so pictures last Saturday; today, after roughly five days rest I took a picture of our cat resting on the piano - first image was black, second {allegedly same settings} was OK. "Folklore" suggests that these cameras don't like time off. The five day rest mine had took one shot to recover from; the longer one yours had was more of an issue. I'll see whether mine needs less rest, or more "warmup"/"recovery" over time.

I had similar situation at the beginning of "disease", when first few shots were dark, later ones were normal (usually shooting a burst "cleared" the issue for a while). Unfortunately, it is only a step on the road to death of this mechanism - already ordered KP and till then using my aperture ring lenses.

Oh well... 18220 not too bad for my camera, my K200D has less, I think. Unfortunately, my K200D is in different country, and my K30 was perfectly working a week ago, otherwise I would have asked my mom to pass the K200D through my colleague who was coming. Another not fun part is that I have some shooting this weekend (luckily - only for me), and only a few autofocus aperture ring lenses, all of which overlaps in focal range (50-500, 70-300 and 90). I hope I won't need wide end often, as my eyes has difficulties with manual focus...

Did hope to wait through till Photokina, though.

[reh321]

I had similar situation at the beginning of "disease", when first few shots were dark, later ones were normal (usually shooting a burst "cleared" the issue for a while). Unfortunately, it is only a step on the road to death of this mechanism - already ordered KP and till then using my aperture ring lenses.

Oh well... 18220 not too bad for my camera, my K200D has less, I think. Unfortunately, my K200D is in different country, and my K30 was perfectly working a week ago, otherwise I would have asked my mom to pass the K200D through my colleague who was coming. Another not fun part is that I have some shooting this weekend (luckily - only for me), and only a few autofocus aperture ring lenses, all of which overlaps in focal range (50-500, 70-300 and 90). I hope I won't need wide end often, as my eyes has difficulties with manual focus...

Did hope to wait through till Photokina, though.

From my perspective, 18,220 is very good; most failures seem to occur from under-use {too much time off} rather than over-use.

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Congratulations, this thread is now a sticky! I contacted adam last night. Now we don't have to worry about the thread disappearing in the page listings.