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06-02-2018, 12:59 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I would hate to mutilate fine old lenses like that!!
I was talking about the camera's aperture control lever

06-07-2018, 05:04 PM   #17
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Just got my K-30 fixed by the guy in California. Works perfectly right now. Will update if it fails again.
06-07-2018, 06:19 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by stillshot2 Quote
I was talking about the camera's aperture control lever
To be honest, that sounds more delicate to me than the solenoid transplant!!
06-08-2018, 05:40 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
To be honest, that sounds more delicate to me than the solenoid transplant!!
Yeah, but I wouldn't be trying to fix it, just mangle it or break it out of the way of the lens' aperture tab so it couldn't interfere with it and then it's as if any lens with an aperture ring is now a Takumar. I've heard of people removing or cutting lens aperture tabs but why ruin functioning lenses when you already have a near worthless camera body in terms of resale, right? I don't understand how people say the green button can still be used as a work around, doesn't the lens still have to stop down again when taking a photograph?

06-08-2018, 07:10 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by stillshot2 Quote
Yeah, but I wouldn't be trying to fix it, just mangle it or break it out of the way of the lens' aperture tab so it couldn't interfere with it and then it's as if any lens with an aperture ring is now a Takumar. I've heard of people removing or cutting lens aperture tabs but why ruin functioning lenses when you already have a near worthless camera body in terms of resale, right? I don't understand how people say the green button can still be used as a work around, doesn't the lens still have to stop down again when taking a photograph?
The function of the circuitry that fails is to control how much the lens stops down when that value is set from the body; if it fails, the aperture is closed until it cannot close anymore. That circuitry is not used when the value is set via an aperture ring because the aperture is closed until it reaches the physical limit set by the ring.
06-09-2018, 08:50 AM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
The function of the circuitry that fails is to control how much the lens stops down when that value is set from the body; if it fails, the aperture is closed until it cannot close anymore. That circuitry is not used when the value is set via an aperture ring because the aperture is closed until it reaches the physical limit set by the ring.
Ok. Thanks for the explanation!
06-18-2018, 01:56 PM   #22
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On my second K-50 aperture repair. Anyone know what other models were prone to this? :-(

06-18-2018, 02:37 PM - 1 Like   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sk0l Quote
On my second K-50 aperture repair. Anyone know what other models were prone to this? :-(
As far as I know, only K-30 and K-50. Other models has other issues, but none so widely spread (or at least I don't know it). I now bought KP and planning to send K-30 for repairs (interested if they accept not posted, but directly brought camera? I have someone who could bring them directly).
06-18-2018, 02:55 PM - 1 Like   #24
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A survey shows that the problem may extend beyond the K-30 and K-50 into the K-S 1 &2 albeit not at the same levels. I've had 3 failures (1 K-30, 2 on the same K50) but managed to bring back the K50 (after warranty repair) with a high speed burst (set image size to 5mb and shoot for awhile). This approach may cause shutter damage, but I didn't know that at the time and nothing bad happened. It does seem like some companies are able to fix this without the expense of a Precision camera repair. Good luck, I hope things turn out well for you.
06-18-2018, 02:59 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by Evie Quote
As far as I know, only K-30 and K-50. Other models has other issues, but none so widely spread (or at least I don't know it). I now bought KP and planning to send K-30 for repairs (interested if they accept not posted, but directly brought camera? I have someone who could bring them directly).
It has made me nervous going with Pentax again but that KP sure looks nice! Looks like you can use a battery grip with it as well :-)

---------- Post added 06-18-18 at 03:05 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by kernos Quote
A survey shows that the problem may extend beyond the K-30 and K-50 into the K-S 1 &2 albeit not at the same levels. I've had 3 failures (1 K-30, 2 on the same K50) but managed to bring back the K50 (after warranty repair) with a high speed burst (set image size to 5mb and shoot for awhile). This approach may cause shutter damage, but I didn't know that at the time and nothing bad happened. It does seem like some companies are able to fix this without the expense of a Precision camera repair. Good luck, I hope things turn out well for you.
I limped it along for a while the first time with the high speed burst until it finally went. The second failure wouldn't respond with the same treatment. Luckily the same shop gave me a big labor discount seeing as they did the first repair. I figured I should at least fix it and either sell it or run it into the ground. I think I'll use it till it dies and go from there, I've gotten quite a few years out of it. Thanks for the heads-up on the K-S :-)
06-18-2018, 03:08 PM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sk0l Quote
It has made me nervous going with Pentax again but that KP sure looks nice! Looks like you can use a battery grip with it as well :-)
Bonus: K-30 batteries works well for KP, and I have 2, so 3 in total. Can skip battery grip. When (and IF) K-30 is repaired, I can use AA batteries there.
06-18-2018, 04:07 PM   #27
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If you have a dead K30 or K50 that you're not going to fix, consider turning into a permanent m42 camera. The ACB doesn't matter, there are cheap, interesting m42 lenses and you have a back up camera.
06-18-2018, 04:26 PM - 1 Like   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by kernos Quote
If you have a dead K30 or K50 that you're not going to fix, consider turning into a permanent m42 camera. The ACB doesn't matter, there are cheap, interesting m42 lenses and you have a back up camera.
That was my plan initially - but I got an AF camera in 1995 for a reason, and that answer is still largely valid. I realized that the Sigma 70-300mm I use in my birding kit has an aperture ring and is AF when mounted on the K-30, so I purchased "FA" 28-105, and now I have a totally AF alternative {not all focal lengths, but as much as I had using M42} that uses aperture ring.
03-31-2019, 06:38 PM   #29
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okay guys, I think it indeed is aperture block failure. The mechanism will not move/open the aperture in the lens whatsoever. I just had a friend of mine who deals with cameras alot take a look at it and identified the issue the best he could without opening the camera.
04-01-2019, 02:10 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by MariMar Quote
okay guys, I think it indeed is aperture block failure.
You can try using lenses that have an aperture ring. That's what I did before I upgraded to a K-3.
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