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08-10-2011, 06:13 PM   #16
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Provantage lists it now as a special order item for $196. They don't do much 'camera' business as they are kind of an electronics catch all. It's entirely possible that if they've sent a shipped email, then whatever back orders they had were filled on a first come first served basis. I bought my original K5 from them and have purchased other items and found them to be reliable. FWIW, they had the K5 when everyone else was still heavily back ordered (last October).

Myself, I'm waiting to see some photo results from it. I couldn't care less about geo-tagging (I know I'm probably a minority there) so I'm more interested in the astrotracking feature of it. GPS would only be an add on extra for me.



08-10-2011, 11:52 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by JeffJS Quote
Provantage lists it now as a special order item for $196. They don't do much 'camera' business as they are kind of an electronics catch all. It's entirely possible that if they've sent a shipped email, then whatever back orders they had were filled on a first come first served basis. I bought my original K5 from them and have purchased other items and found them to be reliable. FWIW, they had the K5 when everyone else was still heavily back ordered (last October).

Myself, I'm waiting to see some photo results from it. I couldn't care less about geo-tagging (I know I'm probably a minority there) so I'm more interested in the astrotracking feature of it. GPS would only be an add on extra for me.

I had heard they were a scam outfit. You really dealt with them and had no issues?
08-11-2011, 05:44 AM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by KansasHorizons.com Quote
I had heard they were a scam outfit. You really dealt with them and had no issues?
Correct. No, not a scam outfit. Not in my experience anyway. Note that they are (or were) not an authorized Pentax dealer. That doesn't seem to matter to Pentax however as long as what you buy is a USA product purchased in the USA. A few of us confirmed this with Pentax before ordering.

My K5 purchase experience went like this..

They got some in stock, I placed my order (after reading here that others had purchased from them). They called me asking me to confirm the order but there were no up sell attempts. Since I was a first time buyer from them and for the large amount of money, they wanted to make sure I actually did Place the order. That is something I really don't mind and actually appreciate. The following day the order showed confirmed and the day after that, the camera was on the UPS airplane. Complete email contact throughout and if I needed to talk to someone about the order, a Person answered the phone within a few seconds. No BS what so ever.

The One dig I could place on them is this. Their warranty is 30 days (as of Nov 2010) or rather their exchange policy (they aren't B&H or Adorama) on cameras and perhaps everything else. To Return the Camera, if need be, it had to be defective, And, some sort of return authorization had to be issued by Pentax USA. I'm happy I didn't have to find out exactly what that all meant. I Suspect that since they are (were) not an authorized dealer, there would be some hoops They would have to jump through in order to return the camera to Pentax. There is no buy to try with them with cameras (again, as of Nov 2010). It may also be that the camera would have to be returned directly to Pentax and not Provantage (the cost saving at the time was $100 for the K5). In other words, You buy a camera from them, You Own It.

Anyway, When I got the camera, I registered the SN with Pentax USA on their website and that went without a hitch. Confirming, at least to me, they were not selling grey market products. When the camera turned up stained a few months later, it was handled by Pentax without any problems. That is other than the fact I was without my K5 for the month of February. Pentax did in fact replace the camera.

I can't remember at the moment what else I bought from them at a later date but it was here within a week of placing the order. No confirmation phone call the second time, but it wasn't a $1500 camera either. Now, I've had very good luck with online purchases. That is, I get what I pay for and in a timely manor. Based on my experience with Provantage, I would wholeheartedly recommend them but Do read the fine print and do your homework.

One last thing that may rub some the wrong way. This is Not (apparently) a 'Store' in the traditional sense. That is, if you call to check on an order it is very possible that the order is coming from say, California, but the person you are speaking with is in Ohio (as in my case). I don't know if there is anyone you can have run and check physical stock while you wait on the phone. The answer you are likely to get from them on a stock related question is if it Shows on the website, it's in stock.

Edit: Keep something in mind when you 'hear' that someone is a scam outfit. The Internet is a Very powerful tool when it comes to advertising service of a company like this. There are crackpots out there who cannot be satisfied no matter what is done and expect the world to be at their beckon call 24/7/365. I've dealt with a few of these (and in the end, told them to go F themselves). They are quick to bad mouth explaining in great detail their dissatisfaction. Read between the lines. If there are 100s of people saying the same thing, then it's likely fact. If there are a few sprinkled about, look and see what it is they Really expected, and didn't get. A PRIME example of this is our own Lens reviews. Someone will review a lens and knock it in the Cons section because a Manual lens is not an Auto Focus lens or an M type lens is does not report aperture to the camera. Same type of thing but much more extreme (In the case of the lens reviews, people may just feel the need to list Something. For the most part, the lens reviews here are objective and have some ring of truth).


Last edited by JeffJS; 08-11-2011 at 06:07 AM.
08-11-2011, 06:33 AM   #19
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Russ - Yes, that is a great price, particularly since the item is so new. That was my main reason for ordering it from them.

Twitch - It means they're processing the order. I'd already gotten the 'thank you' e-mail 2 weeks ago. Their web site indicated I wouldn't be charged until it shipped, and when it did, it would come from a warehouse, not directly form them, a process known as 'drop shipping'. I was hoping not to pay the 'early adopters premium' so I jumped on this after checking the fine print.

Jeff - A Google search will yield some photo results, mostly from non-translated Japan web sites, so it's difficult to get details on the technique needed to use the device, but the photos look impressive.

Jim - Provantage has been around for years and I've found them reliable. I first heard about them, when they were only selling computer parts and software, back in the 80's. They occasionally have good deals like this so I buy from them occasionally. As you know, every place you look for the O-GPS1 says it's on back-order. This place did too, but said they would have it shipped to me when it became available, for $50 less than everyone else, and would keep me apprised of the status of my order. I've had no issues with them yet, and don't expect to have any. I'll update this thread as the order progresses.

08-11-2011, 06:38 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by iCrop Quote
Jeff - A Google search will yield some photo results, mostly from non-translated Japan web sites, so it's difficult to get details on the technique needed to use the device, but the photos look impressive.
I'm not in any big rush, I'm sure there are some images popping up out there. I just hope this isn't one of those flash in the pan accessories that runs out of initial stock and then, for all intents and purposes, is discontinued. For as much Astro shooting as I really see myself doing, the gps device is more of a novelty to me.

08-19-2011, 06:50 AM   #21
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Well, I guess that was premature...

It still hasn't shipped. Not a big deal for me yet, as I don't need it until mid-to-late September when I'll be taking a little vacation. My credit card hasn't been charged yet, so I'm not worried. If it hasn't arrived by the time I leave I'll cancel the order.

I tried calling Pentax Imaging and they have no clue as to when any will arrive or what dealers will get them.
08-19-2011, 12:20 PM   #22
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There is still no stores with stock or anything beyond an expected date of from the 12th to the 16th which has passed. This sure has been an odd way to get stock.

09-01-2011, 08:01 AM   #23
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September 1 has rolled around and the O-GPS1 is still unavailable in the USA via Pentax, B&H, Adorama.

Assuming reports that it's been available in the UK for a month are correct ... Thanks, Hoya, for being so slow in the US market again. I hope our new corporate overlords at Ricoh are more prompt
09-04-2011, 04:19 AM   #24
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What I did find out in that they are about 2 weeks from shipping to the distributors. Here is the catch, for all of you hoping for one of those under the $249.99 MSRP, You may not get it. Those dealers who are adverting it at that price are violating a minimum advertised priced clause of sorts and I have come to the understanding they will not get any of this limited shipment. You will notice some of the companies advertising this price are now advertising the MSRP.

I do know that if you contact Joseph Muller at PCNation he is their Optics Gallery Account Manager and has some coming in based on orders but he will only order them for actual customers and not for inventory. I think you have about another 3-4 days to get in on that limited stock he has access too.
09-30-2011, 05:31 PM   #25
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I ordered back in August from Provantage (for just over $200/shipped) - it has stated since I placed the order that the expected ship date will be the beginning of October - I was checking my credit card and noticed an authorization was run from them for the amount of the GPS unit, hopefully that means it'll be shipping shortly.

Kansas, I think in the end a retailer can sell at prices they choose - I bought my K-5 from provantage for $1480 within the first week of its' release, when everyone else was selling for MSRP. Not only that, but when I found it had stains, they immediately sent a replacement prior to receiving my return unit. I fully expect them to follow through with the listed price (which still hasn't changed since I placed my order on their site).
10-07-2011, 07:01 AM   #26
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1 left @ Amazon as I type

Just found it available at Amazon (sold by GizmosForLife). Just ordered one.

I had to cancel my order from Provantage since I was going to be on vacation for 2 weeks and didn't want it to be delivered while I was out of town. Would have been nice to have it while on that trip. Oh well.

I'll update this when it arrives.
10-07-2011, 08:03 AM   #27
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Got an email from the Pentax web store that it is now in stock...hopefully that means other vendors will begin receiving the GPS unit as well!
10-07-2011, 09:42 AM   #28
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I should have a unit from Adorama (shipped in transit) on Wednesday. Still waiting for an answer from B&H but that will now be academic.


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10-07-2011, 04:31 PM   #29
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I got mine. It arrived today from Cameras, Digital Cameras, Lenses, Filters, Camera Equipment & Accessories - Buy Cameras Online| PCNation.com. I ordered it Wednesday. I think they had about 10 left. I spoke to Joseph there.

It is smaller than I thought it would be. It is a pia to calibrate. It puts the gps derived coordinates in the exif area.

I hope to try the astrotracker Sunday night if it is clear. There are not too many visible stars here in L.A..

The destination navigation system seems like a good idea. You can enter coordinates of a location and it will help direct you there. However the implementation is screwy. You cannot enter the coordinates from the camera menu system. The destination location must be entered in advance on to the SD card from a computer. The file location and format are not described in the instructions or on the USA pentax web site. It is the on the japanese site: Simple Navigation | GPS UNIT O-GPS1 | PENTAX

So much for entering new points of interest when on a trip!

Last edited by lmd91343; 10-07-2011 at 05:27 PM. Reason: spelling
10-07-2011, 05:16 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by KansasHorizons.com Quote
They are out till mid August is my understanding....
I'd signed up on their web site to be notified when they are 'in stock' and got such a message in the last couple of days.
as of this mnute the web site shows the item 'in stock', though confusingly the older language about pre-ordering is still displayed.
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