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12-05-2015, 03:25 PM   #871
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QuoteOriginally posted by pinbalwyz Quote
The ad hominem attacks appearing in this forum are neither appreciated or productive. As it was, shortly after the release and purchase of the K-3, Pentax denied there was a problem (told me they hadn't heard of it) and had no "cure". After all, why would they have a cure for something they claimed they didn't believe existed?

I posted my opinion of the product and didn't expect a hash of recriminations for it. What I DID expect (but didn't get) was an answer to my question about whether there had been a recall by Pentax for a range of serial #'s in the K-3 and if this recall was independent of the "warranty" period.
If my response came across as an attack or an attempt at recrimination, I think it was mis-read (I've mis-read replies here before, I know it can happen) - and, FWIW, I saw no other replies that were like that (really, I didn't). For my part, I was actually trying to be helpful. Alas, I can't help with your recall / outside-of-warranty question, I'm afraid, otherwise I'd have responded in the way you expected. Hey, all I want is for you to be enjoying your camera and photography, and it just seemed to me like Pentax had been a thorn in your side since last year.

As I said before, I hope you get your issue sorted or find a brand you're happier with.


Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-05-2015 at 05:28 PM.
12-05-2015, 04:15 PM   #872
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QuoteOriginally posted by pinbalwyz Quote
What I DID expect (but didn't get) was an answer to my question about whether there had been a recall by Pentax for a range of serial #'s in the K-3 and if this recall was independent of the "warranty" period.
The K-3ii is subject to a serial number based recall for a hardware fault. The K-3 is not.

If your flapping issue has resulted in secondary damage to working mechanisms, you have a clear cut case for a warranty remedy. If the warranty period has expired it might be harder to make a claim but you should still argue the case, particularly if you have evidence the fault occurred within the warranty period, i.e. EXIF data from affected images.
12-05-2015, 05:29 PM   #873
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QuoteOriginally posted by pinbalwyz Quote
I posted my opinion of the product and didn't expect a hash of recriminations for it. What I DID expect (but didn't get) was an answer to my question about whether there had been a recall by Pentax for a range of serial #'s in the K-3 and if this recall was independent of the "warranty" period.
To the best of my knowledge the answer was and continues to be no (see above). Ricoh has not offered out-of-warranty service or replacement for any known K-3 issue nor have they offered an in-warranty service remedy for any issue based on serial number range*. If you need a more direct and authoritative answer, Ricoh/Pentax support would be your best source of information (see above for toll-free number).


Steve

* If they had, I would have been first in line with my symptom-free-but-still-under-extended-warranty camera.

Last edited by stevebrot; 12-05-2015 at 05:49 PM.
12-06-2015, 07:48 AM   #874
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QuoteOriginally posted by pinbalwyz Quote
As it was, shortly after the release and purchase of the K-3, Pentax denied there was a problem (told me they hadn't heard of it) and had no "cure".
I got this from them as well for many months. Then all of a sudden they said to bring it in for a re-flash. However, they never admitted to me that there was an actual problem. I was told 'Well, let's re-flash it. Maybe it got corrupted the first time' or something much to that effect. That was Ricoh USA and I had to take to a 3rd party service provider here in Canada (no Ricoh service presence in this country). I was told by the technician that did the job that there indeed was a new firmware distributed to them for the re-flash, but they were asked my Ricoh not to tell customers that it was new. He was ex-Pentax and said he hated working with Ricoh. I do not know what, if any, of this is true, or just the technician's sour-grapes rambling, but I have not had the issue since the re-flash.

02-04-2016, 02:25 PM   #875
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I know that I am late for this thread but I can't find the "bad" serial numbers to avoid when I place my order later today (too many pages ! )
Can someone direct me where this is ?
Thanks !!

JP
Edit: I did find (in the fist page of this thread) the first series of serial numbers to avoid, but are there more?
Also, is there a sure way to test the camera for the "syndrome" once I have it in my hands?

Last edited by jpzk; 02-04-2016 at 02:59 PM.
02-04-2016, 03:15 PM   #876
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QuoteOriginally posted by jpzk Quote
I know that I am late for this thread but I can't find the "bad" serial numbers to avoid when I place my order later today (too many pages ! )
Can someone direct me where this is ?
Thanks !!

JP
Edit: I did find (in the fist page of this thread) the first series of serial numbers to avoid, but are there more?
Also, is there a sure way to test the camera for the "syndrome" once I have it in my hands?
For me the problem used to occur when doing movie time lapses. It has discourraged me and I moved on to another device for this purpose.

Even though the latest firmware would stop the craziness, the timelapse would still be ruined.

Hope this helps
02-04-2016, 03:24 PM   #877
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QuoteOriginally posted by mamethot Quote
For me the problem used to occur when doing movie time lapses. It has discourraged me and I moved on to another device for this purpose.

Even though the latest firmware would stop the craziness, the timelapse would still be ruined.

Hope this helps
Thanks for your reply, Marc-Antoine.

Well, I am looking for the "bad" serial numbers before I place my order.
As I mentioned earlier, I found some in the first page of this thread but also wondering if there are more.

02-04-2016, 03:26 PM   #878
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Has anyone heard of the feature on the K3 II ?
02-04-2016, 04:13 PM   #879
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QuoteOriginally posted by mamethot Quote
Has anyone heard of the feature on the K3 II ?
I'm sure I recall hearing one report of mirror flap on the K3II, but that's all. I think we can be pretty confident that Ricoh dealt with the issue by now.
02-04-2016, 04:15 PM   #880
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QuoteOriginally posted by mamethot Quote
Has anyone heard of the feature on the K3 II ?
There are I think 2 threads regarding the k-3II mirror flap issue. I for one have experienced a mirror flap on my k-3II 3 weeks ago. However, the behavior is different from the k-3. My experience was with a continuous single shot mode when the mirror started flapping as if I was shooting at 8 fps. However, when I released the shutter button, it stopped. It only happened once and didn't occur again. I tortured test the camera the following week and it worked fine. I think all who had experienced the k-3II mirror flap have the same experience; only once and when the shutter button is released it stops.
02-04-2016, 04:18 PM   #881
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QuoteOriginally posted by totsmuyco Quote
There are I think 2 threads regarding the k-3II mirror flap issue. I for one have experienced a mirror flap on my k-3II 3 weeks ago. However, the behavior is different from the k-3. My experience was with a continuous single shot mode when the mirror started flapping as if I was shooting at 8 fps. However, when I released the shutter button, it stopped. It only happened once and didn't occur again. I tortured test the camera the following week and it worked fine. I think all who had experienced the k-3II mirror flap have the same experience; only once and when the shutter button is released it stops.
One of the threads is here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/308335-k3ii-mirror-flap-when-battery-low.html
02-04-2016, 05:53 PM   #882
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QuoteOriginally posted by mamethot Quote
For me the problem used to occur when doing movie time lapses. It has discourraged me and I moved on to another device for this purpose.

Even though the latest firmware would stop the craziness, the timelapse would still be ruined.

Hope this helps
There seems to have been two different ways Ricoh addressed the problem... The firmware update stifled the flap when it occurred but wasn't a full fix. Then they offered a free re-flash of the pROM as a fix for the problem. Clearly the firmware update is satisfactory for most, but there must be a bunch of K-3 out there that haven't received the pROM re-flash.

I was fortunate in being a member of this forum and read about the issue, so when it happened to my camera I recognized what was going on, and it went to Precision within the warranty period and got the fix.

How to tell if a specific used camera has had the re-flash? Don't know, though likely Ricoh (or Precision for USA service) has a record of the service and could say. I'm not confident that one could tell from a serial number list...
02-04-2016, 06:01 PM   #883
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dougg Quote
There seems to have been two different ways Ricoh addressed the problem... The firmware update stifled the flap when it occurred but wasn't a full fix. Then they offered a free re-flash of the pROM as a fix for the problem. Clearly the firmware update is satisfactory for most, but there must be a bunch of K-3 out there that haven't received the pROM re-flash.

I was fortunate in being a member of this forum and read about the issue, so when it happened to my camera I recognized what was going on, and it went to Precision within the warranty period and got the fix.

How to tell if a specific used camera has had the re-flash? Don't know, though likely Ricoh (or Precision for USA service) has a record of the service and could say. I'm not confident that one could tell from a serial number list...
@Dougg - out of interest, is there any difference between the firmware update and pROM re-flash? I assume there must be, otherwise Ricoh would simply have directed people to carry out the downloadable firmware update... But did anyone every quantify the difference between the two solutions? I only had the mirror flap once or twice on my K3 in the entire time I've owned it, so not an issue for me (no more so than glitches with any other technology I own, for sure).
02-04-2016, 07:03 PM   #884
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I didn't know this was also a thread for the K3II.

So .... anyone suggesting more "bad serial numbers" than the ones on page 1 of this thread?

For the K3, of course.

JP
02-04-2016, 07:07 PM   #885
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QuoteOriginally posted by jpzk Quote
I didn't know this was also a thread for the K3II.
You wouldn't have known that, because it's not - but it's quite understandable that it should have come up in this thread, given that the K3II is a revised version of the K3....

---------- Post added 02-05-2016 at 02:09 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by jpzk Quote
So .... anyone suggesting more "bad serial numbers" than the ones on page 1 of this thread?

For the K3, of course.
No. Not for the K3. The serial number range is well known.
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