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03-10-2009, 08:41 AM   #1
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recent Pentax lens repair experiences?

All,

I have a lens that's been at the Pentax repair facility in Colorado since February 9 (22 business days).

The expressed guideline is 15-20 business days for a repair. I was wondering what others' recent experiences with Pentax repair were. Did it take longer than you expected?

(I inquired by e-mail and didn't get anywhere beyond the stock "15-20 days on average", "some take longer", and "soon".)

Perhaps I'm just impatient?

Thanks,

Reid

03-10-2009, 10:46 AM   #2
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I had a couple lenses in to Pentax Service in CO last Fall and a 67II body in right after the first of the year. All were handled within a month. I didn't really track the timing, but none drug on for any extended period. I'm guessing your repair required a part that was waiting for restock, so air freight timing slowed things a bit. I've had to wait for the "plane from Japan" before, though it may be from someplace other than Japan nowadays.
The timing doesn't start until after you respond to the estimate--send payment or whatever. So the first week and a half to two weeks doesn't count. Unless this is a warranty issue?

Relax, it's likely going to resolve itself before this thread fleshes out!
03-10-2009, 03:25 PM   #3
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Yeah, it's warranty, so it actually went into the shop on 2/9.

I wonder if it's related to the bad economy? I had a contact lens order on backorder for a month recently too.

Patience is a virtue, I suppose, but not one of my strong suits.

I'm currently using the DA 10-17 fisheye as my walkaround lens. It's a fun lens, but a bit strange as a walkaround...

On the bright side, Pentax e-mail support is extremely quick (like responses in an hour). I was impressed.
03-10-2009, 05:06 PM   #4
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I sent my K20D for focus adjustment and it was there just under 1 month. Maybe 15 business days. Remember the 15-20 days is business days, not calender days. Good luck with the repairs.

03-10-2009, 07:00 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by StephenMerola Quote
I sent my K20D for focus adjustment and it was there just under 1 month. Maybe 15 business days. Remember the 15-20 days is business days, not calender days. Good luck with the repairs.
Wow!

You guys are scaring me. I have to send in my k10d (flash failed, one of the early batches that had that problem, I just never bothered to fix it).

Contrast your 1 month time frames with the last time I sent in a canon. It arrived late one day and shipped out with a new shutter early the next.

I really do not want to go without my pentax for a whole month
03-10-2009, 08:20 PM   #6
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Is it possible to get an estimate before sending stuff in for servicing?
03-10-2009, 08:35 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by legacyb4 Quote
Is it possible to get an estimate before sending stuff in for servicing?
You can always call customer service. They're very friendly. They might be willing to ballpark it, but I'm sure they wouldn't give a firm estimate (and I'll bet independent repair shops wouldn't either).

The way the process works is: you send in the item. They look at it and give you an estimate. You then approve/decline the charges. If you approve, they start work; if not, you get the item back at no charge, postpaid. (Note: I have no experience with this process myself, as my one and only repair is described in the OP, but this is how it's explained on the Pentax website.)

03-10-2009, 09:12 PM   #8
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I recently put a DA18-250 in for a warranty repair/service; pretty much from the outset it had occasional softness (decentering?) on the left side of the frame.
I'm in Sydney so I dropped it off at CR Kennedy's Ultimo office mid September last year, got it back nearly 3 months later - apparently it had first been sent to Melbourne but they couldn't fix it there so they sent it to Japan, hence the long turnaround.
Didn't really bother me though - I have plenty of other glass to play with.
03-11-2009, 08:01 AM   #9
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Surprised to hear the quick Canon turnaround...it's not often we hear good things about Canon service on this forum

I've never tried the Pentax expedited service--which is available. In the past 15 years I've sent dozens of items in either for CLA or repair. Service is always very inexpensive, but never super quick. When I say inexpensive that is a relative term. Everything I've sent them has been a higher end product: LX, PZ1p, 67II, FA* or F* lenses. I suppose the amounts they've charged me would seem extremely expensive if I sent a kit lens or a K1000.
03-12-2009, 09:28 AM   #10
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Pentax Colorado had my K10D fixed and back to me in about two weeks. In fact, their little tracking system was down for a bit, and when it finally came back up, I was happily suprised to see that my repair was (1)Finished, (2)Shipped out with a UPS tracking #, and (3)The camera was actually OUT FOR DELIVERY! so I ended up getting it that afternoon.
03-12-2009, 11:17 AM   #11
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I recently had to send my K20 to Pentax in Colorado for warranty repair. As I needed the camera for an upcoming trip at the end of the month, I asked about expediting the order. I was told to include a check for $25.00 and the turn-around time would be a week. Sure enough, one week later I had my repaired camera back. While I feel all warranty work should be expedited for free, I consider the 25.00 fee worthwhile as I hate waiting and in this case could not afford to.
03-12-2009, 12:53 PM   #12
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I remember last year when I sent my lens for repair to Pentax Colorado, it took 7 weeks since they had to order the original part from Pentax Japan. After they received the part, the whole process only took them 1 week.
03-12-2009, 12:59 PM   #13
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Thanks for all the anecdotes.

For those of who whose repairs needed parts from Japan... how did you discover this? Was it available on the repairstatus.pentax.com website? E-mail support seemed disinclined to actually look into the repair, instead just telling me what generally happened. Is phone support more forthcoming?
03-19-2009, 10:50 AM   #14
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An update.

I called again a few days ago and phone support was able to tell me whether it was waiting for parts (it wasn't).

It shipped (finally) yesterday, for 28 business days and 38 calendar days in the shop. Due for arrival Monday.
03-19-2009, 11:50 AM   #15
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Glad to hear you finally have a camera coming! 38 days seems a bit long...especially for a warranty issue.

Wonder if Pentax repair has been overwhelmed in the "new" digital age. Digital bodies tend to need more "fixin" than film bodies. So in the film era, they only saw occassional bodies and occassional lenses. Now with both the increased failure rate of digital bodies (any brand has this issue) and the increase in Pentax body sales since the K10D, it all adds up to more volume in the repair shop? They did move the Pentax Service Dept. to a different facility a few months ago. I presumed that was to downsize due to the economy, but it may actually have been to upsize due to volume. Anybody know?

Sent a big lens to them yesterday, but didn't expedite shipping. They'll probably see it midweek next week. We'll see how long this time...
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