[NS_Sailor]

I own a K500 and this model is also prone to the same failure. Mine failed just after the manufacturers warranty expired with a little over 2500 clicks on the shutter.
I was lucky because I bought an extended warranty from the store where I bought the camera and was able to get the camera repaired. Without the extended warranty I would probably scrapped the body because it would have cost me more than the body was worth to have it repaired. $380 cad
Since having the camera repaired I have had no other issues with the camera. In fact it works better now than it did originally.

[stillshot2]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

[mee]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

That would be interesting, if true, as I notice a similar behavior by the older SDMs that failed on the DA* lenses... it seems the ones that were packed away for month long periods (or more) were more prone to failure of the motor.

[NS_Sailor]

I wouldn't say having iron core of the coil becoming magnetized would be the problem rather, after reading the most recent article on this survey and other posts, I suspect the failures are the result of not having sufficient or too much clearance in the plastic guide causing the core to jam. That is why people have been able to rectify the problem, at least temporarily, by lubricating, cleaning or fixing any damage to the surface of the guide.

---

Last edited by NS_Sailor; 10-11-2016 at 10:25 AM.

[m42man]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

Very much my experience. Mine has only a few hundred actuations, made mostly a couple of years ago, then a gap of about a year. Aperture control found to be kaput (all shots stopped down to minimum aperture).

I think the conclusion is, if you want to keep the camera working as it should, use it regularly.

[NS_Sailor]

Very much my experience. Mine has only a few hundred actuations, made mostly a couple of years ago, then a gap of about a year. Aperture control found to be kaput (all shots stopped down to minimum aperture).

I think the conclusion is, if you want to keep the camera working as it should, use it regularly.

You may be correct but the bottom line should be that the aperture control shouldn't fail regardless of how much or how little the camera is used

[clackers]

Everyone, note that the results and conclusions are here:


Pentax Aperture Block Failure Survey Results - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

[Not a Number]

You may be correct but the bottom line should be that the aperture control shouldn't fail regardless of how much or how little the camera is used

That'll be the day when we can engineer mechanical (or even electronic) components that are failure proof.

"Let me put it this way Mr. Amer. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made an error or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definitions of the terms, fool-proof and incapable of error" - Stanley Kubrick's 2001: a Space Odyssey (1968)

[Sindiey]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

Interesting. I have the problem on my K30, but never leave my camera for a full month. Sometimes a week, maybe two (perhaps that's already 'long'). Although of course I don't take a lot of pictures every time i pick up my camera. So who knows..

Will try to send my camera for repair sometime this winter..

[NS_Sailor]

As I continue to read about this problem I'm becoming convinced that it could be a quality control issue with the supplier of the coil assembly as I doubt parts such as this are made "In House" by Ricoh. If Ricoh used multiple suppliers or switched suppliers to supply this part, this could explain why some don't seem to have an issue while others have experienced failures. One way to determine this would be to compare the body serial numbers for the failed units to units that haven't failed. From this information Ricoh, as part of their ISO-9001:2000 Quality Management System, should be able to get an idea when the breakdown in quality occurred, trace the failed part back to the supplier and where the part was manufactured.

[Gabriel82]

If you're looking at build quality as the prime factor, the K-3 or K-3ii is the best choice, imo.
The K-70 has a lot of latest advances, but it is a "consumer model" rather than a higher quality "semi-pro model."

Or in the used market, look for a K-5iis. Check the marketplace. The K5s and K3s are higher quality builds. The K-5 would have a sensor very much like the K-50 at 16mp, but have a better body. I don't think anyone has reported this issue happening in the K5s and K3s, only in the K-30s and K-50s.

thanks for the reply, yucatan--I indeed got a brand-new K-3 although I have yet to put it through its paces--but very much looking forward to it. I appreciate the information.

---------- Post added 10-15-16 at 10:42 AM ----------

As I continue to read about this problem I'm becoming convinced that it could be a quality control issue with the supplier of the coil assembly as I doubt parts such as this are made "In House" by Ricoh. If Ricoh used multiple suppliers or switched suppliers to supply this part, this could explain why some don't seem to have an issue while others have experienced failures. One way to determine this would be to compare the body serial numbers for the failed units to units that haven't failed. From this information Ricoh, as part of their ISO-9001:2000 Quality Management System, should be able to get an idea when the breakdown in quality occurred, trace the failed part back to the supplier and where the part was manufactured.

I'm convinced you're right NS_Sailor, as Ricoh has a track record going back to 2000 on its cd/dvd media of outsourcing that to Taiwan and most recently, China. Although it may not seem related, the RICOHJPN media used to be some of the cheapest media to buy and yet some of the best to burn provided someone had the right cd/dvd burner (like a Pioneer)...but once they switched their production almost exclusively to China, a LOT of shortcuts were taken to the point it's become junk media or at best barely average. To have that philosophy on hand means the company's willing to take shortcuts elsewhere so it's definitely a quality-control problem, as I can pick up a Canon prosumer model I barely use compared to my Pentax and it always works without problems. In contrast, I used my K-50 regularly for me to where I was averaging 3-4 pictures a day, so if 'infrequent use' were the culprit, I eliminated that. It's clearly and obviously defective manufacturing/lack of proper quality control, as my K-200 never had that trouble and I put 4x the actuations on it without nary a trouble. The K-50 model was obviously flawed and either someone got a good one or got a lemon.

[NS_Sailor]

thanks for the reply, yucatan--I indeed got a brand-new K-3 although I have yet to put it through its paces--but very much looking forward to it. I appreciate the information.

---------- Post added 10-15-16 at 10:42 AM ----------



I'm convinced you're right NS_Sailor, as Ricoh has a track record going back to 2000 on its cd/dvd media of outsourcing that to Taiwan and most recently, China. Although it may not seem related, the RICOHJPN media used to be some of the cheapest media to buy and yet some of the best to burn provided someone had the right cd/dvd burner (like a Pioneer)...but once they switched their production almost exclusively to China, a LOT of shortcuts were taken to the point it's become junk media or at best barely average. To have that philosophy on hand means the company's willing to take shortcuts elsewhere so it's definitely a quality-control problem, as I can pick up a Canon prosumer model I barely use compared to my Pentax and it always works without problems. In contrast, I used my K-50 regularly for me to where I was averaging 3-4 pictures a day, so if 'infrequent use' were the culprit, I eliminated that. It's clearly and obviously defective manufacturing/lack of proper quality control, as my K-200 never had that trouble and I put 4x the actuations on it without nary a trouble. The K-50 model was obviously flawed and either someone got a good one or got a lemon.

I definitely understand Gabriel82 what you are saying as I have had experienced more reliability issues with my K-500 and its predecessor K-R than I ever did with my K100D. I'm now waiting for the right time to jump to the K-3 but when I do I doubt if I will ever give up the old reliable K100D.
I just hope Ricoh management wakes up and makes an effort to improve the quality of their entry level product before they loose more longtime followers or fail to attract new customers to the Pentax brand.

[reh321]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

Well, here is another report of the failure occurring to a camera which had gone unused for several months

Greetings
I followed the directions in the first post. I did step 3 as I have no A or manual lenses. The aperture indeed stayed small. After firing off many rapid shots in Hi Burst mode, the problem seemed to correct itself and I end up with a perfectly sharp and exposed image.
If this is an aperture motor problem, would it likely to be glitchy on and off?
Of course my camera is well past warranty and probably not helpful was the fact the camera has sat unused for several months.
Based on experience or opinion, does anyone think that this is self-fixable?

[reh321]

It seems some people say the failure is happening to cameras that are not used very often, such that a piece within the aperture becomes magnetized and ceases to move. Can anyone confirm this? I don't have a super high shutter count but I do use my camera regularly and perhaps this is why I have no issue?

Well, here is another report of the failure occurring to a camera which had gone unused for several months

And here is a really egregious case.

I saw an awesome spider and grabbed my K-30 out of my closet, plugged in a freshly charged battery, and went to take a pic... completely dark. Switched to a different lens, also completely dark. Tried the lenses on my K-01, and they worked fine. Used the manual control and I was able to take some pics with the K-30, but the aperture is always stopped down completely. I can set it to f/2.8 and 30 seconds exposure and look at the front of the lens, and it never opens the aperture. Is this a common issue? What causes it, and how can it be repaired? This happens with three lenses I've tried so far, my 100/3.5 macro, my 18-55 kit lens, and my Tamron 28-75/2.8. This camera is basically brand new, I've hardly used it at all!

Am I boned?

Charles.

I have been using my K-30 partly with modern lenses and partly with M42 lenses so I'd be prepared if the aperture block failure ever did occur. I'm beginning to think that this procedure might hasten the day when M42 will be my only option.

[ChopperCharles]

Yeah, that's me. 3,574 shutter actuations, 3 years old, $500 down the drain. I'm beyond upset that a $500 camera lasted me a few days over three years. It's barely been used, and looks brand new. And yet, it's a paperweight. An expensive lump of garbage. I'm extremely sad and angry and pissed about this. If I didn't have so many Pentax lenses, I'd drop my mic and buy a Canon.

Charles.