----- Original Message -----
From: "Boris Liberman"
Subject: Re: Wide zoom (and not zoom) lenses redux
Bill, here in Israel the following is very common practice. You walk
in a store and ask for something. They walk away and return with the
box which they put on the counter. You ask to open it and actually try
it before you commit your money. They respond that by doing so they
risk so many shekels worth of goods. You parry by saying that you
cannot buy something that may not work. They respond in turn that
whatever is the problem you will have it resolved by the warranty and
that they'd be happy to assist you should invocation of warranty
become necessary.
What hides behind all this exchange is the fact that proving that the
lens such as DA* 16-50/2.8 malfunctions is going to be non-trivial
process. What you will claim is soft they will claim is normal.
Usually there is an indignant frown attached to it saying something
like - "this is professional gear, you just don't know how it works
for 'us' professionals. My nephew is also Pentaxian and he has this
lens and he loves it."
I know personally a guy who bought one of the first Nikon D2Xs here
(five digit sum in local currency, something like 3-4 times average
monthly salary) and couldn't actually prove to local Nikon dealership
that some of AF sensors of his camera malfed. He even wrote some
letters to Nikon Japan or whatever high authority outside Israel there
is. Ultimately, the firmware upgrade solved the problem, but I am sure
poor fellow lost some hair on the way.
Trust me, I've been through this story more than once. Unless I
develop a deep friendly (as in drinking beer together) relationship
with the dealer, the game is extremely risky. And unfortunately there
are no enough reaons for me to start developing such a relationship
(though I do like drinking beer, thanks to Thibouille ;-) ). Nor are
there any considerably reliable and long-lasting photo gear dealers
that also work with Pentax.
Doesn't Israel have any sort of consumer protection laws?
Here's how it works in Canada:
I go into a store and ask for a lens.
They will probably have to order it in, unless it is consumer glass.
When it arrives, I go to the store and mount it to my camera. I go out to
the parking lot and take a few snapshots of the brick wall of the store
across the lot.
If it looks good on the review screen I buy the lens.
Now this is where it gets nice for the buyer.
We have a set of consumer laws that state that if the product isn't usable
for the purpose for which it was sold, the seller must give a refund within
a reasonable time frame (several days at least).
So, if in the course of using my new lens, I notice a defect which
compromises it's usability, it goes back to the store, I get a refund, and
they order me a new lens, which then repeats the process.
It sounds like Israeli consumer laws favour protecting the merchant over the
buyer.
There is probably a cliche or two in there someplace.
William Robb
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