[boxcam78]

I feel that owners of the AF 360 FGZ flash gun ought to be aware of a potential weak point in the structure of this gun. Just recently I have been experiencing a lot of problems with this gun mounted on th K10D with gun spasmodically refusing to fire. I took it in to the shop where I purchased it and they tried it on another K10D and had the same trouble. I took it in today to Pentax UK to have looked at and the guy who looked it over whilst I waited found that the plastic around gun base and the hotshoe was cracked.

It would appear that there is a weak spot in the plastic at this point and in pushing the gun into the extremely tight hotshoe if care is not taken to push only at base connector, the plastic is liable to crack. You have been warned. Repair cost :- £54 !!!

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Last edited by boxcam78; 11-27-2007 at 08:34 AM. Reason: missed out item

[pentkon52]

I'm more worried, PO'd at the battery compartment door.

Thanks for that info though.

Dave

[Harald]

yes, the bottom plate around the base is very weak and prone to crack. My camera dropped from sofa to the floor and flash base cracked. It is now only in wireless use because connections do not work and repair is ridiculous expensive.

[RodConn]

yes, the bottom plate around the base is very weak and prone to crack. My camera dropped from sofa to the floor and flash base cracked. It is now only in wireless use because connections do not work and repair is ridiculous expensive.

Pentax cannot win - I remember a recent post on DPR where they were heavily criticised as having too robust a camera foot because in a similar situation the flash tore the shoe socket out of the K10d it was mounted on.

We all drop things and must expect expensive damage when we do

With the retaining pin mechanism and multiple connections the labour cost and part cost would be quite high so I am not surprised at the OP's price for repair.

Rod

[stewart_photo]

There is no weakness in the structure of the AF 360FGZ, nor a weak spot in the plastic. To avoid damage to the camera, the hotshoe foot on nearly all flash units are specifically designed to break away when overly stressed (read below) and be easily replaceable afterwards. That is why the foot itself is often designed as a separate piece from the rest of the flash body, attached separately using three or four screws.

As with mounting a lens or any other expensive device to an expensive camera, reasonable care should be used to ensure the device is aligned properly and mounted carefully. Pressure needed to slid the flash onto the camera should be applied only to the base (bottom) of the flash unit, not the upper portions. The same when removing the flash unit. And this common sense advice applies to all flash units, not just those made by Pentax.

The small surface area of the foot in relationship to the overall weight of the flash virtually ensures the plastic foot is subjected to great stress (leverage and so on) during normal use, and even more so with occasional bumps, falls, and so on. Inproper mounting and handling adds even more stress. A stronger foot would apply all this stress directly to the camera, meaning far more camera repairs. Instead, these relatively inexpensive feet break occasionally, requiring replacement. That reality has created a booming business surrounding replacement hotshoe feet for the more popular flash units (those on the market for some time). If you want to avoid that extra expense, read paragraph two again.

stewart

[boxcam78]

So you think that £54 is an inexpensive replacement do you ? I think it is highway robbery and I still say it is a design fault an Pentax should replace it for free. !!!

[Mike Cash]

in pushing the gun into the extremely tight hotshoe if care is not taken to push only at base connector, the plastic is liable to crack.[/B]

From that is it safe to infer that it was not your habit to push only at the base connector? Did you hold the flash body in your hand and apply force at a level higher than the hotshoe? If so, a little thing called "leverage" comes into play and it should come as no surprise that the plastic failed. Camera gear doesn't take kindly to being manhandled and it lets us know to what degree through the repair bills and replacement costs.

Just asking for a little clarity, because they way you have worded it makes it seem as though that is indeed what you were doing. If not, please let us know.

[stewart_photo]

So you think that £54 is an inexpensive replacement do you ?

I said "relatively inexpensive." And compared to the cost of repairing a camera or flash unit as a whole, the cost of replacing the hotshoe foot alone is indeed relatively inexpensive. That £54 includes the replacement part and labor costs for a repair technician, which seems fairly reasonable (especially since some simple lens filters are priced even higher).

I think it is highway robbery and I still say it is a design fault an Pentax should replace it for free. !!!

Well, I say it isn't a design fault and also suggest not holding your breath waiting for it to be replaced for free. The hotshoe foot is a common design used by nearly every camera and flash manufacturer and, absent a specific warranty clause stating otherwise, absolutely none of those manufacturers would repair or replace a flash unit damaged by the user for free. In other words, while I honestly feel for your plight, your demand is unreasonable.

stewart