[saudiboypalaboy]

hello to all just wanted to share you this information i got from an email about some issues concerning the DA* lenses.

i hope this doesn't get me in to trouble.

I tried to ask pentax technical support a few question about the DA* & there answer got me more confused!

here's what i sent them!

Hello & thank you for the info. But this time I just wanted to know what
arethe serial numbers of the lenses 16-50 & 50-135 that are released for
2012.
Because I found out from a certain photography forum that the 2012 release of
this lenses are no longer prone to SDM failure due the redesigned
SDM mechanism.

Is this true?

Any way at least give me an Idea it will be a very big help.

Thanks hope to read something from you god bless...


and this is there reply.

Thank you for contacting PENTAX.

We do not have a list of the serial numbers of the DA* lenses that have been
released in 2012. This information is not available from the manufacturer
or PENTAX Japan. However, PENTAX Japan has not informed us of any known
manufacturing or design defects in the DA* series lenses.

If you are in need of further assistance, please respond to this email or
call our technical support center at 800-877-0155.

Sincerely,
Randall S.
PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION /
PHONE: 800.234.0276 /800.877.0155 / BE INTERESTING. PENTAX

if some people from pentax claim they have fixed the SDM issues then why some say they've havent heard about it!

Confusing RIght?

oh and by the way i got that respond this september only.


if some of you this thread alarming or unfriendly the moderators can pull it out anytime they want to.

excluding me!

thanks god bless

[sweetpapa]

Because the SDM failure info was an engineer's opinion/internal info and not official

[MPrince]

PRIAC is a marketing company, not a manufacturing company. Pentax Japan may very well track serial numbers by manufacturing date, but it is my understanding there is no correlation between Pentax serial numbers and dates of manufacture, so neither PRIAC nor anyone else not involved in the manufacturing process has a way of knowing by serial number when a product was manufactured.

[Lowell Goudge]

It should be a question of asking the correct information, But the point is, they have no obligation to give it to you, and the question you ask implies that you believe that there is a product defect and undeclared solution after a specific date.

Regardless of whether you are correct or not, they would have no interest commercially or legally to give you this information

[saudiboypalaboy]

well at least i tried,even if they know or don't at least they should be somehow aware about it because alot of people are already complaining about this.

since they haven't got any idea might as well look for other options i wouldn't spend on something i might regret later on.

[Tom S.]

Even if they did know, which I doubt, what would be the advantage to them to post such information. Think about it for a minute. Not every lens made pre- 2012 fails. However posting such info would cause people to refuse to buy any lens made prior to 2012, leaving dealers and Pentax with numerous lenses they couldn't sell.

The second part of their reply makes an equal amount of sense. 99% of the lenses made prior to 2012 were made under Hoya. Again, what is the advantage for the new owners, Ricoh to make any kind of statement about the failures? Remember, in some countries, an admission of this sort would require all kinds of expenses to Pentax, since it would amount to an admission of guilt, forcing them to fix or replace lenses far out of warranty.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Think about it for a minute. Not every lens made pre- 2012 fails. However posting such info would cause people to refuse to buy any lens made prior to 2012, leaving dealers and Pentax with numerous lenses they couldn't sell.

Good point. If my money were on the line, I would play it safe and not buy any SDM lens until more is known about the issue. In fact, if you look at my signature you can see that I've done exactly that.

[DeadJohn]

"PENTAX Japan has not informed us..."

Gee, Pentax USA, can you offer to look into it instead of merely stating you don't know? After dealing with them a few times, I feel like if a passerby walked into USA HQ and warned them of a fire in their building, Randall S would sit at his desk and wait for Japan to dial 911.

[Mr Hyde]

My DA* 16-50 is in for repair as I write this (for the 4th time). I spoke with three separate CSR's at Pentax including a supervisor named Derek and they all said they were aware of the SDM failure issue. Maybe Randal S doesnt have an internet connection.

[Docrwm]

Randall doesn't even know what products Penax Japan makes and distributes around the world, how on Earth could you expect him to know something as technical as what drive mechanism the lenses have -let alone which ones might not anylonger be prone to failure due to design faults?

[DeadJohn]

@saudiboypalaboy, I just noticed your location in Saudi Arabia. I don't think Pentax has a distributor there but try contacting one of the European support centers: UK, Germany, or France depending on which language you prefer to speak. They might know more and think more than Pentax USA.