[stevebrot]

The magnesium is inside, there is a plastic cover around it!

Hmmm...my black "classic" K-3 is painted magnesium.


Steve

[nicolaidenmark]

@bernhardn

What a beauty! Congratulations on your purchase.

Can you please share at least the first part of your serial number?

I am thinking about buying a K-3 (it will be my first Pentax or Ricoh camera) but I was holding on to see if the Prestige version is a completely new production run with the 'mirror flop' issues fully resolved.

PS. this is my first post here! I live in Athens, Greece and mainly use Olympus m43 bodies (E-M1 and e-M5) and lenses.

I'm with you on this one. I'd like a K-3, however, until the issues with the flipping mirror, card slots and flashes have been taken care of, I'm steering clear.

[bernhardn]

I didn't had any issue's with this one ( it replaced a classic with flapping mirror!!!)

[Arjay Bee]

Hmmm...my black "classic" K-3 is painted magnesium.

I think my Prestige is painted magnesium as well. The major body parts anyway.

One month in and almost 3500 images using all manner of body combinations including x synched 20 year old flash, gripped, ungripped, full and depleted batteries, and have had no problems. Improvements over K20D make all other possible eventualities well worth it...

[nicolaidenmark]

I didn't had any issue's with this one ( it replaced a classic with flapping mirror!!!)

How many shutter actuations so far? If they can fix the prestige model, I wonder why they haven't fixed the classic yet...

[stevebrot]

I wonder why they haven't fixed the classic yet...

Maybe they did and nobody told you.


Steve

[nicolaidenmark]

Maybe they did and nobody told you.


Steve

I meant solving the problem by means of a firmware update. While the firmware has been updated a couple of times, I still read about instances of mirror flopping with the current firmware. You are right that it would be more difficult to access whether or not the problem may have been resolved mechanically.

I really hope they have solved it, however, it seems to require more than just a firmware update.

[bernhardn]

How many shutter actuations so far? If they can fix the prestige model, I wonder why they haven't fixed the classic yet...

I shot only 700 foto's with it! but the first K3 started at 300!!! with flapping!

[nicolaidenmark]

Thank you for your reply.

[stevebrot]

I meant solving the problem by means of a firmware update.

Are you familiar with how the service center fix is done? Based on comments I have read from those who have had the fix done, the re-flash is at a level not accessible through the running firmware. It is unlikely that a firmware update will totally cure an effected camera without a service visit.

That being said, it is highly unlikely that the flaw is present in current K-3 production. That is the way these things work. A good example would be the sensor stains on the K-5. Those were quite common and Pentax fixed a lot of cameras, but was completely absent from later production.

I would suggest that you have done your research and are in the position to make a decision. Given your ambivalence, I would suggest a Nikon D7100 or Canon 7D Mk II instead.


Steve

[bernhardn]

Are you familiar with how the service center fix is done? Based on comments I have read from those who have had the fix done, the re-flash is at a level not accessible through the running firmware. It is unlikely that a firmware update will totally cure an effected camera without a service visit.

That being said, it is highly unlikely that the flaw is present in current K-3 production. That is the way these things work. A good example would be the sensor stains on the K-5. Those were quite common and Pentax fixed a lot of cameras, but was completely absent from later production.

I would suggest that you have done your research and are in the position to make a decision. Given your ambivalence, I would suggest a Nikon D7100 or Canon 7D Mk II instead.


Steve

These things can be solved by firmware, in my daily work we solve things like this and bigger by adding new firmware and the are copy machines! and the brand,...RICOH!
a lot of problems is a timing issue, for example we have a machine that in some conditions a motor keeps running and than blocks but there is still power on the motor witch could set the print on fire!!! it is fixed by new firmware.

[Kerrowdown]

Just received the Prestige Edition!

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.

[Arjay Bee]

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.

+1 :-)

[stevebrot]

These things can be solved by firmware, in my daily work we solve things like this and bigger by adding new firmware and the are copy machines! and the brand,...RICOH!

In my experience, component level flash memory is generally not directly accessible by the high level systems. This is by design.

The users on this site have sort of a naive fascination with firmware updates as the cure for hardware issues. When it can be done it is very cool. When this is not the case, there is a huge cry of foul, even when warranty service at Ricoh's expense has been offered as a solution.

I agree that the runaway mirror issue is probably due to failure of a timing/state management routine (poor fault tolerance coupled with nonexistent trapping for fault). This could be due to a defective component lot (most likely given that the problem is not universal) and/or poor configuration at some level.


Steve

[Marathonianbull]

Still no mirror flapping in Prestige-Land?