K-30 random exposure failure issue

Agree.

Can you confirm that the actual images you are taking are close to/completely black and underexposed?

Saying the screen is black may easily imply that your camera rear screen is broken

Can you see images taken by the camera now, on the computer?

Am seeing this a lot more lately. Examples from Trademe website (essentially ebay for New Zealand):




And just the other day I won this auction for $36 NZD / £19.40 GBP body only, with 11,000 actuations:

Pentax after all this time must be aware that this problem is definitely a manufacturing fault.
The only good thing though is that ever since getting mine repaired it's worked faultlessly!

Yes I'd hope that the repair used specifically known to be good parts, otherwise you're just reloading the gun.

Here in New Zealand we have a Consumer Guarantees Act with deliberately vague wording such as fit for purpose, durable and reasonable. It's there to protect consumers, and applies to the seller. K-30's purchased here would probably do ok in terms of being repaired or replaced up to say 4 or 5 years later. You have to find a K-30 for sale in NZ, and be prepared to pay a lot of money more than the UK and USA for it in the first place though.

Pentax has genuinely left a sour taste over their handling of this one. Mine failed within the warranty period, so I had mine fixed for free (after paying round trip postage to the UK and back.) I do genuinely feel for others who experience this outside of the warranty period, as it's not cheap. Other brands have quality issues for sure, but it's how you deal with those that speaks volumes.

have already, sadly looking elsewhere. especially if the problem is known to 'return'.

[quote:3496ace15f="AuraTodd"]My camera has worked perfectly since being repaired. I can't say I have heard of the problem returning however any camera (or any item) can develop faults.

Is the repair very expensive?

Can't remember - email Johnson Photopia and tell them you are a forum member. Also tell them as a known fault Pentax should act in good faith and do the repair for free.

Just wondering if this issue occurs in all K30's no matter which batch or serial number? My K30 with number 4513062 is 3 years old and just over 10100 actuation's and never had any problem.

Daughter has our K30 - will have to check the serial number.

I've done it through Castle cameras's. Can I do this through them, or will they charge me more for what my camera is worth?

Castle will probably quote me £350 or something horrifying like that.

how long ago did you buy it Louise? if it is out of guarantee then go direct to Johnsons to try and argue the known fault case or maybe before that you could talk to your local trading standards office for advice, they got my son a free repair with the advice they gave him on a car fault he had that the dealer wanted to charge £400 for . a second hand car at that which developed a known fault.

It wasn't anywhere near that Louise, was around £140 (been trying to find my receipt,,). As Redbusa99 says if the camera is out of guarantee you could still probably get the camera repaired for free, if going through Castle Cameras or going direct to Johnsons make them aware that you know it's a known problem.

About three years now. I've gone through Castle Cameras

I might do that, it's a bit tricky to find in trading standards office in Salisbury. Castle will probably insist that I pay a huge amount of money to fix it.