Bob Blakely wrote: > [The short] I dropped my FA 1:1.8 31mm lend about one meter to concrete and > damaged my aperture ring.
Okay, pitiful story, and shame on them. However, do you know of another Pentax 'official' repair station anywhere else in the U.S.? No, I haven't looked it up yet...I thought that since it's fresh in your mind, you might have another location in mind... I've been dragging my feet, and I think the place I wanted to send a lens of mine to be repaired IS Colorado. What next? To whom? keith whaley -- > [The Long - skip if faint of heart] A few weeks ago, being new to being > crippled,I slipped just outside my favorite coffee house (and, no, it's not > Starf*cks). Anyway, I reached out for a table as I fell and knocked my SMC > PENTAX-FA 1:1.8 31mm AL Limited off to the concrete. Ouch. Not as bad as I > thought it would be though. It hit squarely on the edge of the aperture ring > giving it a "cosmetic" flaw and knocking the ring out-of-round. I > immediately rued my decision not to purchase the "we don't care if you > purposely threw it against a brick wall" warranty for about an extra $50. > The lens still works perfectly, but it's very hard to turn the aperture > ring. > > [The short] I took the lens to Harold, my repairman who verified that the > only problem is the aperture ring which must be replaced. Since the lens > still works, we agreed that he would order the aperture ring while I > continued to use the lens and that I would bring the lens in when it arrived > for repair. During this time, my repairman called Pentax Colorado several > times. Seems they couldn't locate the part or some such and fed him > bullpucky. They told him that this lens is not sold in the United States and > they couldn't repair it!!! > > [The Long - skip if faint of heart] So I took the lens to my favorite Pentax > trained repairman who verified that the only problem was the aperture ring > which must be replaced. Since the lens still works, and since the lens can > still be easily used on my K10Ds on the "A" setting, we agreed that he would > order the aperture ring while I continued to use the lens and that I would > bring the lens in when it arrived for a few hours of R&R and registration > check. During this time, my repairman called Pentax Colorado several times. > Seems they couldn't locate the part or some such. My repairman requested a > diagram of the lens so that he could more specifically identify the part for > them. (I have no idea why "aperture ring for an SMC PENTAX-FA 1:1.8 31mm AL > Limited lens" is not sufficient.) Well, they sent him the wrong diagram! He > called them again and after some discussion, they told him that this lens is > not sold in the United States and they couldn't repair it!!! > > [The short] Since I know this to be bullpucky, I called Pentax Colorado and > informed him that the lens IS sold in the US and, furthermore, the > literature that came with the lens lists Pentax Colorado as the place to go > for warranty service. After considerable conversation he agreed to order the > aperture ring from Japan and have it shipped to my Harold - to be arranged > when Harold calls back. > > [The Long - skip if faint of heart] Well, since most of the larger major > camera houses sell this lens and since it's on the Pentax USA web site for > sale via internet purchase, and since the accompanying literature lists > Pentax Colorado as the authorized repair agent, I knew this to be bullpucky! > I called Pentax Colorado to find out what was going on. It didn't take [name > omitted] long to realize that I was the customer of the repairman he'd just > talked to on the phone. I informed him that the lens IS sold in the US and > on the shelves of many of the major retailers - such as Samy's; moreover, > the lens is for sale to the US on the Pentax US web site. He appeared not to > be aware of this, but I reassured him that he was smart enough to access the > site and look it up for himself. Furthermore, the literature that came with > the lens lists Pentax Colorado as the place to go for warranty service. I > asked him what he intended to do when one came in! I further informed him > that I'm no neophyte when it comes to Pentax cameras, that I've been > shooting them since the early '60s, that I have nearly [deleted serious 5 > figures] current value (not new) invested in Pentax 35mm and medium format > cameras, lenses, bellows, flashes, meters and doohickeys and I follow my > investment and the state of Pentax closely. After a few moments of silence, > the conversation switched to his agreeing to order the aperture ring from > Japan and shipping it to my Harold to be arranged when Harold calls back. > > For those of you who don't know, about a year back Pentax Colorado began > outsourcing their repair. I don't know the reason for this, but it might > have something to do with the Hoya buy in. Perhaps they have reduced staff > for the purpose of making things look more profitable, whatever, but the > bottom line seems to be: > > 1. Don't expect expertise from Pentax Colorado re: repair when you call. > 2. Expect longer times to repair due to extra level between you and the > repairman. > 3. Expect possible higher costs due to extra level between you and the > repairman. > 4. Don't take what they say as gospel. > > Regards, > Bob... > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
