RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: K-5 Dissection Photos

Monday, November 08, 2010

K-5 Dissection Photos

(Above: Click to Enlarge, New Tab/Window will be opened.)

See this flickr set:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/n00bs/sets/72157625199284037/

(Or, Full Slideshow Here.)

Well, from the second selected picture above, it can be seen that the metal mount of the K-5 is actually built on a plastic foundation. I just wonder why not made it metal? This is yet really something head-scratching, once again..

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Chris · 748 weeks ago

How do you see it is plastic? Simply because it is black? It could be painted/coated metal.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

-2 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 748 weeks ago

What is the meaning of painting "metal" for materials *inside*, man?

Just believe it or not, I am almost sure that it is plastic, those called engineering / industrial type ones. Look at the grip component, I don't think it can be made with anything "metal" for that complicated shape. However, on the other hand, the mount base could, and should be!

The only reason I can think of is to save cost, if it is not made of metal for that important part which will have much stress on it, when just heavier lenses are to be mounted.

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Mik · 748 weeks ago

How about to minimize light reflections internally...

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Chris · 748 weeks ago

Well as long as the result is a functioning, well-performing and durable product, I don't care about the design decisions. MAYBE you are right and it is indeed plastics. Then I'll say the following: Today's high-performance plastics are very well-behaved, lightweight and mechanically stable (e.g., ABS, fiber-reinforced plastics, etc). The equation "plastics=cheap" is long outdated, however I admit I like the "metal feel" of both my K-7 and my lenses (all limiteds, the 10-17 fish-eye, the 100 macro WR, have an all-metal construction). For an interior part of the body, however, all I care about is the function, the weight and the durability, not the "feel".
But maybe you are wrong altogether and it IS painted/coated metal. To me, it would definitely make sense to paint/coat an inner part of an outdoor (if weather-sealed) camera.
C

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Chris · 748 weeks ago

Uh, and by the way, complex shapes like the grip ARE possible with metal as well (e.g. by die-casting).

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James · 748 weeks ago

Just because it looks plastic in the picture does not mean that it's not sturdy/strong/quality. Engineering is a complex topic and the times to build everything from metal are long gone (for weight reasons at the very least).

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trabuio · 748 weeks ago

The cameras of the pictures are to show the internal parts but a lot of components that are in metal are on transparent plastic for example.
How to evaluate the real fixing of the lens flange?
I suggest you to buy one K-5 ad dismount the flange to check. ( don't need to cut the camera).
Then report to us.
Thanks for checking ;-)))

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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RiceHigh 110p · 748 weeks ago

Only the covers are made transparent for that special demonstration unit, not any of the *inside* components.

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TeddyBear · 748 weeks ago

lol the great metal mount of k5 is actually fixed on a plastic shell... now that's cool. The only part that should have been re enforced is the weakest part of the camera. Crappy design ??

here the d300 http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d300/images/d300...

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Tom · 748 weeks ago

RH, once again you demonstrate that you are just tapping in the dark. You don't have a clue but think you can trash Pentax nevertheless. The "plastic" is a glass-filled composite which is much stronger and more suited for its function than metal.

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df3 · 748 weeks ago

Might be plastic, or carbon, who knows. I would accept that it may be plastic, after all even some pistol frames are plastic today - but more important than the color of the cat is how many mice it can catch :-)

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fan · 748 weeks ago

What do you mean by plastic foundation ?
Plastic is not used for the mounting Mr. Rice. To produce such a complicated body made from the molten Mg alloys, it requires the technique so called die casting. And the die cast is usually made from steel The plastic which is shown in those photo sets are needed to demonstrate that the body fits into the casing.

The issue regarding the die casting is that the shrinkage volume from the molten into the solid. And what do you think if we use plastic as a die cast, instead of steel ? I am sure you know the answer :p

I would be happy if you buy K-5 immediately so we can read you great measurebation by yourself. Good Night :p

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j viviano · 748 weeks ago

Compare the inside of this body to the D7000, an then please promptly smack yourself in the face, Rice.

Once again, a foolish post.

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Jauha · 748 weeks ago

Maybe, since the camera is not that massive, plastic was used so that heavier lenses dont stress and distort the metallic frame containing precision parts (AF system, shutter, sensor).
Any hit or excessive force on the lens will simply get absorbed by plastic. Metal part might bend and deform unless it is very massive.

2 replies · active 748 weeks ago

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Chris · 748 weeks ago

Not true in general. While we don't know whether or not this particular part is indeed made out of plastic, we even know less what kind of plastic it may be. I'd just like to mention that although most of us have an emotional preference for metal, fiver-reinforced plastic parts are nowadays available that are lightweight, withstand much higher forces than e.g. aluminum ever could, and they are non-elastic.
So the equation "plastic=weak=cheap" might still hold for injection moulded PP parts, but certainly not for a glass fiber reinforced milled POM part.
C

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RiceHigh 110p · 748 weeks ago

Besides the mechanical strength of materials, do also bear in mind the effect of temperature on size (change) that can eventually cause mis-alignments. In general metals have better immunity to such change under extreme temperatures.

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Gimbal · 747 weeks ago

The question is, has it ever failed?

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Simon · 739 weeks ago

It's plastic and this sucks, plastic is and will always be crap.

1 reply · active 739 weeks ago

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Chris · 739 weeks ago

That is an emotion, not a fact.

Fact is, there are many different types of plastic. PE, PP, PPS, PA, PU, POM, PVC, PVDF, PMMA, PEEK, ABS, to name a few. Thermoplasts vs. duroplasts. Some with fiber reinforcements, some lightweight, some very stiff, some contain color pigments, others are transparent, most are isolators, but some conduct heat quite well, some produce toxic smoke when burned, others burn clear, etc. etc.

Engineers use types of plastic not only because they allow efficient manufacturing technology but also because of their unique material properties. Without plastic, our world would be _completely_ different, and definitely not better.

Having said that, I agree with you in that I personally prefer the metal feel of the K5 and the "limited" lens lineup of Pentax.

C

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Aspa · 739 weeks ago

We should change the way we thinking about the modern engineering and precise design. Lens mount isn't just attach to the black part (probably some kind of plastic) - it work WITH the outer shell and metal chassis.
Let's look at your car - it's not a full metal, isn't? In my modern car I have different types of metal, plastics, rubber, glass... Each part work with another, not alone, and together they give me space to survive in case of crash. In full metal car I can't survive, plastic is not just a cheap way - it's a shock absorber too. Once again: inside the camera every part work with another and used materials are used for reason, not JUST financial.
For example - metal can change the dimension when heated or cooled. Just imagine a half of millimeter change of distance between front and back of "black box"? It's mean - between rear element of lens and sensor. Or just half of millimeter change on the top of sensor mount if the bottom still unchanged?
Pentax isn't the best system on the world and K5 isn't the best camera in whole Universe. But it still can be used by photographers with good results. If somebody don't like what is inside, simple should buy some different brand. And we can check the results. Photographic will be similar, but there is another way to compare: let's buy and disassemble some Hasselblad or Nikon D3x. I just wonder - there will be ONLY metal inside, or not?

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Togel Online Klik 4D · 554 weeks ago

I would accept that it may be plastic, after all even some pistol frames are plastic today - but more important than the color of the cat is how many mice it can catch

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RiceHigh's Pentax Blog

Monday, November 08, 2010

K-5 Dissection Photos

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