[lesmore49]

I have a 10 year old Pentax K10D...checked a few years ago and the shutter count was around 56,000....must be around 60,000 + by now. Have a KM...also high shutter count, bought it new in 2009. Both have had no problems and I use them a lot. Have a K-5, bought new in 2011, had some problems with it early (2012) in ownership, with it freezing. Sent it back to Pentax Canada, they fixed it well...it's been running like a Swiss watch for years now.

I've been happy with all my Pentax gear, they're reliable and durable, including my Pentax S1a, bought new in Feb. 1968 and my Pentax ES ll which I bought new in April, 1974. They all work still, no problemo. Can't speak on anything newer, but if the new Pentax stuff is as good as the older stuff, then as the Aussies say...no worries.

[runswithsizzers]

Consumer Reports member polls are useful for comparison between brands, but not so much to arrive at "1 out of every 20" failure rate. This is because members who have had product failures are more likely to fill in the survey than those who have not experienced a failure.As you rightly point out, the Consumer Reports data may not present the full picture.

I suspect this particular data set will mislead some readers to conclude that Panasonics have half the failure rate of Olympus (4% vs. 8%), ignoring the statement that "differences of less than 4% are insignificant"

Since the potential error is as large as the difference between the higest and lowest failure rates, I would say the data is NOT useful for comparison between brands. As far as CR can tell, there is no significant difference between these brands, right?

[lesmore49]

I used to subscribe to CR, but don't anymore. Primarily, as I believe any poll system used to determine % of issues with a product, people voting patterns , people satisfaction with service, etc. is inherently flawed...it depends on a healthy percentage of people responding and I don't think that necessarily happens.

[UncleVanya]

I used to subscribe to CR, but don't anymore. Primarily, as I believe any poll system used to determine % of issues with a product, people voting patterns , people satisfaction with service, etc. is inherently flawed...it depends on a healthy percentage of people responding and I don't think that necessarily happens.

I agree. I left them after I asked for more information on a few of their articles. I asked for more information about the methods of testing and they flatly refused to share any information. I found that to be absolutely a deal breaker based on the lack of detail in the articles and the fact that the method would help me understand their results.

[dave2k]

I have two degrees in statistics so I know a few things about surveys. They are not perfect, but a good survey that is designed and analyzed by folks with a high degree of technical training beats the heck out of what you see on Amazon, etc. CR does employ statisticians and the do use statistical principles to ensure that their results are robust. They do not publish metrics if the sample size is not adequate to minimize variation in the results. And I'm not sure about the surveys only going to limited recipients as their auto results are based on 350,000 responses if I am not mistaken. Use what you wish for information, but I put the most trust in those who are impartial experts.

Having said that, I've been very happy with my multiple Pentax bodies and lenses and I don't plan to switch brands anytime soon. The value proposition with Pentax is the best I think. And I do fault the way in which CR tends to group a wide range of SLRs and they do not necessarily give "points" for the best feature set. But their reliability data is probably superior to any other source.

[dave2k]

I have two degrees in statistics so I know a few things about surveys. They are not perfect, but a good survey that is designed and analyzed by folks with a high degree of technical training beats the heck out of what you see on Amazon, etc. CR does employ statisticians and the do use statistical principles to ensure that their results are robust. They do not publish metrics if the sample size is not adequate to minimize variation in the results. And I'm not sure about the surveys only going to limited recipients as their auto results are based on 350,000 responses if I am not mistaken. Use what you wish for information, but I put the most trust in those who are impartial experts.

Having said that, I've been very happy with my multiple Pentax bodies and lenses and I don't plan to switch brands anytime soon. The value proposition with Pentax is the best I think. And I do fault the way in which CR tends to group a wide range of SLRs and they do not necessarily give "points" for the best feature set. But their reliability data is probably superior to any other source.

[robert52]

Never had a problem with my film Pentaxs Me Super , LX SFXN & Z1.
But my K100 Super would drain ANY battery over night no matter what I used / tried
Never had a problem with my K10D & K7

[pete-tarmigan]

I've had Pentaxes since 1977 and have never had a manufacturer's defect on my K-1, K-3, K-5, K-7, K10D, *istDL, MX, or K1000. However, after a few decades of use, I did wear out the shutter speed control mechanism on the MX and the light meter on the K1000. I've never had a breakdown with a Pentax lens.

[UncleVanya]

Never had a problem with my film Pentaxs Me Super , LX SFXN & Z1.
But my K100 Super would drain ANY battery over night no matter what I used / tried
Never had a problem with my K10D & K7

I'm lucky Flawless pz-1 film era camera. Flawless k100d super, flawless k100d as well. Aperture block failure on the k-50 in warranty. Dads k-50 never had any problems. Two k-3 bodies no problems. 3 SDM lenses no problems.

[runswithsizzers]

I have two degrees in statistics so I know a few things about surveys. They are not perfect, but a good survey that is designed and analyzed by folks with a high degree of technical training beats the heck out of what you see on Amazon, etc. CR does employ statisticians and the do use statistical principles to ensure that their results are robust. They do not publish metrics if the sample size is not adequate to minimize variation in the results. And I'm not sure about the surveys only going to limited recipients as their auto results are based on 350,000 responses if I am not mistaken. Use what you wish for information, but I put the most trust in those who are impartial experts.

Having said that, I've been very happy with my multiple Pentax bodies and lenses and I don't plan to switch brands anytime soon. The value proposition with Pentax is the best I think. And I do fault the way in which CR tends to group a wide range of SLRs and they do not necessarily give "points" for the best feature set. But their reliability data is probably superior to any other source.

I have to know a little bit about statistics to monitor the reliability of laboratory results where I work, but my knowledge is far below the "2-degrees-in-statistics" level. Maybe you can answer this question:

If CR says: "differences of less than 4% are insignificant" - and the published failure rates are all between 4% and 8% - then am I right to conclude that the data does not show any statistically significant difference between the brands?

[ejhc11]

Have a 2.5 year old low use K50 that experienced the aperture block issue this Aug. This was bought new from Adorama back then probably less than 5000 clicks. I have another K50 bought from a forum member still working fine with less than 5000 clicks also. Hopefully, it will continue to perform cause I do like the K50.

I just bought off from eBay a K3 with grip, mint condition with a few hundred clicks, wife just picked up the pkg from USPS as I type this. ��.

[UncleVanya]

Have a 2.5 year old low use K50 that experienced the aperture block issue this Aug. This was bought new from Adorama back then probably less than 5000 clicks. I have another K50 bought from a forum member still working fine with less than 5000 clicks also. Hopefully, it will continue to perform cause I do like the K50.

I just bought off from eBay a K3 with grip, mint condition with a few hundred clicks, wife just picked up the pkg from USPS as I type this. ��.

The K3 will spoil you. I know I went from K-50 to K-3... it was not something motivated by me - my dad wanted one and had to have me on the same camera. It is a fantastic camera - the K-50 is utility, the K-3 is luxury.

[MarkJerling]

I just bought off from eBay a K3 with grip, mint condition with a few hundred clicks, wife just picked up the pkg from USPS as I type this. ��.

This thread is not for you then: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/239325-why-i-wont-buy-k3-w...read-2049.html

All jokes aside - Enjoy your new camera.

[dave2k]

I have to know a little bit about statistics to monitor the reliability of laboratory results where I work, but my knowledge is far below the "2-degrees-in-statistics" level. Maybe you can answer this question:

If CR says: "differences of less than 4% are insignificant" - and the published failure rates are all between 4% and 8% - then am I right to conclude that the data does not show any statistically significant difference between the brands?

Yes, you are correct. The observed rates are different, but not to such a degree that the difference is statistically significant. In other words, it's possible that the results reported could well have occurred even if the brands were actually equivalent. As the sample size increases, the x in "differences of less than x% are insignificant" gets smaller and smaller.

[Nicolas06]

Edit: Boy was I off! I found a copy of the Fall 2015 reliability report and those numbers sorted out as follows:

Fall 2015 Report for period 2010-2015 (not current survey)

• Panasonic: 4%
• Canon: 5%
• Sony: 7%
• Pentax: 7%
• Nikon: 8%
• Olympus: 8%

There were no results for Fuji.

End edit
Steve

Theses numbers are interresting... There apparently some benefit of spending more to get less on Canon . Not sure it justify the price difference.

Anyway, my understanding is for all brand this also depend of the actual model. You can be unlucky (like Nikon D610 with oil issues) but overall my understanding is that you get what you pay for. In Pentax the "pro level" cameras like K7, K5, K3, K1 will last longer overall than the mid/entry level like Kx, K30, K50, K70. This is likely quite true on all brands.

So I'll not bet a entry level Panasonic/Canon against a pro grade Pentax or Olympus...