Saw on Ricoh Imaging Facebook post -
"This Throwback Thursday is the K2-2 released in 2015! As a special treat we have a limited quanitity of KS-2s available on our website! Get yours before supplies run out."

Link: Product Specials Archives - Ricoh

$300 for body
$450 for body/18-135, or body/18/50/50-200

I don't see an option to add Pentax extended warranty (not sure if these are still a thing)

[Larrymc]

I really need to find a nice K-3 or K-3II before Ricoh dumps the Pentax brand. Do one or both of the current APS-C cams come with the fatal defect?

You know, its very unfortunate when people make statements like this that are totally unfounded. Just where did you get the idea that Ricoh was going to "Dump" the Pentax brand and why would you want a K-3 or K-3II if that were going to happen?

[reh321]

I really need to find a nice K-3 or K-3II before Ricoh dumps the Pentax brand. Do one or both of the current APS-C cams come with the fatal defect?

You raise three separate issues,

1. The K-7/5/3 line uses a completely different aperture control mechanism from what was used on cheaper Pentax cameras {I believe it is a stepper motor}.

2. Ricoh says they will not "dump the Pentax brand"
Dispelling a rumor: on Ricoh's use of the Pentax name - Photo Industry News | PentaxForums.com

3, The defect which plagues less expensive Pentax cameras is not fatal. My K-30 continues to work - but now each lens I use with it needs to have an aperture ring. A fatal defect is what my Canon Rebels had - each had a problem with the processor unit, and eventually neither worked at all .... didn't even turn on, so each is now in the dump.

[reh321]

They have the same aperture block issue as the K-50 - Ours is dead. We used the continuous shooting trick twice to save it... but it does not work anymore

Dead? It doesn't work, period??

My Canon Rebels are dead - each had issues with the processor and then each didn't turn on at all.

My K-30 most certainly is not dead - I used it yesterday, but I use it with a FA 28-105, which has an aperture ring, and I meter using green-button metering.

[stevebrot]

I really need to find a nice K-3 or K-3II before Ricoh dumps the Pentax brand. Do one or both of the current APS-C cams come with the fatal defect?

Pentax has been using a similar diaphragm controller device on most of its models since the 1983 Super Program. The only models (film or APS-C digital) that have been characterized* with "the fatal defect" have been the K-30, K-50, and K-500 (all variations of the same model). Flagship models since the K-7 have used a different type of controller.

If Ricoh is going to dump the Pentax brand, that is something new. I am sure there will be some amazing prices when that happens.


Steve

* Meaning pervasive issues effecting a large number of units. Yes, some K-S2 have been reported with aperture controller issues, but reports are relatively rare such that only three owners in the 2016 Pentax Forums survey indicated such LINK. There is a general discussion thread on the K-S2 and aperture block failure: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/184-pentax-k-s1-k-s2/341879-getting-aper...k-my-k-s2.html. I am not sure, but I believe the count on that thread is still less than ten.

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Last edited by stevebrot; 06-06-2019 at 10:01 PM.

[Billy Joe]

Pentax has been using a similar diaphragm controller device on most of its models since the 1983 Super Program. The only models (film or APS-C digital) that have been characterized* with "the fatal defect" have been the K-30, K-50, and K-500 (all variations of the same model). Flagship models since the K-7 have used a different type of controller.

If Ricoh is going to dump the Pentax brand, that is something new. I am sure there will be some amazing prices when that happens.


Steve

* Meaning pervasive issues effecting a large number of units. Yes, some K-S2 have been reported with aperture controller issues, but reports are relatively rare such that only three owners in the 2016 Pentax Forums survey indicated such LINK. There is a general discussion thread on the K-S2 and aperture block failure: Getting aperture control block on my K-S2 :( - PentaxForums.com. I am not sure, but I believe the count on that thread is still less than ten.

The KS-2's are starting to show the issue, and I have read some of the K70's have had similar issues. Our aperture block woke up after the hi-speed continuous shooting trick. But two months later it is not working and nothing seems to be waking it.

[stevebrot]

The KS-2's are starting to show the issue, and I have read some of the K70's have had similar issues.

I would have expected a surge of failures at or before the two year mark summer of 2017. At least that was the pattern for the K-30/K-50/K-500 models. Let's hope that never happens. As for the K-70, the number of confirmed cases reported on this site remains quite small* despite the camera having been on the market almost three years. Again, let's hope it stays that way.


Steve

* I maintain the report thread for the K-70. As of today, there have been five cases with known aperture control issues with only one confirmed to have been fixed by replacement of the diaphragm control block. How the component in that case failed is not known.

[ZombieArmy]

If I needed a camera the aperture block issue wouldn't stop me. Bought my brother a K-30 that had well north of 30k clicks with no issue and still takes shots now at over 40k.

[reh321]

If I needed a camera the aperture block issue wouldn't stop me. Bought my brother a K-30 that had well north of 30k clicks with no issue and still takes shots now at over 40k.

These cameras seem to last best when they are worked hard. My K-30 first showed Dark Image Syndrome problems at 3 years of age, shutter count 3023.

[gatorguy]

Pentax has been using a similar diaphragm controller device on most of its models since the 1983 Super Program. The only models (film or APS-C digital) that have been characterized* with "the fatal defect" have been the K-30, K-50, and K-500 (all variations of the same model). Flagship models since the K-7 have used a different type of controller.

If Ricoh is going to dump the Pentax brand, that is something new. I am sure there will be some amazing prices when that happens.


Steve

* Meaning pervasive issues effecting a large number of units. Yes, some K-S2 have been reported with aperture controller issues, but reports are relatively rare such that only three owners in the 2016 Pentax Forums survey indicated such LINK. There is a general discussion thread on the K-S2 and aperture block failure: Getting aperture control block on my K-S2 :( - PentaxForums.com. I am not sure, but I believe the count on that thread is still less than ten.

Fully agree that it does not appear to be a pervasive issue with the K-S2, very rare in fact especially as compared to the K-50. I've used two of them for a few years now, still have one of them used regularly (sold the other as redundant). Never an issue with them. Personally I would not hesitate to grab on of these at what looks like a really great price.

[Billy Joe]

Fully agree that it does not appear to be a pervasive issue with the K-S2, very rare in fact especially as compared to the K-50. I've used two of them for a few years now, still have one of them used regularly (sold the other as redundant). Never an issue with them. Personally I would not hesitate to grab on of these at what looks like a really great price.

Guess I was just unlucky to have the exact same issue on my KS-2 that has plagued the K30/50/500.

[gatorguy]

Guess I was just unlucky to have the exact same issue on my KS-2 that has plagued the K30/50/500.

Yes, really unlucky and sorry to hear that.

[photogem]

The KS-2's are starting to show the issue, and I have read some of the K70's have had similar issues. Our aperture block woke up after the hi-speed continuous shooting trick. But two months later it is not working and nothing seems to be waking it.

Well, whoever gave you this advice, it was a very bad advice. The high-speed shooting can do further damage. Same bad advise is to sand or file the plunger of the solenoid!

Better to study the repair manuals and apply the correct DIY-methods. Worth it.

.... I have read some of the K70's have had similar issues

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/193-pentax-k-70/388721-solenoid-pentax-k-70-a.html

[Bruzer]

I purchased my K-70 at the beginning of July 2016 within a week or two of its release in June due to my K-500 developing the aperture block failure. I sent the K-500 off for repair after speaking with Pentax Support on the phone. The K-500 was sent in for repair in July 2016. The K-70 purchase was because we were going to a wedding before the expected return of the K-500. Ironically (did not know what I know now) I started accumulating M42 lenses and put a Pentax M42 to K-mount adapter on the K-500 and also put a Chinese split screen focusing screen and now use it that way. Had I known it would work with the M42 lenses w/o having it repaired I would not have repaired it.

I love all the features of the K-70 and did not realize all of its capabilities when I bought it and have slowly learned what all it can do. I am still learning three years later. In April of 2018 I stumbled on an eBay deal from Robert's Camera, from Indiana I believe, for Pentax cameras they had. These were store demo models and were listed as being "99% of new conditioin". My wife had started in photography and her first camera was a K-S1. Again it was an excellent deal for a new kit with the 18-55mm kit lens at $259. It was somewhat cumbersome to use as it was very different from my K-500/K-70 menu system (again I was not that familiar with the model) and she wanted change. Roberts had four grey, body only, K-S2 cameras with battery/charger, etc for $398 each or best offer. I had never done a best offer before so I researched that on eBay and made an offer to buy 2 of those bodies for $600. They counterd at $650 and I accepted. So now I have three apsc Pentax bodies, I use my K-70 with my autofocus lenses, I use the K-S2 with the older manual A-type manual focus K-mount lenses (which I love) and aforementioned K-500. Except for the K-500 I have not experienced any issues with the K-70 and K-S2 and below are the shutter counts from recent photos taken with each camera.

K-70 purchased in July 2016.
D:\>photodata \Photos\Cameras\Pentax\K70\2019\201905\0519_smoke\IMG_8716.JPG
Exposure Time : 1/350
F Number : 5.6
ISO : 400
Pentax Model ID : K-70
Lens Type : Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro HSM
Shutter Count : 12508

K-S2 purchased in April of 2018 and when received had a shutter count of 8.
D:\>photodata \Photos\Cameras\Pentax\KS2\2019\201905\0522\raw\IMGP6764.DNG
Exposure Time : 20
F Number : 19.0
ISO : 100
Pentax Model ID : K-S2
Lens Type : A Series Lens
Shutter Count : 6757

My K-500's shuttercount is in the 16,000 range.

I really like the K-S2 almost as much as the K-70 and would recommend its purchase at that price point as it is a fantastic deal with or without the lens, but I object that the K-S2 camera body is unable to use a corded or cordless remote shutter release. Only the infrared remote works with it. The K-70 and the KP can use the same remote shutter release while the K-500 uses the same remote shutter release that all other Pentax bodies use.

[doribeans]

It isn't new, but Ricoh product outlet has the white k-s2 refurbished w/ the 18-50 lens for 300. Just bought one as a backup body. Dropped k-20d and my k-5's lens mount button broke.