Now the FA77mm is assembled in Vietnam

henryjing · 04-23-2010, 04:17 PM

I got FA 77 from B&H today, and it is not made in Japan as the website says.

Aegon · 04-23-2010, 04:42 PM

I've ordered one and it is still coming through the mail, and I bought from B&H because the website says "Made in Japan".

The FA 31mm doesn't say MIJ, so I didn't buy from them. I sent them an email to see if they would look at the box. The response was that they couldn't look at the box for the 31mm because the warehouse is located somewhere else. But they did say that if I wasn't satisfied, I could return the lens.

joele · 04-23-2010, 05:18 PM

All Pentax lenses are assembled in Vietnam now.. It just depends how old the stock you get is..

Pentax Convert · 04-23-2010, 05:51 PM

Surely the quality control of the factory is paramount, and not where is located. Besides, Vietnam is a country that is really going places now! In buying a Pentax lens, you support this!

Regards!

Aegon · 04-23-2010, 06:16 PM

(1) Don't you think it is bad for a website to say "Made in Japan" when it isn't?

(2) If you had the choice, which would you choose?

I've owned 4 DA limited lenses, all made in Vietnam. All were very good. I believe that Vietnam lenses can be excellent. But when the website says MIJ then I have certain expectations and I'm disappointed when they are not met. Further, I think it is OK to have these expectations. Of course MIJ is preferred.

bdery · 04-23-2010, 06:25 PM

Working for a company based in Quebec city, Canada, but now manufacturing a lot of stuff in China, I can testify that it is NOT the location that is important, but the processes the company puts in place. for instance, my job is to develop new products. We do that working with a production team based in Quebec city, highly trained and experienced workers. Then once the production methodology, along with testing, debugging, calibrating, is put in place, it's actually pretty easy to transfer it to our factory in china. As long as the workers there understand their job, and follow the guidelines we put in place, there is NO impact on quality.

asian workers as a whole tend to be extremely methodical and torough. Of course my job is to make sure everything we tell them is accurate because they will follow what we say no matter what. But as long as MY job is well done, THEIR job will be well done.

Why would it be different with a company like Pentax? They have been making lenses for quite a long time, and many, many of their lenses were made in Vietnam and Phillipines.

A lot of talk for a non-issue, if you ask me.

henryjing · 04-23-2010, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by Aegon

(1) Don't you think it is bad for a website to say "Made in Japan" when it isn't?

(2) If you had the choice, which would you choose?

I've owned 4 DA limited lenses, all made in Vietnam. All were very good. I believe that Vietnam lenses can be excellent. But when the website says MIJ then I have certain expectations and I'm disappointed when they are not met. Further, I think it is OK to have these expectations. Of course MIJ is preferred.

Yes, I sent a email to B&H to complain about it.
At least, my FA 43 is MIJ...

Blue · 04-23-2010, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by Aegon

I've ordered one and it is still coming through the mail, and I bought from B&H because the website says "Made in Japan".

The FA 31mm doesn't say MIJ, so I didn't buy from them. I sent them an email to see if they would look at the box. The response was that they couldn't look at the box for the 31mm because the warehouse is located somewhere else. But they did say that if I wasn't satisfied, I could return the lens.

I got my FA 77mm from BH in very early December and I did it then because of the price and the fact I KNEW I was getting a MIJ when I ordered. However, I did it because of the collector in me. I have a DA 21mm ltd and a DA 35mm ltd as well as a DA* 300mm lenses that have always been assembled in Vietnam and don't have in issues with them. There's a BH rep that monitors this board. Point out that they are out of their MIJ stock. There's not much they can do when the MIJ stock is gone though other than update the site.

Aegon · 04-23-2010, 07:45 PM

This is like that time I ordered a Russian bride and got a Vietnamese one.

Nothing wrong with Hòng, it just wasn't what I thought I ordered.

**EsBee** · 04-23-2010, 08:29 PM

Originally posted by Aegon

This is like that time I ordered a Russian bride and got a Vietnamese one...

...as long as you can return if not completely satisfied after trying

SpecialK · 04-23-2010, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by henryjing

Yes, I sent a email to B&H to complain about it.
At least, my FA 43 is MIJ...

Every website will be behind in updating the fine details of some items.

Not only that, you have an outmoded viewpoint about quality being country-dependent.

Laurentiu Cristofor · 04-23-2010, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by henryjing

I got FA 77 from B&H today, and it is not made in Japan as the website says.

Did you already sell the one MIJ with a dust speck in it?

Experience gained: priceless. For everything else, there's Mastercard.

Aegon · 04-23-2010, 09:57 PM

So what is the lesson here?

• if you don't want dust, then buy new
• if you prefer MIJ, then buy from a vendor advertising MIJ
• schadenfreude
• blame the victim

Pentaxor · 04-23-2010, 10:10 PM

Originally posted by EsBee

...as long as you can return if not completely satisfied after trying

how about returning an adoption? that doesn't sound right.

henryjing · 04-23-2010, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by Aegon

So what is the lesson here?

• if you don't want dust, then buy new
• if you prefer MIJ, then buy from a vendor advertising MIJ
• schadenfreude
• blame the victim

That's true.
Though the dust doesn't matter anything, but I care.
I have 3 super-takumar lens which are from my father and even older than me.
They are all in mint condition, no dust, no scratch, clean, and with all original accessories...
My father used them very very carefully.
So do I use my lens.
Thus, I can not bear that there is dust inside lens...

04-23-2010, 04:17 PM	#1
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467	Now the FA77mm is assembled in Vietnam I got FA 77 from B&H today, and it is not made in Japan as the website says.

04-23-2010, 04:42 PM	#2
Aegon Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,416	I've ordered one and it is still coming through the mail, and I bought from B&H because the website says "Made in Japan". The FA 31mm doesn't say MIJ, so I didn't buy from them. I sent them an email to see if they would look at the box. The response was that they couldn't look at the box for the 31mm because the warehouse is located somewhere else. But they did say that if I wasn't satisfied, I could return the lens. Last edited by Aegon; 04-23-2010 at 06:44 PM. Reason: clarify

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04-23-2010, 05:18 PM	#3
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	All Pentax lenses are assembled in Vietnam now.. It just depends how old the stock you get is..

04-23-2010, 05:51 PM	#4
Pentax Convert Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Photos: Albums Posts: 57	Surely the quality control of the factory is paramount, and not where is located. Besides, Vietnam is a country that is really going places now! In buying a Pentax lens, you support this! Regards!

04-23-2010, 06:16 PM	#5
Aegon Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,416	(1) Don't you think it is bad for a website to say "Made in Japan" when it isn't? (2) If you had the choice, which would you choose? I've owned 4 DA limited lenses, all made in Vietnam. All were very good. I believe that Vietnam lenses can be excellent. But when the website says MIJ then I have certain expectations and I'm disappointed when they are not met. Further, I think it is OK to have these expectations. Of course MIJ is preferred.

04-23-2010, 06:25 PM	#6
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Working for a company based in Quebec city, Canada, but now manufacturing a lot of stuff in China, I can testify that it is NOT the location that is important, but the processes the company puts in place. for instance, my job is to develop new products. We do that working with a production team based in Quebec city, highly trained and experienced workers. Then once the production methodology, along with testing, debugging, calibrating, is put in place, it's actually pretty easy to transfer it to our factory in china. As long as the workers there understand their job, and follow the guidelines we put in place, there is NO impact on quality. asian workers as a whole tend to be extremely methodical and torough. Of course my job is to make sure everything we tell them is accurate because they will follow what we say no matter what. But as long as MY job is well done, THEIR job will be well done. Why would it be different with a company like Pentax? They have been making lenses for quite a long time, and many, many of their lenses were made in Vietnam and Phillipines. A lot of talk for a non-issue, if you ask me.

04-23-2010, 07:00 PM	#7
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	Originally posted by Aegon (1) Don't you think it is bad for a website to say "Made in Japan" when it isn't? (2) If you had the choice, which would you choose? I've owned 4 DA limited lenses, all made in Vietnam. All were very good. I believe that Vietnam lenses can be excellent. But when the website says MIJ then I have certain expectations and I'm disappointed when they are not met. Further, I think it is OK to have these expectations. Of course MIJ is preferred. Yes, I sent a email to B&H to complain about it. At least, my FA 43 is MIJ...

04-23-2010, 07:03 PM	#8
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Aegon I've ordered one and it is still coming through the mail, and I bought from B&H because the website says "Made in Japan". The FA 31mm doesn't say MIJ, so I didn't buy from them. I sent them an email to see if they would look at the box. The response was that they couldn't look at the box for the 31mm because the warehouse is located somewhere else. But they did say that if I wasn't satisfied, I could return the lens. I got my FA 77mm from BH in very early December and I did it then because of the price and the fact I KNEW I was getting a MIJ when I ordered. However, I did it because of the collector in me. I have a DA 21mm ltd and a DA 35mm ltd as well as a DA* 300mm lenses that have always been assembled in Vietnam and don't have in issues with them. There's a BH rep that monitors this board. Point out that they are out of their MIJ stock. There's not much they can do when the MIJ stock is gone though other than update the site.

04-23-2010, 07:45 PM	#9
Aegon Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,416	This is like that time I ordered a Russian bride and got a Vietnamese one. Nothing wrong with Hòng, it just wasn't what I thought I ordered.

04-23-2010, 08:29 PM	#10
EsBee Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: National Capital Region Posts: 739	Originally posted by Aegon This is like that time I ordered a Russian bride and got a Vietnamese one... ...as long as you can return if not completely satisfied after trying

04-23-2010, 09:01 PM	#11
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Originally posted by henryjing Yes, I sent a email to B&H to complain about it. At least, my FA 43 is MIJ... Every website will be behind in updating the fine details of some items. Not only that, you have an outmoded viewpoint about quality being country-dependent.

04-23-2010, 09:40 PM	#12
Laurentiu Cristofor Banned Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: WA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,055	Originally posted by henryjing I got FA 77 from B&H today, and it is not made in Japan as the website says. Did you already sell the one MIJ with a dust speck in it? Experience gained: priceless. For everything else, there's Mastercard.

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04-23-2010, 09:57 PM	#13
Aegon Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,416	So what is the lesson here? • if you don't want dust, then buy new • if you prefer MIJ, then buy from a vendor advertising MIJ • schadenfreude • blame the victim

04-23-2010, 10:10 PM	#14
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	Originally posted by EsBee ...as long as you can return if not completely satisfied after trying how about returning an adoption? that doesn't sound right.

04-23-2010, 10:50 PM	#15
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	Originally posted by Aegon So what is the lesson here? • if you don't want dust, then buy new • if you prefer MIJ, then buy from a vendor advertising MIJ • schadenfreude • blame the victim That's true. Though the dust doesn't matter anything, but I care. I have 3 super-takumar lens which are from my father and even older than me. They are all in mint condition, no dust, no scratch, clean, and with all original accessories... My father used them very very carefully. So do I use my lens. Thus, I can not bear that there is dust inside lens...