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03-08-2019, 05:00 AM   #841
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QuoteOriginally posted by photogem Quote
Try to find somebody (maybe a member here) who would be willing to repair it for you.

Otherwise, if you go the California way you have $ 100 + 2 x shipping costs and 1 year warranty. Maybe offer him to send the K30 there with a white solenoid?
Worth a try.


The problem is that Pentax Camera Repair in California does the sanding method. There have been reports of cameras having to be sent back because they failed again. But for lets say US$ 140 you get it cheaper than with PCR. I have no idea what they do but $ 212,50 is tough.
PCR charges a flat $212.50 for ALL repairs to the K-30 now! They either fix it for $212.50 or send it back as unrepairable.

03-08-2019, 05:36 AM   #842
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QuoteOriginally posted by steamloco76 Quote
PCR charges a flat $212.50 for ALL repairs to the K-30 now! They either fix it for $212.50 or send it back as unrepairable.
For that money you can get a used K5II if you search for a while. Which is better.
K5 even cheaper, AF is not quite as good but it has other advantages.
So before I would spend that money I'd go for one of those semi-professionals.
The only 2 disadvantages:
- no focuspeaking
- not PLM KAF-4 ready
None would bother me too much.
Or go for a used K3 (a bit larger but even superior AF).
03-17-2019, 06:01 AM   #843
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QuoteOriginally posted by photogem Quote
For that money you can get a used K5II if you search for a while. Which is better.
K5 even cheaper, AF is not quite as good but it has other advantages.
So before I would spend that money I'd go for one of those semi-professionals.
The only 2 disadvantages:
- no focuspeaking
- not PLM KAF-4 ready
None would bother me too much.
Or go for a used K3 (a bit larger but even superior AF).
I would still like to have my K-30 repaired once I have a white Japan manufactured solenoid in hand. I tried using my wife’s K-r for a bit, the very dim low magnification pentamirror viewfinder was unacceptable to me since I use telephoto zoom lenses much of the time.
My solution was to buy a very clean moderate shutter count K-s2 off an eBay seller. It came with two inexpensive lenses, a Pentax AF200GZ flash and two batteries for $305 including shipping. So far I absolutely love the camera! It has 19,560 shutter actuations but not one mark on it anywhere. Build date is 08/24/2016. According to what I’ve read, cameras built after 12/2015 have a much lower rate of failure due to a Ricoh design tweak. I’m picking up a spare white actuator to keep handy just in case.

Last edited by steamloco76; 03-17-2019 at 07:16 AM. Reason: Revised info
03-17-2019, 06:39 AM   #844
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Very simple solution:

Open your wife's K-r carefully, only the top: If it has the white solenoid in there, you could exchange this one with the green solenoid from your K30.
The green solenoid never failed in the flash*

This is an easy option. But never ever take the white solenoid out of the aperture mechanism (or only if you are willing to sacrifice the K-r).
It will not work with a green solenoid, even if the sanding/grinding method is applied.
At least thats what I found out with a working K-r: It immediately developed the mirror-flop problem!


* The green solenoid never failing in the flash-circuitry shows of course what nonsense the "failed capacitor theory" is!

If one understands how a capacitor behaves when o.k. of damaged, it must be obvious, that there can't be any self-healing magic nor any magic via crystall- or other oracle-balls:

If a K30 works with:

Eneloops
white solenoid
and even (for a while) with a sanded solenoid

how on earth did this capacitor all the sudden "repair itself"...

Of course there are socalled self-healing capacitors, but they either really "heal themselves" i.e they won't all the sudden "go on strike" when they smell "Li-Ion-battery-power" but all the sudden come alive when they smell "NiMH (Ene-loop) power" !

03-17-2019, 06:47 AM   #845
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K-S-2 Has same issue

The K-S2 Forum section has a cheap repair for this (between 80-100)...it's a magnet issue and is well -known. The Russians may have been using their time more efficiently by searching the forum itself. The same repair can be accomplished as the K-S series was a successor to the k-30/50 line.

Take a look, several repair companies have already repaired hundreds of Pentaxes with this issue. There is even a Do it Yourself explanation...
03-17-2019, 07:05 AM   #846
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Short question, can I find the white solenoid in the K10D? Someone offers one around here for a cheap price and I might proactively get it in case my K-S2 starts to fail...
03-17-2019, 07:10 AM   #847
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QuoteOriginally posted by ehrwien Quote
Short question, can I find the white solenoid in the K10D? Someone offers one around here for a cheap price and I might proactively get it in case my K-S2 starts to fail...
Check the K-S2 thread on black image...you can buy them...but the replacement by doing it yourself is cumbersome....probably be able to even pick up a spare or two on eBay.

03-17-2019, 07:12 AM   #848
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QuoteOriginally posted by Merv-O Quote
Check the K-S2 thread on black image...you can buy them...but the replacement by doing it yourself is cumbersome....probably be able to even pick up a spare or two on eBay.
Everything you have said is already in this thread.

03-17-2019, 07:15 AM   #849
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QuoteOriginally posted by slartibartfast01 Quote
Everything you have said is already in this thread.
Well in response to the K10D, I have not heard of the same failure in that camera. However, given its age, I would be concerned about the shutter going out itself (100k+) not the magnet.
03-17-2019, 07:18 AM   #850
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QuoteOriginally posted by Merv-O Quote
Well in response to the K10D, I have not heard of the same failure in that camera. However, given its age, I would be concerned about the shutter going out itself (100k+) not the magnet.
The poster does not want to change the solenoid in the K10D. He wants to salvage a white solenoid from it to repair his camera.

03-17-2019, 07:26 AM   #851
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QuoteOriginally posted by slartibartfast01 Quote
The poster does not want to change the solenoid in the K10D. He wants to salvage a white solenoid from it to repair his camera.
Exactly. And since it is offered at a price that is more attractive than for buying the solenoid itself, I figured it would be a good deal to make.

Do I understand it correctly that the K10D even has 2 of the "good" white solenoids, one in the flash unit and one in the aperture control block?
03-17-2019, 07:48 AM   #852
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QuoteOriginally posted by ehrwien Quote
Exactly. And since it is offered at a price that is more attractive than for buying the solenoid itself, I figured it would be a good deal to make.

Do I understand it correctly that the K10D even has 2 of the "good" white solenoids, one in the flash unit and one in the aperture control block?
Understood....thanks for the clarification.
03-17-2019, 08:06 AM - 1 Like   #853
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QuoteOriginally posted by ehrwien Quote
Exactly. And since it is offered at a price that is more attractive than for buying the solenoid itself, I figured it would be a good deal to make.

Do I understand it correctly that the K10D even has 2 of the "good" white solenoids, one in the flash unit and one in the aperture control block?
Have a look at this post
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/151-pentax-k-30-k-50/321871-k-30-k-50-aperture-block-failue-repair-solution-available-post4551998.html

03-17-2019, 05:12 PM - 1 Like   #854
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QuoteOriginally posted by ehrwien Quote
Exactly. And since it is offered at a price that is more attractive than for buying the solenoid itself, I figured it would be a good deal to make.

Do I understand it correctly that the K10D even has 2 of the "good" white solenoids, one in the flash unit and one in the aperture control block?
No, Pentax K10D, K20D and Samsung GX10/20 have only 1 solenoid. But it works perfectly. But a bad idea to sacrifice a working one because it is still a mighty good body. I prefer the K10D to the later K20D. There are plenty of damaged *ist bodies to be found on ebay. But if somebody offeres it with:
"Flash does not open" and "dark photos only" you should be alarmed.

Last edited by photogem; 03-18-2019 at 01:10 AM.
03-18-2019, 07:02 AM   #855
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The camera I'm after is offered with a damaged screen, but otherwise in working condition.

Would make for a nice second body / always-with-me-camera as long as my K-S2 is not affected by the "bug".
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