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07-19-2020, 09:40 AM - 1 Like   #1
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My K-r finally died, and I'm trying to figure out the cause of death

This was my first "real camera", and it simply sucks that it's done. I got an awful lot of enjoyment from it. I bought it new in 2011, and it lasted for 116144 shutter actuations. It started protesting this spring, first with an invasion of hot pixels (which repeated mapping helped), and then with a nasty metallic slicing sound from the shutter, as if thin bits of metal were rubbing together improperly when the shutter actuated. The night before, the shutter failed on two frames while shooting a stack of 600 exposures. I had just started a new stack, and I was about 20 shots into it when it happened. I heard something snap inside the camera, a motor spun twice, and it shut down.

This is how it remains. I don't even have to turn it on. If I put the battery in with it turned off, it does the same thing. Motor spins twice, then it shuts down. Nothing on the display. No normal activity to the red LED. I can still access files on the camera's memory card by plugging it into USB, but I can't get anything on the camera's display. If I turn the camera off or back on, motor spins twice and then nothing.

I think perhaps a belt snapped, and so when the motor doesn't find tension the firmware is crashing. I'm guessing. I'll have to replace it as soon as I can, but I haven't been able to find a matching issue like this yet by searching, and I'm just wondering if anybody familiar with the internals has run into this issue before. I'll probably dissect it eventually, but having watched a teardown video I doubt I could repair it and get it reassembled without causing other problems.

Just for interest sake, here are the last two pictures I made with the K-r. They're each stacks of about 600 exposures taken manually through a microscope. The subject is a red admiral butterfly's scales.





07-19-2020, 09:44 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Sorry about your K-r. It sounds like it got some good use! Very cool images by the way.
07-19-2020, 09:50 AM - 2 Likes   #3
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9 years on a dslr is pretty good in my opinion though it stinks that it failed in use. I doubt it would be economical to repair unfortunately. I suppose your choices are:
- buy a used low shutter count k-r
- buy a used k-3 or k-3ii
- buy a new k-70 or kp
- wait and see what Pentax brings out this fall

Amazing images by the way!
07-19-2020, 09:59 AM   #4
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Thanks both! It got loved to death, and there are worse ways to go. I look forward to shooting again as soon as I can find an affordable replacement.

I have no complaints about the K-r. It's a wonderful camera for its time. I had minor issues with the e-dial, but easily fixed them. I had minor issues with the AF/MF switch in the last year or so, but nothing bad, I just had to set it once in awhile if the switch got bumped. It was probably the best money I've ever spent.

I have extreme budget constraints. I can afford perhaps $300 right now, so my options are limited by that the most.

I'm curious about what people think of the K-01, as I'm shooting almost exclusively with a microscope these days, and it seems like it would really lend itself to the task, but I'm a bit concerned about battery life since it's entirely reliant on the display. Currently I - before my camera died I composed my shot in Live View and then switched it off, just using a 1 second review to tell when I'm done the stack. Using Live View all of the time was too much of a drain.

Also, is there any Pentax DSLR known for having a particularly robust shutter? I imagine this is asked a lot, I'm sorry. I've noticed some of their newer models don't have a rating for it published. I could go through another 100k this year if I tried.

07-19-2020, 10:16 AM   #5
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Sounds like you got your money's worth from your K-r!
I believe the K-3 and K-1 series shutters are rated for 200k actuations. YMMV.
07-19-2020, 10:19 AM - 1 Like   #6
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I think those older shutters had an expectation of about 50k shots so you definitely got your money's worth!

With your budget I would look for a low mileage K5ii or K5iis. It should last you many years and would be quite a step up from your K-r. As the top of the line APSC body at its time, it has a shutter that should be quite a bit more robust.
07-19-2020, 10:32 AM   #7
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I think I need a strategy. My use case is changing so much. Out of the 114k I put on my K-r over 9 years, more than 50k were in the last year. I'm doing tonnes of focus stacking and I often shoot 3k exposures a day. My K-r was rated for 100k according to the specs, so what that breaks down to if I were to shoot 500 exposure stacks is only 200 pictures. This really worries me, because I feel like I'm going to be buying a new camera for its shutter every year or two, and I hadn't anticipated that. I may be able to adjust to the idea.

I guess I could go two ways, right now. I could scrimp for every dollar I can and get the best possible model within reach, like a K-5 or K-5ii (which I have dreamt about), or I could go the other direction and pick up a used K-r or even K-x as needed, run them into the ground and keep a spare as soon as I can afford one. My gut is telling me the latter is probably more practical, and my heart wants a denser sensor. The 12MP of the K-r is one limitation I wouldn't mind exceeding.

The rest of my stuff from this season is here if you guys want to take a look. Lots of bugs, mainly butterflies, and a few flower parts. I can explain any that need it. If anybody happens to recognize the tiny cocoons made from butterfly scales, please tell me! I'm searching for what made them. 2020 Micros - Album on Imgur

07-19-2020, 11:00 AM - 2 Likes   #8
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With some newer models (I'm not sure how far back this option goes), you could use electronic shutter - I think this might avoid so many shutter activations if you can leave it open once you start a stack, i.e. only one activation per 600 exposure image. You may need to invest in an external power supply, though - but that's cheaper than a newer camera every now and then!!

Wow - those bug (and leaf) pictures are amazing and fantastic! Are you a biologist of some sort, or just into bug close-ups!

Last edited by AstroDave; 07-19-2020 at 11:14 AM.
07-19-2020, 11:08 AM   #9
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Oh wow that sounds exciting, and I have considered building an AC adapter using the battery carriage for the K-r, but I never got around to it. Thanks for the tip, I will research this feature! I wasn't aware of it as I don't normally torture myself reading about new cameras that will probably always be out of reach for me. So I don't know much past the K-5, though I know about focus peaking enough to know I want to try it.

A cursory glance suggests the electronic shutter is only available on the KP, K-1 and K-1ii. If I couldn't do it right now, I could grab a K-r to keep going and plan for this next time.
07-19-2020, 11:13 AM   #10
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I can't help wondering if shooting 600 exposures in one sitting hastened the old timer's demise.
07-19-2020, 11:22 AM - 1 Like   #11
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Oh probably. I decided I could look at it a couple of ways. I could do like my uncle, baby my camera, rarely take it out, and never do anything intensive or risky, or I could revel in freely making lots of pictures until it breaks. I see him miserable and unfulfilled by his photography, and I don't want to be like that. I've had an absolute blast with this stuff in the past couple of years. More here in the 5X-40X range: 2019 - Album on Imgur Lots of bugs and lichens in this one, some flower parts, a couple of fungi. It's all local stuff to me, aside from a couple of houseplants (African violet flowers make nice subjects).

I just didn't listen to my gut when it said "Hey, this old camera's going to die soon" so I'll be twiddling my thumbs for a couple of weeks.
07-19-2020, 11:31 AM   #12
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I think it's cool that you have exhausted the life expectancy of a DSLR body. It is actually a great lesson for many of us who have a tendency to succumb to the temptation of jumping onto a new model etc. I have a 645D that is approaching 20,000 actuations and I wonder what I would do when and if the shutter goes bust. I love the CCD sensor so much that I just may go for a shutter replacement cuz I paid so damn much in the beginning, if that service is still available. But anyhow kudos to you. I think that is great!
07-19-2020, 12:13 PM   #13
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I would definitely try to get into a model with an electronic shutter. I have a KP which has it and I need to be doing more experimentation with it, but it sounds perfect for your usage. Meanwhile you should be able to get a used K-r or newer for $200 or less.
07-19-2020, 12:33 PM - 1 Like   #14
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Can you use a manual lens for your photos? Because a camera with failed aperture block would be really cheap. The second-cheapest solution would be if your K-r had the coveted white solenoid - probably since it lasted so long. You could buy a broken K-30 and repair that.

The K-r problem sounds like the broken gear problem with the MZ film cameras, just a guess.
07-19-2020, 03:48 PM   #15
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K-01 battery life is pretty good, because it has the "good" battery (D-Li90)... a couple of years ago I could do 460+ pictures in one day on one charge, and it was already a 3-y.o. camera.
To me, it's the perfect camera for macro work, and I suspect microscope is no different.
Only one caveat, since I see that you do a lot of stacks: there's no electronic shutter, so you'll wear the shutter every time you do a stack.
Perhaps researching cameras with electronic shutter for that particular job? I would do that, if I were to do something similar, or if I were into timelapses.
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