Need help setting up Pentax K-50 please!!!

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 01:22 PM - **1 Like**

Hi All. This is my first post! I bought a Pentax K-50 kit a couple of years ago and really haven't used it much nor do I know how to. As a mater of fact, I think I screwed up the settings so bad that I now can't even take a picture in my office of a coffee cup on my desk.

. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

edom31 · 09-05-2018, 01:26 PM

Originally posted by Jameson41

I now can't even take a picture in my office of a coffee cup on my desk.

Does the picture come out black?

With the kit lens, put the camera on AUTO mode (green setting at the wheel) and try to snap some shots letting the camera do the work. Anything?

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 01:32 PM

With it set on auto mode it seems like it's not getting enough light in the camera. Some pictures are black. Some are very dark. Even taking a picture of my computer screen seems a bit dark. Not a bright and vibrant pic one would expect. It keeps flashing ISO 3200 in red.

jack002 · 09-05-2018, 01:34 PM

If you can navigate to it in the settings there is a reset to factory settings in there. Tell us more of what's happening.

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 01:51 PM

Performed reset. If I look through the viewfinder in order to take the pic they come out black. If I use the screen on the back, auto flash engages and it'll take a pic but with a delay in the shutter ( blurry pic).

**UncleVanya** · 09-05-2018, 02:01 PM

Is the camera new or used?

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 02:04 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Is the camera new or used?

It's used now. I bought the camera brand new a few years ago. Always stored in the bag that came with it with all dust caps on. I always kept it in the factory settings. messed around with the settings and now the pics look like crap or do not come out correct.

The Squirrel Mafia · 09-05-2018, 02:07 PM - **2 Likes**

Oh man. It might have the dreaded aperture motor issue.

K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available - PentaxForums.com

K-50 / K-500 Aperture Solenoid fix (DIY with pics) - PentaxForums.com

^ Take a look at both of those threads.

temporary fix

^ If it does, try this fix.

**UncleVanya** · 09-05-2018, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by Jameson41

It's used now. I bought the camera brand new a few years ago. Always stored in the bag that came with it with all dust caps on. I always kept it in the factory settings. messed around with the settings and now the pics look like crap or do not come out correct.

Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia

Oh man. It might have the dreaded aperture motor issue.

K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available - PentaxForums.com

K-50 / K-500 Aperture Solenoid fix (DIY with pics) - PentaxForums.com

^ Take a look at both of those threads.

Yup. that's what I was going to say too. I had a K-50 die this way. It was under warranty luckily.

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 02:51 PM - **1 Like**

Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter.

---------- Post added 09-05-18 at 02:52 PM ----------

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it. This looks fairly complicated for me so I'm net even going to attempt to try it until the winter. If I took it somewhere to get fixed, what would I expect to pay?

**UncleVanya** · 09-05-2018, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by Jameson41

Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter.

If you have any manual aperture lenses you can use them in the M mode using Green button metering. That should work without modification to the camera other than setting some options if you haven't done it before. This will only work with a lens with a manual aperture ring - "A" type setting rings can be used as long as you directly set the aperture rather than using the camera to set aperture.

Jameson41 · 09-05-2018, 03:01 PM

unfortunately the only lenses I have are the two that came with the camera.

The Squirrel Mafia · 09-05-2018, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by Jameson41

Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter.

---------- Post added 09-05-18 at 02:52 PM ----------

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it. This looks fairly complicated for me so I'm net even going to attempt to try it until the winter. If I took it somewhere to get fixed, what would I expect to pay?

If it does end up being the aperture motor, you're gonna get quotes from $100 to about $300. The only shop that is Ricoh/Pentax approved is Precision Camera. They're more than likely going to swap the "green" aperture motor with another "green" one that will eventually fail once again. The other fixes involve tearing down the camera & filing down the "horseshoe" in the aperture motor. It'll fail again.

The only true fix is to swap the "green" motor with a "white" one. It requires a little bit of soldering. You can get a local camera shop or an electrician to do it, but you'll have to source a "white" motor from eBay or somewhere else.

35wailin · 09-05-2018, 03:49 PM - **1 Like**

I had the aperture motor issue on mine this summer. I ripped it apart, filed and sanded the corners of the metal piece inside the motor and put it all back together. I have shot a few thousand frames since then without incident.

edom31 · 09-05-2018, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia

temporary fix

^ If it does, try this fix.

Originally posted by 35wailin

I had the aperture motor issue on mine this summer. I ripped it apart, filed and sanded the corners of the metal piece inside the motor and put it all back together. I have

Yep - my K-50 went under the screwdriver on Jan 4, 2018... still going strong after a few hours of home surgery. It is well worth it.

I did a post of my own procedure on reddit (the pentax subreddit)... I could link you to it (I do not know if it is against forum rules to do reddit links...)

09-05-2018, 01:22 PM - 1 Like	#1
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6	Need help setting up Pentax K-50 please!!! Hi All. This is my first post! I bought a Pentax K-50 kit a couple of years ago and really haven't used it much nor do I know how to. As a mater of fact, I think I screwed up the settings so bad that I now can't even take a picture in my office of a coffee cup on my desk. . Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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09-05-2018, 01:26 PM	#2
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Originally posted by Jameson41 I now can't even take a picture in my office of a coffee cup on my desk. Does the picture come out black? With the kit lens, put the camera on AUTO mode (green setting at the wheel) and try to snap some shots letting the camera do the work. Anything?

09-05-2018, 01:32 PM	#3
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6 Original Poster	With it set on auto mode it seems like it's not getting enough light in the camera. Some pictures are black. Some are very dark. Even taking a picture of my computer screen seems a bit dark. Not a bright and vibrant pic one would expect. It keeps flashing ISO 3200 in red.

09-05-2018, 01:34 PM	#4
jack002 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Missouri Photos: Albums Posts: 727	If you can navigate to it in the settings there is a reset to factory settings in there. Tell us more of what's happening.

09-05-2018, 01:51 PM	#5
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Performed reset. If I look through the viewfinder in order to take the pic they come out black. If I use the screen on the back, auto flash engages and it'll take a pic but with a delay in the shutter ( blurry pic).

09-05-2018, 02:01 PM	#6
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,467	Is the camera new or used?

09-05-2018, 02:04 PM	#7
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Originally posted by UncleVanya Is the camera new or used? It's used now. I bought the camera brand new a few years ago. Always stored in the bag that came with it with all dust caps on. I always kept it in the factory settings. messed around with the settings and now the pics look like crap or do not come out correct.

09-05-2018, 02:07 PM - 2 Likes	#8
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,058	Oh man. It might have the dreaded aperture motor issue. K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available - PentaxForums.com K-50 / K-500 Aperture Solenoid fix (DIY with pics) - PentaxForums.com ^ Take a look at both of those threads. temporary fix ^ If it does, try this fix.

09-05-2018, 02:11 PM	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,467	Originally posted by Jameson41 It's used now. I bought the camera brand new a few years ago. Always stored in the bag that came with it with all dust caps on. I always kept it in the factory settings. messed around with the settings and now the pics look like crap or do not come out correct. Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia Oh man. It might have the dreaded aperture motor issue. K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available - PentaxForums.com K-50 / K-500 Aperture Solenoid fix (DIY with pics) - PentaxForums.com ^ Take a look at both of those threads. Yup. that's what I was going to say too. I had a K-50 die this way. It was under warranty luckily.

09-05-2018, 02:51 PM - 1 Like	#10
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter. ---------- Post added 09-05-18 at 02:52 PM ---------- Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it. This looks fairly complicated for me so I'm net even going to attempt to try it until the winter. If I took it somewhere to get fixed, what would I expect to pay?

09-05-2018, 02:54 PM	#11
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,467	Originally posted by Jameson41 Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter. If you have any manual aperture lenses you can use them in the M mode using Green button metering. That should work without modification to the camera other than setting some options if you haven't done it before. This will only work with a lens with a manual aperture ring - "A" type setting rings can be used as long as you directly set the aperture rather than using the camera to set aperture.

09-05-2018, 03:01 PM	#12
Jameson41 New Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 6 Original Poster	unfortunately the only lenses I have are the two that came with the camera.

09-05-2018, 03:16 PM	#13
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,058	Originally posted by Jameson41 Great. This looks fun. Back into the bag and the basement until the winter. ---------- Post added 09-05-18 at 02:52 PM ---------- Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it. This looks fairly complicated for me so I'm net even going to attempt to try it until the winter. If I took it somewhere to get fixed, what would I expect to pay? If it does end up being the aperture motor, you're gonna get quotes from $100 to about $300. The only shop that is Ricoh/Pentax approved is Precision Camera. They're more than likely going to swap the "green" aperture motor with another "green" one that will eventually fail once again. The other fixes involve tearing down the camera & filing down the "horseshoe" in the aperture motor. It'll fail again. The only true fix is to swap the "green" motor with a "white" one. It requires a little bit of soldering. You can get a local camera shop or an electrician to do it, but you'll have to source a "white" motor from eBay or somewhere else.

09-05-2018, 03:49 PM - 1 Like	#14
35wailin Closed Account Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Posts: 21	I had the aperture motor issue on mine this summer. I ripped it apart, filed and sanded the corners of the metal piece inside the motor and put it all back together. I have shot a few thousand frames since then without incident.

09-05-2018, 05:09 PM	#15
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia temporary fix ^ If it does, try this fix. Originally posted by 35wailin I had the aperture motor issue on mine this summer. I ripped it apart, filed and sanded the corners of the metal piece inside the motor and put it all back together. I have Yep - my K-50 went under the screwdriver on Jan 4, 2018... still going strong after a few hours of home surgery. It is well worth it. I did a post of my own procedure on reddit (the pentax subreddit)... I could link you to it (I do not know if it is against forum rules to do reddit links...)