[Timichango]

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Hey all, just wondering if anyone's got a source for inexpensive replacements for the K-7 "Sync socket 2P cap"? Mine was lost on a shoot the other day, and I've subsequently read that the camera is not weather-sealed without it.

I've contacted Pentax Canada, and they're asking for $10 (!!!!!) for the cap, and another $10 (!!!!!!!!) to ship it.

After growing up in family where the family business is plastics injection molding (specifically bottle caps), I know full well that this part costs less than a half-cent to make... the thought of shelling out $20 for it just makes my skin crawl. Offensive case of highway robbery, that pricing.

If I can't find a less expensive source for the caps, I'll likely end up shooting some silicone into the socket to permanently seal it up, and put the $20 towards those radio triggers I've been looking at...

[SpecialK]

Sorry I can't help you. Oh, the little rubber eyepiece is 29.99. Actually silicone says pretty flexible so you should be able to dig it out if needed.

[Nowhere Matt]

I was a resin compounder for a plastics injection molding company for more than 10 years. (trigger sprayers, high viscosity pump dispensers)

That's all. It's just been a long time since I got to comment on being a (former) resin compounder. Once again I add nothing to the discussion. Please continue.

[Wheatfield]

If it makes you feel any better, cameras weren't weather sealed for a very long time prior to this, and seemed to keep working.

[JeffJS]

Ebay can be your friend.

Flash PC Sync Terminal Cap Cover 4 Nikon D200 D2X S3 S5 - eBay (item 230463264049 end time Aug-14-10 21:39:12 PDT)

I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find one that says it's for Pentax (but I'll bet it's the same one).

[nanhi]

Hey Tchango, change things a bit my friend. And you have the knowledge too. But please don't paste that synchro socket shut for good - that's sacrilege man.
Here's good advice from a DIY Master Mechanic: look around for small cap like things in the home and medical shops. Softer plastic ones will let you thread them in by self forming the thread. Then take it out again, apply just a wee bit of rubber solution - your local cycle shop will give you a drop for free - used for punctured cycle tubes.
Homeopathic medicine bottles have a large variety of caps, as well as eye drops, and small pain balm tubes. Come on plastic moulder friend, use some imagination.
Just use a hobby knife to shape a small cap, just don't cut off the close end. Cut a little step and smooth off with emery so that it fits the thread a wee bit tight to start off. And caps are knurled too for grip. Happy hunting.

[Wheatfield]

Hey Tchango, change things a bit my friend. And you have the knowledge too. But please don't paste that synchro socket shut for good - that's sacrilege man.
Here's good advice from a DIY Master Mechanic: look around for small cap like things in the home and medical shops. Softer plastic ones will let you thread them in by self forming the thread. Then take it out again, apply just a wee bit of rubber solution - your local cycle shop will give you a drop for free - used for punctured cycle tubes.
Homeopathic medicine bottles have a large variety of caps, as well as eye drops, and small pain balm tubes. Come on plastic moulder friend, use some imagination.
Just use a hobby knife to shape a small cap, just don't cut off the close end. Cut a little step and smooth off with emery so that it fits the thread a wee bit tight to start off. And caps are knurled too for grip. Happy hunting.

That sounds like spending $25.00 to save $20.00.
Just order the part from a camera store. That way you get an OEM part and the store covers shipping.

[glanglois]

Where is Red Green when we need him ??

[nanhi]

Oh no Whitefield my friend, I meant small caps lying about in the house from balm tubes, sealants, small medicine bottles, eye drop bottles, etc - for FREE.
In fact a Homeopathic Medicine Dispensing Shops will give you one for free. You could even find one at Home Depot for free or for 50 cents or so.
Here in Bangalore I could pick half a dozen of them for free.
Give it a try my friend - it could be fun and satisfying - as YOU DID IT.

[Timichango]

Sorry I can't help you. Oh, the little rubber eyepiece is 29.99. Actually silicone says pretty flexible so you should be able to dig it out if needed.

Yeah - thinking of just plugging the center-hole where the plug-pin inserts with a cropper toothpick, and pressuring silicone into the outer cavity where the threads are. With a bit of luck, this process should end up creating a little threaded silicone cap that I can remove—and replace—with little/no problem.

If it makes you feel any better, cameras weren't weather sealed for a very long time prior to this, and seemed to keep working.

Agreed - I wouldn't be too paranoid about it if I wasn't as enthusiastic about using this camera in the pouring rain, which I've done numerous times (including the evening I purchased it), without mishap or anxiety. The weather-sealing and field-reports of people using the k-7 & k20d in harsh conditions successfully were the main reason I ended up with one. That said, given the very limited opportunity for water to ingress through the pc-socket, I'm comfortable sealing it up whatever way I can—duct tape, silicone, another cap, etc., as long as it's covered.

Ebay can be your friend.

Flash PC Sync Terminal Cap Cover 4 Nikon D200 D2X S3 S5 - eBay (item 230463264049 end time Aug-14-10 21:39:12 PDT)

I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find one that says it's for Pentax (but I'll bet it's the same one).

The Nikon one won't work, I'm pretty certain: Nikon sync ports have a wider thread to accommodate their threaded PC flash sync cables. Given that the threading on these cables is too wide to thread into my K-7 (trust me, I know this because I've tried, and am frustrated by the incompatibility), the same must also be true of the port covers.

Unfortunately I've had no luck on ebay finding pentax sync caps, save for one oem cap being sold by B&H, who won't ship to Canada

Hey Tchango, change things a bit my friend. And you have the knowledge too. But please don't paste that synchro socket shut for good - that's sacrilege man.
Here's good advice from a DIY Master Mechanic: look around for small cap like things in the home and medical shops. Softer plastic ones will let you thread them in by self forming the thread. Then take it out again, apply just a wee bit of rubber solution - your local cycle shop will give you a drop for free - used for punctured cycle tubes.
Homeopathic medicine bottles have a large variety of caps, as well as eye drops, and small pain balm tubes. Come on plastic moulder friend, use some imagination.
Just use a hobby knife to shape a small cap, just don't cut off the close end. Cut a little step and smooth off with emery so that it fits the thread a wee bit tight to start off. And caps are knurled too for grip. Happy hunting.

Definitely some other options here, but just wanted to exhaust the possibility of finding a compatible 'manufactured' cap first

That sounds like spending $25.00 to save $20.00.
Just order the part from a camera store. That way you get an OEM part and the store covers shipping.

I'm definitely going to look into this... I wonder if the retail price might be marginally better as well...