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10-20-2017, 05:25 PM   #1
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Best place for lens repair?

I put my FA77 on my new (to me) K1.... and now the autofocus is noisy, and it is not turning correctly when off the camera either.

In any case I need to get it fixed. I have used Eric to do CLR for cameras before, perhaps he does lenses as well?

Anyone have good luck with repairs on lenses in the US?

Thanks

Jamey

10-20-2017, 06:03 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Jamey777 Quote
I put my FA77 on my new (to me) K1.... and now the autofocus is noisy, and it is not turning correctly when off the camera either.

In any case I need to get it fixed. I have used Eric to do CLR for cameras before, perhaps he does lenses as well?

Anyone have good luck with repairs on lenses in the US?

Thanks

Jamey
That isn't exactly a "classic" lens or a "classic" problem, so I'm guessing there's effectively no choice in the U.S. but to send it to Precision. They did a good job with my 60-250 (under warranty), but I'm sure repairs won't be cheap. I know Eric does MF-era bodies and lenses but that's not what you have. Maybe someone else has a different experience.
10-20-2017, 07:03 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Jamey777 Quote
I put my FA77 on my new (to me) K1.... and now the autofocus is noisy, and it is not turning correctly when off the camera either.

In any case I need to get it fixed. I have used Eric to do CLR for cameras before, perhaps he does lenses as well?

Anyone have good luck with repairs on lenses in the US?

Thanks

Jamey
Eric can service the FA 77mm. It's a fairly simple repair. However, his backlog is pretty big right now, so I would recommend sending it to precision. It'll cost you more but should be much faster. Thankfully, feedback on Precision's service has been improving in recent months.

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10-20-2017, 07:11 PM   #4
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I'm waiting for receipt of lens number 3 back from Precision right now - shipped out today - have two other lenses happily repaired over the past year. And no, I don't beat my equipment. The first failed under warranty for no apparent reason (16-85 stopped zooming - would move a bit and lock up), the second was given to me and turned out to be badly de-centered, and the third was bought at a discount used knowing it was damaged and would need repair. So far, the two out of warranty lenses have been done for their flat rate. The first two lenses actually got sent back to Pentax in Japan. The one I'll be receiving on Tuesday needed parts from Japan, so they have all taken a bit of time, but not too bad. I'd say roughly 4-6 weeks or so - this last one was received 9/21 and shipped out 10/20 after waiting most of that time for parts. A quick check on the FA 77 shows a flat rate of $312.50. Worth fixing in my mind. I'd send it in.

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10-20-2017, 08:41 PM   #5
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boo... its my favorite lens. oh well gotta do what I gotta do... I guess the K-1 motor was stronger than my k-s2. would have happened eventually I suppose.
10-21-2017, 01:41 AM   #6
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KEH is a viable alternative even though they sometimes forward the work to Precision (at no additional cost).
10-21-2017, 03:06 AM   #7
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Two repair experiences I have had:
1. HD DA 40 Limited, Focus ring frozen, I sent it to Precision 1 week after warranty expired, but had New Leaf (Adorama) extended warranty. It took a long time. Apparently Precision sent it to Japan. The repair was done properly with no marks or scratches on the lens and its working fine now. New Leaf paid the repair cost.
2. DA 70 Limited, this was a used lens I got for a good price but it had sluggish aperture blades. I sent this to Eric about 2.5 years ago and he cleaned the aperture blades. It took almost 2 months for him to complete the repair due to a backlog but the repair was done properly.

I have read on other similar threads that KEH repairs Pentax lenses, including SDM failures for less cost than Precision. Feedback has been positive on these threads. I have a DA 17-70 with a dead SDM and a inner barrel wobble. I may check them as a possible option for this lens. Precision's flat rate is too high for me to consider this a worthwhile repair.

10-22-2017, 02:58 AM   #8
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I'll give a shout out to Advance Camera in Oregon.

About Us | Advance Camera Inc.
Advance Camera - 85 Reviews - Photography Stores & Services - 8124 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Southwest Portland, Portland, OR - Phone Number - Yelp

I've used them twice now, once for lenses, and once for a camera body.

My favorite thing about them is that they are very easy to get a hold of. I can call them during their store hours and usually get someone on the line who can give me updates and answer my questions. They also check their voicemails and will return calls when they don't answer. There was a billing error with one of my repair orders and it was fixed hassle free. It's all very reassuring.

They're also apparently an authorized Pentax repair center.

QuoteQuote:
We are the only service provider authorized by Pentax to provide warranty service on their products for the entire northwest region. Consistent quality and reliable service for every repair has earned us this vote of confidence from a leader in the photographic equipment industry.
Don't see them mentioned a lot here, but I think they're worth a try.
08-03-2018, 05:22 PM   #9
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As a follow up, it is apparently very hard (impossible?) to order the gear that is breaking. I ended up having DCShooter fix it and he used a 3rd party part he sourced. Several hundred shots later its working great.
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