K5 number 3...?

Anyone with a basic knowledge of statistics could collect the information of how many people on here bought K-5's and how many of those had a replacement plus how many of the replacements were faulty. Someone did post the details of the probability of the 2nd camera being faulty based on an assumed percentage of total faulty cameras. If the percentage of cameras being faulty was low the chance of a replacement also being faulty would be very low, but I can think of at least 5 people on here who have had 2 or 3 cameras with staining and that would indicate that there was/is a high percentage of faulty cameras. It's put me right off buying one, but the one's being produced at present might be OK.

Life's too short Algi. You could be enjoying a K-5 right now, just as we are, and it would no doubt be fine.

If one develops a fault then it gets fixed, but that's true of all manufactured items.

The only fault I've had is with the K10D and we had it fixed and now it happily resides with my brother-in-law, who is thoroughly enjoying it.

What was the K10D fault, John?

I might buy one shortly if the number of reported problems die down.
I'm a bit concerned of what's happening to all the one's that have
been returned. If they sell them off as refurbs I wouldn't buy one
but at least we'd know what happened to them. I just hope that they
don't get sent out as NEW cameras

PGWeber, the K10D had a faulty stop down mechanism, or "diaphragm block" as it was described on the job sheet. The AF system was also readjusted and the camera tested and recalibrated as needed. A firmware upgrade was included. It was done by JP Service Solutions at a total cost of £60 + VAT.

Algi, I've bought refurbished cameras from Pentax before now and they come in white boxes marked A grade and clearly refurbished.

I bought a K20 which was faulty and eventually exchanged for a K7 which was faulty which was exchanged for another K7 which I traded in for a K5 which was faulty and exchanged for another K5 which was faulty and will be exchanged for another K5.

But I wouldn't hesitate in buying a K5 as long as you buy it from a good dealer who will deal promptly with any issues. I'm very happy with mine (SRS).

The K5 is a great camera. If it develops stains then you get a new one. That's a good deal.

Reminds me of Italian Cars!

To a certain extent your answer is just an endorsement of my statement : "It only appears in very specific situations". From the Stavros Flatley concert thread I posted, through the lovely 19x12 print of my wife taken in a restaurant, through a pro shoot at the Irish Ball and so on ... I haven't encountered the FF issue - and probably won't since the firmware has virtually eradicated this issue. Maybe I just got lucky, I don't know.

As for the stains - well JR and others have answered that one. Again I just go back to Pentax's statement that it only affected the first batch. I don't think that on-line polls are that indicative since most people who own the cameras didn't vote and there is a substantial body of evidence that could repudiate the results of that poll since it was not conducted under strict scientific parameters and obviously other factors could have affected it's viability.

However all of this debate (which has really already been done to death and only fuels paranoia) is basically just to bring us to the conclusion that, for 95% of people, buying a new K5 now, there won't be any issues for them to contend with. Therefore I still believe Life Is Too Short to worry about whether you may or may not end up in that 5% - if you do then just return it for another or get it fixed under warranty !

Pentax forums is very prone to hysteria and pack behaviour. I think some people there believed that if you had an SDM lens, it WOULD kill you.

They also seemed to think that a dodgy lens on a TC was better than an equivalent length zoom, which was better than a prime. They also "knew" that the cheaper a lens is, the better it is.

Stop Press!!!
SDM Lenses cause Testicular Cancer!
Less Safe than Energy Saving Lightbulbs!

Oh and before anyone has a go at me for being insensitive I used the Testicular Cancer Line because I've had it...

Please don't patronise me John.

I'm well aware of the limitations of the Polls, but it's a whole lot better than minimisation spin plucked from thin air.

So now we have two Pentaxians with their heads up their ass. I just do it to get some peace and quiet. You must be searching for a 1st grade reading textbook, as the first bit in bold seems to be a language that's way above your comprehension.

There's nothing wrong with my logic dude.

The Front focussing issue was never more than in specific situations ... i.e low light and usually tungsten light.

I don't think I ever heard anyone claim the K-5 front focussed in decent light.


No they haven't.

I'm not contending that at all. My point is that out of that first batch it certainly didn't look like it was only a small number affected.



As I've repeatedly said the polls are more indicative than people trying to minimise the issue by maing statements plucked from thin air


I'm just interested in being as realistic as possible. I've alos bought TWO K-5s so I'm hardly avoiding the camera becuase I'm scared/paranoid of any issues.

Being on my second troublesome K5 I'm with you on all points Smeggy! The second has troubles too and my be that I exchanged my first just too early and have another problematic one? It's going back to Pentax after the Bank holiday shoots I have planned and I don't want it back so "there may be trouble ahead"...