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Forum: General Photography
09-28-2021, 09:44 PM
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My first camera was a 120 format folding camera, with bellows, and with a stylus for writing a caption directly onto the film, via a small flap in the rear of the camera. This was a gift from the camera stocks that my grandparents owned. I was about 12. I first used this camera on a train trip from Brisbane to Cairns in late 1962, and still have quite a few of the B&W photos taken on it.
Second was a Praktica, maybe a model IV, but I don't remember much about this camera, provbably acquired in about 1964 or so. In the mid 1970s, I purchased a Fujica ST-801, with the 7-led light meter guide inside the viewfinder. It lasted me until the late 1980s, and was a source of much fun - with cheap tele lenses (anyone want a still-working M42 400mm f6.3 PrinzGalaxy with various carefully built-in distortions and chromatic aberrations?). I also put quite a bit of AeroEktachrome infrared slide film through this camera with some good results. I can't remember the lens - I certainly don't still have it.
After a gap of nearly a decade, I purchased a Pentax MZ-7, which I still have, although I haven't used it since the mid 2000's, when I purchased my first DSLR, the Pentax *ist-DS. I still have both of these cameras, and the DS is still working just fine. It was replaced by a Pentax K-R, which I didn't much like (now in my daughter's hands), and subsequently with K-30 and K-70, both of which are still in use, although the K-70 does most of the day-to-day work.
I will stay loyal to Pentax (or Petnax, as one of their web sites once proudly proclaimed)...
Peter
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Forum: Pentax DSLR and Camera Articles
12-02-2019, 05:49 AM
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Very droll, Photogem.
Both service dockets quoted the same information: "Item Code: 77860-G100-01, Description: Diaphragm Control Block", but the K-30 docket included the price (AUD $26.31). The old part was not returned with the K-70, only with the K-30. That may have related to proof of warranty repair by the Australian distributor/repairer (C.R.Kennedy) perhaps.
The K-70 repair was described as "Dismantled the camera, replaced the diaphragm control block magnet, reassembled, checked & tested. All Okay". More or less similar wording used for the K-30, but it additionally needed a "battery hook", the plastic tab that holds the battery in place (latter cost AUD $1.00!).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR and Camera Articles
12-02-2019, 03:03 AM
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I discovered that in Australia Pentax has 2 year warranty, so I finally sent my K-70 for warranty repair just before the manufacturer's warranty period expired in early September this year. The third party warranty I mentioned earlier doesn't cut in until after that date. Repair took just over a week. I then submitted my K-30, which took a little longer, and being out of warranty, cost me AUD $180, USD about $120. The old aperture block part was returned to me with the repaired K-30, green plastic for the armature winding case as you might expect. I presume that the newly fitted part was similar. The old part came in the plastic bag supplied with the replacement part, indicating part number and other details, and dated 2019/08/23. Some of the details, according to Google Translate: Code No. 9650130-1, Product Name: 'M Bucking Rubber' [wow, that was unexpected], Qty 1, Date of Issue as above, Issued Department 'T104, Spare Shipment'.
Both cameras are working well, and I'm probably tempting fate, but I keep the 55-300 PLM lens on my K-70 most of the time...
Peter
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Forum: Pentax DSLR and Camera Articles
01-07-2019, 08:32 PM
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Thanks, @Not a Number, I think I will do that. It occurred to me that the third-party warranty was somewhat of a hindrance in my case, since I had one camera under warranty and one not. So best to check out CR Kennedy first, to get their opinion.
Cheers,
Peter
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Forum: Pentax DSLR and Camera Articles
01-06-2019, 08:30 PM
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After losing my K-30 to the aperture control block problem (not verified since I decided not to repair, but 99.99% certain as to cause), I now find my K-70 is exhibiting symptoms of the same failure. The only modern lens I can use (on either camera, after updating K-30 to K-50 firmware) is my Pentax-DA 55-300 ED PLM WR lens, the one with electronic aperture. In fact, using this lens probably hid from me the early signs of the failure as I rarely use other lenses now, unless I'm in the bush with my 90 mm Tamron macro. I have a bunch of manual and early K lenses, but don't find the inclination to use them much of the time.
I have a two year no-questions asked third-party Australian warranty on the K-70 so hopefully that repair won't cost me, but my K-30 is now 4+ years out of warranty. The K-70 first exhibited problems 9 months after purchase, at about 8000 images, K-30 at about 5 years (and some 13,500 images).
So here's hoping that all is well, and I get a longer time before failure from the repair to the K-70. In the meantime, I think the 90mm Macro will sit on my still working *ist-DS, and the 55-300 will be on the K-30(-50)!
Peter
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