Originally posted by THoog The K-m/x/r/30/50/500/S1/S2/and very probably 70 all appear to use the same basic aperture block design (and I've seen a teardown of a K100D that looked very, very similar). We don't have enough data to determine whether any model is more prone to failure, or if we are just seeing more K-50 failures because more K-50s were made. If you want to avoid the issue altogether, you'll have to move up to the bodies with the higher-end shutter design, like the K-5/3/1.
Originally posted by richandfleur Definitely most common on the k-30/k-50 period.
Officially it's all very quiet, but I was disappointed to hear reports of the k-s2 having the same issue, and agree the k-70 is likely to be built on the same platform. Sounds like dodgy components made their way into the modern batch at some stage, as it simply didn't occur like this before the k-30 even though the design is the same.
Actually, we have no real statistics, so we have little real knowledge.
We don't know what percentage of the consumer-grade cameras made by Pentax exhibit this behavior and the average time when it occurs.
{and I don't know of any statistics for consumer-grade cameras made by Canikon either ... but I did have two Canon Rebels fail on me in eight years with a total shutter count of under 5000}
A week ago, my wife and I returned from a trip to Canada, to Quebec Province to be more precise.
During the two weeks we were gone, I took a total of 90 distinct pictures, increasing the shutter count of my K-30 by a total of 250.
If that time were typical of my life, I would take 2340 distinct pictures a year, increasing the shutter count of my K-30 by 6500.
However, in the entire first year I owned that camera {the 52 weeks before our vacation}, I took a total of 272 distinct pictures and had a shutter count of 639.
My guess is that these consumer-grade cameras are designed for people with habits like mine, and the many reports we hear here about failures come from those who have habits more like a professional.
Perhaps the consumer-grade cameras should be more durable ... but they aren't {nor do they have metal bodies}
I believe Adam's advice is good.
Originally posted by Adam I'd recommend looking at the K-3 as a replacement. It's more durable and rated for 200k actuations
Incidentally, I am in the process of digitizing every slide /negative I've taken {and still care about} in the 40 years I used a 35mm camera.
As of this morning, my count is 4223, and I currently believe I'm over half-way done.