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06-09-2018, 09:59 PM - 34 Likes   #1
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Pentax durability

My Pentax K-50 sits in our yard, daily, snapping away at all the hummingbirds that pass through our yard. It has been doing that since July, 2015. Today, it took photo 300,000. This is it, of a young female Allen's Hummingbird. I hope it lasts for 300,000 more.



06-09-2018, 10:28 PM - 1 Like   #2
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Wow, that's awesome.
06-09-2018, 10:45 PM - 2 Likes   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by iCrop Quote
My Pentax K-50 sits in our yard, daily, snapping away at all the hummingbirds that pass through our yard. It has been doing that since July, 2015. Today, it took photo 300,000. This is it, of a young female Allen's Hummingbird. I hope it lasts for 300,000 more.
That's a lovely shot of a very small and very fast bird.

I hope you're knocking on wood, but 300k is remarkable for even a pro-level camera. It goes to show that:
a) Even Pentax entry level DSLRs are very tough.
b) Machines like to be used on a regular basis. I think if you only took 300 shots a year, you may start to see camera issues at 30k actuations.

Let us know when the wheels fall off, or better yet, when you hit the half million mark!
06-09-2018, 10:57 PM - 1 Like   #4
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300K that's not bad, all things considered. I recently checked out my Pentax K5IIs [bought in 2012] shutter count with photome. Which, to my astonishment has 283K shutter clicks. I have had Nikon DXx and Canon 1 series DSLRs shutter units shows signs of failure or fail catastrophically on me at not even half that number*.


* though to be fair I tend to stick around the shutters sync speed as I work with studio flash a lot of the time. All manufacturers shutter blades typically move at a constant velocity [ 25m/s is the average as I recall ] regardless of the "shutter speed" being used. The durability of pentax shutter units are quite robust.


Last edited by Digitalis; 06-09-2018 at 11:02 PM.
06-09-2018, 11:15 PM - 2 Likes   #5
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300K is a big number. I will not reach that even if I bracket by 5 frames
06-09-2018, 11:56 PM - 1 Like   #6
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Pretty impressive for a camera that doesn't even boast a shutter rating. I wonder if there are any power shooters who have taken a K-3 or K-1 to this range of clicks?

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06-10-2018, 12:21 AM - 3 Likes   #7
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Congratulations on an uncommon achievement, crowned wih a very nice picture!

06-10-2018, 02:48 AM - 1 Like   #8
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An impressive achievement. Do you use a trigger trap?
06-10-2018, 02:53 AM - 1 Like   #9
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Great shot!

The problem with electronics devices is that eventually even if the mechanical parts hold up OK, the electronics start to go. I have a K-01 that is a little over 5 years old. It still works, but there are times that I turn it on and I just get a dark screen. If I flip it off and turn it on again it will usually be fine, but I can tell that it is on its last legs.

Here's hoping you have another 200K photos left in your camera.
06-10-2018, 03:09 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Great shot!

The problem with electronics devices is that eventually even if the mechanical parts hold up OK, the electronics start to go. I have a K-01 that is a little over 5 years old. It still works, but there are times that I turn it on and I just get a dark screen. If I flip it off and turn it on again it will usually be fine, but I can tell that it is on its last legs.

Here's hoping you have another 200K photos left in your camera.
Ouch! I would be lost without mine...
06-10-2018, 08:18 AM - 2 Likes   #11
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Excellent photo there. Even entry level Pentax cameras are quite durable - I knew I was right in choosing my K-50
06-10-2018, 08:26 AM - 2 Likes   #12
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Congrats on your landmark shutter count--and what a great shot to reach it on. A 300,000 shutter count on a camera is kind of like going 300,000 miles in a car.
06-10-2018, 10:08 AM - 1 Like   #13
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WOW!! 300,000 clicks - pretty impressive. You say the K50 "sits in our yard, daily..." Wondering if you're using catch-in-focus? Or some other way of snapping photos remotely?
06-10-2018, 11:02 AM - 1 Like   #14
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I am thoroughly impressed! The K-50 gets so very little respect due to the diaphragm control block issue associated with the model. It is easy to forget that many K-50s (and K-30 siblings) simply keep chugging away at their task of taking photos.

As noted above, I too am curious about setup and kit for this shot.


Steve
06-10-2018, 11:51 AM - 3 Likes   #15
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Thank you all. The photo isn't one of its best, shot at mid-day, so lighting wasn't the best. But still, it's a pretty clear shot.
QuoteOriginally posted by Nuij Quote
An impressive achievement. Do you use a trigger trap?
QuoteOriginally posted by ChipB Quote
WOW!! 300,000 clicks - pretty impressive. You say the K50 "sits in our yard, daily..." Wondering if you're using catch-in-focus? Or some other way of snapping photos remotely?
QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
I am thoroughly impressed! The K-50 gets so very little respect due to the diaphragm control block issue associated with the model. It is easy to forget that many K-50s (and K-30 siblings) simply keep chugging away at their task of taking photos.

As noted above, I too am curious about setup and kit for this shot.
Steve
Yes, catch-in-focus is used here. Current lens of choice is the SMC Pentax-A 70-210mm F4 (a steal at $50), set at 210mm, about 6' from a feeder. It's powered by a 12V, 9A battery and a voltage regulator to drop the voltage to the 7.4V the camera requires. I set it up just before sunrise and let it shoot until around noon, then re-orient it for the afternoon sunlight. On hot days, when it gets over 95F, the built in over-temp function kicks in, and I have to unlock the shutter release and re-engage it. I also fashioned a cover for it, out of .0125" (0.31mm) shim stock to keep birds from pooping on it. Good thing, it's gotten pretty crusty over the years.
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