Is there life after aperture block failure?

So it happened.  My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed.  I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy).  The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price.  I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

Thanks - yes, I'd like one but at the moment the price is too high!  It may be affordable in a year or so (at the moment I don't want to spend too much because I may have to move house, which is  rather expensive  to say the least...)

T Evergreen wrote:

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

If you have a lens with an aperture ring, you can use Manual mode on the camera, set the aperture with the aperture ring, then press the green button for setting the shutter speed. It's a bit cumbersome, but you can still use the camera until you decide what's next camera wise.

Thank-you.  Yes, I use my old Praktica lenses but have no (useable) AF lenses …. I suppose I could pick up some old AF lenses with aperture rings (mine have got bad fungus on them) - which is an interesting idea!

Actually, come to think of it,  when using my Praktica lenses I 'meter with the shutter button' which sets the shutter speed as usual and have never had to use the green button.   Rather odd, really....

Sure, there's life. Way back when I lost my K-30, I had already bought a refurbished K-5IIS. So I stuck with that. It's still a rational upgrade from a K-30/50 to this day: heavier, but built like a tank and so essentially good.

I still have mine, but nowadays it mostly a backup and a deep gripped body for my 55-300 zoom.  My main Pentax is a KP, which I love a lot. It may not suit everyone but it is an excellent camera for the way I approach photography.

I would stay away completely from the K-70 series (K-S2, etc.). Pentax have never discussed when and how, or even ever, the aperture block problems were fixed. I'd leave them all alone.

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

Does the K-70 have the same problem? Only been a few reported, threads on PF deal with this, every camera model has a failure rate, 6% or something. Both my K-30s were fine regarding aperture failure, a faulty seal allowed water into the LCD and destroyed the first camera, Pentax replaced it free out of warranty after 2.5 years

Pentax only sells 2 APSC models so wait until Black Friday time and get one or the other much cheaper. I got a K-70 with 42% off last year, KP was at least a third cheaper too.

K-70 was a massive upgrade over the K-30, K-50 is the same camera.

Sell your K-50 as described, it will still sell, used to get £120 or so a few years back but working ones go for that now.

I actually have a K-30 that needs to be sold, in excellent condition and has the K-50 firmware installed.

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

That's very unlucky I bought my K-30 with 4000 exposures, and have taken more then 5000 pictures since than. Fingers crossed

yardcoyote wrote:

Sure, there's life. Way back when I lost my K-30, I had already bought a refurbished K-5IIS. So I stuck with that. It's still a rational upgrade from a K-30/50 to this day: heavier, but built like a tank and so essentially good.

I still have mine, but nowadays it mostly a backup and a deep gripped body for my 55-300 zoom. My main Pentax is a KP, which I love a lot. It may not suit everyone but it is an excellent camera for the way I approach photography.

I would stay away completely from the K-70 series (K-S2, etc.). Pentax have never discussed when and how, or even ever, the aperture block problems were fixed. I'd leave them all alone.

Yes, a K5iiS is tempting.  I think I'd miss focus-peaking for use with my manual lenses when doing macro, although of late I've found focusing by eye and using a reasonably narrow aperture a better way to go.

I'll keep an eye on the 2nd-hand market here for anything that comes up.

Oiche wrote:

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

Does the K-70 have the same problem? Only been a few reported, threads on PF deal with this, every camera model has a failure rate, 6% or something. Both my K-30s were fine regarding aperture failure, a faulty seal allowed water into the LCD and destroyed the first camera, Pentax replaced it free out of warranty after 2.5 years

Pentax only sells 2 APSC models so wait until Black Friday time and get one or the other much cheaper. I got a K-70 with 42% off last year, KP was at least a third cheaper too.

K-70 was a massive upgrade over the K-30, K-50 is the same camera.

Sell your K-50 as described, it will still sell, used to get £120 or so a few years back but working ones go for that now.

I actually have a K-30 that needs to be sold, in excellent condition and has the K-50 firmware installed.

Yes, a K70 was reported with the same problem here on this forum - much as I'd like the flippy screen, I don't want to take the risk!

I'll keep the K50 for the time-being and experiment with my old Praktica lenses whilst looking around for something else.  At the moment it's still fine for the macro stuff I do using an old Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon and extension tubes.

I guess, tbh, I was more curious about who had had bought what camera as a follow-up.

That's good - I'm pleased to hear it.  The K30/K50 are great to use so it's good to know that others have still got working cameras!

I don't use manual lenses so that issue never occurs for me. But i can thoroughly recommend the camera otherwise.

peterpainter wrote:

T Evergreen wrote:

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

If you have a lens with an aperture ring, you can use Manual mode on the camera, set the aperture with the aperture ring, then press the green button for setting the shutter speed. It's a bit cumbersome, but you can still use the camera until you decide what's next camera wise.

Thank-you. Yes, I use my old Praktica lenses but have no (useable) AF lenses …. I suppose I could pick up some old AF lenses with aperture rings (mine have got bad fungus on them) - which is an interesting idea!

Actually, come to think of it, when using my Praktica lenses I 'meter with the shutter button' which sets the shutter speed as usual and have never had to use the green button. Rather odd, really....

Hm...just done some testing.  I've only used the manual lenses for indoor macro shots, so lots of fiddling round.  Tried outdoors and using the green button gives better exposures - so will use that approach from now on.

Thanks - yes, will keep an eye out for one.  I'm sure I'd survive without focus-peaking if I had to!

When my K-30 started to exhibit the black frames early last year, I got a used K-5iis with 3,500 shutter count on it. It is a noticeable upgrade for me in the following:

(1) lower iso value at 80

(2) lack of anti-aliasing filter

(3) better DR

(4) much quieter shutter sound (good for indoor shooting)

(5) separate AE lock and AF lock buttons

(6) slightly better grip

(7) larger battery

(8) top LCD

I don't miss my K-30 much now as the only 2 drawback are slightly heavier and the lack of focus peaking which is available on K-30.

kenwklau wrote:

When my K-30 started to exhibit the black frames early last year, I got a used K-5iis with 3,500 shutter count on it. It is a noticeable upgrade for me in the following:

(1) lower iso value at 80

(2) lack of anti-aliasing filter

(3) better DR

(4) much quieter shutter sound (good for indoor shooting)

(5) separate AE lock and AF lock buttons

(6) slightly better grip

(7) larger battery

(8) top LCD

I don't miss my K-30 much now as the only 2 drawback are slightly heavier and the lack of focus peaking which is available on K-30.

Thank-you. Yes, the quieter shutter and better battery life would make quite a difference - I'm not sure that I need better IQ, but I guess it would be nice. I have to admit, though, that I'm somewhat wary of buying second-hand. None of the dealers who I've come across here in France have much Pentax stock (no K5iiS for example) and at least with them there is some sort of guarantee.

grcolts wrote:

My K50 bit the dust too a while back. I ended up getting another one from KEH as I wanted a camera that could use AA batteries in the field. So, hopefully, my newer one will have some life to it before it fails.

I also ended up getting a Panasonic G9 which is very Pentax like. It is built like a tank, has weather sealing, a fully articulated screen, top LCD, and more options than I will ever use. Might want to take a look at it.

Thank-you.

I don't think I'm brave enough to get another one!  Tbh if I'd know about the problem beforehand I don't think I would have bought mine.  Sadly, I paid for a guarantee up to 3 years - they always wait until the guarantee period is over;-)

Interesting about the Panasonic.  I did wonder about it - I don't know if they supply weather-sealed lenses though, or if people just use ordinary ones.   I think it is cheaper than the KP but probably not by much if lenses are factored in.

peterpainter wrote:

Thanks - yes, will keep an eye out for one. I'm sure I'd survive without focus-peaking if I had to!

Focus peaking is particularly useful with a camera with tilting/articulating screen. However, focus confirmation via OVF is much more accurate (though only works with center AF point..at least on my K-30).

peterpainter wrote:

Oiche wrote:

peterpainter wrote:

So it happened. My K50 after nearly 4 years and 4,000 shots has succumbed. I don't think I'll be getting it fixed (or fixing it myself - too clumsy). The K50 was great, a weather-sealed body and lens, important in this climate, at an affordable price. I don't trust a K70 because of the same issue, so what next?

What have other people done?

Does the K-70 have the same problem? Only been a few reported, threads on PF deal with this, every camera model has a failure rate, 6% or something. Both my K-30s were fine regarding aperture failure, a faulty seal allowed water into the LCD and destroyed the first camera, Pentax replaced it free out of warranty after 2.5 years

Pentax only sells 2 APSC models so wait until Black Friday time and get one or the other much cheaper. I got a K-70 with 42% off last year, KP was at least a third cheaper too.

K-70 was a massive upgrade over the K-30, K-50 is the same camera.

Sell your K-50 as described, it will still sell, used to get £120 or so a few years back but working ones go for that now.

I actually have a K-30 that needs to be sold, in excellent condition and has the K-50 firmware installed.

Yes, a K70 was reported with the same problem here on this forum - much as I'd like the flippy screen, I don't want to take the risk!

Yes the Iindian fellow takes the bird pictures, that was one person, what about all the other models with various faults reported?

The flippy screen is a godsend, a must have for me now. I used it extensively on Monday, for macro it is definitely a must have.

I would buy a Ford but I seen one broken down on the motorway once. 😃

I'll keep the K50 for the time-being and experiment with my old Praktica lenses whilst looking around for something else. At the moment it's still fine for the macro stuff I do using an old Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon and extension tubes.

I guess, tbh, I was more curious about who had had bought what camera as a follow-up.