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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
06-01-2018, 07:58 AM
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Mine turned out to be a temporary fix. I'm now using it with the green button. No real hardship at all. In fact it makes you think about the aperture more and leads to better photos.
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
05-17-2018, 10:21 AM
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I was slow to move from manual slr cameras to automatic ones. I was slow to move to digital. Only when I believed the quality was good enough and the price had fallen did I take the plunge. This is just a little background to put in context a challenge.
I had a K100d. It had served me well but I thought it was time to move up. I liked the Pentax range, they felt like real cameras, and I had some old lenses from my film days.
I bought a used K30, only to find it had the dreaded abf problem. I searched the Internet for a solution, got it working for a time, until I had to accept it was dead.
As a replacement I bought a used K7, seemingly safe from the abf problem. This I have used happily for a while. Every now and then I try the K30 to see if I can get it back to life.
I've been on holiday in France for the past two weeks and took both cameras with me. I used the K30 when I was worried about damage on bikes etc., and used it with M/K/A/FA lenses, and really enjoyed the experience. I couldn't use lenses without aperture rings, but that magic green button is, well just magic !
It was like I was back to the '80s. Select the aperture, press the green button, the press the shutter. Really what could be easier. So I have to decide on the aperture, but it makes for quicker shooting unless you always accept the values given in other modes.
I was thinking about using the same method for the K7 but the position of the green button is nowhere near as good. OK I've got two cameras that work slightly differently. We'll you wouldn't need two the same, would you?
If you have a faulty camera in the cupboard, gathering dust, and a suitable lens, maybe a fixed prime, set yourself a challenge! Set the camera to M and take a trip into the past. See if there isn't something we're missing.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
05-15-2018, 09:34 AM
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This worked for me, for a time. It's now taking all shots at minimum aperture again. I've been looking at taking it apart for a fix but this who have done it say they are reviving a dead, unusable, camera.
My problem is that even with the problem it takes great pictures in manual mode with older lenses.
I suppose I just need to build up more courage.
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
05-15-2018, 12:38 AM
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Why are people saying M42 lenses? Any manual K mount lens will do . Just set the aperture on the lens and press the green button. Don't forget to allow manual lenses in the menu.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
01-20-2018, 02:40 AM
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Sad to report my camera is back to its old ways. At Christmas it needed a 5 shot burst and it was fine for a few days. Now it's taking up to 50 shots. Yesterday when I left home I'd got it working but by the time I took some shots, a couple of hours later, the first 20 were black.
I'm now waiting for some other suggestions. Hope others are faring better.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-10-2017, 04:52 AM
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Is just looking to find out the exact sequence of forces used to do the lens down to explain my solution and found this.
This matches my findings exactly. A weaker battery seems to be the solution, so that it doesn't over close the aperture. Eneloop s are good but they sometime need to be run down a bit. Probably why the quick burst solves the problem.
I also think there is a charge left in the camera. I put the original battery in to check my findings and usual problem. When I put the AAs back the first shot was underexposed, but not as hard as normal. Subsequent shots had the exposure correct. Maybe this is also why I need to fire off some shots when the AAs had just been put in.
Everybody should try this as it is far less destructive than surgery and the adapter is less than £2 on eBay.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
09-07-2017, 12:15 PM
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After trying things out during the day the AA batteries are showing yellow, half empty. Put in the lithium whilst I charged the AAs and immediately the shots were under exposed. Hopefully it will be working when I put in the AAs tomorrow morning.
If this works I'll be getting some more rechargeable AA batteries.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
09-07-2017, 12:55 AM
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Just some of my findings.
I bought a K30 off eBay. On testing it I got very under exposed photos. I had some old manual lenses that I had used on my K100D so I tried these. Everything was fine.
After a few days researching on this forum, and watching videos, I tried a few things. I informed the seller and we agreed a price for the faulty camera. I was going to use it as a backup in manual mode. I was also considering dismantling and filling the magnet, but thought that could wait.
Having sorted out how the opposing forces seemed to work I tried several other solutions.
1) I tried off rapid bursts. After about 80 shots it worked fine. This only lasted until I came back shortly afterwards and had to start again. Each time took more shots to get it working and lasted less time. Not a solution. I was back to manual mode.
2) I bought a AA battery holder. I charged my Eneloop batteries and success. The first test shot was exposed correctly. The camera immediately died. Not charged enough. Charged the batteries fully and back to the exposure problem. I shot off some photos in manual mode before trying again. This time it work fine. I've left the camera overnight and this morning the first shot was fine. It seems fully charged AA batteries, like the lithium, are too powerful. Run them down a little.
My plan now is to keep an A lens on the camera with AA batteries. Shoot normally until I have a problem and then switch to manual mode. Looks like a very good backup camera. Pity I have to carry an extra lens with A setting though.
Hope this may encourage other people to try some of the suggestions out there.
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