[photogem]

I have continued to use my K-30 even after the solenoid totally failed. An "FA" lens still gives me AF, but now I control aperture from the lens.
This is not an ideal situation, but I do continue to use my K-30 occasionally, and I would have continued to use it as my "primary" camera, but I got a KP when they went on sale for Back Friday 2018.

Of course you can use the K30 and any Pentax which uses a solenoid in M-Mode if you have lenses with an A-ring available.

In M-Mode the solenoid is not in action at all and thus this method works.

Nevertheless: Anybody using lenses without an A-ring such as

ALL PENTAX:

- DA
- DA-L
- D-FA
- D-XS lenses


- many current Sigma lenses
- many current Tamron lenses

is going to be stuck.

Also, green-button metering is not at all as precise as modern metering.

If somebody is using manual lenses and is used to it, of course this limited use is a option.

But not for those who is used to Av, Tav, Tv and P modes.

But here we deal with the great Pentax K-70, a Pentax actually on the market and it will continue to be a great body as were the K30/50/K-S1/K-S2.

I daubt it than any owner of a K-70 would really be willing to downgrade it to M-Mode and A-lenses!

Kind of like using a great sailboad just all the time with an outboard-motor or riding a 29-gear mountain-bike just all the time in one gear.

[SharkyCA]

I’ve just become aware of this issue as I’m starting to get a grossly underexposed image or two when I first start shooting with my K70. At first I thought it was a operator error. Ive not had a chance to double check for this but will do so this weekend. It’s not under warranty. Maybe it’s telling me a K-New is in my future. NOTE: I still have my K3II and GRIII.

Interested to know what is the shutter count on your k-70? This tool will also give you manufacture date!
Check Camera Shutter Count and Manufacture Date

Cheers

[SharkyCA]

Of course you can use the K30 and any Pentax which uses a solenoid in M-Mode if you have lenses with an A-ring available.

In M-Mode the solenoid is not in action at all and thus this method works.

Nevertheless: Anybody using lenses without an A-ring such as

ALL PENTAX:

- DA
- DA-L
- D-FA
- D-XS lenses


- many current Sigma lenses
- many current Tamron lenses

is going to be stuck.

Also, green-button metering is not at all as precise as modern metering.

If somebody is using manual lenses and is used to it, of course this limited use is a option.

But not for those who is used to Av, Tav, Tv and P modes.

But here we deal with the great Pentax K-70, a Pentax actually on the market and it will continue to be a great body as were the K30/50/K-S1/K-S2.

I daubt it than any owner of a K-70 would really be willing to downgrade it to M-Mode and A-lenses!

Kind of like using a great sailboad just all the time with an outboard-motor or riding a 29-gear mountain-bike just all the time in one gear.

Agreed, if I did not have any lenses w/aperture ring my k-70 would be a boat anchor, to suggest replacing my camera or my DA lenses for the sake of a solenoid in my opinion is a non-solution, just repair it you'll be glad you did!

Cheers

[normhead]

I find it interesting that people claim any part in any manufactured item can be 100% in fallible, especially a moving part. That's just disinformation. If it moves, sooner or later it will fail.

From one report, my guess is this is not a common experience, the aperture block comparisons with older models is 10% justified and 90% an over reaction.

https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/helpful-tips-for-solving-common-ca...es--photo-3015

Look at that, other cameras fail, not just Pentax's. Read the comments.

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Last edited by normhead; 10-24-2020 at 05:49 AM.

[photogem]

I find it interesting that people claim any part in any manufactured item can be 100% in fallible, especially a moving part. That's just disinformation. If it moves, sooner or later it will fail.

Of course a solenoid ain't no perpetum mobile, but we have facts, i.e numbers:
The original Shinmei Solenoid, when manufactured in Japan, had a much higher actuation/live-time than the China version.
We won't go into detail here... believe me, it is better so!


On the other hand, this is just to easy: With the Japan made solenoid we have zero failure reports!
That is a very clear fact. Nothing needs to be added.
And we have Pentax bodies going into very high shuttercounts with this solenoids. Very high!


My own experience:
From now at least 50 x solenoid changed myself within family, for friends plus many more (I encouraged others to buy defunct K30's, 50's etc. and to repair them for a bargain) I can say for sure that never ever one of those solenoids failed and I know with 100% certainty why.

From one report, my guess is this is not a common experience, the aperture block comparisons with older models is 10% justified and 90% an over reaction:
Helpful Tips for Solving Common Camera Failures

This report is 100% useless concerning this very issue of the China made solenoid.

Look at that, other cameras fail, not just Pentax's. Read the comments.

Yes, that is very normal.

But the rare in failing until December 2015 due to the China-solenoid was pretty high.

Nobody knows the real failing rate.

But this number, if applied to the solenoid:

10% justified and 90% an over reaction.

for sure not just be ME Super but mass ostrich effect

[SharkyCA]

I find it interesting that people claim any part in any manufactured item can be 100% in fallible, especially a moving part. That's just disinformation. If it moves, sooner or later it will fail.

From one report, my guess is this is not a common experience, the aperture block comparisons with older models is 10% justified and 90% an over reaction.

Helpful Tips for Solving Common Camera Failures

Look at that, other cameras fail, not just Pentax's. Read the comments.

I once had a woman tell me if it has wheels or is ball-bearing it will cause problems!

[reh321]

You may choose to install a new solenoid.
My choice was to purchase a FA18-105 lens to use with my Sigma 70-300mm lens instead.
The green button metering is plenty accurate for me - I can make small adjustments with gimp.
I got along with 50mm and 70-200mm lenses shooting slide film with my manually-focusing “Super Program” for over twelve years.
This is supposed to be ‘fun’ - not something to be ‘type A’ about.

On the other hand, my Canon “Rebel” cameras became truly useless once the processors failed, one after just 20 months. With the K-30, by comparison, simply spending under $100 for a “FA” zoom lens restored utility to me. Admittedly, it largely compared to what the ME/SE I purchased in 1979 provided, but it was something, and this did give me auto-focus too. In one recent month, my records show I even took more photos with it than with my KP.

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Last edited by reh321; 10-27-2020 at 07:45 AM.

[Serkevan]

I once had a woman tell me if it has wheels or is ball-bearing it will cause problems!

Yeah, but there's a difference between "it takes a gross miscalibration to make the pump break before 10k hours" and "it breaks when you look at it funny"

[Perfessor5646]

Interested to know what is the shutter count on your k-70? This tool will also give you manufacture date!
Check Camera Shutter Count and Manufacture Date

Cheers

Just checked the shutter count on all my Pentax bodies.
K70 = 17,984 Mfg date 5/26/2017

[reh321]

Just checked the shutter count on all my Pentax bodies.
K70 = 17,984 Mfg date 5/26/2017

Experience has shown that shutter count is irrelevant in this case, but calendar age is relevant.

[SharkyCA]

Just checked the shutter count on all my Pentax bodies.
K70 = 17,984 Mfg date 5/26/2017

Good to hear, mine failed @ 4900, just shy of 18 months and out of warranty. Seems that the failed part has nothing to do with the age of the camera and more the failing part!

[reh321]

As far as I am concerned, the onus is now on buyers.
We were just experiencing the "problems" when I purchased my K-30 in summer 2015 - but now we have talked and talked and talked about it.
Some people say the K-70 is just another consumer-level camera with aperture control being its weakest area.
I don't know what Pentax statistics show, but I paid the extra hundred dollars or so to purchase a KP on Black Friday 2018.
If Pentax does issue a "K-90" and continues to use the solenoid for aperture control, so be it.

[Perfessor5646]

I will be buying the K3iii in March of 2021. My main camera is my K3ii anyway. I’ve used the K70 flip screen more since the pandemic restrictions for some macro and a bunch of self-portraits. I just have be aware of the aperture block issue. Not much of a big worry since I haven’t done any event shoots this year. If required the K3ii w/ the delightful DA* 50-135 and my GRIII would cover me.