[ffking]

Maybe the old O-GPS module Pentax shoe-horned into the K-1 simply needed a lot of space, or wasn't sensitive enough to work surrounded by too much metal, so Ricoh had no option but to include it as they did.

this sort of suggests that there might be mileage in my other suggestion that the lack of an opening where the rear LCD is on the Pentax might mean that they have to leave the top open (ie not metal) to get the works in - the Canon has a hole at the back ... ???

[biz-engineer]

this sort of suggests that there might be mileage in my other suggestion that the lack of an opening where the rear LCD is on the Pentax might mean that they have to leave the top open (ie not metal) to get the works in - the Canon has a hole at the back ... ???

It's a design choice. Having the back LCD rails directly seating on the chassis, and open top to mount components. That doesn't prevent to have an additional invested U shaped support for the flash. IMO the robustness of flash mount was not considered by the designer. Use of plastic/composite can be strong enough is tough if well designed.

[pakinjapan]

Ask on their FB...

that's not a bad idea.

If you manage to get in touch with Pentax's FB or any other ways, could you come back to let us know their comments?
I hope they can offer you something or even a free / discount repair for your K1.

By the way, how heavy is your Flash?

[monochrome]

I’ll consider this an issue when numerous people in many use classes post the same fault. No offense intended to the (unfortunate) OP, but a sample of one doesn’t prove anything. Here we are inferring the designer didn’t consider durability, but we don’t know squat - and we’re supposed to be the fanbois!

[biz-engineer]

Here we are inferring the designer didn’t consider durability, but we don’t know squat - and we’re supposed to be the fanbois!

K1 hotshoe is very durable with a RF trigger.

[bigoak]

If you manage to get in touch with Pentax's FB or any other ways, could you come back to let us know their comments?
I hope they can offer you something or even a free / discount repair for your K1.

By the way, how heavy is your Flash?

the FGZ 360II is not all that heavy. I have a metz MB52 that weighs significantly more.

in reference to the flash condition: i turned the sucker on last night, and it was making a terrible vibrating/grinding noise, and soon shut off saying low battery. I changed the batteries and it happened again. I figured that the zoom motor was stuck, so i opened her up and took a look. put her back together and the problem has seemed to resolve.

I've messaged ricoh imaging on FB and they have not responded in 24, i guess they dont care. Didnt want to post something like the image on p2, pentax needs more marketing exposure, but not that kind of exposure.

any ideas on how to better reach out?

[rawr]

a sample of one doesn’t prove anything

Sometimes it's all you need to start asking questions, particularly when the sample is well documented.

In particular, the very visible design transition from magnesium alloy K-3 top-plate to plastic K-1 top plate invites all sorts of [fair and reasonable] questions about the flagship of the fleet.

[biz-engineer]

In particular, the very visible design transition from magnesium alloy K-3 top-plate to plastic K-1 top plate invites all sorts of [fair and reasonable] questions about the flagship of the fleet.

A valid comment. What I can see (someone else already mentioned), what was previously an open window at the back of the LCD display of the K3, is now obstructed on the K1. They opened the top for manufacturing and repairs. The only thing that appear weak of the flash fixture that looks like an afterthought. As a user, if you know it, you'll be more careful with the flashes. That wouldn't prevent me to buy a second K1 is it is very cheap :-) . Now that I know what I know, I've look at that part of the camera for any new purchase, just wondering if the KP was designed the same way... having open probably makes it easier to assemble the camera, a reinforced hot shoe support would suffice to support flashes.

[bwDraco]

As far as I can tell, the hot shoe is attached to metal on the K-3 II, so this is probably a design weakness of the K-1. I'm a bit surprised that the hot shoe could tear off like this.

Draco

[rawr]

just wondering if the KP was designed the same way.

K-P looks like K-1 in this department - no metal top plate at all. I would certainly be wary about mounting heavy (or even big and easily bumpable) things on the K-P hot-shoe.


K-P - metal skin


K-P metal chassis - no metal framework around hot-shoe mount

[pakinjapan]

I've messaged ricoh imaging on FB and they have not responded in 24, i guess they dont care...

any ideas on how to better reach out?

Unless you want to call them, Social medias is the only way I can think of for now. You can send them a direct message with link to photos of your K-1 without post them directly on their FB front page. I can see Pentax Australia and Singapore has its feeback form page but I can not find one for Pentax US.

Hope they will care enough to reply you something, offer some solution rather than just ignor it when it comes to end user problem like this.

[biz-engineer]

Ricoh engineer might suggest to stick it back with a bit of superglue (they'd pay for the glue) [just being sarcastic]

[bigoak]

Unless you want to call them, Social medias is the only way I can think of for now. You can send them a direct message with link to photos of your K-1 without post them directly on their FB front page. I can see Pentax Australia and Singapore has its feeback form page but I can not find one for Pentax US.

Hope they will care enough to reply you something, offer some solution rather than just ignor it when it comes to end user problem like this.

Me too.

In germany, we have only 2 places that take pentax repairs; one in hamburg and the other even farther north (i live in the southeast). They told me it would take 2 months to get this repaired. I have to say that i'm pretty surprised that it will take this long to replace some plastic casing and test that it is functional. the footprint here in germany is pretty light. i see a lot of compact systems from other brands

no word on cost, but i was planning to travel on holiday this year, and will have to make due with a replacement. Not saying that i can't get decent results without my K1, but nobody drops money on the flagship body, 4 DFA zooms, 4 primes, 2 flashes, a grip, and then likes them to collect dust. I was saving for the new 50, but that money will now go to repair the K1.

I chose to migrate to pentax (trading my FF canon gear & 3x zeiss primes at a loss) because of it's supposed ruggedness, and now i'm here. If the repair price is silly high, you guys may see some lenses (and perhaps a K1 for parts) for sale soon.

[yucafrita]

I see this as a clear design fault (K-1 and K-P), I must say. It's almost a (useless) predetermined breaking point. In fact, it turns me off the K-1 a bit...

It should have been easy to screw a metal bridge or cover plate into the chassis to support the flash unit.

[Not a Number]

This has been a potential weakness ever since camera manufacturers started using resins or polycarbonates for the camera shells say the mid 70s - early 1980s. It's more common for the foot to snap off the flash than the shoe or camera housing to break because of the stress loads.

The flash foot breaking is a common problem with heavy flashes like the Vivitar 283/285. So much so that you can even now buy a replacement metal foot for the 283/285. Blame it on a design flaw that Vivitar hasn't solved in over 47 years.

I was in the beginning a little nervous to use my Vivitar 285 or Minolta 380px on my Minolta X series bodies with their plastic housing vs the metal housings on the SRT-101 and MD5/11 but came to the conclusion based on reports from Modern and Popular Photography that the flash foot was more likely to break than the housing or flash shoe.

I've also had the flash shoe shear off from all metal flash brackets too.

It's possible there was a flaw in the casting of the plastic parts on this particular camera, which can occur even with metal parts.