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( FYI - This is a second posting of my problem ... )

Bonjour,

Has anyone encountered having dust UNDERNEATH the screen for the sensor of a K-7?

I purchased a used K-7 from my local camera store (at Phox Photo in Poitiers, France) about four months ago and I have now been informed (after a month of waiting) that the official Pentax Service Center in Trappes (named "PM2S") wants about $200.00 to clean and remove a piece of dust which is located underneath the screen and in the middle center of the K-7 sensor.

I discovered a dust speck about the end of June, and I thought that it was no big deal, just an ordinary dust accumulation ... So, I bought a better blower at Phox and that did nothing ... next step, I bought the Pentax orange wand cleaner at Phox and that didn't help ... and then "Green Clean" wet wands (two applications here and purchased at Phox) with obviously no positive results ... BECAUSE THE DUST WAS UNDERNEATH THE SENSOR SCREEN.

At the end of July and after my many attempts to clean my sensor, I complained to Phox about this dust speck. They tried to clean the K-7 in-store, obviously with no success as well. Next, Phox sent my K-7 to the Pentax Service Center because they could not figure out what was happening ...

I have looked again at my very first photos with this K-7 and in "pixel peeping", one can see the speck only ln certain photos where there's a lot of back-lighting and/or a closed aperture is used ... so IMHO this dust was already on the sensor when I purchased this used K-7.

To conclude, I am quite upset given that I trusted Phox and was assured that this K-7 was in "excellent" condition. I had a rather angry telephone conversation with the manager of Phox and they offered to pay for half of this "reparation" ...

S'il vous plait, I need some help here ... any previous experiences, advice and/or information will be greatly appreciated ... Merci beaucoup ! "Jean" le Frog

Bonjour, mon ami!

Never heard of this before, but things like this is a problem when buying used equipment: If neither you, nor the seller notice the problem (let's hope they are honest and trustworthy), at the the time you bought it, I think it is up to the good will of the seller, who-ever that might be, if there might be a deal to be done, or not!

Here in Sweden there are regulations about hidden faults in houses, if they surface after the purchase been finalised, but for other goods, without guarantee, no! Recently my wife bought a used DA50-135/2.8 from the UK, but after a while the SDM (the motor inside the lens) died, and had to be replaced. That cost us about $300, as no guarantees are valid on a used piece of equipment, no matter how new it is, if it has changed owner!

Bonjour Tord,

Thanks for your input to my dilemma ... and sorry that it took me so long to reply to your message.

To make a long story short(er), here's what has happened.

I agreed to the repair of my K-7 and for the cost to be shared.

Last weekend I received the K-7 with the assurances of the camera store that it was fixed ... I did not test it myself at the store (no battery or lens with me).

I took the K-7 home to test it and discovered that it had more dust that before ... about a half dozen specks!

I went back immediately to the camera shop, they tried to clean it ... zero success ... and then stated that they did not see this new dust which (again) was underneath the screen ... and that they would send the K-7 back to the repair shop.

I am very disappointed and really just do not know what to think now ...

To be continued ... J

John,

Any resolution yet? Are you still waiting on your K-7 to be returned?

Just an interested reader...

Bonjour wcchamp18 and any other K-7 readers,

First and foremost, please excuse me for my very, very late response to your question ... I'll try to make the long story "short"

1 - K-7 sent back and has new "sensor block" installed ... part cost is over 350 Euros, but zero cost to me (except for "lost love & affection" for my K-7 ...)

2 - Due to K-7 withdrawl, I purchased a new K-5 (with 18-55 WR, 4 year warranty and Pentax DSLR bag) using two seperate rebates to knock 150 Euros off the price tag ...

3 - Received repaired K-7 and sold it back to its origanal owner who traded it into Phox to begin with ... How did I know, well ... no one bothered to erase the "copyright info" in the K-7, saw the name and "cold called" the guy ... he stated that Phox did not "blue sky" test the sensor, thus the problem was probably there when I purchased the K-7 from Phox ...

4 - Last week, the original owner of the repaired K-7 dumps all of his Pentax equipment at Phox (the aforementioned K-7, his new K-5, a D-BG4 Grip with extra battery, a DA 15, a DA* 16-50, a DA* 50-135 !!!) ... so, my former troublesome K-7 is sitting now is the used camera case AGAIN at Phox in downtown Poitiers !!!

Here's the links, if you're curious ...

OCCASION Pentax boitier K-7 NU Pentax

Occasions Photo

So, I'm no longer a K-7 user, but loved the body so much that I "jumped ship" for a brand new K-5 ... c'est la vie !

Hope that this made some sense ... Allez et bon courage - John le Frog

Dommage!

Amazing number of mishaps.

Beaucoup plaisir avec le K-5!

Hope you don't have the dread oil problem with the K-5 sensor! My first had an accident and then refused to read the cards, so I got a new one, free of charge!

My K-7 is actually mint, but for sale as well! Lately I've mostly used my Nikon V1 (amazing), and the NEX-5N (superb), but in low light the K-5 beats them easily! If I didn't have my K-5, I think most day of the week that the two minis (the NEX-5N & the V1) the K-7 would fall behind, severely! The V1 10Mp sensor is just marginally smaller, but just as bad in low light as the K-7's (the NEX-5N's sensor is an upgraded version of the K-5's). There is no antishake on the V1 (as far as is known), and the NEX-5N's best lens, the Zeiss 1.8/24, has no antishake (the kit lenses do have antishake), so here the K-7 has some advantage.

The NEX-5N feels not as robust as the K-7 and the V1, both being built of massive magnesium (a few holes for sensor, lens adapter & buttons, of course).

Bonsoir Tord,

Thanks for your message ... what's the "dread oil problem"? I think that I missed that one ...

Anyway, my K-5 is great and I'm now addicted to Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses ... and also just got a Pentax OEM adaptor ring for my recently acquired Super Tak 55/1.8 ... lots of fun here!

I'd love to try out a V1 and/or a NEX 5/7 to see what they're really like ... Enjoy!

Salut, John le Frog

Slow answering, I am! Yes, recurring problems with oil on the sensor from the shutter mechanism made me switch to a D600! Have you upgraded to a K-5 Iis yet?!