Problems?

**snpsht** · 07-10-2012, 03:55 PM

Hi

I have recently purchased my very first DSLR, a K-5 with 18-55 kit lens and so far it seems OK - sharp, clear and vibrant colours on auto. Haven't tried manual settings yet - just getting used to the camera.

I have purchased a Sigma 18-200 because it was simply too cheap to pass up (I know.....probably not a good reason to buy a lens) and a Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 is on its way because I really do love landscape.

Reading this forum has me worried - lots of people seem to have had endless problems with the K-5, but I went for it because of the WR features and apparent quality of the sensor, and it wasn't until after that I began reading about all the problems...mirror flop, focusing, lenses not working etc.

Have I bought a heap of trouble in selecting a K-5 or are the issues more isolated than the reports suggest?

Are there some simple tests I, as a beginning DSLR user, can put it through to determine if I am headed for problems?

I'd like to try and work it out before I invest in any more lenses etc.

Thanks in advance

Docrwm · 07-10-2012, 04:56 PM

First, Welcome Aboard!

Now - Relax, you have a great camera. You bought it at the end of its life-cycle and so have benefitted from others field testing it and Pentax putting fixes in (both physical for things like the sensor stains and electronic like the firmware updates). Update your firmware and enjoy your great camera.

twitch · 07-10-2012, 05:05 PM

I second what was said above, like all new DSLR's the K-5 suffered from some problems which have since been solved. Enjoy your new camera.

wasser · 07-10-2012, 05:18 PM

Thirded!

I bought my k5 back in December 2011 and haven't experienced any problems.

LeDave · 07-10-2012, 07:14 PM

Relax bro, most of the problems are related to early K-5 models. I've rarely heard problems from K-5's with serial number starting at 40 to 43. All the problems are mostly connected to ones with serial number of around starting at 38. Look at the bottom of your K-5 and if it starts with a 40 or higher then you should be fine.

**snpsht** · 07-10-2012, 07:15 PM

Have just been into the nifty section of the site where you can check the manufacture date, and as it was March 2012, it seems I am well clear of the problems some early ones had.

Thanks for the feedback and reassurance because I really do like my new toy!

Marc Sabatella · 07-10-2012, 09:34 PM

Also people are much more likely to post about problems - even if the problems are the result of their own misunderstandings - than about successes. Any product that is sufficiently comllex and sufficiantly popular will have complaints filed against it here and there. The K-5 is not particularly more or less problem-prone han any other similar product.

**snpsht** · 07-10-2012, 11:49 PM

Originally posted by Marc Sabatella

Also people are much more likely to post about problems - even if the problems are the result of their own misunderstandings - than about successes. Any product that is sufficiently comllex and sufficiantly popular will have complaints filed against it here and there. The K-5 is not particularly more or less problem-prone han any other similar product.

I think that is very true, and I am now suitably reassured, having checked the manufacture date etc and that any issues with the early models were addressed. This afternoon I overcame my technophobia and downloaded and installed the new firmware and it seems to me that the camera is a bit quieter and perhaps focuses better in low light.

As I am very much a beginner with the DSLR and totally aware of my own lack of knowledge, I think it is unlikely that I'll be blaming this camera for anything for quite a while....unless of course it absolutely refuses to turn on....and then I'll check the battery and card before I grizzle. Maybe one day soon I'll even shift the little dial off auto

Thanks all for the useful info in this thread and throughout the site - it has been a wonderful source of info for a beginner such as me.

Kim

RKIT · 07-19-2012, 09:16 PM

Originally posted by Docrwm

First, Welcome Aboard!

Now - Relax, you have a great camera. You bought it at the end of its life-cycle and so have benefitted from others field testing it and Pentax putting fixes in (both physical for things like the sensor stains and electronic like the firmware updates). Update your firmware and enjoy your great camera.

As Docrwm said, you dont worry about the problem. Enjoy your great camera and don't forget to share us your nice picture

gp1806 · 07-20-2012, 06:26 AM

I might add that you may want to update the firmware on your K-5. I believe I have V 1.13 on my K-5.

**snpsht** · 07-20-2012, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by snpsht

I think that is very true, and I am now suitably reassured, having checked the manufacture date etc and that any issues with the early models were addressed. This afternoon I overcame my technophobia and downloaded and installed the new firmware and it seems to me that the camera is a bit quieter and perhaps focuses better in low light.

As I am very much a beginner with the DSLR and totally aware of my own lack of knowledge, I think it is unlikely that I'll be blaming this camera for anything for quite a while....unless of course it absolutely refuses to turn on....and then I'll check the battery and card before I grizzle. Maybe one day soon I'll even shift the little dial off auto

Thanks all for the useful info in this thread and throughout the site - it has been a wonderful source of info for a beginner such as me.

Kim

Thanks all,

as above I have been totally reassured now, have downloaded the new firmware and am very happy with my purchase. It is certainly no lemon!

I am about to head out and play with Tv mode...so it is about to come off auto.

The camera was an excellent buy at an excellent price. BOdy and basic kit lens AU$999, and have added a couple of other lenses after reading reviews and looking at pics taken with them on this site.

...and I am still happy after reading the K-30 reviews.....my camera is very nice indeed and I really do like the way it fits in my hands.

07-10-2012, 03:55 PM	#1
snpsht Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Coast, NSW Posts: 286	Problems? Hi I have recently purchased my very first DSLR, a K-5 with 18-55 kit lens and so far it seems OK - sharp, clear and vibrant colours on auto. Haven't tried manual settings yet - just getting used to the camera. I have purchased a Sigma 18-200 because it was simply too cheap to pass up (I know.....probably not a good reason to buy a lens) and a Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 is on its way because I really do love landscape. Reading this forum has me worried - lots of people seem to have had endless problems with the K-5, but I went for it because of the WR features and apparent quality of the sensor, and it wasn't until after that I began reading about all the problems...mirror flop, focusing, lenses not working etc. Have I bought a heap of trouble in selecting a K-5 or are the issues more isolated than the reports suggest? Are there some simple tests I, as a beginning DSLR user, can put it through to determine if I am headed for problems? I'd like to try and work it out before I invest in any more lenses etc. Thanks in advance

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07-10-2012, 04:56 PM	#2
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	First, Welcome Aboard! Now - Relax, you have a great camera. You bought it at the end of its life-cycle and so have benefitted from others field testing it and Pentax putting fixes in (both physical for things like the sensor stains and electronic like the firmware updates). Update your firmware and enjoy your great camera.

07-10-2012, 05:05 PM	#3
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	I second what was said above, like all new DSLR's the K-5 suffered from some problems which have since been solved. Enjoy your new camera.

07-10-2012, 05:18 PM	#4
wasser Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: northern ca Photos: Gallery Posts: 427	Thirded! I bought my k5 back in December 2011 and haven't experienced any problems.

07-10-2012, 07:14 PM	#5
LeDave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,067	Relax bro, most of the problems are related to early K-5 models. I've rarely heard problems from K-5's with serial number starting at 40 to 43. All the problems are mostly connected to ones with serial number of around starting at 38. Look at the bottom of your K-5 and if it starts with a 40 or higher then you should be fine.

07-10-2012, 07:15 PM	#6
snpsht Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Coast, NSW Posts: 286 Original Poster	Have just been into the nifty section of the site where you can check the manufacture date, and as it was March 2012, it seems I am well clear of the problems some early ones had. Thanks for the feedback and reassurance because I really do like my new toy!

07-10-2012, 09:34 PM	#7
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Also people are much more likely to post about problems - even if the problems are the result of their own misunderstandings - than about successes. Any product that is sufficiently comllex and sufficiantly popular will have complaints filed against it here and there. The K-5 is not particularly more or less problem-prone han any other similar product.

07-10-2012, 11:49 PM	#8
snpsht Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Coast, NSW Posts: 286 Original Poster	Originally posted by Marc Sabatella Also people are much more likely to post about problems - even if the problems are the result of their own misunderstandings - than about successes. Any product that is sufficiently comllex and sufficiantly popular will have complaints filed against it here and there. The K-5 is not particularly more or less problem-prone han any other similar product. I think that is very true, and I am now suitably reassured, having checked the manufacture date etc and that any issues with the early models were addressed. This afternoon I overcame my technophobia and downloaded and installed the new firmware and it seems to me that the camera is a bit quieter and perhaps focuses better in low light. As I am very much a beginner with the DSLR and totally aware of my own lack of knowledge, I think it is unlikely that I'll be blaming this camera for anything for quite a while....unless of course it absolutely refuses to turn on....and then I'll check the battery and card before I grizzle. Maybe one day soon I'll even shift the little dial off auto Thanks all for the useful info in this thread and throughout the site - it has been a wonderful source of info for a beginner such as me. Kim

07-19-2012, 09:16 PM	#9
RKIT New Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bangkok Posts: 11	Originally posted by Docrwm First, Welcome Aboard! Now - Relax, you have a great camera. You bought it at the end of its life-cycle and so have benefitted from others field testing it and Pentax putting fixes in (both physical for things like the sensor stains and electronic like the firmware updates). Update your firmware and enjoy your great camera. As Docrwm said, you dont worry about the problem. Enjoy your great camera and don't forget to share us your nice picture

07-20-2012, 06:26 AM	#10
gp1806 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago suburbs Photos: Albums Posts: 848	I might add that you may want to update the firmware on your K-5. I believe I have V 1.13 on my K-5.

07-20-2012, 05:12 PM	#11
snpsht Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South Coast, NSW Posts: 286 Original Poster	Originally posted by snpsht I think that is very true, and I am now suitably reassured, having checked the manufacture date etc and that any issues with the early models were addressed. This afternoon I overcame my technophobia and downloaded and installed the new firmware and it seems to me that the camera is a bit quieter and perhaps focuses better in low light. As I am very much a beginner with the DSLR and totally aware of my own lack of knowledge, I think it is unlikely that I'll be blaming this camera for anything for quite a while....unless of course it absolutely refuses to turn on....and then I'll check the battery and card before I grizzle. Maybe one day soon I'll even shift the little dial off auto Thanks all for the useful info in this thread and throughout the site - it has been a wonderful source of info for a beginner such as me. Kim Thanks all, as above I have been totally reassured now, have downloaded the new firmware and am very happy with my purchase. It is certainly no lemon! I am about to head out and play with Tv mode...so it is about to come off auto. The camera was an excellent buy at an excellent price. BOdy and basic kit lens AU$999, and have added a couple of other lenses after reading reviews and looking at pics taken with them on this site. ...and I am still happy after reading the K-30 reviews.....my camera is very nice indeed and I really do like the way it fits in my hands.