[Tatouzou]

When changing the battery two days ago, the little plastic part that prevents it to jump off the camera broke.

The camera can still work, as the battery door is enough to hold the battery in position.


That is what I would have done if I was traveling abroad and the K30 was my only camera.


Yet i dont trust it because it might open any time. Also I fear the pressure could damage the battery door, which is not supposed to whistand it.


Back home today, I brought the K30 to my local repair shop(in Toulouse, France), together with my DA70 limited whose aperture was weak (see my previous post about it).


They told me they can fix it if the part is still available (hope it is).


They charge 70 € (VAT included) for whatever broken small plastic part they replace by a new one. A little expensive for this tiny piece of plastic, but i think my K30 is still worth it. They also say that their repairs have 1 year guarantee.


Just for information, I would like to know whether anybody had this kind of trouble with any camera (any brand).


I think that this happened when I put in a battery I though OK but in fact was dead. This battery looks a little swollen when compared to my other batteries. Which might explain a stress on the plastic part?


Before this happened, I was thinking of selling my K30 as I mostly use my more rugged K3, thanks to much improved AF and better ergonomy. I used K30 occasionally for hiking when I wanted to go light (K3 is really heavier) and shoot mainly static scenes.
But now, as I dont need the money, and I have a lot of lenses, I think it is safer to keep the K30 as a backup, because the repair shop attendant told me most repairs needed about 3 weeks, save if their camera expert could do it in house and had the part already available.

[ramseybuckeye]

I had this happen to my K-50 just a couple of months ago and it was repaired under the extended warranty. By the way, they call the part a battery hook. I did use the K-50 a couple of times before sending it in, I put a small piece of tape over the battery door for a little "insurance". Weeks before it broke, I dropped it on that corner enough to scratch the paint, but even if that may have weakened it they still covered it under the warranty. I think it's worth the fix too.

I'm surprised that people haven't broke that part of by forcing the batteries in or out, it's obviously tougher than we think.

[Kevin B123]

Hi, I have read of the door catch breaking before, and you seem to have found a reasonable repair shop as the charge is not excessive. As for the battery swelling, that happens with after market batteries, I don't think the Pentax ones ever swell. In any case, don't refit it. It should be properly disposed of.

[felixenfeu]

This battery looks a little swollen when compared to my other batteries. Which might explain a stress on the plastic part?

Swollen batteries are very dangerous. It'll keep inflating then eventually it can explode. I wouldn't take this lightly and would dispose of it (Preferably bring it somewhere that can dispose of batteries. Big stores like Best Buy can do it usually) and get a new one.

[E-man]

I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ50 with a broken battery hook. It works just fine without it but it's got a good positive latch on the battery door.

[patrick9]

Mine broke just prior to the warranty running out. It was repaired only because it was covered. Otherwise I wouldn't have done it. The catch on the door looks to be like the one on my old DL it did not have a battery hook. the door kept the batteries in as does the door on tK200D. I figure if they have never opened accidentally the K30's wouldn't either. And it never has. Even when it fell 5 feet to ground off my tripod the door never opened. I have read several posts here of others that have had the hook break off and most of those have never repaired them either. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

[Tatouzou]

Thank you all.
Of course the defective battery has been disposed of in a recycle box at my nearby supermarket.