K10D Dates of Manufacture?

MNCurt-K10D · 10-28-2007, 05:25 PM

While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year.

I have heard before that current camera manufacturing strategy is to make essentially one production run of a particular model, using whatever means available to predict total sales volume. If the camera turns out to sell better than planned, it is probably better to tool up for a "new" model sooner than intended, rather than re-set the production line for an "old" model. If the model does less well, then you start dropping the price to clear the over-production inventory. Gets to be a high-risk game, of course! Anyway, if all K10Ds show manufacture dates late in 2005, maybe a new model is in the works! Of course, it could be that the manufacture date indicated by PhotoME is actually the fab date of the processor chip set, not the finished camera. That would make some sense, as these chips would have to have been made well in advance to the actual first production K10D body, and almost certainly enough chips for the planned life of the K10D would be fabricated in a single lot.

All makes for some interesting speculation! Would be interesting to compile some data on the PhotoME findings...

Oh, by the way, the "internal serial number" displayed by PhotoME bears little resemblance to the serial number on the exterior of my K10D body...

nosnoop · 10-28-2007, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D

While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year.

Sounds like a bug of the PhotoME software.
I used ExifTools and it showed my K10D manufacture date as 2007-01-07, which looked correct.

Donald · 10-28-2007, 06:46 PM

unless there is some specific Pentax technical article that describes this as actual manufacture date, then it is not.

All manufacturers serial number codes include numerous data, sometimes including date of manufacture. In 20+ years of product development I have never seen a serial number or other product specific alpha / number code that listed date of manufacture with any order of day-month-year. Usually all serial or other product code identifiers are cryptic: example, a product design I worked on had serial codes BBEF##: letters indicated date and certification level of product, #'s just incremented.

Generally, and quite simplified, what happens is: product is assembled, firmware loaded, sent to test station, tests run, passes test, file written is date stamped, serial code generated, written back to product, labels printed with same serial code, etc.

Speculation, but maybe what is being read is a date set in some piece of firmware, maybe not even Pentax but from a chip. This would explain a 2005 date. Alternately, your reader is erroneously interpreting a data call as a date code.

distudio · 10-28-2007, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D

While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year.

Maybe try updating PhotoME? My K10D files report a manufacture date of 20061117 which is likely correct and the model revision is 1.2 which I suspect is the hardware version. The internal serial number I suspect pertains to the logic assembly alone.

MNCurt-K10D · 10-28-2007, 07:22 PM

I ran EXIFTool on one of my files and came up with the same "date" of "2005:12:03", so EXIFTool and PhotoME agree... and since I have no idea where the authors of either program came up with the idea to identify certain bits of the EXIF data as "Manufacture Date", I cannot say much about Donalds comment. It is interesting that distudio's reversion number is LOWER than mine, though the "date" is later - adds some credence to the thought that these are just random bits, not true data!

distudio · 10-28-2007, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D

It is interesting that distudio's reversion number is LOWER than mine, though the "date" is later - adds some credence to the thought that these are just random bits, not true data!

Not at all, there was an extensive thread at DPR covering this a few months back and quite a few respondents made public their purchase dates, serial, internal serial and revision number. Given that data it was apparent that these numbers are not at all random, it just reflects the way the component parts are managed during assembly and that ongoing revisions are occurring.

Why your particular body displays the manufactured date the way it does I have no idea.

HGMonaro · 10-28-2007, 10:04 PM

interesting discussion... Can't imagine the components being as old as indicated so I'd be questioning the software reporting the info, or as Donald points out, it's not really the manufacture date at all.

I purchased my K10D in Dec 2006 (in Melbourne, Aust)

Edvinas · 10-28-2007, 11:54 PM

Originally posted by HGMonaro

I purchased my K10D in Dec 2006 (in Melbourne, Aust)

I also purchased my K10D in December 2006 in Melbourne, PhotoME says it was manufactured in the middle of November and has revision 1.2

pop4 · 10-29-2007, 06:48 AM

Here's what exiftool has to say about a photo from earlier tonight on my K10D, bought in June 2007 from a Ted's in QLD:

Manufacture Date: 2007:02:16
Model Revision: 1.2
Internal Serial Number: 3923xxx

bymy141 · 10-29-2007, 09:32 AM

My K10D data is:

Pentax model: K10D
Manufacturing date: 20070311
Model Revision: 1.6
Serial Number: 4062686

It was bought in Amsterdam august this year.

By the way, the camera's internal temperture is also registered.
For what means?
What I can think of is:

- auto shut down outside the limits,
- sensor gain adjustment,
- noise algorithm adjustment,
- ??

Does anybody know?

- Bert

bymy141 · 10-29-2007, 09:38 AM

Originally posted by pop4

Here's what exiftool has to say about a photo from earlier tonight on my K10D, bought in June 2007 from a Ted's in QLD:

Manufacture Date: 2007:02:16
Model Revision: 1.2
Internal Serial Number: 3923xxx

Hi Pop4, I was just reading your post after I reread my own.
My camera was made one month later than yours and has a model revision of 1.6. Yours is on 1.2.
The serial numbers are not that far of as well.

I wonder what happened there at Pentax.
By the way, I have absolutely no problems with my camera, alignments etc, everything is ok.

- Bert

noblepa · 10-29-2007, 11:55 AM

Mine shows a mfg. date of 2007:07:18, Model revision of 2.1 and internal serial number of 4480040. It was purchased from B & H on Sept. 19, 2007.

I don't understand why the OP claims that a mfg. date of 12/03/2005 is impossible. The K10D was introduced in 2006. I'm not sure exactly what date, but I think it was relatively early. If that's true, they may well have been starting up the assembly line in late 2005, so that they had a stockpile to begin shipping immediately after the announcement. Early assembly lines go rather slowly, to give the workers time to learn the new product and for the QA engineers to make sure everything is going together properly. A six month lead time wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Paul Noble

MNCurt-K10D · 10-29-2007, 02:47 PM

All very interesting... now my question is, should I be happy or sad that I have a K10D with a very early manufacturing date (12/1/2005)? And should I be concerned that B&H was able to sell me said body almost 18 months after it was (maybe) manufactured? As yet I've experienced no problems with the camera, other than it backing up the image sequrnce number once, when the battery suddenly went out... when I queried Pentax on that, they said I should send it in for repair if it ever happens again...

10-28-2007, 05:25 PM	#1
MNCurt-K10D Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 113	K10D Dates of Manufacture? While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year. I have heard before that current camera manufacturing strategy is to make essentially one production run of a particular model, using whatever means available to predict total sales volume. If the camera turns out to sell better than planned, it is probably better to tool up for a "new" model sooner than intended, rather than re-set the production line for an "old" model. If the model does less well, then you start dropping the price to clear the over-production inventory. Gets to be a high-risk game, of course! Anyway, if all K10Ds show manufacture dates late in 2005, maybe a new model is in the works! Of course, it could be that the manufacture date indicated by PhotoME is actually the fab date of the processor chip set, not the finished camera. That would make some sense, as these chips would have to have been made well in advance to the actual first production K10D body, and almost certainly enough chips for the planned life of the K10D would be fabricated in a single lot. All makes for some interesting speculation! Would be interesting to compile some data on the PhotoME findings... Oh, by the way, the "internal serial number" displayed by PhotoME bears little resemblance to the serial number on the exterior of my K10D body...

10-29-2007, 11:55 AM	#12
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	Manufacture date Mine shows a mfg. date of 2007:07:18, Model revision of 2.1 and internal serial number of 4480040. It was purchased from B & H on Sept. 19, 2007. I don't understand why the OP claims that a mfg. date of 12/03/2005 is impossible. The K10D was introduced in 2006. I'm not sure exactly what date, but I think it was relatively early. If that's true, they may well have been starting up the assembly line in late 2005, so that they had a stockpile to begin shipping immediately after the announcement. Early assembly lines go rather slowly, to give the workers time to learn the new product and for the QA engineers to make sure everything is going together properly. A six month lead time wouldn't surprise me a bit. Paul Noble

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10-28-2007, 06:24 PM	#2
nosnoop Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,299	Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year. Sounds like a bug of the PhotoME software. I used ExifTools and it showed my K10D manufacture date as 2007-01-07, which looked correct.

10-28-2007, 06:46 PM	#3
Donald Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 329	unless there is some specific Pentax technical article that describes this as actual manufacture date, then it is not. All manufacturers serial number codes include numerous data, sometimes including date of manufacture. In 20+ years of product development I have never seen a serial number or other product specific alpha / number code that listed date of manufacture with any order of day-month-year. Usually all serial or other product code identifiers are cryptic: example, a product design I worked on had serial codes BBEF##: letters indicated date and certification level of product, #'s just incremented. Generally, and quite simplified, what happens is: product is assembled, firmware loaded, sent to test station, tests run, passes test, file written is date stamped, serial code generated, written back to product, labels printed with same serial code, etc. Speculation, but maybe what is being read is a date set in some piece of firmware, maybe not even Pentax but from a chip. This would explain a 2005 date. Alternately, your reader is erroneously interpreting a data call as a date code.

10-28-2007, 07:00 PM	#4
distudio Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 450	Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D While reading this thread: K10D Shutter Activations - Does the camera keep track?, I noticed in the post by HGMonaro that, using PhotoME, the date of manufacture (per the EXIF data) of his K10D was 12/3/2005... I used PhotoME to look at one of my K10D images, and found the date of manufacture to be 12/1/2005 (expressed as 20051201) and a model revision number of 1.5. HGMonaro said that his 20051203 date couldn't be right, but I wondered what other dates might be showing up in other K10Ds. I purchased mine from B&H in May of this year. Maybe try updating PhotoME? My K10D files report a manufacture date of 20061117 which is likely correct and the model revision is 1.2 which I suspect is the hardware version. The internal serial number I suspect pertains to the logic assembly alone.

10-28-2007, 07:22 PM	#5
MNCurt-K10D Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 113 Original Poster	I ran EXIFTool on one of my files and came up with the same "date" of "2005:12:03", so EXIFTool and PhotoME agree... and since I have no idea where the authors of either program came up with the idea to identify certain bits of the EXIF data as "Manufacture Date", I cannot say much about Donalds comment. It is interesting that distudio's reversion number is LOWER than mine, though the "date" is later - adds some credence to the thought that these are just random bits, not true data!

10-28-2007, 09:05 PM	#6
distudio Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 450	Originally posted by MNCurt-K10D It is interesting that distudio's reversion number is LOWER than mine, though the "date" is later - adds some credence to the thought that these are just random bits, not true data! Not at all, there was an extensive thread at DPR covering this a few months back and quite a few respondents made public their purchase dates, serial, internal serial and revision number. Given that data it was apparent that these numbers are not at all random, it just reflects the way the component parts are managed during assembly and that ongoing revisions are occurring. Why your particular body displays the manufactured date the way it does I have no idea.

10-28-2007, 10:04 PM	#7
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	interesting discussion... Can't imagine the components being as old as indicated so I'd be questioning the software reporting the info, or as Donald points out, it's not really the manufacture date at all. I purchased my K10D in Dec 2006 (in Melbourne, Aust)

10-28-2007, 11:54 PM	#8
Edvinas Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kaunas Posts: 1,458	Originally posted by HGMonaro I purchased my K10D in Dec 2006 (in Melbourne, Aust) I also purchased my K10D in December 2006 in Melbourne, PhotoME says it was manufactured in the middle of November and has revision 1.2

10-29-2007, 06:48 AM	#9
pop4 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: YMML Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,879	Here's what exiftool has to say about a photo from earlier tonight on my K10D, bought in June 2007 from a Ted's in QLD: Manufacture Date: 2007:02:16 Model Revision: 1.2 Internal Serial Number: 3923xxx

10-29-2007, 09:32 AM	#10
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	My K10D data is: Pentax model: K10D Manufacturing date: 20070311 Model Revision: 1.6 Serial Number: 4062686 It was bought in Amsterdam august this year. By the way, the camera's internal temperture is also registered. For what means? What I can think of is: - auto shut down outside the limits, - sensor gain adjustment, - noise algorithm adjustment, - ?? Does anybody know? - Bert

10-29-2007, 09:38 AM	#11
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	Originally posted by pop4 Here's what exiftool has to say about a photo from earlier tonight on my K10D, bought in June 2007 from a Ted's in QLD: Manufacture Date: 2007:02:16 Model Revision: 1.2 Internal Serial Number: 3923xxx Hi Pop4, I was just reading your post after I reread my own. My camera was made one month later than yours and has a model revision of 1.6. Yours is on 1.2. The serial numbers are not that far of as well. I wonder what happened there at Pentax. By the way, I have absolutely no problems with my camera, alignments etc, everything is ok. - Bert

10-29-2007, 02:47 PM	#13
MNCurt-K10D Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 113 Original Poster	All very interesting... now my question is, should I be happy or sad that I have a K10D with a very early manufacturing date (12/1/2005)? And should I be concerned that B&H was able to sell me said body almost 18 months after it was (maybe) manufactured? As yet I've experienced no problems with the camera, other than it backing up the image sequrnce number once, when the battery suddenly went out... when I queried Pentax on that, they said I should send it in for repair if it ever happens again...