[asaschmit]

Hi. I am about to replace my 2nd Pentax in 5 years due to issues with the electronics that are too expensive to fix. (The first one was a k-50 and the 2nd a k-70). I am a bit skittish to buy a new Pentax, but also know how expensive it is to replace my lenses if I go with another brand. Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

[othar]

Apart from the aperture block failure with the K-30, K-50,... I think Pentax is a reliable brand, so probably just bad luck.
I have my K-3 for 6 years now and never had any issues despite droping the camera twice.

[Michail_P]

Did you have the solinoid issue with both the K-50 and the K-70 or do you refer to other problems? The K-50 had a crowd facing the issue, K-70 does a lot better but some people have faced it. In any case you could have been luckier. ...(unless you bought them used). If money is not an issue, get a KP , K-5... (I’d say K-1 but it’s different in many ways).

[robgski]

Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

Welcome!
The double digit series (30, 50, 70) seem to be susceptible to failure, primarily the aperture block.
I recommend buying a used K-5, or K-3 series, and even KPs are showing up here on PF for a very reasonable price.

[UncleVanya]

I’ll second that. My dad and I had two k50s. Mine was older and required repair under warranty for the aperture block issue.
We both got k-3s later, neither ever required repair. His was sold off when he went to m43, mine is still my main Pentax.

[SharkyCA]

Hi. I am about to replace my 2nd Pentax in 5 years due to issues with the electronics that are too expensive to fix. (The first one was a k-50 and the 2nd a k-70). I am a bit skittish to buy a new Pentax, but also know how expensive it is to replace my lenses if I go with another brand. Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

I had my k-70 repaired just under 5k shutter count, that was over a year ago, if you follow the tutorial on here by @photogem it can be repaired DIY very cheaply.


Tutorial/Repair Pentax K-70 with aperture-problem: Exchange solenoid - PentaxForums.com

[pepperberry farm]

stop buying the cheap-end of the camera line - step up the to K-3/K-1 and stop worrying....

[UncleVanya]

stop buying the cheap-end of the camera line - step up the to K-3/K-1 and stop worrying....

The sad fact is that this issue has persisted through many models. We don’t know how prevalent failures are but it seems like a bad decision on Ricoh’s part not to redesign this series of cameras to avoid the failing part.

We shouldn’t have to tell people to avoid the k-70 - it is a bit embarrassing. This technological marvel is fragile in a way it shouldn’t be.

[aslyfox]

Welcome to the forums

you will find friendly members and a lot of knowledge here

reviews, both owners' reviews and in depth reviews can be found under " cameras " above

and there is also a nice side by side comparison tool -

Pentax K-1 II vs. Pentax K-3 II vs. Pentax KP vs. Pentax K-5 IIs - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com


you did not mention budget or whether you would consider an " experienced " camera or not

the forums' marketplace " buy/sell " is a great spot to find " experienced " equipment, it can be sorted by country:

The Pentax Marketplace | Buy & Sell Pentax Cameras and Lenses (United States) - PentaxForums.com

you need to decide whether you want a full size sensor ( K 1 and K 1 II ) or another ASP-C sensor

as mentioned, the K 5 and K 3 family are good cameras to look at

[c.a.m]

Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

Welcome to Pentax Forums!

Sorry to hear about your K-50 and K-70 problems. It's always discouraging when something fails, and unexpected repairs or replacements can stress one's budget.

I think that the Pentax brand has a fair reputation of reliable and rugged gear. However, as with most consumer products, failures can and do occur. Within various threads in Pentax Forums, you may have seen discussions of problems across various products. For example, aperture control hardware issues on the K-30 and K-50; failures of the mode dial on a couple of other models; breakage of the lens unlock button on one model (probably in a small production batch); and various problems with certain lenses. However, I would say that these failures are generally uncommon compared to the large number of in-use items, but prominent in the discussions. For the most part, folks have been satisfied with their Pentax equipment.

Other common brands also have their share of problems or failures. We don't have statistical data on failure rates, so it's difficult to judge which brands, if any, offer significantly better reliability or survivability. Based on the anecdotes that I've read over the years on various online forums, it seems that failures (and introductory 'teething problems') occur across the brands, but overall they're uncommon. Even Leica is not immune, as my friend would attest after sending his digital Leica in for a sensor replacement at $2,000.

You might have been unlucky with your K-50 and K-70: there have been problems especially in the aperture-control hardware, but not for all users. Personally, I would shy away from another K-50 and probably from a K-70, although there have been relatively few reports of that problem in the K-70.

I would not hesitate to recommend another Pentax camera. The K-7, K-5 and K-3 series have been generally solid, as have the newer KP and K-1. In my case, my K-3 II has been working flawlessly for nearly five years -- it's rock solid.

As with other consumer products, you may wish to get a longer-term 'extended warranty' or service plan if that's available on a new item, or simply bank on the possibility of repairing your camera in the future. It depends on the risk level that you're comfortable with.

- Craig

[totsmuyco]

The solenoid problem pushed me away from buying a brand new KS2 last year. I would avoid the models that use that solenoid. No matter how good they say those models are, I wouldn't like to have to go through that problem. If you like a brand new machine, KP is the way to go. For second hand items, if you can find a good K-3II or KP would be fine. If you don't mind that your camera can't use KAF4 lenses go for the K-5II/s.

[luftfluss]

Hi. I am about to replace my 2nd Pentax in 5 years due to issues with the electronics that are too expensive to fix. (The first one was a k-50 and the 2nd a k-70). I am a bit skittish to buy a new Pentax, but also know how expensive it is to replace my lenses if I go with another brand. Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

Sorry to read about your camera issues. Pentax DSLR's are generally reliable, although some models (including somewhat frequently the K-50, less frequently the K-70) are susceptible to aperture block failure - also known as Dark Image Syndrome.

If you can afford it, the KP would be the logical new camera for you. It has a more reliable mechanism than the K-70, and so far seems to have been extremely reliable.


My own K-70 has so far given me nearly 2 years of trouble-free service.

[UncleVanya]

The solenoid problem pushed me away from buying a brand new KS2 last year. I would avoid the models that use that solenoid. No matter how good they say those models are, I wouldn't like to have to go through that problem. If you like a brand new machine, KP is the way to go. For second hand items, if you can find a good K-3II or KP would be fine. If you don't mind that your camera can't use KAF4 lenses go for the K-5II/s.

The plain old k-3 is another used option.

[MarkJerling]

Hi. I am about to replace my 2nd Pentax in 5 years due to issues with the electronics that are too expensive to fix. (The first one was a k-50 and the 2nd a k-70). I am a bit skittish to buy a new Pentax, but also know how expensive it is to replace my lenses if I go with another brand. Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

Photogem's advice sums it up:

1. Study this Tuturial, it is easy to follow:
How to detect aperture-block failure/stuck solenoid on Pentax K-70 - PentaxForums.com

2. Then if you feel up to it, follow this one:
How to detect aperture-block failure/stuck solenoid on Pentax K-70 - PentaxForums.com


3. Further information about how to do it correctly and not to follow cheap advice:
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY: Development of the solenoid in Pentax cameras - PentaxForums.com

[normhead]

Buy a K-3, be done with it.