The ON-OFF-Switch and the Shutter-Release-Button are pretty similar on all Pentax-bodies*.
(KP is different though but I haven't inspected a KP yet and touch wood, I won't have to)
*K-S1 is different in size but same principle


For this manual I used a heavy used switch/button from a Pentax *ist-DS.


Disassembly should be clear, if not, check on the other tutorials I wrote!


Once you have access to that part, it looks like this:



1. Unscrew and take off that part with 3 pairs of "contact-bushes" (and don't bent them at all!) RED ARROW:



2. Unsrew and take of that round boomerang-shaped part GREEN ARROW:

Don't lose that tiny ball at the long end of this part, it is just fixed with some grease on the backside!


3. Now you can see a black coloured round metal spring, take that one off (red arrow):



4. Now you can take out the On-Off-Switch / Shutter-Release-Button:

Take off the "snap-ring"!

You can see, it this switch/button is pretty dirty ... and I won't clean it, I slaughtered this damaged *ist-DS for its solenoids and the focusing-screen only! (The use of the solenoids is well known by now in this forum, the f.screen is the better one for the K10D/K20D)


5. Now you have 2 parts:

a-1) The springloaded Shutter-Release-Button:

I only realized how dirty it was when I checked the photos!

a-2) WR-Pentax bodies don't use this spring but a piece of flexible grey rubber:

This grey button-rubber is for the water-resistancy and with heavy use or if too much contact with "blood-sweat-and-tears" it can degrade. Then you purchase it HERE. Otherwise everything is similar.

Here the 2.nd part:
b) The ON/OFF-Switch



All parts disassembled:



Clean well, apply some grease to this tiny ball and were it runs. I have used some thick bearing-grease which does not affect rubber).
Or "valve-lubricant" such as "Dow-Corning Molykote 111" or a good silicon-grease.

Assemble again, don't lose that tiny bearing ball and don't bend those fragile contacts,
if done with a little bit of patience and care all will be well now!

As by now many Pentaxians worldwide have managed to exchange the solenoid for which I wrote numerous manuals here in the forum, I'd say cleaning or repairing this switch is more simple, if one is just careful and patient.

But of course if you follow this thread you will find those who are in the need to oppose but this is for different reasons because they oppose the need for a solenoid change as well.

[Dale H. Cook]

I would not use automotive bearing grease, as you don't know its chemical composition. It is designed for lubricating steel parts in a harsh environment and might attack other metals or other substances. I would suggest using white lithium grease whenever grease is called for in a camera repair.

[Paul the Sunman]

In the case of the on-off switch becoming very stiff, I have had good success (on the K5, K3, K1) switching it back and forth for several minutes while holding it under a stream of warm running water. Take the battery out first. I have not needed to disassemble any of them yet.

[photogem]

I would not use automotive bearing grease, as you don't know its chemical composition. It is designed for lubricating steel parts in a harsh environment and might attack other metals or other substances. I would suggest using white lithium grease whenever grease is called for in a camera repair.

I use white lithium grease on my bikes since years. But it is too thin for that part.
The bearing grease I use is for bearings covered with rubber and plastic sealings so I don't see any danger there.

@Paul the Sunman:
I have tried that method with warm water on my K5II but it didn't work that well. Has high shuttercount and suffered extrem temperatures.

Not all Pentax-bodies are WR anyway, so I wouldn't recomment the warm-water-method on those at all.

Disassembly is not that difficult really, but the result of a thorough clean is worthwhile.

[Dale H. Cook]

I use white lithium grease on my bikes since years. But it is too thin for that part.

In that case I would suggest Dow-Corning Molykote 111. It is a fairly thick silicone oil based grease which is pretty inert. It is one of the eight greases that I carry for work

[photogem]

In that case I would suggest Dow-Corning Molykote 111. It is a fairly thick silicone oil based grease which is pretty inert. It is one of the eight greases that I carry for work

That would be a nice thing but way way too expensive when purchasing it in the EU.
5 x the shipping costs to the actual 20g unit price.

[Dale H. Cook]

That would be a nice thing but way way too expensive when purchasing it in the EU.
5 x the shipping costs to the actual 20g unit price.

There is often no substitute for the correct chemical. Chemicals are unforgiving, and using the wrong one could easily damage your Pentax.

[GUB]

A K50 I bought cheaply because of aperture block had a sticky shutter button.
When I disassembled it I discovered there was no spring - only a cup shaped rubber cap designed to do the spring thing but pathetically weak.
I improvised a short piece of ball point pen spring.Works great.
But I wouldn't wish this operation on anyone - very tricky to reassemble.
Because of the rubber part the button is unlikely to be sticky in its lower areas but rather around the exterior silver part. Try cleaning there first.
Of course all this is on the presumption there never was a spring - perhaps someone has been there before me!.
Can anyone else confirm there is actually no metal spring in the K50?

[photogem]

A K50 I bought cheaply because of aperture block had a sticky shutter button.
When I disassembled it I discovered there was no spring - only a cup shaped rubber cap designed to do the spring thing but pathetically weak.

That is correct, instead of a spring you have Part No 317: Release Button Rubber, same with the K30 and K500.
I guess this is because WR buttons need this rubber for that very reason: WR

Possibly this one would work:
Pentax 76830-A0378 Button Rubber | USCamera Digital Camera PartsUSCamera

I wrote this manual because a member of the forum asked me specifically about the On/Off-Shutter-Release-Button of his *ist-DS,
which is similar to the later *istDL and K100D buttons.
As I had parts of an *ist-DS there I dissassembled this one.

I improvised a short piece of ball point pen spring.Works great.
But I wouldn't wish this operation on anyone - very tricky to reassemble.

For you that's how it was, I found it pretty straight forward and easy. Nothing tricky at all.

Because of the rubber part the button is unlikely to be sticky in its lower areas but rather around the exterior silver part. Try cleaning there first.

As I wrote before, I tried cleaning this button with a K5II and it didn't work for a longer time.
The effort it took me to thoroughly protect the rest of the body (and with non-WR bodies this is an important issue)
I had the same problem once with a K7, cleaning wasn't the solution either.


In general I think comments which can "dishearten" are not very useful.
Small operations like this one are not really that tricky.

The most tricky here I find is not to bend the long tiny contacts.

[GUB]

In general I think comments which can "dishearten" not very useful.
Small operations like this one are not really that tricky.

You are welcome to your opinion just as I am entitled to mine.
I have disassembled and cleaned many a lens and consider myself fairly capable with fiddly things .
In hindsight I would have done things slightly differently as in attempting to tape the stainless steel discs in place so as to make it easier to locate them over the tiny dowels on the on/off switch.
And after doing it once I now know the locating ball can be slipped into place under these discs after the 3 screws are started.
So yes, practise makes easier but most people out there will be doing it just once.

[photogem]

Maybe it isn't asked to much to remind you that I didn't start this thread "exclusivly for you" but actually because a well respected member and moderator of our forum asked me about the ON/OFF Button and Shutter-Release button of his Pentax which made problems and if I could help him!

So starting your answer like this:

You are welcome to your opinion ....

Is pretty rude!

...just as I am entitled to mine...

Particular, because earlier on I tried to help you:
Remember: It was me *suggesting to you* to take on this task and inviting you to this tutorial!

To me your answer points into something very different, particular after you made this statement:

I have disassembled and cleaned many a lens and consider myself fairly capable with fiddly things.

I have disassembled and cleaned many lenses as well plus many cameras!
Stating that this task of cleaning the switch and button to be more difficult than disassembling lenses contradicts your statement in squares!

Because disassembling a lens and cleaning it is much more complicated than this relativly easy task and you know this very well!


So yes: One has a right for one's own opinion!
But one doesn't have a right for one's own facts!

In hindsight I would have done things slightly differently as in attempting to tape the stainless steel discs in place so as to make it easier to locate them over the tiny dowels on the on/off switch.
And after doing it once I now know the locating ball can be slipped into place under these discs after the 3 screws are started.
So yes, practise makes easier but most people out there will be doing it just once.

There are ways how to communicate things.
Your way is pretty rude and based on "hurty feelings" because I (logically) didn't agree with some of your arguments in the mentioned thread.
Nevertheless I stayed polite and helpful.

But the way you dive into this thread is not helpful but the opposite.

I have no problems with harsh arguments if people talk nonsense but here I made the effort to write a tutorial because one of the modererators asked me how to deal with this problem.

[GUB]

So courtesy of "way back machine" on the 18th of April 2021 your article didn't have the comments about the rubber button spring/seal (in the OP). and presumably not the image the comments now caption.
I do not recall reading it when I read your tutorial after your useful reference to it a day or so ago
You have edited the OP since my last comments and apparently added a link.
Rather than a mealy mouthed outburst wouldn't it have been more appropriate to acknowledge the points I brought up and clarify that you have modified the OP to accommodate these points ?

[photogem]

So courtesy of "way back machine" on the 18th of April 2021 your article didn't have the comments about the rubber button spring/seal (in the OP). and presumably not the image the comments now caption.
I do not recall reading it when I read your tutorial after your useful reference to it a day or so ago
You have edited the OP since my last comments and apparently added a link.
Rather than a mealy mouthed outburst wouldn't it have been more appropriate to acknowledge the points I brought up and clarify that you have modified the OP to accommodate these points ?

You just try to wiggle out by deflecting

1. Every article or tutorial shows when it was changed last right at the end of the article.

2. Normally members ask questions or make suggestions.
For example in the K-S2 solenoid tutorial some discovered a copper coloured washer.
The question was answered and went into the tutorial. Nothing wrong with this (Except if there would be an urge for recognition).

And exactly the same it was in "your case":
You asked a question and got the answer right away:

A K50 I bought cheaply because of aperture block had a sticky shutter button.
When I disassembled it I discovered there was no spring - only a cup shaped rubber cap designed to do the spring thing but pathetically weak.

That is correct, instead of a spring you have Part No 317: Release Button Rubber, same with the K30 and K500.
I guess this is because WR buttons need this rubber for that very reason: WR

Possibly this one would work:
Pentax 76830-A0378 Button Rubber | USCamera Digital Camera PartsUSCamera

But .... because imo you had difficulties with me because of our discussion in the other mentioned thread you couldn't resist of pouring out some negative
discouraging comment.
Negative because it is not an opinion, everybody has a right for his own opinion but not one's own facts.

If you claim that this repair is more difficult than disassembling and repairing lenses and you claim you had done so often with the latter then I logically should have daubt that you actually have valid experience with disassembling lenses.

But I don't daubt that!
That's why I...with all due respect...believe you just extremly exaggerated ....but for personal reasons.

A correct answer when I tried to help you with the stuck button would have been a simple acknowledgement of that.

[GUB]

You just try to wiggle out by deflecting

1. Every article or tutorial shows when it was changed last right at the end of the article.

That is right and your tutorial shows that it was edited after my last post. That is the second screenshot above and repeated here:







I am not the one deflecting.

[photogem]

That is right and your tutorial shows that it was edited after my last post.

Wrong: I edited it several times.

The waybackmaschine only shows one change, but actually there were many, also quite a few before you popped in


The last editing was changing a photo against a better one.
I edited it several times and at least three times after your last post.

I am not the one deflecting.

Tell me who you think you are and I will tell you who you aren't (old Maori saying)