[hinman]

Hin, you were terribly unlucky with the K-x. I'm sure the vast majority of K-x owners are satisfied with it... (I'm one of them.)

Please don't get me wrong. I love my K-x white as much as anyone. I still highly recommends it. It has the mix blessings with good high iso performance and a notch+ to speed improvements on AF and peppy response. What happens to me is unusual. I know some of you may think of me as someone not careful with equipment. I do take good care and baby my camera gear conscientiously. My K-x failed with consistent Memory Card error. According to CRIS and Pentax customer service, it was something related to SD reader's controller card.

Thanks,
Hin

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Last edited by hinman; 10-31-2011 at 10:52 AM.

[eddie1960]

Hin, if you were shooting Pentax as a pro (or any other brand for that matter ) you would have at least 2 bodies (and quite possible more older bodies) so if one needed service you wouldn't be crippled. If you shot 1 ds or dx Canon has pretty fine pro service - service you don't get with the 5d series though - i imagine Nikon is the same shoot the d3 and you get that service shoot the d700 you don't. The big difference for Canikon pros is the ease of renting a body locally in most big cities. For Pentax you have to resort to internet rental turnaround time-frames and live in the US (i'm not aware of Pentax rentals in any other country)
Good luck with the K5, odds are pretty good now you'll get a problem free one. and if you buy a 3 year warranty it's almost guaranteed

[hinman]

Hin, if you were shooting Pentax as a pro (or any other brand for that matter ) you would have at least 2 bodies (and quite possible more older bodies) so if one needed service you wouldn't be crippled. If you shot 1 ds or dx Canon has pretty fine pro service - service you don't get with the 5d series though - i imagine Nikon is the same shoot the d3 and you get that service shoot the d700 you don't. The big difference for Canikon pros is the ease of renting a body locally in most big cities. For Pentax you have to resort to internet rental turnaround time-frames and live in the US (i'm not aware of Pentax rentals in any other country)
Good luck with the K5, odds are pretty good now you'll get a problem free one. and if you buy a 3 year warranty it's almost guaranteed

I even recommend to others in getting a used K10/20/200/kx/kr/k7 as a second body. I know how important it is to have a 2nd body in professional shooting. My master plan is all faltered as I plan to have k5 and my K20D as a backup.

Hin

[eddie1960]

I rarely shoot for money (though i do the occasional job maybe 10-12 times a year. I've had at least 2 bodies since i started doing that) and despite never having body issues i have held on to the others just in case as I got newer ones
Hopefully the K20 service won't be insane to do (I would just set a limit on the cost to what a good K7 or K20 costs

[HawaiianOnline]

Perhaps you could try sending in your K20D for repair? I don't know if Ricoh has made any changes to the repair experience, but it may be worth a shot. There's a new sheriff in town, and hopefully there will be a difference. I just hope that it isn't too early for meaningful changes.

I have been fortunate with my Pentax equipment. So far, I've only had one problem with my K20D. It locked up just like yours did, then it started making whirring buzzing noises. I sent it in and it came back in a month. I guess CRIS was having a good run at the time. This was December 2009, and I had to purchase a K7 as a backup since I had a wedding to shoot in a week and I had already converted my K10D to IR only. Boy was that a stressful week. That K20D has been problem free ever since.

[causey]

What happens to me is unusual. I know some of you may think of me as someone not careful with equipment.

I had no intention to suggest you were not careful with your equipment...

[hinman]

I had no intention to suggest you were not careful with your equipment...

Don't worry. I am carefully but it is necessary to re-assess myself if I have done anything in particular that may have put my gear more prone to issues.

I heart my Pentax gear and I love Pentax and I hope my misfortunes don't dampen my love and pride in Pentax

Pentax love of old and new
working together charmingly
except the green button





The Cosina and the green button killed their best friend on Sunday



I gifted the red bag for the new owner of my repaired K-x
Wish I have kept it as a spare





My bigger film boy with 645N

I may need to re-think my love of film versus two digital bodies

I heart my Pentax gear and pride. Since I also have a evolving interest on films, how I move forward can be complicated. I need to re-think and re-group a 2 digital-bodies going forward. But first thing first is to call up Pentax for an estimate to repair my K20D.

Thank you all for the comments.
Hin

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Last edited by hinman; 11-01-2011 at 10:09 AM.

[rawr]

If it's any consolation, Pentax's repair issues may not be exceptional. A poster on dpr has a note about the latest Consumer Report re repair issues:

Consumer Reports has out their 2012 buyers guide. Items of notes. Pentax, Sony, Canon, Olympus all tied on DSLR repair problems at 4 % with Nikon at 6%, but really no difference if within 3%. Looks like all are in the same boat.

Nikon D7000 gets higher rating than K5 due to better better flash, video, LCD display and viewfinder. Both K5 and K-r are recommended with K-r a CR best buy!

[HawaiianOnline]

I heart my Pentax gear and pride. Since I also have a evolving interest on films, how I move forward can be complicated. I need to re-think and re-group a 2 digital-bodies going forward. But first thing first is to call up Pentax for an estimate to repair my K20D.

Thank you all for the comments.
Hin

Let us know how your repair experience turns out. It's only been about a month at this point, but hopefully Ricoh's done some shaking up as far as their repair operations are concerned. It may be too early to tell for sure though, but let us know your experience anyway. Good luck!

[elle.e]

Dear Hin,

I feel very sorry for you.

Please don't think the grass is greener on the other side...
I inherited a Canon Eos 7D,
but it is not better than my K20D or my K5.
Both brands have their pros and cons.
And also, what about the beautiful lenses you have??
I would say: stick to Pentax, despite your two bad experiences...

Moments like these make people doubt.
Wisdom is what you need now.

Good luck!

koorelle

[hinman]

Dear Hin,

I feel very sorry for you.

Please don't think the grass is greener on the other side...
I inherited a Canon Eos 7D,
but it is not better than my K20D or my K5.
Both brands have their pros and cons.
And also, what about the beautiful lenses you have??
I would say: stick to Pentax, despite your two bad experiences...

Moments like these make people doubt.
Wisdom is what you need now.

Good luck!

koorelle

Thank you Koorelle so much for your thoughtful comments. I am not thinking straight without a digital camera and I have been all out searching alternatives as well as re-thinking my gear in both film and digital. While I love and do shoot more in digital, it is a life-long dream of mine to go back to film especially b&w. I am very much beginner in both worlds of digital and analog photography. The lost of my K20D really cuts it dry for me as I can't think of a 3rd Pentax dying in my hands -- and that is the scariest scene I play out in my Halloween quiet moment.

I venture into the thought of having gear from two brands and no matter how I turn and dice it, the idea doesn't make economic senses especially my gear are into hobby in nature. Had I turned into professional with a business behind, I will likely stay away from Pentax unless drastic changes happen in Ricoh's leadership. I love the lenses that I have built up with Pentax. It is not easily assembled in the Nikon community. I am more inclined to Nikon D7000 as an alternative candidate to Pentax K5 and with a potential professional growing path to D700 or the like. I am NOT yet going that route but I am asking my good friend to borrow his D7000 for a short in-person trial next.

I am MORE likely getting a K5 to follow my original plan but the dead K20D holds it all back for me.

Thanks again for the words of wisdom that I need. That means a lot to me.

Hin

[eddie1960]

Hi Hin, I am not sure of what lenses you have accumulated for the Pentax, but definitely the hardest part about a brand leap is not the camera body (you'll go through many of these over time) it's building a nice set of good glass. This is largely the strength of Pentax as you can go back to the begining of the SLR to hunt out gems that give you the ability to use quality lenses with minimal outlay, and if you have the money also invest in the latest in quality primes generally (but not always) at a price lower than Canikon or Sony. There are gaps of course like a good 70-200 2.8 (fill-able by third parties) One thing is certain Nikon and Canon both will cost more for good glass (m42 excepted since it can be adapted easily to both)
The D7000 seems to be in many ways Nikon's response to K7 form factor and build without obliterating the D300 as a more pro build. Certainly it's a good camera (not without it's own issues if you read the Nikon forums of course)
One thing to bear in mind is on one of these threads i saw Consumers report numbers on Breakdown/repair (not the best source but generally good for this info) Canon and Pentax were 4% Nikon was 6%. the difference is pretty much within a margin of error but it is a bit of a red flag.

[RoseyD]

Hin, my dear friend, if you are planning to get rid of your medium format equipment, put it into the k5. You know yourself, if you get the K7 you'll play with it a month or three, but it won't be long before you'll be eyeing the k5. You change equipment almost as fast and regular as one changes their underwear.

And, as Eddie mentions above ... I too don't know how many lenses you have these days. Are you still playing with classic lenses? I read that you gave up on the 31mm... what's holding your fancy these days?

-Rose (your LBA amiga)

[hinman]

Let us know how your repair experience turns out. It's only been about a month at this point, but hopefully Ricoh's done some shaking up as far as their repair operations are concerned. It may be too early to tell for sure though, but let us know your experience anyway. Good luck!

I called Pentax today and it was the same M lady that I talked to last time on the K-x repair. It really brought back all the frustrations I had with NO communication while the gear was under repair. There is absolutely no update in the 6 to 8 weeks of a typical repair. The K-x was new and yet it required back order of parts from Japan. I am quite sure the K20D will go through similar torture path if not worse. I have the LOWEST expectation from Pentax this time. I hope my 2nd repair experience won't be as pain but my fear is onto the 3rd if I live the Pentax experience. And spending a potential $200 on a $300 worth camera is anything but comforting and re-assuring.

Hin, my dear friend, if you are planning to get rid of your medium format equipment, put it into the k5. You know yourself, if you get the K7 you'll play with it a month or three, but it won't be long before you'll be eyeing the k5. You change equipment almost as fast and regular as one changes their underwear.

And, as Eddie mentions above ... I too don't know how many lenses you have these days. Are you still playing with classic lenses? I read that you gave up on the 31mm... what's holding your fancy these days?

-Rose (your LBA amiga)

Hi Rose, you have not visited my blog as much. I don't blame you, why would anyone visit my boring blog. If you check on my Hin's Camera Gear and you see that I have sold 24 items since the death of my white K-x and 7 more items are adding onto the sale list. And if you looked over my marketplace feedbacks, I have a 1 to 20 ratio of purchase vesus selling since late last year.

BTW, I still have the same assessment on 31. Gone was my LadyQueen but I don't miss it as much as my 21. It doesn't fit my shooting in digital crop and I like the smaller brothers and its pancakes siblings.

Thanks!
Hin

[hinman]

Hi Hin, I am not sure of what lenses you have accumulated for the Pentax, but definitely the hardest part about a brand leap is not the camera body (you'll go through many of these over time) it's building a nice set of good glass. This is largely the strength of Pentax as you can go back to the begining of the SLR to hunt out gems that give you the ability to use quality lenses with minimal outlay, and if you have the money also invest in the latest in quality primes generally (but not always) at a price lower than Canikon or Sony. There are gaps of course like a good 70-200 2.8 (fill-able by third parties) One thing is certain Nikon and Canon both will cost more for good glass (m42 excepted since it can be adapted easily to both)
The D7000 seems to be in many ways Nikon's response to K7 form factor and build without obliterating the D300 as a more pro build. Certainly it's a good camera (not without it's own issues if you read the Nikon forums of course)
One thing to bear in mind is on one of these threads i saw Consumers report numbers on Breakdown/repair (not the best source but generally good for this info) Canon and Pentax were 4% Nikon was 6%. the difference is pretty much within a margin of error but it is a bit of a red flag.

Thank you for your honest feedbacks. Your comments are very much appreciated. My gear are in the links above. My primes are in 15,24,35,43,55,77,200,300,500 and my zooms are in 10-17,28-75,50-135,80-200,55-300.

Warmest,
Hin