[tonyzoc]

On power-on, Pentax dSLRs home the aperture control mechanism. On your camera, the aperture and mirror control are integrated. I'm not an expert, but suspect that something was nudged out of place during the repair or was in an indeterminate state after the repair. Were the wires switched by any chance resulting in reversed polarity on the solenoid?





Steve

I don't think so...the wires in place leave no extra length and it would be hard to get them back in their channels mixed...that said, I hope that's the issue because it would be easily fixable (assuming it hasn't cause other issues). I most suspect that wire 2, the one I had a hard time soldering, either broke off or melted something on the wire post mount (the plastic on the solenoid the wire post is connected to).

[photogem]

Simplicity can be helpful, if combined with experience, knowledge and logic:

1. Your K-S2 had been repaired previously in what others see as a nice neat job but actually is the very opposite, i.e. prepared for further problems up to disaster


2. You took on the task to repair it but things went wrong, partly due to to the disasterous work done by the California workshop:
a) Due to not only applying a wrong repair method i.e. sanding and filing the plunger but doing this work in the utmost wrong way the plunger did not hold proberly anymore but fell into your camera: This could have led to further damage
b) Due to your difficulties with soldering:
I guess you used a soldering-iron with a too large tip, because you hinted before that you had experience with disassembling cameras and lenses, so this kind of fine work would be something you know about and are prepared for?

3. As I have explained many many times: When one applies the rotten filing sanding method the complex mechanism can come into disorder, out of alignement up to

further damage.


The sound you presented which is not he SR came after the rotten sanded solenoid turned went faulty again!
I.e. the sound could possibly be linked to the complex mechanism having gone out of alignement!


Touching parts next to the solenoid with the soldering-iron* might result in damage to the solenoid (but then it won't actuate, i.e. the aperture stays closed!)
or, if one uses a way to large soldering tip and or is really bad in soldering one actually touches the white toothed wheel sitting on the right side but actually far enough away that this never should happen, yes, then one has done damage which could lead to results as you have it.
Of course this has zero connection to the motherboard, this is mainly mechanical and if electric, then linked with the optical sensor also sitting on the diaphragm control unit.

*something which does hardly happen if using the correct soldering iron and particular the correct tip, a good choice can be seen here:
Soldering Tip Series 102

I guess it is the mechanism of the diaphragm-control unit (DCU) which not only is out of alignement but messed up.
Replacing it is not worth it because it is very complicated, you had difficulties with soldering the solenoid which is peanuts comparted to the soldering involved in replacing the DCU.

So yes, we have to blame it on the solenoid and....
onto all the messing up that followed.
The history of this thread brings all the clarity we need


It is that simple!

[tonyzoc]

Simplicity can be helpful, if combined with experience, knowledge and logic:

1. Your K-S2 had been repaired previously in what others see as a nice neat job but actually is the very opposite, i.e. prepared for further problems up to disaster


2. You took on the task to repair it but things went wrong, partly due to to the disasterous work done by the California workshop:
a) Due to not only applying a wrong repair method i.e. sanding and filing the plunger but doing this work in the utmost wrong way the plunger did not hold proberly anymore but fell into your camera: This could have led to further damage
b) Due to your difficulties with soldering:
I guess you used a soldering-iron with a too large tip, because you hinted before that you had experience with disassembling cameras and lenses, so this kind of fine work would be something you know about and are prepared for?

3. As I have explained many many times: When one applies the rotten filing sanding method the complex mechanism can come into disorder, out of alignement up to

further damage.


The sound you presented which is not he SR came after the rotten sanded solenoid turned went faulty again!
I.e. the sound could possibly be linked to the complex mechanism having gone out of alignement!


Touching parts next to the solenoid with the soldering-iron* might result in damage to the solenoid (but then it won't actuate, i.e. the aperture stays closed!)
or, if one uses a way to large soldering tip and or is really bad in soldering one actually touches the white toothed wheel sitting on the right side but actually far enough away that this never should happen, yes, then one has done damage which could lead to results as you have it.
Of course this has zero connection to the motherboard, this is mainly mechanical and if electric, then linked with the optical sensor also sitting on the diaphragm control unit.

*something which does hardly happen if using the correct soldering iron and particular the correct tip, a good choice can be seen here:
Soldering Tip Series 102

I guess it is the mechanism of the diaphragm-control unit (DCU) which not only is out of alignement but messed up.
Replacing it is not worth it because it is very complicated, you had difficulties with soldering the solenoid which is peanuts comparted to the soldering involved in replacing the DCU.

So yes, we have to blame it on the solenoid and....
onto all the messing up that followed.
The history of this thread brings all the clarity we need


It is that simple!

I did use a fine point butane soldering pen, but it wasn't as good as the Weller I used to own. The Weller had a fine point and the tip got evenly hot...where the unit I used seemed to only melt the solder more on the side of the tip where it was hotter. Also, I did have flux core solder but maybe it wasn't the right kind of flux as it wasn't sticking to the wire end easily. I don't think the wires were copper...they were silver metal...maybe nickel or tin...not sure the makeup...but they may have needed more heat or a specific flux/solder combo. Anyway...I shipped the camera to Christian here in the forum and he said it works for video and he may give the solenoid a look and possibly retry. Btw...most of my experience is with mechanical cameras...and primarily Exaktas. With Pentax mechanicals I've only cleaned contacts or relubed escape mechanisms, etc...or K2 ASA dials...the easy stuff.

[photogem]

Thanks for the facts.

To bad:
A butane solering pen is ... well... not allowed, forbidden...!!!

Usually it is not a question fo "more heat" but it is the combination of 2 factors:

1. Low heat
2. Solder, which melts well with low heat

Good luck!

[tonyzoc]

Thanks for the facts.

To bad:
A butane solering pen is ... well... not allowed, forbidden...!!!

Usually it is not a question fo "more heat" but it is the combination of 2 factors:

1. Low heat
2. Solder, which melts well with low heat

Good luck!

Yeah I'd like a $500 soldering station but....

[ChristianRock]

I have the camera now... I was looking for something that does video and has a mic input so this works perfectly

I will open it up when I have the chance, and will have a look at the inside. I've already printed out the instructions and went over them and they seem very straight forward.

I also went through this thread (and the other one before that)... and saw the part where Tony talked about a strange noise when pressing the shutter half way. It also happens when the camera is in live view (or movie mode). I *think* it might be the manual stop down mechanism (that works with the mechanical lever), but I'm not sure. What I do know is that stopping the lens down manually doesn't work. The camera will only stop down lenses that have an A mode, when they are in A mode.

Tony thinks the white solenoid might be bad, or might have gone bad during the installation... he might be right, I don't know, but the lens are stopping down properly and with no issues when using the automated modes on an A-enabled lens... but the mirror (or submirror) definitely has issues. According to Steve Brot this is also connected to the solenoid, so I think it's worth opening it up and seeing if I can identify any issues. And no, I don't have experience with cameras, only a little bit with other types of electronic equipment... I do have a set if JIS screwdrivers and a solder that I can set the temperature, so I hope I'll be ok.

If it can't be fixed (or would be too expensive to fix) I'll just use it as a video camera, as my wife has a blog where she's wanted to do videos in the past, and more recently she asked me to help her with some training videos for her work with children. So at least the K-S2 will see some use
And wireless connection works well if I ever need that...

[photogem]

Check this:
Detection of aperture block/diaphragm-block failure/stuck solenoid K-30, K-50, K500 - PentaxForums.com

Sadly with the K-S2 (and K-S1 and K-70) you cannot see the solenoid in action, you would have to cut a window into the front part of the camera.
But particulare LiveView should give you indication if the solenoid does work or doesn't.

You can measure the impedance of the solenoid, it should be ca. 30ohms.

Checking the solenoid works only when taking it out:

solder 2 wires to it and a switch and connect the wires 4 x AA batteries or similar (the AA Adapter is good).
Then hold the solenoid and ask somebody to switch the switch for 1-3 sec: The plunger should now come out with ease.
If the plunger holds tighter, change polarity.
If then alright, change polarity of the solenoid when installing it again.

The mirror-up mechanism ... although linked with the aperture mechanism, is driven completly independent from the aperture block!
Both fire simultaniously, but yet independent. The mirror-up motor sits on the diaphragm block assembly but is neither electrically nor mechanically coupled into the mechanics of the solenoid.

[ChristianRock]

I think the solenoid is working fine - as I said in the previous post, the camera is stopping down the lenses in "A" mode - which is what the solenoid does. It's the manual lever for stopping down the lens based on the aperture ring position that's not working (in addition to the mirror which seems to be completely off), so there's other issues with the camera now.
But it all works well in Live View and in Movie mode, except for an extra mirror slap in Live View when taking a picture (there's now THREE mirror slaps instead of two).
I plan on opening up the camera to have a look sometime this week. Like Tony I have a DA 35 Limited Macro that is ready and willing to take some pictures of the innards if needed

[ChristianRock]

So, since I last posted in this thread, a couple things happened... first I opened the K-S2 to check the wirings, and it seems like after that the aperture block stopped working completely - no more lenses in A position in live view, like before. Everything is wide open.

Second, my main camera, the K-S1, now has the aperture issue. So I'm thinking, of course, of using the solenoid in this K-S2 to fix the K-S1... but before I do that, how can I tell if the solenoid itself is still good, or if it might be the cause for the K-S2 problems after Tony put it in? Do I risk losing the K-S1 by putting this solenoid in it?

[photogem]

No, you won't risk anything doing that.
You can test the solenoid when it is out of the K-S2:
1. Measure its impedance, should be ca. 30 ohms/DC
2. Apply for a short time 6V (2 x CR2 batteries for example), which should give you those two results:
a) the plunger pulls even stronger (wrong polarity)
b) the plunger gets released (correct polarity)

If the solenoid would be damaged, it would most likely give no impedance-reading, i.e. the coils are damaged.

Just an impedance test plus should do it.

[ChristianRock]

No, you won't risk anything doing that.
You can test the solenoid when it is out of the K-S2:
1. Measure its impedance, should be ca. 30 ohms/DC
2. Apply for a short time 6V (2 x CR2 batteries for example), which should give you those two results:
a) the plunger pulls even stronger (wrong polarity)
b) the plunger gets released (correct polarity)

If the solenoid would be damaged, it would most likely give no impedance-reading, i.e. the coils are damaged.

Just an impedance test plus should do it.

I'm not sure I would know how to test this... I'll just do the swap and see what I get.

My K-S1 sits here with no battery to discharge the capacitors, I think by tomorrow I should be ok to hopefully work on it.

[ChristianRock]

To finish off the saga of this K-S2... I took the white solenoid that was last put into this K-S2, and put it in my K-S1 since the K-S1 was starting to darken the frames in the first few shots. And now the A-position frames are completely dark. It seems like the solenoid that was bought online was bad, even though it was the white one.
I verified the soldering again before putting the front panel back, so I know the soldering is fine (though those wires are smaller than what I'm used to...)

To be honest, I don't think I want to do this kind of work again. While disassembling the K-S1, though not using much force or pressure, three plastic pieces that receive the screws from the front case to the back case just broke off easily - two when disassembling and one when moving the front panel . They are thin plastic and they already got dry and brittle I guess. I think I will only buy reliable cameras from now on. I now have 3 Pentax cameras with issues - a K10D and K-50 with electronic issues, and the K-S1 with a bad solenoid. My only fully working camera is now a K200D... I'm soon going to stay with my family in Brazil for almost 2 months and it looks like the K200D will be the camera I'll take...

[photogem]

I daubt it that the white solenoid purchased by tonyzoc for his K-S2 was bad from the beginning. Soldering such a tiny device, even if the body is PTFE (higher melting point than the green body made out of PET) with a butan-gas soldering-iron is a killer! That is why I recommended to measure, because it seems a wire got fried as well.

The good thing is that now you know how to do it and maybe the K-S2 could be repaired as well with a Japan-solenoid!

[ChristianRock]

I daubt it that the white solenoid purchased by tonyzoc for his K-S2 was bad from the beginning. Soldering such a tiny device, even if the body is PTFE (higher melting point than the green body made out of PET) with a butan-gas soldering-iron is a killer! That is why I recommended to measure, because it seems a wire got fried as well.

The good thing is that now you know how to do it and maybe the K-S2 could be repaired as well with a Japan-solenoid!

I think the K-S2 needs new electronics. The mirror is completely off position as is the aperture mechanisms (aperture ring lenses don't work at all). Not even sure it's worth fixing.
The sad part is that I broke the plastic joints that keep the external case together in the K-S1. So there's a small body gap nos and a piece of the external casing even broke off. I promise I'm not tough on the equipment while taking it apart... that casing is pretty fragile. The K-S1 is a great and super powerful little camera but I'm not sure I want to open it again. Working on the K-S2 was much easier.
The silver lining is that a K-3 is on my way and I'll never have to worry about aperture with that camera...

[photogem]

I think the K-S2 needs new electronics. The mirror is completely off position as is the aperture mechanisms (aperture ring lenses don't work at all). Not even sure it's worth fixing.

It isn't worth fixing! Too much got damaged by heat and wrong soldering with the flame of the butan-gas soldering-iron!

The sad part is that I broke the plastic joints that keep the external case together in the K-S1. So there's a small body gap nos and a piece of the external casing even broke off. I promise I'm not tough on the equipment while taking it apart... that casing is pretty fragile.

Not really. I have answered that one in detail HERE but I cannot agree with:

Working on the K-S2 was much easier.

Having repaired quite a few of both of them, I would say, that without instructions finding out about the hidden screws of the K-S1 is pretty difficult.
But we have those instructions and in my experience the difficulty-level is almost on the same level.