[Crane]

I purchased my K-S2 in November of 2017. I used it mostly for vacation photos. During the past few years, I kept complaining about how bad a photographer I was, while my fiance said there must be something wrong with the camera. I continued to blame myself because I was new at it. Well, turns out she was right all along. I had no idea until I did some research and found an exact description of my issue right here in the forums. The pictures below were taken one after the other with the exact same settings. This proved to me it was the aperture block failure.

I am going away on vacation in two weeks and I need a camera. A fellow forumite has been generous enough to offer a solenoid for the price of postage. I have enough electronic and soldering experience along with the guide found here in the forums to have some confidence in the repair, but still crossing my fingers I can complete it before leaving on Nov. 13th.

I plan to take some pictures with my trusty Panasonic LX7 during the repair and offer help to those after me.
K-S2 Shutter Count: 12,615 Manufacture Date: May 10, 2017

Attached Images

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View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[ramseybuckeye]

You might also want to switch to multi segment metering to make you exposure better on photos like these. And maybe clean the dust off the sensor

[jgnfld]

You might also want to switch to multi segment metering to make you exposure better on photos like these. And maybe clean the dust off the sensor

Agreed. Spot metering isn't the correct mode here. Try Multi or Center-weighted first to see what happens. you may not have a camera problem but rather possibly a settings problem.

[Crane]

The K-S2 has totally failed last weekend. I had it with me on my trip to the beach - a bright sunny day. No amount of burst shooting has been able to help.
Every picture is now too dark to be of any use.

[ramseybuckeye]

That is definitely aperture block failure.

[MarkJerling]

Good luck with the solenoid repair.

[cowlitzJim]

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but if you shoot at minimum aperture won't the exposure be correct? Sure diffraction won't be your friend, and probably ISO not so much neither - but it feels like a good way to check that the aperture lever isn't moving. At least you could still get images if you're at a one-off event, rather than dismissing the camera until it's fully operational again.

if/when my kS2 blows its gasket I'll know for sure!

[marcusBMG]

Have confidence crane. Doing my KS2 was my first solenoid fix - quite frankly for anyone with a bit of electrical diy nous its easy. Took me less than an hour and that was being step by step slow and careful.
have photogems guide beside you.

[ehrwien]

A fellow forumite has been generous enough to offer a solenoid for the price of postage. I have enough electronic and soldering experience along with the guide found here in the forums to have some confidence in the repair, but still crossing my fingers I can complete it before leaving on Nov. 13th.

That does sound like an easy way to not only fix your camera for now, but to also get rid of the fear of the possibility of it failing (due to the aperture control/solenoid) forever - if it is the white solenoid and not another green one, that is.

I had no experience with soldering or fine electronics like this before fixing my K-S2, but managed to do it thanks to the excellent guide by photogem. Took me a few hours and I was nervous all the way through, but I did fix it succesfully. And if I can do it, I'm sure you'll be able to easily

[photogem]

I agree with @Ehrwien, make sure it is the white Japan-Solenoid and not again the green China-Solenoid.

The procedure for the repair is clear and your K-S2 is a late one, so it should not have that copper ring at the bottom.
Just remember that the plastic-ring on the microphone-socket easely falls off and then one forgets to put it back on (which wouldn't be that dramatic)

The most important part is to check the alignement of the M-AF-switch!


Make sure you test its function right away when the front is back on!

Good luck!

[photogem]

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but if you shoot at minimum aperture won't the exposure be correct?

Yes, the darkest (almost black) with f3.2 with the DA21/3.2 and it would be alright if full stopped down to f22 + approriate exposure time.


The Exif data show that both photos are the same (time) with f5.0 and 1/250 sec., so near to wide open for the DA21/3.2 ltd.


That's why the first photo is not completly dark but quite dark, the second is the same photo but "photoshopped" or similar to make it more bright.

[Ronald Oakes]

Ok...Soooooo....let's get on with it and change the sick solenoid with a good used white one !
No point in beating around the ABF issue and discussing it to death .
Your camera is still fully functional using Takumar lenses , or updating your firmware and using one of the newer PLM lenses.
I also have a 2017 made KS2 that suddenly developed ABF last month. I didn't think the later made ones had an issue.....well.....obviously....They Do !

[photogem]

Ok...Soooooo....let's get on with it and change the sick solenoid with a good used white one !
No point in beating around the ABF issue and discussing it to death.

I wasn't aware that anybody discussed the ABF to death?

Your camera is still fully functional using Takumar lenses, or updating your firmware and using one of the newer PLM lenses.

Well, it isn't fully functional using Takumars because one can use Takumars as well in Av-Mode but that option is not working as it could but only with exposure compensation.

It is fully functional for using any lens with an aperture ring and setting aperture manually on the lens using the green button mode
or using Av-Mode plus exposure correction.
So not only Takumars but no DA or others without an aperture ring.

And yet: It is still a very castrated K-S2 and not what it was intended for.

I also have a 2017 made KS2 that suddenly developed ABF last month. I didn't think the later made ones had an issue.....well.....obviously....They Do !

Yes, but much less if built after Dec. 2015!

Most K-S2's are built before. About 90% of 'em.

We now have another situation which is very interesting because the repairers truly messed it up:
KS2 repair frustrations - PentaxForums.com

[The Bartman]

I purchased my K-S2 in November of 2017. I used it mostly for vacation photos. During the past few years, I kept complaining about how bad a photographer I was, while my fiance said there must be something wrong with the camera. I continued to blame myself because I was new at it. Well, turns out she was right all along. I had no idea until I did some research and found an exact description of my issue right here in the forums. The pictures below were taken one after the other with the exact same settings. This proved to me it was the aperture block failure.

I am going away on vacation in two weeks and I need a camera. A fellow forumite has been generous enough to offer a solenoid for the price of postage. I have enough electronic and soldering experience along with the guide found here in the forums to have some confidence in the repair, but still crossing my fingers I can complete it before leaving on Nov. 13th.

I plan to take some pictures with my trusty Panasonic LX7 during the repair and offer help to those after me.
K-S2 Shutter Count: 12,615 Manufacture Date: May 10, 2017

Hello fellow Pentaxians. I am new here but a long time Pentax user since my first MV back in the 1980s. I am considering getting a KS2 with a manufacture year of 2017. I have read in other threads that the solenoid issue has been fixed by December 2015 apparently with Pentax changing the solenoids used in their production units after December 2015. But after reading Crane's post and seeing he is getting the same aperture block issue on his 2017 KS2 I am now having second thoughts. I have a K30 that succumbed to AB after less than 6K shots and it is quite a hassle to have it repaired here in the Philippines

[photogem]

........ I am considering getting a KS2 with a manufacture year of 2017.
I have read in other threads that the solenoid issue has been fixed by December 2015 apparently with Pentax changing the solenoids used in their production units after December 2015.

But after reading Crane's post and seeing he is getting the same aperture block issue on his 2017 KS2.
I am now having second thoughts.

Well, the answers were actually given in this thread, but here again:

There was the first modification by Ricoh of the solenoid in 2015, but it didn't work out as desired, after a while many Pentax K50/K-S1/2 and K70's failed.

Only since Jan 2021 you are save with the K-70 and of course KF.

See:
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY: Development of the solenoid in Pentax cameras - PentaxForums.com

I have a K30 that succumbed to AB after less than 6K shots and it is quite a hassle to have it repaired here in the Philippines

It is best to do it yourself:
Manual: Solenoid Replacment Pentax K-30/50/500 + Discharge of flash-condenser - PentaxForums.com

Of course you can do it as well with the K-S2 and any other (same Do-It-Yourself section)