Survey with shutter count and aperture block or shutter failure.

reh321 · 08-13-2016, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by Nessie

I kid you not, my k-30 started taking extremely underexposed pictures a couple of hours after I filled the questionnaire. Shooting continuously 4-5 shots fixes the problem, but the dark pictures are back again as soon as the camera is off for 10 minutes. The 2-year guarantee already expired, so I'm keeping the camera as it is for now.

After Photokina I'll decide what's next. I briefly flirted with the idea of getting a Fuji, but I'm now pretty sure that my next camera will still be a Pentax.

I believe the anecdotal evidence is that the "burst" solution will eventually cause a motor to fail.
I believe a better solution is to use M42-mount lenses .... at least, that is why I keep a couple of them and an adapter in my bag.

Jlpastrana · 08-13-2016, 09:54 AM

I have the Aperture block failure ... K-30

m42man · 08-13-2016, 01:24 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Nessie

I kid you not, my k-30 started taking extremely underexposed pictures a couple of hours after I filled the questionnaire. Shooting continuously 4-5 shots fixes the problem, but the dark pictures are back again as soon as the camera is off for 10 minutes. The 2-year guarantee already expired, so I'm keeping the camera as it is for now.

After Photokina I'll decide what's next. I briefly flirted with the idea of getting a Fuji, but I'm now pretty sure that my next camera will still be a Pentax.

After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT.

Architecture · 08-13-2016, 02:45 PM

K-50 purchased 6/1/2015 (That's June 1st).

Shutter count is now 4952, no perceived issues yet.

reh321 · 08-13-2016, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by m42man

After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT.

You have to be aware that Pentax may not be any worse than any other camera company. As I have already said here multiple times, I made the natural transition from Canon film to Canon Digital Rebel; I'm a low count user, so it took me over seven years to do this, but I went through two Rebels, each had processor issues, and had a total shutter count of under 5K {and if you think Canon was any more helpful than Pentax ...}

Nessie · 08-14-2016, 02:09 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by m42man

After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT.

Well, it can happen. My Pentax k-30 is not the first electronic device that failed on me and many more will in the future. Am I very angry that the camera failed after only 30 months? Of course I am, but I'm also fully aware that this can happen with any manufacturer.
It's sad to say, but today's electronics are not built to last. Nowadays we're trading product longevity for increasingly cheaper prices, and you know what? Most consumers don't even notice because they buy a new "improved and impressively better" device before the old one reaches the end of its progressively shorter life cycle.

I don't own many lenses (DA 18-135 WR and DA 50), so jumping ship would be very easy, but I loved my k30 so much I'm willing to give Pentax another chance. There's even a small part of me who's secretly happy that the k30 doesn't work properly anymore. I now have an excuse for buying a K3ii or K1.

Nessie · 08-14-2016, 03:22 AM

Originally posted by reh321

I believe the anecdotal evidence is that the "burst" solution will eventually cause a motor to fail.
I believe a better solution is to use M42-mount lenses .... at least, that is why I keep a couple of them and an adapter in my bag.

Yeah, I know that it's not an optimal fix. I'm resigned to the fact that the camera is destined to fail completely in the near future.
I don't own an M42 lens, nor did I plan to buy any, but it's an alternative I'm willing to try. Thanks for the tip

Danielson · 08-14-2016, 03:29 AM

Camera: PENTAX K-30
Shutter Count 10,051
Manufacture Date 09/11/2012
Purchased 20/12/2012

I started having a few problems last year but them seemed to resolve themselves but earlier this month I now can't control the aperture on any of my lenses! I do have some nice manual lenses so have to stick with them, which isn't too bad as a lot of the manual lenses are very good!

m42man · 08-14-2016, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by Danielson

Camera: PENTAX K-30
Shutter Count 10,051
Manufacture Date 09/11/2012
Purchased 20/12/2012

I started having a few problems last year but them seemed to resolve themselves but earlier this month I now can't control the aperture on any of my lenses! I do have some nice manual lenses so have to stick with them, which isn't too bad as a lot of the manual lenses are very good!

Plus the viewfinder/focusing-screen of the K-30/K-50 is particularly good, making manual focus a viable option - even nowadays, with millions of pixels and pixel-peeping. Still a bit of a bummer though...

richandfleur · 08-14-2016, 01:24 PM - **1 Like**

Let's be clear around the wording here, using manual aperture lenses is not a solution to the problem, it's a workaround to remove that task from the camera.

Also whilst failures do happen to other companies, what is Pentax doing about this one? How are they supporting their customers. Design/component failures happen, but it's how the company deals with this that counts.

reh321 · 08-14-2016, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by richandfleur

Also whilst failures do happen to other companies, what is Pentax doing about this one? How are they supporting their customers. Design/component failures happen, but it's how the company deals with this that counts.

Those people who keep promising to leave Pentax need to understand that Pentax is neither demonstratively better nor worse than the companies they might switch to.

obriendm · 08-14-2016, 02:39 PM

My K-30 just failed. Severely underexposed photos. Seemed to get better at first by overexposing 2 to 5 stops... then that strategy failed as well. Shutter count 9361, manufactured 2012.10.12. Have put that data into the survey.

I have enjoyed using the camera, have been with Pentax since purchasing a Spotmatic in high school (1977). Sooo.... I might try the eneloops strategy and see if that works, but I would expect the part to fully fail eventually. I read in the postings that Precision in CT is a popular repair shop. Any other repair shops proficient at this type of repair?

I was fortunate enough to have purchased a K-3 last month, so I am still shooting : }

Many thanks, Dave

richandfleur · 08-14-2016, 08:28 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by reh321

Those people who keep promising to leave Pentax need to understand that Pentax is neither demonstratively better nor worse than the companies they might switch to.

Why the urge to justify a failure by referring to the competition?
These products have failed, and Pentax hasn't done anything about it, if it's outside their 2 year standard warranty. That's the core issue to me. Not saying anyone else is better (as I'm not qualified to do so) but am saying that Pentax's response has not been good enough.

nocturnal · 08-14-2016, 09:02 PM

Camera PENTAX K-30
Shutter Count 5,640
Manufacture Date 2013:09:25 ( This was made a few months before I got it for a replacement direct from Pentax UK)

This was a replacement K30 as water got into my first one. I'm not sure if it has been acting up or not but no underexposure as yet.

It is worthy to note most of my photography is with K or M lenses. I have recently got an F*300 so I am hoping I don't get aperture block.

Has there been any analysis done yet on the correlation of failures and manufacture dates?

reh321 · 08-14-2016, 09:31 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by richandfleur

Why the urge to justify a failure by referring to the competition?
These products have failed, and Pentax hasn't done anything about it, if it's outside their 2 year standard warranty. That's the core issue to me. Not saying anyone else is better (as I'm not qualified to do so) but am saying that Pentax's response has not been good enough.

summary:

I expect the same level of service from Pentax than we see from other companies

You expect a higher level of service from Pentax than we see from other companies

I will not continue to volley this discussion back-and-forth over this same point.
You may continue talking about if you so desire.

08-13-2016, 01:24 PM - 1 Like	#168
m42man Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Southern England Posts: 623	Originally posted by Nessie I kid you not, my k-30 started taking extremely underexposed pictures a couple of hours after I filled the questionnaire. Shooting continuously 4-5 shots fixes the problem, but the dark pictures are back again as soon as the camera is off for 10 minutes. The 2-year guarantee already expired, so I'm keeping the camera as it is for now. After Photokina I'll decide what's next. I briefly flirted with the idea of getting a Fuji, but I'm now pretty sure that my next camera will still be a Pentax. After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT. Last edited by m42man; 08-13-2016 at 01:47 PM.

08-14-2016, 02:09 AM - 1 Like	#171
Nessie Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Ticino, Switzerland Posts: 45	Originally posted by m42man After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT. Well, it can happen. My Pentax k-30 is not the first electronic device that failed on me and many more will in the future. Am I very angry that the camera failed after only 30 months? Of course I am, but I'm also fully aware that this can happen with any manufacturer. It's sad to say, but today's electronics are not built to last. Nowadays we're trading product longevity for increasingly cheaper prices, and you know what? Most consumers don't even notice because they buy a new "improved and impressively better" device before the old one reaches the end of its progressively shorter life cycle. I don't own many lenses (DA 18-135 WR and DA 50), so jumping ship would be very easy, but I loved my k30 so much I'm willing to give Pentax another chance. There's even a small part of me who's secretly happy that the k30 doesn't work properly anymore. I now have an excuse for buying a K3ii or K1. Last edited by Nessie; 08-14-2016 at 03:06 AM. Reason: Edited vulgarity.

08-14-2016, 02:39 PM	#177
obriendm Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 158	shutter survey and K-30 aperture failure My K-30 just failed. Severely underexposed photos. Seemed to get better at first by overexposing 2 to 5 stops... then that strategy failed as well. Shutter count 9361, manufactured 2012.10.12. Have put that data into the survey. I have enjoyed using the camera, have been with Pentax since purchasing a Spotmatic in high school (1977). Sooo.... I might try the eneloops strategy and see if that works, but I would expect the part to fully fail eventually. I read in the postings that Precision in CT is a popular repair shop. Any other repair shops proficient at this type of repair? I was fortunate enough to have purchased a K-3 last month, so I am still shooting : } Many thanks, Dave

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08-13-2016, 09:42 AM	#166
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	Originally posted by Nessie I kid you not, my k-30 started taking extremely underexposed pictures a couple of hours after I filled the questionnaire. Shooting continuously 4-5 shots fixes the problem, but the dark pictures are back again as soon as the camera is off for 10 minutes. The 2-year guarantee already expired, so I'm keeping the camera as it is for now. After Photokina I'll decide what's next. I briefly flirted with the idea of getting a Fuji, but I'm now pretty sure that my next camera will still be a Pentax. I believe the anecdotal evidence is that the "burst" solution will eventually cause a motor to fail. I believe a better solution is to use M42-mount lenses .... at least, that is why I keep a couple of them and an adapter in my bag.

08-13-2016, 09:54 AM	#167
Jlpastrana New Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1	I have the Aperture block failure ... K-30

08-13-2016, 02:45 PM	#169
Architecture Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Texas Posts: 147	K-50 purchased 6/1/2015 (That's June 1st). Shutter count is now 4952, no perceived issues yet.

08-13-2016, 03:27 PM	#170
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	Originally posted by m42man After that experience, why are you now sure your next camera will be a Pentax? I love Pentax, but after my experience with the K-50 - similar to yours, it seems - there's no way I'd be buying another until I was satisfied they'd cured the problem. And that means OWNING UP TO IT. You have to be aware that Pentax may not be any worse than any other camera company. As I have already said here multiple times, I made the natural transition from Canon film to Canon Digital Rebel; I'm a low count user, so it took me over seven years to do this, but I went through two Rebels, each had processor issues, and had a total shutter count of under 5K {and if you think Canon was any more helpful than Pentax ...}

08-14-2016, 03:22 AM	#172
Nessie Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Ticino, Switzerland Posts: 45	Originally posted by reh321 I believe the anecdotal evidence is that the "burst" solution will eventually cause a motor to fail. I believe a better solution is to use M42-mount lenses .... at least, that is why I keep a couple of them and an adapter in my bag. Yeah, I know that it's not an optimal fix. I'm resigned to the fact that the camera is destined to fail completely in the near future. I don't own an M42 lens, nor did I plan to buy any, but it's an alternative I'm willing to try. Thanks for the tip

08-14-2016, 03:29 AM	#173
Danielson New Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 3	Camera: PENTAX K-30 Shutter Count 10,051 Manufacture Date 09/11/2012 Purchased 20/12/2012 I started having a few problems last year but them seemed to resolve themselves but earlier this month I now can't control the aperture on any of my lenses! I do have some nice manual lenses so have to stick with them, which isn't too bad as a lot of the manual lenses are very good!

08-14-2016, 12:16 PM	#174
m42man Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Southern England Posts: 623	Originally posted by Danielson Camera: PENTAX K-30 Shutter Count 10,051 Manufacture Date 09/11/2012 Purchased 20/12/2012 I started having a few problems last year but them seemed to resolve themselves but earlier this month I now can't control the aperture on any of my lenses! I do have some nice manual lenses so have to stick with them, which isn't too bad as a lot of the manual lenses are very good! Plus the viewfinder/focusing-screen of the K-30/K-50 is particularly good, making manual focus a viable option - even nowadays, with millions of pixels and pixel-peeping. Still a bit of a bummer though...

08-14-2016, 01:24 PM - 1 Like	#175
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	Let's be clear around the wording here, using manual aperture lenses is not a solution to the problem, it's a workaround to remove that task from the camera. Also whilst failures do happen to other companies, what is Pentax doing about this one? How are they supporting their customers. Design/component failures happen, but it's how the company deals with this that counts.

08-14-2016, 01:49 PM	#176
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	Originally posted by richandfleur Also whilst failures do happen to other companies, what is Pentax doing about this one? How are they supporting their customers. Design/component failures happen, but it's how the company deals with this that counts. Those people who keep promising to leave Pentax need to understand that Pentax is neither demonstratively better nor worse than the companies they might switch to.

08-14-2016, 08:28 PM - 1 Like	#178
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	Originally posted by reh321 Those people who keep promising to leave Pentax need to understand that Pentax is neither demonstratively better nor worse than the companies they might switch to. Why the urge to justify a failure by referring to the competition? These products have failed, and Pentax hasn't done anything about it, if it's outside their 2 year standard warranty. That's the core issue to me. Not saying anyone else is better (as I'm not qualified to do so) but am saying that Pentax's response has not been good enough.

08-14-2016, 09:02 PM	#179
nocturnal Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 507	Camera PENTAX K-30 Shutter Count 5,640 Manufacture Date 2013:09:25 ( This was made a few months before I got it for a replacement direct from Pentax UK) This was a replacement K30 as water got into my first one. I'm not sure if it has been acting up or not but no underexposure as yet. It is worthy to note most of my photography is with K or M lenses. I have recently got an F*300 so I am hoping I don't get aperture block. Has there been any analysis done yet on the correlation of failures and manufacture dates?

08-14-2016, 09:31 PM - 1 Like	#180
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	Originally posted by richandfleur Why the urge to justify a failure by referring to the competition? These products have failed, and Pentax hasn't done anything about it, if it's outside their 2 year standard warranty. That's the core issue to me. Not saying anyone else is better (as I'm not qualified to do so) but am saying that Pentax's response has not been good enough. summary: I expect the same level of service from Pentax than we see from other companies You expect a higher level of service from Pentax than we see from other companies I will not continue to volley this discussion back-and-forth over this same point. You may continue talking about if you so desire.