K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available

slartibartfast01 · 04-03-2018, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by jeallen01

Update on Asahi Photo in West London:

Just dropped my K-30 over there (only 10 miles away) for the aperture block solenoid to be replaced by the white one I had sourced from the US.

It should be done in around a week or so as I provided that solenoid because, when on the phone to them a few weeks ago, I was told that they used the "filing" method on the green solenoids. That said, I was also told today that they could actually get white solenoids if the customer is (obviously) prepared to pay extra for that and wait somewhat longer (but it would still have cost less and taken less time if I had known that 4 weeks or so ago - I think that will now be mentioned to anyone who enquires about similar repairs!)

Finally, for anyone with an old MZ-5 or similar film body, I found out that they can repair both the pop-up flash spring and the faulty internal film drive motors!

Good to know. How much would they charge to supply and fit a white solenoid?

jeallen01 · 04-04-2018, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by slartibartfast01

Good to know. How much would they charge to supply and fit a white solenoid?

I think you had better contact them direct - the webpage is here Asahi Photo, and then use the contact form at the bottom of the page (or else phone them up).

slartibartfast01 · 04-04-2018, 05:43 AM

Originally posted by jeallen01

I think you had better contact them direct - the webpage is here Asahi Photo, and then use the contact form at the bottom of the page (or else phone them up).

I don't need it yet (fingers crossed) just for future reference. I might drop them a line though.

jeallen01 · 04-27-2018, 03:15 PM

"Interesting" update!
- Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"!

**photogem** · 04-27-2018, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by jeallen01

"Interesting" update!
- Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"!

Nail them... get a clear answer!

blindpig · 04-27-2018, 11:43 PM

I thought you might like to know that my camera works fine since I changed the solenoid for a white one from an old MZ. I have made 2528 more exposures since.

T Evergreen · 04-28-2018, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by blindpig

I thought you might like to know that my camera works fine since I changed the solenoid for a white one from an old MZ. I have made 2528 more exposures since.

Blindpig, which MZ model did you use?

**photogem** · 04-29-2018, 12:49 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jeallen01

"Interesting" update!
- Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"!

I have come across white solenoids which had opposite polarity plus I came across early white solenoids with stronger holding force (this was MZ6 and MZ7)

If the solenoid is not pulling in it could be wrong polarity and would instead of release pull in even stronger.... meaning again underexposed pictures.But it would not "release" i.e. "pull in" when not in use!

If the solenoid would not "pull in", this would mean that the magnet itself would be weak... of that somebody filed the horseshoe anyway and it would not be able to be pulled in.

So I am puzzled about this statement. It makes no sense.

blindpig · 04-29-2018, 01:06 AM

Hello, It was an MZ-50 (£14 from ebay)

jeallen01 · 04-29-2018, 02:05 AM

Originally posted by photogem

...white solenoids ...If the solenoid would not "pull in", this would mean that the magnet itself would be weak... of that somebody filed the horseshoe anyway and it would
not be able to be pulled in.

So I am puzzled about this statement. It makes no sense.

I was also puzzled for the same reason, and I will enquire as to what they had to do

marabella · 04-29-2018, 06:34 PM - **1 Like**

Hello

This "white/green solenoid" discussion now is obsolete due to a lack of any solid and reliable technical information.
Please do stop it and don't confuse future sufferes.

Pentax won't react but the cure is pretty obvious. Sand your solenoid the propper way and you'll be ok.

My K-S1, being surgeried in January 2017, still is flawlessly working.

**photogem** · 04-29-2018, 09:00 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by marabella

This "white/green solenoid" discussion now is obsolete due to a lack of any solid and reliable technical information

Please do stop it and don't confuse future sufferes.

Pentax won't react but the cure is pretty obvious. Sand your solenoid the propper way and you'll be ok.

My K-S1, being surgeried in January 2017, still is flawlessly working.

The experience of sanding the horseshoe of 1 x single green solenoid is a nice one, but as you mentioned in your PM to me, you have been out of this forum for a long time, so first study the plenty of information about quite solid and reliable technical information and then add information if there is anything to add.

Quite a few of sanded green solenoids have led to further damage.

So no.... don't sand nor surge nor nurse your solenoid but do it properly and get the white solenoid!

jeallen01 · 05-02-2018, 08:35 AM

Originally posted by jeallen01

I was also puzzled for the same reason, and I will enquire as to what they had to do

I've just phoned up Asahi Photo to query what he meant about "packing" the white solenoid - but it appears that I must have misheard/misinterpreted what he said.

Seems that he did not have to do anything to the replacement white one - but just cleaned up the area around it to ensure there was no dust, etc., there.!

A related thing that he said was that sometimes dust does get between the faces of the solenoid magnet and the moving "keeper" and prevents correct operation - and so that's why they did the cleaning.

In my "defence" I can only say that I was not feeling very well when I collected the camera because of the 2nd (!) knee now having signs of arthritis, and so walking was difficult and painful - although it does seem to be getting somewhat better now.

Probablyknot · 05-26-2018, 03:16 PM

Hi all,
I experienced this aperture block failure on my K-30 twomonths ago and thanks to your forum was able to understand the issue and best solution; so THANKS to ALL.
I decided to ask my Australian Pentax service agent what they would recommend if they looked at my camera and found that it was in fact this failure of a part and they offered to fix it for free if it was indeed this problem. I have just received my K-30 back and it has been fixed at no cost and it works again. They assured me they used genuine Japanese parts on it.
So although there seems to be no official line from Pentax on this issue it is worth asking what their service agents will do about it.
Thanks again and good luck.

jimboombapete · 05-26-2018, 03:41 PM

Being in Oz myself, that is great to know. My K50 is still working fine (touch wood) but is good to know.

04-29-2018, 12:49 AM - 1 Like	#698
photogem Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 3,520	Originally posted by jeallen01 "Interesting" update! - Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"! I have come across white solenoids which had opposite polarity plus I came across early white solenoids with stronger holding force (this was MZ6 and MZ7) If the solenoid is not pulling in it could be wrong polarity and would instead of release pull in even stronger.... meaning again underexposed pictures.But it would not "release" i.e. "pull in" when not in use! If the solenoid would not "pull in", this would mean that the magnet itself would be weak... of that somebody filed the horseshoe anyway and it would not be able to be pulled in. So I am puzzled about this statement. It makes no sense. Last edited by photogem; 05-01-2018 at 01:10 AM.

04-29-2018, 09:00 PM - 1 Like	#702
photogem Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 3,520	Originally posted by marabella This "white/green solenoid" discussion now is obsolete due to a lack of any solid and reliable technical information Please do stop it and don't confuse future sufferes. Pentax won't react but the cure is pretty obvious. Sand your solenoid the propper way and you'll be ok. My K-S1, being surgeried in January 2017, still is flawlessly working. The experience of sanding the horseshoe of 1 x single green solenoid is a nice one, but as you mentioned in your PM to me, you have been out of this forum for a long time, so first study the plenty of information about quite solid and reliable technical information and then add information if there is anything to add. Quite a few of sanded green solenoids have led to further damage. So no.... don't sand nor surge nor nurse your solenoid but do it properly and get the white solenoid! Last edited by photogem; 05-01-2018 at 01:11 AM.

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04-03-2018, 07:41 AM	#691
slartibartfast01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,931	Originally posted by jeallen01 Update on Asahi Photo in West London: Just dropped my K-30 over there (only 10 miles away) for the aperture block solenoid to be replaced by the white one I had sourced from the US. It should be done in around a week or so as I provided that solenoid because, when on the phone to them a few weeks ago, I was told that they used the "filing" method on the green solenoids. That said, I was also told today that they could actually get white solenoids if the customer is (obviously) prepared to pay extra for that and wait somewhat longer (but it would still have cost less and taken less time if I had known that 4 weeks or so ago - I think that will now be mentioned to anyone who enquires about similar repairs!) Finally, for anyone with an old MZ-5 or similar film body, I found out that they can repair both the pop-up flash spring and the faulty internal film drive motors! Good to know. How much would they charge to supply and fit a white solenoid?

04-04-2018, 05:40 AM	#692
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	Originally posted by slartibartfast01 Good to know. How much would they charge to supply and fit a white solenoid? I think you had better contact them direct - the webpage is here Asahi Photo, and then use the contact form at the bottom of the page (or else phone them up).

04-04-2018, 05:43 AM	#693
slartibartfast01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,931	Originally posted by jeallen01 I think you had better contact them direct - the webpage is here Asahi Photo, and then use the contact form at the bottom of the page (or else phone them up). I don't need it yet (fingers crossed) just for future reference. I might drop them a line though.

04-27-2018, 03:15 PM	#694
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	"Interesting" update! - Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"!

04-27-2018, 09:32 PM	#695
photogem Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 3,520	Originally posted by jeallen01 "Interesting" update! - Asahi Photo did replace the original solenoid with the "white" one I got from the US - but then they apparently had to "pack" it (or so I was told, but I don't understand what the guy meant!) because it would not "pull in" every time = just the opposite of what the "green" one does, i.e. not release when it "should"! Nail them... get a clear answer!

04-27-2018, 11:43 PM	#696
blindpig New Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Canterbury Posts: 9	I thought you might like to know that my camera works fine since I changed the solenoid for a white one from an old MZ. I have made 2528 more exposures since.

04-28-2018, 07:50 AM	#697
T Evergreen Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 197	Originally posted by blindpig I thought you might like to know that my camera works fine since I changed the solenoid for a white one from an old MZ. I have made 2528 more exposures since. Blindpig, which MZ model did you use?

04-29-2018, 01:06 AM	#699
blindpig New Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Canterbury Posts: 9	Hello, It was an MZ-50 (£14 from ebay)

04-29-2018, 02:05 AM	#700
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	Originally posted by photogem ...white solenoids ...If the solenoid would not "pull in", this would mean that the magnet itself would be weak... of that somebody filed the horseshoe anyway and it would not be able to be pulled in. So I am puzzled about this statement. It makes no sense. I was also puzzled for the same reason, and I will enquire as to what they had to do

04-29-2018, 06:34 PM - 1 Like	#701
marabella Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 58	Hello This "white/green solenoid" discussion now is obsolete due to a lack of any solid and reliable technical information. Please do stop it and don't confuse future sufferes. Pentax won't react but the cure is pretty obvious. Sand your solenoid the propper way and you'll be ok. My K-S1, being surgeried in January 2017, still is flawlessly working.

05-02-2018, 08:35 AM	#703
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	Originally posted by jeallen01 I was also puzzled for the same reason, and I will enquire as to what they had to do I've just phoned up Asahi Photo to query what he meant about "packing" the white solenoid - but it appears that I must have misheard/misinterpreted what he said. Seems that he did not have to do anything to the replacement white one - but just cleaned up the area around it to ensure there was no dust, etc., there.! A related thing that he said was that sometimes dust does get between the faces of the solenoid magnet and the moving "keeper" and prevents correct operation - and so that's why they did the cleaning. In my "defence" I can only say that I was not feeling very well when I collected the camera because of the 2nd (!) knee now having signs of arthritis, and so walking was difficult and painful - although it does seem to be getting somewhat better now.

05-26-2018, 03:16 PM	#704
Probablyknot New Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 21	Hi all, I experienced this aperture block failure on my K-30 twomonths ago and thanks to your forum was able to understand the issue and best solution; so THANKS to ALL. I decided to ask my Australian Pentax service agent what they would recommend if they looked at my camera and found that it was in fact this failure of a part and they offered to fix it for free if it was indeed this problem. I have just received my K-30 back and it has been fixed at no cost and it works again. They assured me they used genuine Japanese parts on it. So although there seems to be no official line from Pentax on this issue it is worth asking what their service agents will do about it. Thanks again and good luck.

05-26-2018, 03:41 PM	#705
jimboombapete New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Jimboomba QLD Posts: 24	Being in Oz myself, that is great to know. My K50 is still working fine (touch wood) but is good to know.