And yet.... ONE more post about aperture lock-up!

Dewman · 11-15-2017, 12:54 AM - **2 Likes**

I have a K-30 that had the dreaded aperture freeze disease. Sent said camera to a fella' in California for repairs. $100.00 plus $17.00 shipping, guaranteed for one year. Camera returned from repairs. Shutter count was much greater than when it was sent away. However, camera works like a charm. Time passes.... ( a 4-5 months) camera is used sparingly. One day, I picked up the camera for some still-life photography and the aperture freeze was BACK!

I had read that inserting fresh Li AA batteries would sometime "shock" the camera back to life. Tried it and BINGO! Camera works fine. Not wanting to be locked into using AA batteries full-time, a few days later I tried a freshly-charged D-LI109 battery. BINGO again! Since this battery-switching episode, the camera never fails to work, regardless of what battery system I use. I pretend like it is just playin' possum and always carry both battery options if I were to take it afield.

I love my K-30's & K-50's, having two of each. They are perfect for the type of photography I'm involved in. If I owned only one DSLR, I suppose the aperture freeze possibility would be of the utmost importance. But I'm more than willing to put up with the shortcomings of the camera, knowing that it has only a personality "abnormality" that can be dealt with as opposed to it becoming merely a paper weight.

The Squirrel Mafia · 11-15-2017, 07:41 AM

my fix of the K-30 aperture problem without disassembly: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

^ Try this fix too.

One of my K-50 bodies started acting up & I just went straight to the operating table with it by replacing the green aperture assembly with an OEM white one. It has been trouble free for the last +-5,000 shots so far.

photolady95 · 11-15-2017, 07:51 AM

Originally posted by Dewman

Time passes.... ( a 4-5 months) camera is used sparingly.

It's been said that letting the camera be idle for months at a time can cause the aperture block failure too.

I've got a K-30 that has over 33,000 shots on it quit working because of the aperture block failure and I use it with the AA adapter.

My two other cameras, the newer K-30 has 5,000+ shots and the K-50 has more than 7,000 shots and both are still working fine. But I don't let either sit idle for more than a few days.

The Squirrel Mafia · 11-15-2017, 09:36 AM

^ That seems to be the main cause of it. If it stays idle for many weeks, the aperture motor starts getting stuck.

Funny thing is that my black K-50 had about +-28,000 shots when it started having that dark exposure issue & it has been used at least once a week since I got it in late January 2015. It would do it randomly as I was out shooting. Sometimes in the middle of a few bursts, a few images would come out dark. My wife's red K-50 has about +-25,000 shots & no issues so far.

Despite that potential aperture motor issue in the K-50 cameras, I still they are pretty great cameras overall, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to go out & get one at this point in time. It just sucks that they cheaped out on that part. It would have been around the time of the Hoya ownership. My guess is that the accounting side had a say in it & the engineers were probably forced to go along with it.

jddwoods · 11-15-2017, 06:04 PM

Use it or Lose It has alway been an issue with SDM motors but it looks like this also applies to the Aperture block motor as well. I learned my lesson letting my DA 17-70SDM sit unused for only 3 weeks. Now it is dead. The use it or lose it would seem to be applicable to any mechanical device that has moving parts. Although it is never really stated I would think many mechanical things stop working when they go on the shelf unused for a long time. I learned my lesson with my DA 17-70. Even though I may not be on a picture taking expedition I periodically exercise both my K-5 and K-3 cameras and all of my lenses, just to keep everything moving and ready.

11-15-2017, 12:54 AM - 2 Likes	#1
Dewman Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,492	And yet.... ONE more post about aperture lock-up! I have a K-30 that had the dreaded aperture freeze disease. Sent said camera to a fella' in California for repairs. $100.00 plus $17.00 shipping, guaranteed for one year. Camera returned from repairs. Shutter count was much greater than when it was sent away. However, camera works like a charm. Time passes.... ( a 4-5 months) camera is used sparingly. One day, I picked up the camera for some still-life photography and the aperture freeze was BACK! I had read that inserting fresh Li AA batteries would sometime "shock" the camera back to life. Tried it and BINGO! Camera works fine. Not wanting to be locked into using AA batteries full-time, a few days later I tried a freshly-charged D-LI109 battery. BINGO again! Since this battery-switching episode, the camera never fails to work, regardless of what battery system I use. I pretend like it is just playin' possum and always carry both battery options if I were to take it afield. I love my K-30's & K-50's, having two of each. They are perfect for the type of photography I'm involved in. If I owned only one DSLR, I suppose the aperture freeze possibility would be of the utmost importance. But I'm more than willing to put up with the shortcomings of the camera, knowing that it has only a personality "abnormality" that can be dealt with as opposed to it becoming merely a paper weight.

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11-15-2017, 07:41 AM	#2
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,057	my fix of the K-30 aperture problem without disassembly: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review ^ Try this fix too. One of my K-50 bodies started acting up & I just went straight to the operating table with it by replacing the green aperture assembly with an OEM white one. It has been trouble free for the last +-5,000 shots so far.

11-15-2017, 07:51 AM	#3
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Originally posted by Dewman Time passes.... ( a 4-5 months) camera is used sparingly. It's been said that letting the camera be idle for months at a time can cause the aperture block failure too. I've got a K-30 that has over 33,000 shots on it quit working because of the aperture block failure and I use it with the AA adapter. My two other cameras, the newer K-30 has 5,000+ shots and the K-50 has more than 7,000 shots and both are still working fine. But I don't let either sit idle for more than a few days.

11-15-2017, 09:36 AM	#4
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,057	^ That seems to be the main cause of it. If it stays idle for many weeks, the aperture motor starts getting stuck. Funny thing is that my black K-50 had about +-28,000 shots when it started having that dark exposure issue & it has been used at least once a week since I got it in late January 2015. It would do it randomly as I was out shooting. Sometimes in the middle of a few bursts, a few images would come out dark. My wife's red K-50 has about +-25,000 shots & no issues so far. Despite that potential aperture motor issue in the K-50 cameras, I still they are pretty great cameras overall, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to go out & get one at this point in time. It just sucks that they cheaped out on that part. It would have been around the time of the Hoya ownership. My guess is that the accounting side had a say in it & the engineers were probably forced to go along with it.

11-15-2017, 06:04 PM	#5
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	Use it or Lose It has alway been an issue with SDM motors but it looks like this also applies to the Aperture block motor as well. I learned my lesson letting my DA 17-70SDM sit unused for only 3 weeks. Now it is dead. The use it or lose it would seem to be applicable to any mechanical device that has moving parts. Although it is never really stated I would think many mechanical things stop working when they go on the shelf unused for a long time. I learned my lesson with my DA 17-70. Even though I may not be on a picture taking expedition I periodically exercise both my K-5 and K-3 cameras and all of my lenses, just to keep everything moving and ready.