Originally posted by Jason Borne I know this is an old thread and I shouldn't pick at an old wound but I'm not known for always doing the right thing.
I wrote ricoh this past summer (I was nice) but got no response. I love or rather, loved my k50 but now am disenchanted with the brand. Would I buy another pentax and take that risk? No, not likely.
I keep hoping to find some miracle procedure on this fourm to save the camera, but alas..no.
A new camera is in the works but will most likely be something other than pentax.
Too bad.
Well, the miracle you so much wished
had already long time happened in this forum
A few members still think it is is some aperture motor (there are no motors!) but it isn't, the Pentax K30; K50 and others work with a small magnetic switch called solenoid. And it is this tiny device which is of inferior quality and needs to be replaced.
Originally posted by Will in Seattle I was told the issue is caused by "a newly-designed part that is installed," which is no help for you DIYers out there, but at least you know Ricoh is aware of the problem and is showing at a degree of willingness to make it right.
The issue is for sure caused
by a part that is installed, but this part is for sure not newly designed
but was used in old Pentax bodies already.
Ricoh fixes the problem, yes.
But they used to fix it by exchanging the complete aperture-board including the solenoid, because then they didn't know what actually was the problem.
Only after many DIY researchers finally located the problem to this tiny solenoid malfunctioning, Ricoh changed their repair solution as well and now exchange just the solenoid against a new (green) one.
There is nothing new designed, no magic, no voodoo!
DIY'ers still have the best solution which is to find or buy the original "made in Japan" white solenoid which is of superior quality and use it instead of the green coloured "made in China" version which can break again.