Originally posted by ThorSanchez Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Pentax started producing lenses without aperture rings in 2003 (the FA-J series). It's not just wide angle, it's all modern Pentax lenses that are unusuable on a camera with aperture block failure.
Hmmmm...five current product Pentax lenses have aperture rings. The FA-J series was sort of a dead branch (three zooms) and was hardly a blip on the screen compared to the number and variety of FA-series lenses, all of which have aperture rings.
I would not suggest that as a solution to your camera woes with the K-30. If it were me, I would pay whatever the going rate is for a reputable repair and then shoot like a demon to make sure I got my money's worth before the lubricants and such give out due to old age. Either that, or I would do as you did and take advantage of good deals on a superior replacement like the K-3ii.
This much I do know...I am happy I noticed my friend's K-50 starting to fail at about a month out of warranty and that Ricoh/Pentax covered the repair and that the camera is still working almost four years later.
Steve