popup flash wont stay closed

[blackcloudbrew]

Well, I've done IT. I dropped my k20d on the street with my AF360 flash attached. Result...scratched my DA*16-50 (ouch), partially broke the foot of my AF360 (have found a way to repair that - that's my next new project), and now...my popup flash will not stay closed. I've noticed that there is now a visible gap on the left side of the flash (where the camera's hook grabs the popup unit). I've tried to press it down to latch but that's not working.

My questions are, is there a quick repair that I can do? Obviously I can tape the thing down but I want it in proper operation. Has anyone gotten this repaired in the US? What was the experience and cost? Any thoughts / experiences / ideas?

Tim

Oh and Dave, I feel your pain man.

[blackcloudbrew]

Here is an update for inquiring minds. [This is no knock against Pentax support, ok?] After two weeks, I received a call from a friendly Pentax repair person in Arizona. This was the call I'd been waiting for to get the repair cost estimate. I was told that with parts (about $150) and labor it would be about $270 to fix the popup flash, reset the camera to specs, and clean the sensor. 

Thanks for plastic money! Now it's going to be 2-3 weeks until I see my k20 again. This was to be expected and I broke it after all. 

Tim

[Mike Pearson]

Tim,

Glad to hear there is a satisfactory solution to your problems. 

I have been that route in the past with MZ6, 80-320 lens, and AF360 flash - all my own doing and I really know the sickening feeling when it happens. 

Look forward to seeing your K20D back in action again - I am going to look at a battery grip and extra battery for my new K20D tomorrow. 

Mike

[blackcloudbrew]

Thanks you will love the grip. It's really nice and adds to the usability of the k20.
Tim

[blackcloudbrew]

Well here is the wrap up on my camera repair. Just got it back from CRIS camera services (Pentax's repair service) in Arizona. The cost of the fix for the busted pop up flash was $260 ($150parts/110labor). It's a bit of an ouch but they reset everything to specs and cleaned the sensor to boot. So on balance a bit under 2 months out of commission but it's back now better than it was.

I will be writing on on the wall 'I WILL NOT DROP MY CAMERA, I WILL NOT DROP MY CAMERA' about 100 times very soon.

Tim

[Sammy Sung]

jeez u could have bought a ton of black electrical tape for that kind of money

enough to last the life of the camera with some change left over

or even cheaper elastic bands 

glad you got your camera sorted up

it just shows these cameras may be tough as old boots but we should all be quaking in our boots at the thought of the repair costs

rob

[blackcloudbrew]

Believe me, I gave the tape a try and it just didn't work for me. If it had been an older camera I might have made the tape a way of life but this is my best machine so it had to get properly fixed.

Given that they had to replace the top plastic piece of the camera body, this was a significant repair and they tossed in a sensor cleaning (that would have run me about $80 here) to boot, I think I got away ok on this. I'm still writing 'I WILL NOT DROP MY CAMERA.' But I think I get it now.

Tim