[niels hansen]

Can anyone explain this? My K 30 has abf, but when I use continuous shooting, the abf very seldom occurs. Is this a "lucky punch"?

[Breakfastographer]

Can anyone explain this? My K 30 has abf, but when I use continuous shooting, the abf very seldom occurs. Is this a "lucky punch"?

Rumour has it you can "re-awaken" the solenoid for a while by shooting a larger number of frames first. Rumour also has it that this "trick" only works for so long before the failure is more long-term.

However, it has also been reported that shooting the camera regularly helps keep the solenoid alive. On the other hand, this may be an artefact because cameras that see much use may fail at a time they're expected to rather than long before the end of their shutter life. Meaning, if after 100k shots, your camera produces black frames, you might chalk it up to shutter failure and retire the camera without thinking too much about it.

Btw, using "optical preview" has the same effect as actually shooting frames. Just saves you deleting test images later. You may have to change your button settings to have optical preview available.

[marcusBMG]

ditto, I was using my KS-2 for a while, I reassigned the RAW/fx button to optical preview and pressing it a few times cleared the solenoid glitch. However longer term doing that can cause more significant problems with the aperture mechanisms. The fundamental solution is solenoid replacement which I did - it's not difficult.

[photogem]

Can anyone explain this? My K 30 has abf, but when I use continuous shooting, the abf very seldom occurs. Is this a "lucky punch"?

No, not a lucky punch really but a "tour de force", i.e. small sledgehammer method

Can lead to complete misalignment, I explained all in detail here:
Manual solenoid replacement Pentax K30 / Discharge flash-condenser / Solenoid choice - PentaxForums.com
So this isn't really just rumour but actual facts.


The solution by using optical preview is less critical.

I have a vague memory that there is a Danish member who repaired his, so if DIY is too difficult,

you might search for him:
Pentax K-70 dark photos - Page 3 - PentaxForums.com
Maybe ask member clackers.

[niels hansen]

now the k 30 is fixed with a white solenoid. thanks to this forum.

[photogem]

well done, and if you now install firmware 1.10

Running K-50 firmware on K-30 - PentaxForums.com
you have a better body than the stock K50!

The white Japan-solenoid actuates faster.

[niels hansen]

I didnot do it myself, I have 11 clumsy thumbs It was made by a danish forummember, erik. In the same run he updated the sofyware and cleaned the sencor

[photogem]

I did not do it myself, I have 11 clumsy thumbs. It was made by a danish forummember, erik. In the same run he updated the software and cleaned the sensor

Ah, it was Eric I mean't in my earlier post #4.

Now I remember!

So well done Eric!

[automorphism]

Rumour has it you can "re-awaken" the solenoid for a while by shooting a larger number of frames first. Rumour also has it that this "trick" only works for so long before the failure is more long-term.

Just want to add another datum point here, that my K50 recently got some dark frames, and by shooting a few rapid frames it cleared up. Now it's just random when it does it.

Also, interestingly, it only started doing that once I started using a Watson battery. Before that, other people reported that using AA batteries slowed the problem a bit, and I was using AA batteries as well.

I decided I probably won't fix mine, and instead just use lenses with aperture rings.

[photogem]

Just want to add another datum point here, that my K50 recently got some dark frames and by shooting a few rapid frames it cleared up.

BAD IDEA:
As I wrote in an earlier post (#4) in this thread, this method is not recommended and gave a link were the reasons are explained in all detail.
So I don't understand anybody recommends this method when it is known one shouldn't.

The new result:

Now it's just random when it does it.

is already a sign of things worsening.

If, then ONLY one should use the optical preview method which is less critical!

Also, interestingly, it only started doing that once I started using a Watson battery.

Before that, other people reported that using AA batteries slowed the problem a bit, and I was using AA batteries as well.

The problem is slowed sometimes but now always. I don't know if Watson batteries have a similar to Eneloops, but they cannot
trigger the problem, no chance, that is impossible.

I decided I probably won't fix mine, and instead just use lenses with aperture rings.

That is fine for those having such lenses available, but many who just use DA-Lenses and similar without aperture-ring are stuck.

[SharkyCA]

well done, and if you now install firmware 1.10

Running K-50 firmware on K-30 - PentaxForums.com
you have a better body than the stock K50!

The white Japan-solenoid actuates faster.

Just a question for you @Photogem,"after doing the repair, is there a new life expectancy, i.e.shutter counts to failure estimate?"
Would be good to know!

Cheers!

[Breakfastographer]

The problem is slowed sometimes but now always. I don't know if Watson batteries have a similar to Eneloops, but they cannot
trigger the problem, no chance, that is impossible.

I can confirm that Eneloops are not the cause. Used them a lot, and did not have a failure in that time.

[photogem]

Just a question for you @Photogem,"after doing the repair, is there a new life expectancy, i.e.shutter counts to failure estimate?"
Would be good to know!

Cheers!

I cannot comment on shuttercount, because aging depends on so many different factors such as handling/care, outdoors/indoors, weather/dust/salty air.
I have seen K30's with high shuttercount but well cared which I would trust more than those being either treated carelessly or just in rough conditions with less shuttercount. Low shuttercount can be (but must not, by all means!) one reason, why the solenoid is stuck.

But aside of all this:
1. The white Japan-Solenoid actuates faster and thus the mechanism runs maybe that bit better but this is more a (strong) guess than confirmed research!
2. The white Japan-Solenoid itself hardly fails. I would not even worry inserting a Japansolenoid from an *ist-D or any other DSLR with this solenoid with high shuttercount! In one of the K30's of my family is a solenoid from the shutter of such a K100D which had a bit over 30.000 actuations.
It's lifetime had to be 100.000 when Pentax expected such numbers as minimun for shuttercount!
But the lifetime of the green China-Solenoid is 20.000 actuations.

[Breakfastographer]

But the lifetime of the green China-Solenoid is 20.000 actuations.

I had not seen this figure before. What's the source?

[photogem]

I had not seen this figure before. What's the source?

Manufacturer's original paper!