Dark pictures Pentax K-s1 (Page 3): Good you confirmed through that test that it was the aperture problem. That coincides with the analysis results of both your first two pictures...

Grahame Loc: Fiji

mrbacco wrote:

Hi All. I read few posts on the pentax forum and tested the camera according to the following suggestions I found in the forum. According to the post, seems the issue is related to solenoid not managing the aperture properly.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/184-pentax-k-s1-k-s2/402051-how-detect-aperture-block-failure-pentax-k-s1-k-s2.html

Good you confirmed through that test that it was the aperture problem.

That coincides with the analysis results of both your first two pictures posted and the shed picture. The aperture is going to 'minimum' f/32 for the lens you used whatever is set and the camera indicates.

That's the reason why your f/29 (almost minimum aperture) beach shot was reasonably well exposed.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

mrbacco wrote:

Hi All. I read few posts on the pentax forum and tested the camera according to the following suggestions I found in the forum. According to the post, seems the issue is related to solenoid not managing the aperture properly. That might also explain the dark photos when in AUTO mode.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/184-pentax-k-s1-k-s2/402051-how-detect-aperture-block-failure-pentax-k-s1-k-s2.html

I might send the ca,era back to the seller ... :-(

The guy who wrote that particular post has taken cameras apart and watched them as they function. Getting good pictures in LV but dark pictures using the OVF has become one of the things to watch for with solenoid failure {only their ‘consumer level’ cameras have solenoids}.

Not all is lost. I use a K-30 sometimes even though the aperture control started failing two years ago, by purchasing an older “FA 28-105” lens; only the ability of the camera body to control the aperture no longer works well - this lens has an aperture ring, so I can control the aperture at the lens .... but this is a ‘klunky’ and awkward solution. The author of your tests advocates replacing the solenoid, but I don’t feel I have the soldering skills to do so - the Pentax Forum was littered with discussions about this problem several years ago.

mrbacco Loc: dublin

rehess wrote:

The guy who wrote that particular post has taken c... (show quote)

thanks for your comment, I don't have the skills too to fix the solenoid component, but I thought the series of tests could have been useful, are you saying the tests are not reliable? Cheers

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

mrbacco wrote:

thanks for your comment, I don't have the skills too to fix the solenoid component, but I thought the series of tests could have been useful, are you saying the tests are not reliable? Cheers

Nothing is completely reliable, but unfortunately they probably are in this case. The solenoid issue is an unfortunate incident in Pentax's history. I have a camera that dates back to Pentax's first efforts to control the aperture from the body {around 1983}; it has a solenoid to control that - and it still works - but their source of those solenoids moved production to China around the time that Pentax started production of the K-30, and apparently also changed the materials used. The solenoids produced met receiving standards, but aged poorly and started failing after several years. By the time Pentax realized this, they were already producing the the K-S2. Pentax has modified their design, but my personal opinion is that they will have to give up on their solenoid-control system after almost forty years of use.

mrbacco Loc: dublin

cheers! now I am clear .

mrbacco Loc: dublin

rehess wrote:

The guy who wrote that particular post has taken c... (show quote)

... actually this "klunky" solution mentioned by you, in fact could help me a lot, I haven't thought about it, thanks a mill for suggesting... I know it's not perfect and a professional would not use it, but I am far from professional as you all have well understood so far ...hehehe. ...cheers

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

mrbacco wrote:

... actually this "klunky" solution mentioned by you, in fact could help me a lot, I haven't thought about it, thanks a mill for suggesting... I know it's not perfect and a professional would not use it, but I am far from professional as you all have well understood so far ...hehehe. ...cheers

OK - then I probably should add a few details. Like Nikon, Pentax has tried to maintain compatibility - originally through ‘screw-drive’ lenses, where power for AF is provided by a motor in the body. I actually left Pentax and went to Canon in 1995 because I liked their all-electronic EF/usm system better, but I returned to Pentax in 2015 because two Rebel bodies in a row totally failed me.

Anyway, their first two auto-focus lens series were the “F” and “FA” lenses, both of which had aperture rings which gave the user control {as well as having an ‘A’ setting which turned control over to the body}. These are compatible with your camera, if you set up the body correctly {Pentax Forum} has instructions for that}.

TooTall

It sounds like an aperture block failure. This camera does have that issue. Mine did. Eventually, your photos will be all black. I hope it's under warranty. If it's out of warranty Pentax won't fix it even though they knew about this failure, albeit in a small number of cameras, when they manufactured the KS1. Mine was out of warranty. $300 later, it was fixed. I actually like this camera that much. If you want to know more, Google Pentax aperture block failure.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

TooTall wrote:

It sounds like an aperture block failure. This camera does have that issue. Mine did. Eventually, your photos will be all black. I hope it's under warranty. If it's out of warranty Pentax won't fix it even though they knew about this failure, albeit in a small number of cameras, when they manufactured the KS1. Mine was out of warranty. $300 later, it was fixed. I actually like this camera that much. If you want to know more, Google Pentax aperture block failure.

The Pentax K-S1 was introduced August 2014, while the K-30 was introduced in May 2012.
Since the solenoid problem seems to happen after about two years, and then they had to analyze the {scattered} problem reports, it is quite possible that they didn't really 'know about' the problem when they manufactured the K-S1.

TooTall

rehess wrote:

The Pentax K-S1 was introduced August 2014, while the K-30 was introduced in May 2012.
Since the solenoid problem seems to happen after about two years, and then they had to analyze the {scattered} problem reports, it is quite possible that they didn't really 'know about' the problem when they manufactured the K-S1.

I dunno. When I researched it over a year ago, it seemed to me they might have known. It was a very small number of cameras. It takes beautiful photos and I have a lot of Pentax lenses so it's not like I'm going to abandon them even though they refused to fix a camera with a known problem one month out of warranty . I didn't get two years. Anyway, the point is that the OP knows what's going on so he can decide how to deal with it.

mrbacco Loc: dublin

thanks to everyone for the suggestions, I have decided to send the camera back. I was hoping to use again my other Pentax, a K-01, but her shutter died on my at around 10,400 shots ... I am on the look now ... thanks

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

mrbacco wrote:

thanks to everyone for the suggestions, I have decided to send the camera back. I was hoping to use again my other Pentax, a K-01, but her shutter died on my at around 10,400 shots ... I am on the look now ... thanks

Consider getting a Pentax KP like I have now - it has a different aperture control mechanism, not dependent on a solenoid in any way - but can use the same lenses that the K-01 and K-S1 do.