K30/K50 aperture update

paolo11 · 01-02-2017, 02:02 PM

I mailed out my K50 for the aperture control fix where I was getting dark images at a wide open aperture. When I asked the repair person about the fix, this was his response:

"For now we don't disclose exactly what our fix is. But we have done a fair amount of testing and measuring various circuits and mechanical forces related to the aperture control. Our fix is also a measured procedure, meaning we just don't just hack away at something and if it works then fine."

He currently discloses repairs for other cameras, but right now I guess he's making money on the Pentax models, so what he does will come later though he did tell me he's repaired about 25 cameras so far. It seems this is an on-going problem with the models as I get questions all the time.

Once I get back my camera I'll post how the repair went. If he can't repair it he mails it back. Pentax won't step up to the plate and repair the cameras as they know it's their problem.

Paolo

**clackers** · 01-02-2017, 02:23 PM

The issue is it happens to a minority of the cameras with that aperture block, Paolo.

I have a K-x, K-30 and K-S2, but they're all fine.

We can argue of course about what percentage that minority is.

We can agree that it is frustrating if it occurs, because it's not like when the shutter stops working because of so many actuations. It can happen with very little use.

paolo11 · 01-02-2017, 02:44 PM

I agree in part, but the problem it seems was carried over to the K50 and Pentax knew they had a rash of failures with the K30. So what is the failure rate between these models and other? I'm sure it's top secret.

My wife had about 1100 actuations, and a weak battery when this happen (about 1/2 power). I've been reading about the various posted fixes, and they vary, reason I mailed it out to someone smarter then me on camera repairs.

They no longer use this type of aperture control, the K70 is different as told to me by Pentax.

reh321 · 01-02-2017, 03:20 PM

Originally posted by paolo11

I agree in part, but the problem it seems was carried over to the K50 and Pentax knew they had a rash of failures with the K30. So what is the failure rate between these models and other? I'm sure it's top secret.

My wife had about 1100 actuations, and a weak battery when this happen (about 1/2 power). I've been reading about the various posted fixes, and they vary, reason I mailed it out to someone smarter then me on camera repairs.

They no longer use this type of aperture control, the K70 is different as told to me by Pentax.

We have heard several times that the problem first occurred when the D-Lion battery was low, but we are also hearing that using the AA-adapter seems to delay the problem; another thread showed that the AA-adapter delivers a lower voltage than the D-Lion battery does
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/335391-battery-t...urst-rate.html
Supposedly the K-30 has the same innards as the K-01, but I don't remember reported issues with the K-01.So these pieces of "information" seem to conflict. I'm guessing that we could find various other collections of "information" also conflict. I don't know whether the smart, but secretive, people at Ricoh/Pentax have more understanding than we do. I am willing to believe that they honestly don't understand what causes this problem, aren't sure what QC testing is needed to avoid it, and don't feel they have a guaranteed mechanism for fixing it - they certainly don't want to get into the kind of problem Samsung did, when recalled-but-fixed systems exhibited the same explosive issue they were allegedly fixing.

jddwoods · 01-02-2017, 03:21 PM

Where did you mail it to? I would think Precision (if you are in the US) would be able to perform the repair and tell you what is being done, or has been done to the camera.

**pepperberry farm** · 01-02-2017, 03:22 PM

same thread, different day - not sure why this has not been deleted by admins...

paolo11 · 01-14-2017, 07:21 AM

I shipped my wife's K50 out to CA, and got it back a couple of days ago. Currently, the "fix' is not available, but the owner of the site (pentaxcamerarepair.com)will post it in the future, guess he's making some money. He's been in business for 20 years selling and repairing various makes of cameras, and has posted "how to repair" as he sells used parts. He also has a 100% rating on Ebay.
I did a lot of research on him, and couldn't find anything negative.

After the fix, he keeps the camera for a couple of days for testing before he mails it out. Nice guy, as I called him a few times, and he's easy to speak too.

He charges a flat rate of $100.00 plus shipping, and gives a year warranty. Took a bunch of shots, and the camera works fine. If it was my camera, I would have tried repairing it myself based on posted fixes in filing down the plunger, but my wife knows better. I've also noticed on Ebay that a seller from Japan sells the K30/K50 aperture block for $39.00 shipped, so if you screw up the fix, you can buy a new one thought it will probably fail down the line.

Congrads to those who fixed the problem using the excellent postings.

Paolo

krmitchell1055 · 01-14-2017, 07:52 AM

Originally posted by Not a Number

What do you mean? Nobody has reported that their cameras sent in for repair were sent back as unrepairable or the problem still existing even after servicing. There is one person in South Africa reporting that the problem has resurfaced some time after being "repaired". For the most part it appears that once repaired the problem doesn't re-occur.

The DIY repairs and 3rd party fixes are too recent and the sample size too small to gather any data points as to the longevity of these repairs.

I have had to have my k-30 repaired twice for this same aperture control problem. Once under warranty and once on my own dime.

paolo11 · 01-14-2017, 08:39 AM

Originally posted by krmitchell1055

I have had to have my k-30 repaired twice for this same aperture control problem. Once under warranty and once on my own dime.

What was the time frame between repairs and approx. number of shots? Didn't the first repair come with a warranty? The problem with the repair (if done by authorized Pentax repair) is that they use the same aperture block which has the original problem (?)

I agree with the original post.

**niceshot** · 01-14-2017, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by paolo11

"This repair service applies to the repair of aperture control block failure in several Pentax DSLR models including the K-30, K-50, K-r, K-x, K100D, and most older istD models. This list may not be complete. Aperture control block failure is most common in the K-30."

The company called dslrparts has been around for a long time. Recently, they have set up Pentax camera repair. Above, is a cut and paste from their web site. I called and sent e-mail, and got a response. I mentioned what others have posted about the fix, horse shoe magnet.

They won't disclose what they do, that's okay as it's their business. Before I mail out my wife's K50, I want to talk with them. But I noticed my aperture is stuck on a small F setting like F18, and when going to F5.6, it's still small. Using "sports mode", it fixes the problem, but after turning off/on, scenario repeats. This is all they do, fix Pentax aperture problems. so Pentax has known about this problem for years.

I've bought 4 Pentax cameras in the past 4.5 yrs, now i wonder?

Could also be the shutter block, in which case the solenoid fix wont work.

---------- Post added 01-14-17 at 03:19 PM ----------

I have come to the conclusion that it is best to store the camera in the upright position when not using it. The reason is that every camera gets a certain amount of grit in it, so by keeping it in the upright position you dont get the grit where it doesn't belong. And if any one doubts that you have grit in your camera then by all means get a loupe and a flashlight and look in the mirror box you will be horrified.

paolo11 · 01-14-2017, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by niceshot

Could also be the shutter block, in which case the solenoid fix wont work.

---------- Post added 01-14-17 at 03:19 PM ----------

I have come to the conclusion that it is best to store the camera in the upright position when not using it. The reason is that every camera gets a certain amount of grit in it, so by keeping it in the upright position you dont get the grit where it doesn't belong. And if any one doubts that you have grit in your camera then by all means get a loupe and a flashlight and look in the mirror box you will be horrified.

Unfortunately, I don't know what the fix was. It seems so far that people are repairing the aperture block that uses a solenoid.

penguinsoda · 01-24-2017, 07:33 PM

Originally posted by paolo11

I shipped my wife's K50 out to CA, and got it back a couple of days ago. Currently, the "fix' is not available, but the owner of the site (pentaxcamerarepair.com)will post it in the future, guess he's making some money. He's been in business for 20 years selling and repairing various makes of cameras, and has posted "how to repair" as he sells used parts. He also has a 100% rating on Ebay.
I did a lot of research on him, and couldn't find anything negative.

After the fix, he keeps the camera for a couple of days for testing before he mails it out. Nice guy, as I called him a few times, and he's easy to speak too.

He charges a flat rate of $100.00 plus shipping, and gives a year warranty. Took a bunch of shots, and the camera works fine. If it was my camera, I would have tried repairing it myself based on posted fixes in filing down the plunger, but my wife knows better. I've also noticed on Ebay that a seller from Japan sells the K30/K50 aperture block for $39.00 shipped, so if you screw up the fix, you can buy a new one thought it will probably fail down the line.

Congrads to those who fixed the problem using the excellent postings.

Paolo

So he was able to repair it? Still haven't done anything with mine. Wildflower season in the desert is coming up and we've had a lot of rain so it should be a spectacular season. I still have my ist D that works but would like to have my K50 up and running again.

**patrick9** · 01-25-2017, 04:40 AM

Originally posted by penguinsoda

So he was able to repair it?

He fixed my K-30.It worked like new. Till it fell off the tripod and fell about 4 feet to a hard wood floor. Note cameras do not like those type of sudden stops. It now has a host of other issues.
I had considered trying to fix it myself , but thought for a hundred bucks I would try him. Glad I did I only wish he could fix my camera now. Alas not to be. I think the motherboard has been cracked in the fall, from the way it acts now. That was my fault, I do recommend letting Mark fix the aperture block if you are not sure about doing it yourself.

paolo11 · 01-25-2017, 07:50 AM

Just a brief update, it's the plunger part he fixed, and that's what is for sale on Ebay, I was corrected by a previous post. Currently, this is all he repairs on the Pentax cameras.

My wife has taken a slew of shots, and it works perfectly. I like the year warranty part.

My wife really loves her K50 as she has small hands, and the camera is small and light, and has some nice features especially LV. I can understand why you miss yours.

Not a Number · 01-25-2017, 08:03 AM

Originally posted by paolo11

Just a brief update, it's the plunger part he fixed, and that's what is for sale on Ebay, I was corrected by a previous post. Currently, this is all he repairs on the Pentax cameras.

Do you know that for sure? I thought you said he would not say specifically what components he repairs/replaces in the k-50/30..

01-02-2017, 02:02 PM	#31
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	K30/K50 CA fix I mailed out my K50 for the aperture control fix where I was getting dark images at a wide open aperture. When I asked the repair person about the fix, this was his response: "For now we don't disclose exactly what our fix is. But we have done a fair amount of testing and measuring various circuits and mechanical forces related to the aperture control. Our fix is also a measured procedure, meaning we just don't just hack away at something and if it works then fine." He currently discloses repairs for other cameras, but right now I guess he's making money on the Pentax models, so what he does will come later though he did tell me he's repaired about 25 cameras so far. It seems this is an on-going problem with the models as I get questions all the time. Once I get back my camera I'll post how the repair went. If he can't repair it he mails it back. Pentax won't step up to the plate and repair the cameras as they know it's their problem. Paolo

01-14-2017, 07:21 AM	#37
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	K50 CA aperture block repair I shipped my wife's K50 out to CA, and got it back a couple of days ago. Currently, the "fix' is not available, but the owner of the site (pentaxcamerarepair.com)will post it in the future, guess he's making some money. He's been in business for 20 years selling and repairing various makes of cameras, and has posted "how to repair" as he sells used parts. He also has a 100% rating on Ebay. I did a lot of research on him, and couldn't find anything negative. After the fix, he keeps the camera for a couple of days for testing before he mails it out. Nice guy, as I called him a few times, and he's easy to speak too. He charges a flat rate of $100.00 plus shipping, and gives a year warranty. Took a bunch of shots, and the camera works fine. If it was my camera, I would have tried repairing it myself based on posted fixes in filing down the plunger, but my wife knows better. I've also noticed on Ebay that a seller from Japan sells the K30/K50 aperture block for $39.00 shipped, so if you screw up the fix, you can buy a new one thought it will probably fail down the line. Congrads to those who fixed the problem using the excellent postings. Paolo

01-25-2017, 07:50 AM	#44
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	K50 CA repair Just a brief update, it's the plunger part he fixed, and that's what is for sale on Ebay, I was corrected by a previous post. Currently, this is all he repairs on the Pentax cameras. My wife has taken a slew of shots, and it works perfectly. I like the year warranty part. My wife really loves her K50 as she has small hands, and the camera is small and light, and has some nice features especially LV. I can understand why you miss yours.

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01-02-2017, 02:23 PM	#32
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	The issue is it happens to a minority of the cameras with that aperture block, Paolo. I have a K-x, K-30 and K-S2, but they're all fine. We can argue of course about what percentage that minority is. We can agree that it is frustrating if it occurs, because it's not like when the shutter stops working because of so many actuations. It can happen with very little use.

01-02-2017, 02:44 PM	#33
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	I agree in part, but the problem it seems was carried over to the K50 and Pentax knew they had a rash of failures with the K30. So what is the failure rate between these models and other? I'm sure it's top secret. My wife had about 1100 actuations, and a weak battery when this happen (about 1/2 power). I've been reading about the various posted fixes, and they vary, reason I mailed it out to someone smarter then me on camera repairs. They no longer use this type of aperture control, the K70 is different as told to me by Pentax.

01-02-2017, 03:20 PM	#34
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by paolo11 I agree in part, but the problem it seems was carried over to the K50 and Pentax knew they had a rash of failures with the K30. So what is the failure rate between these models and other? I'm sure it's top secret. My wife had about 1100 actuations, and a weak battery when this happen (about 1/2 power). I've been reading about the various posted fixes, and they vary, reason I mailed it out to someone smarter then me on camera repairs. They no longer use this type of aperture control, the K70 is different as told to me by Pentax. We have heard several times that the problem first occurred when the D-Lion battery was low, but we are also hearing that using the AA-adapter seems to delay the problem; another thread showed that the AA-adapter delivers a lower voltage than the D-Lion battery does https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/335391-battery-t...urst-rate.html Supposedly the K-30 has the same innards as the K-01, but I don't remember reported issues with the K-01.So these pieces of "information" seem to conflict. I'm guessing that we could find various other collections of "information" also conflict. I don't know whether the smart, but secretive, people at Ricoh/Pentax have more understanding than we do. I am willing to believe that they honestly don't understand what causes this problem, aren't sure what QC testing is needed to avoid it, and don't feel they have a guaranteed mechanism for fixing it - they certainly don't want to get into the kind of problem Samsung did, when recalled-but-fixed systems exhibited the same explosive issue they were allegedly fixing.

01-02-2017, 03:21 PM	#35
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	Where did you mail it to? I would think Precision (if you are in the US) would be able to perform the repair and tell you what is being done, or has been done to the camera.

01-02-2017, 03:22 PM	#36
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,656	same thread, different day - not sure why this has not been deleted by admins...

01-14-2017, 07:52 AM	#38
krmitchell1055 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Springdale, Arkansas Photos: Gallery Posts: 168	Originally posted by Not a Number What do you mean? Nobody has reported that their cameras sent in for repair were sent back as unrepairable or the problem still existing even after servicing. There is one person in South Africa reporting that the problem has resurfaced some time after being "repaired". For the most part it appears that once repaired the problem doesn't re-occur. The DIY repairs and 3rd party fixes are too recent and the sample size too small to gather any data points as to the longevity of these repairs. I have had to have my k-30 repaired twice for this same aperture control problem. Once under warranty and once on my own dime.

01-14-2017, 08:39 AM	#39
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	Originally posted by krmitchell1055 I have had to have my k-30 repaired twice for this same aperture control problem. Once under warranty and once on my own dime. What was the time frame between repairs and approx. number of shots? Didn't the first repair come with a warranty? The problem with the repair (if done by authorized Pentax repair) is that they use the same aperture block which has the original problem (?) I agree with the original post.

01-14-2017, 01:14 PM	#40
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,564	Originally posted by paolo11 "This repair service applies to the repair of aperture control block failure in several Pentax DSLR models including the K-30, K-50, K-r, K-x, K100D, and most older istD models. This list may not be complete. Aperture control block failure is most common in the K-30." The company called dslrparts has been around for a long time. Recently, they have set up Pentax camera repair. Above, is a cut and paste from their web site. I called and sent e-mail, and got a response. I mentioned what others have posted about the fix, horse shoe magnet. They won't disclose what they do, that's okay as it's their business. Before I mail out my wife's K50, I want to talk with them. But I noticed my aperture is stuck on a small F setting like F18, and when going to F5.6, it's still small. Using "sports mode", it fixes the problem, but after turning off/on, scenario repeats. This is all they do, fix Pentax aperture problems. so Pentax has known about this problem for years. I've bought 4 Pentax cameras in the past 4.5 yrs, now i wonder? Could also be the shutter block, in which case the solenoid fix wont work. ---------- Post added 01-14-17 at 03:19 PM ---------- I have come to the conclusion that it is best to store the camera in the upright position when not using it. The reason is that every camera gets a certain amount of grit in it, so by keeping it in the upright position you dont get the grit where it doesn't belong. And if any one doubts that you have grit in your camera then by all means get a loupe and a flashlight and look in the mirror box you will be horrified.

01-14-2017, 02:40 PM	#41
paolo11 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 115 Original Poster	Originally posted by niceshot Could also be the shutter block, in which case the solenoid fix wont work. ---------- Post added 01-14-17 at 03:19 PM ---------- I have come to the conclusion that it is best to store the camera in the upright position when not using it. The reason is that every camera gets a certain amount of grit in it, so by keeping it in the upright position you dont get the grit where it doesn't belong. And if any one doubts that you have grit in your camera then by all means get a loupe and a flashlight and look in the mirror box you will be horrified. Unfortunately, I don't know what the fix was. It seems so far that people are repairing the aperture block that uses a solenoid.

01-24-2017, 07:33 PM	#42
penguinsoda Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: So Cal Desert Posts: 124	Originally posted by paolo11 I shipped my wife's K50 out to CA, and got it back a couple of days ago. Currently, the "fix' is not available, but the owner of the site (pentaxcamerarepair.com)will post it in the future, guess he's making some money. He's been in business for 20 years selling and repairing various makes of cameras, and has posted "how to repair" as he sells used parts. He also has a 100% rating on Ebay. I did a lot of research on him, and couldn't find anything negative. After the fix, he keeps the camera for a couple of days for testing before he mails it out. Nice guy, as I called him a few times, and he's easy to speak too. He charges a flat rate of $100.00 plus shipping, and gives a year warranty. Took a bunch of shots, and the camera works fine. If it was my camera, I would have tried repairing it myself based on posted fixes in filing down the plunger, but my wife knows better. I've also noticed on Ebay that a seller from Japan sells the K30/K50 aperture block for $39.00 shipped, so if you screw up the fix, you can buy a new one thought it will probably fail down the line. Congrads to those who fixed the problem using the excellent postings. Paolo So he was able to repair it? Still haven't done anything with mine. Wildflower season in the desert is coming up and we've had a lot of rain so it should be a spectacular season. I still have my ist D that works but would like to have my K50 up and running again.

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01-25-2017, 04:40 AM	#43
patrick9 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,458	Originally posted by penguinsoda So he was able to repair it? He fixed my K-30.It worked like new. Till it fell off the tripod and fell about 4 feet to a hard wood floor. Note cameras do not like those type of sudden stops. It now has a host of other issues. I had considered trying to fix it myself , but thought for a hundred bucks I would try him. Glad I did I only wish he could fix my camera now. Alas not to be. I think the motherboard has been cracked in the fall, from the way it acts now. That was my fault, I do recommend letting Mark fix the aperture block if you are not sure about doing it yourself.

01-25-2017, 08:03 AM	#45
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by paolo11 Just a brief update, it's the plunger part he fixed, and that's what is for sale on Ebay, I was corrected by a previous post. Currently, this is all he repairs on the Pentax cameras. Do you know that for sure? I thought you said he would not say specifically what components he repairs/replaces in the k-50/30..