[misterkittyboy]

Everyone,
I bought a camera for my daughter at Adorama about 1.5 years ago.. since I owned a Pentax ME-Super sometime ago.


The problem: When the K50 camera is set to Manual mode, it automatically turns into the TAV mode (when it is still in Manual Mode) setting.


We sent the camera for repair to Pentax for repair 5 times... I asked them to upgrade the camera and I would pay the difference,
...since it is a known issue with this model. They said they wouldn't.


Since then, we bought a Nikon Camera which was needed for her gymnastic events when the Pentax was in the shop.. we are going to keep the Nikon camera.
We will not buy another Pentax Camera in the future obviously...
Has anyone have the same issue?


Thanks!

[jatrax]

Wow, that is incredibly bad luck. Who did you send it to for repair?

[BigMackCam]

Sorry to hear about the problem you've encountered. I've never heard of that issue before. Do you have links to the websites and posts that suggest this is a known issue? The reason I ask is that we have many, many happy K-50 owners here on the forums. Also, who specifically did you send the camera to for repairs? Was it a Pentax authorised service centre (in which case, which one?), or Adorama? It would help other members here to know. We have an active Adorama representative here - @Helen Oster; - who may be able to help you.

It's unlikely any supplier would upgrade you to a different camera (regardless of manufacturer) unless they were unable to satisfactorily repair the one you had bought, especially after 1.5 years of use. Were they able to repair it, and did that repair come with any kind of warranty?

I'm also sorry to hear you wouldn't buy another Pentax camera in future. Like any manufacturer, they occasionally have problems (there are various models from all the major manufacturers that have had frequent problems - Nikon, Canon, Sony etc.) - it's just a fact of life. I think you've been very unlucky with your particular K-50. That said, let us know how we can help you... We're a Pentax-enthusiast website, so you'll be in good company if you decide to continue shooting with a Pentax camera now or in the future

[kp0c]

Well, when her Nikon breaks, they'll buy a Canon, and once this one breaks, maybe they'll buy a Sony, and then after, maybe they'll figure every manufacturer can produce defective products.
To be fair, I wouldn't buy another Pentax have I had the same problems in such short time.

But that being said, the K30 - K50 camera are not cameras I would recommend because of the "high" risk of problem with the aperture lever mechanism.

[Huy]

Hi misterkittyboy,

Changes are the ISO setting of your K 50 is still in auto ISO mode. Even though you turn the dial to M, the camera is still operating in TAv mode.

To operate the camera in full manual mode:

1) Switch the camera to M,
2) If the camera is still showing TAv, go to ISO setting and switch to manual ISO, the camera will operate in Manual.
3) When you switch the camera to other auto ISO modes such as Av or TAv or Tv, the ISO will set to auto ISO automatically.
4) when you switch back to M, assuming you already did step #2, the camera will set to manual ISO.

Hope it helps,

- Huy

[rawr]

To operate the camera in full manual mode: ...Hope it helps,

Exactly. A likely case of not reading the manual and not working the settings properly. Not a defect.

[reh321]

Well, when her Nikon breaks, they'll buy a Canon, and once this one breaks, maybe they'll buy a Sony, and then after, maybe they'll figure every manufacturer can produce defective products.
To be fair, I wouldn't buy another Pentax have I had the same problems in such short time.

But that being said, the K30 - K50 camera are not cameras I would recommend because of the "high" risk of problem with the aperture lever mechanism.

It's too bad we don't have any actual statistics with respect to aperture lever mechanism failures, of the sort "the probability of failure within 1000 shots is x, the probability of failure within 2000 shots is y, etc". We would need statistics of that sort to combine with the currently very low price to get a reasonable picture of actual effective reliability. I'm a "low mileage" user, currently not taking much over 500 pictures per year. I had two Canon Rebels die in less than 8 years {fewer than 5000 shots between the two of them}, so that kind of statistics would have been helpful before I purchased my K-30 10+ months ago. In some sense, if the average life of a K-30/50 is over 5000 shots, that is more than I'm likely to ask of a camera. On the other hand, if the average life is under 1000, that is something to worry about, but a free-floating cloud hanging over the K-30/50 doesn't really do anyone any good.

note: my wife says if this camera runs into that problem, we just buy me a new camera, but I do have a 35mm Super Tak permanently living in my camera bag right now.

[clackers]

The problem: When the K50 camera is set to Manual mode, it automatically turns into the TAV mode (when it is still in Manual Mode) setting!

Huy nailed it ... you never set the ISO, you still had Auto ISO turned on.


I'm afraid neither you nor your shop have exactly covered yourselves with glory on this one, MKB!

[freddyisaac]

Just tested my K30 and it does exactly the same thing

Dial turned to M mode - hit the iso button and select auto ISO and lo and behold the camera switches to TAv mode (which in all fairness is M mode with auto ISO selected). Dial still in M mode hit the ISO button and select the manual ISO an the camera switches back to M mode - TADA!! never noticed that before; cool feature really !!

Seems like your camera is good and unfortunately you spent money needlessly on the NIKON - but if you like the NIKON then you have a pentax backup which you now know how to operate.

cheers

[calsan]

In all fairness, the manuals are a bit vague and aren't a replacement for photography school. But the camera store staff should know how to use a camera, I would have thought.

[wombat2go]

To me that sounds like a bug.

When we select "M", all functions should revert to "M"

I checked the K-01 here, and, when the dial is turned to 'M", it does revert to manual ISO selection ( it goes to the ISO remembered from last use in "M" )
That provided that "Auto ISO" was selected in the mode just before the dial was turned.
Auto ISO is not consistent with "M"


If 'ISO" (manual ISO selection) was selected in the mode just before the dial was turned to "M" , then that ISO is carried into "M".
To me , that is not consistent nor logical. Lacking h'ware dials, I would need all of the last "M" settings to be remembered and reverted to.

[stevebrot]

it automatically turns into the TAV mode (when it is still in Manual Mode)

since it is a known issue with this model

Huy nailed it ... you never set the ISO, you still had Auto ISO turned on.

The known problem is the expected behavior if Auto-ISO is turned on. Ricoh/Pentax does not exactly call this out, but it is covered in the K-50 manual (English version) on pp 88 and 89. Sorry you and Ricoh/Pentax have been running around the fix-my-camera tree.

Nikon cameras provide TAv functionality by allowing Auto-ISO in M mode. Pentax doesn't.

BTW...Welcome to the Pentax Forums!


Steve

[UncleVanya]

Everyone,
I bought a camera for my daughter at Adorama about 1.5 years ago.. since I owned a Pentax ME-Super sometime ago.


The problem: When the K50 camera is set to Manual mode, it automatically turns into the TAV mode (when it is still in Manual Mode) setting.


We sent the camera for repair to Pentax for repair 5 times... I asked them to upgrade the camera and I would pay the difference,
...since it is a known issue with this model. They said they wouldn't.


Since then, we bought a Nikon Camera which was needed for her gymnastic events when the Pentax was in the shop.. we are going to keep the Nikon camera.
We will not buy another Pentax Camera in the future obviously...
Has anyone have the same issue?


Thanks!

Jumping from an ME to a DSLR can be quite confusing. What you have said above sounds odd. You mention it goes into TAv mode. I think that is due to the camera being in AUTO ISO mode (default for that camera). You can easily set a manual ISO to stop that. If however that isn't the problem and even setting a manual ISO didn't work then there was something wrong with the camera that needed to be fixed - that is not a known deficiency it's just a matter of setting controls slightly different than the semantic content would make you think you need to do.

What sucks is that rather than someone taking the time to explain all this to you (if I am understanding this correctly) and helping you understand how to set this up as a dedicated user mode or to understand what to change you were left thinking it was defective and sending it back 5 times. (I apologize if we misunderstand and it was actually broken somehow)

All brands have lemons - and the loss of the corner store to help you learn equipment isn't helping.

In any case - I'm very glad you have a camera that works for you and you are happy - please understand Pentax is as capable and it is likely just a misunderstanding.

If you want help getting the Pentax working let us know otherwise perhaps sell it.

[stevebrot]

To me that sounds like a bug.

When we select "M", all functions should revert to "M"

I checked the K-01 here, and, when the dial is turned to 'M", it does revert to manual ISO selection ( it goes to the ISO remembered from last use in "M" )
That provided that "Auto ISO" was selected in the mode just before the dial was turned.
Auto ISO is not consistent with "M"

Nope, not a bug. It is just the way it works on the K-30, K-50 and K-500.* The behavior is documented nicely in the camera manual in both the ISO and mode sections. Questions regarding M mode and auto-ISO come up on the K-30/K-50 section of the site every once in awhile, so the OP's surprise is not unique.


Steve

* I am not sure, but I believe those three models are the only ones that behave that way.

[Adam]

Everyone,
I bought a camera for my daughter at Adorama about 1.5 years ago.. since I owned a Pentax ME-Super sometime ago.


The problem: When the K50 camera is set to Manual mode, it automatically turns into the TAV mode (when it is still in Manual Mode) setting.

Thanks!

Hate to say it, but this is perfectly normal for this particular model. M mode on the dial with auto ISO on displays as TAv. Disable auto ISO to get full M mode.

There's nothing wrong with that camera and it's a shame Precision didn't tell you so!