[SteveM]

Camera was purchase through one of the local retailers and Pentax Canada's policy is that once the camera lives the store, it cannot be returned for a defect... only exchanged... after the service technician (in Toronto) will confirm that the defect in question is in fact a factory defect...

no comments... fuc$ing disgrace.... best dslr experience ever... thumps up Pentax!!!!

I'm sorry alexeyga but you're being screwed by this store as this wasn't my experience. I was worried about the issue so I called a few of the stores here and a general policy seems to be exchange within 7 days no questions asked. This is a store policy for all DSLRs regardless of brand or issue. I would walk in and walk back out with a replacement. Let the store send the defective camera off to Pentax while you are using your replacement camera.

Sorry you're getting a bum rap, but yours sounds like an extreme case.

[qtopplings]

Another stupid, pointless, whiny thread from someone who doesn't even own the camera.

[garyk]

Yea, well i own the k-5 and agree somewhat. But the only thing i am concerned with, is them really going after a buyer for the pentax division. Now that they are on the right track i wish they would take off. so as to not worry about buying glass for pentax.
I would hate to be the guy in charge of the QC dept. for pentax right about now. He might as well dig his own grave and jump in.
Oh well,,, off with my k-5 in hand to take some much needed R&R... It is a sweet camera..

[jamesm007]

Yea, well i own the k-5 and agree somewhat. But the only thing i am concerned with, is them really going after a buyer for the pentax division. Now that they are on the right track i wish they would take off. so as to not worry about buying glass for pentax.
I would hate to be the guy in charge of the QC dept. for pentax right about now. He might as well dig his own grave and jump in.
Oh well,,, off with my k-5 in hand to take some much needed R&R... It is a sweet camera..

"I would hate to be the guy in charge of the QC dept. for pentax right about now. He might as well dig his own grave and jump in."

That's the problem, there is no guy in charge of QC at Pentax.

[Delgado]

The sensor stain problem with some K5s puts Pentax in a far from exclusive club. While it is right to highlight what Pentax needs to do better, keep in mind that one of the big players with far more resources in this division, had a bigger humiliation (given that its flagship model cost as much as an armful of K5s). See quote from DPReview that follows:

"Canon UK has apparently informed dealers that it has temporarily stopped shipments of its EOS-1D Mark III and is asking that unsold units be returned pending an official announcement due over the next few days. The state of play seems to be that Canon will repair affected cameras but is not offering refunds or exchanging for alternative models."

These problems are a symptom of the insanely short life spans of current products, and the pressure from consumers to get the next generation out so quickly. It will keep happening until manufacturers believe they won't be penalised in the market for slowing the pace of development and implementation. Early adopters of new models need to be aware of the risks and accept them. If that isn't acceptable, the solution is to wait a few months until the bugs have been found.

I used LXs for eighteen years (admittedly with the film technology changing throughout) without feeling underprivileged. Today I find my current DSLRs have a front-line working life of less than a year and a half. I have chosen to accept the benefits of the technological improvements with each new generation of models, and also accept the price that occasionally this will go off in my face. I have to say that in every respect other than sensor stains on one of the two bodies I bought, The K5 has been phenomenal.

[KansasHorizons.com]

"Canon UK has apparently informed dealers that it has temporarily stopped shipments of its EOS-1D Mark III and is asking that unsold units be returned pending an official announcement due over the next few days. The state of play seems to be that Canon will repair affected cameras but is not offering refunds or exchanging for alternative models."

That is a recall notice from 2007................. ???

[Rupert]

I see a few, and they are few, that have what they at least claim are perfect K5's. By perfect, I mean they operate as specified by Pentax. Now I have no idea if they are indeed "Perfect" because their replies here indicate that we should be willing to accept inferior products in the name of "Progress". Maybe that is what they did and they want everyone else to do the same? They don't seem to want a survey of who has FF problems and who doesn't.......because they are the only Shooters to be qualified to answer that question, all the others, even long time Pro Shooters just don't know what they are doing. A guy with 20+ years of experience sends back 2, 3, 4 cameras? Has he done this with every camera for over 20 years?
Denial is a disease, and a lot here have a bad case of it. There are people out there, loyal Pentax shooters with major FF problems, and all they want is a repair or a notice that one is being prepared. There are others, like me that have thousands of dollars in Pentax gear that are anxious to buy the K5, but don't want to play Shipping Roulette. Those are being told that since we don't have the K5 we have no say. Which side do we believe? Well, it isn't the side where a shooter with a "Perfect" K5 admits he will send it back as soon as there is a repair for the Non-Existent focus issue. I suspect he is not alone in his group of deniers.

I still have a hard time understanding how a person can be wrong in asking to get what he paid for, but reading these threads that is exactly what I hear over and over. If that is reasonable or logical, then we have a larger problem than just a defective camera.
Regards

[Lowell Goudge]

In looking at the responses to this post, at least the later ones, I can see the frustration. BUT, this frustration should be taken out on the sellers.

I believe that there is a requirement in canada, where many complaints seem to be that the sellers won;t refund the money, is actually against the retail laws.

If the product is deffective, they have an obligation to replace it with a new product (within reasonable time) and if they cannot, they have to refund the money. it is that simple.

Report them to the consumer affairs department.

[ajoe]

I see a few, and they are few, that have what they at least claim are perfect K5's.

Why would anyone with a perfectly good K5 feel compelled to post that information. If that were the norm, I would spend most of my waking hours posting product reviews for things (everything from computers to washing machines) that I've bought that work exactly as they should.

Many people will not even visit forums like this until they have a problem. Go to any forum, Lightroom and Aperture software for example, and look at the disproportionate number of people having serious problems. If you read those forums first, no one in their right mind would buy either of those software products. And yet...

Unfortunately, IMHO we are well beyond the point where we can get any useful statistics on how severe the alleged problems are, and if or when any or all of them have been addressed.

Stuff happens, and it has happened to Nikon, Canon, Sony..... The only lesson we take from this is to buy all products from a source where you have a generous return policy.

[Rupert]

Why would a anyone with a perfectly good K5 feel compelled to post that information. If that were the norm, I would spend most of my waking hours posting product reviews for things (everything from computers to washing machines) that I've bought that work exactly as they should.

Many people will not even visit forums like this until they have a problem. Go to any forum, Lightroom and Aperture software for example, and look at the disproportionate number of people having serious problems. If you read those forums first, no one in their right mind would buy either of those software products. And yet...

Unfortunately, IMHO we are well beyond the point where we can get any useful statistics on how severe the alleged problems are, and if or when any or all of them have been addressed.

Stuff happens, and it has happened to Nikon, Canon, Sony..... The only lesson we take from this is to buy all products from a source where you have a generous return policy.

I think they call them Fanboys? I can recall the leader of the pack that never had a problem with any product ever made by Pentax for his many years of Pentax shooting. Everything was always "User Error", anything else was just ridiculed and he was joined by his Chorus of Singing Fanboys with Flamethrowers in hand. He was rewarded by Pentax, some say, although I think he was not as interested in rewards as in his own infallibility.
Then one day, he just up and jumped ship, leaving all that perfect Pentax gear in the dust and heading to Nikon, taking many of his Choir Boys with him. For those wanting Pentax to improve its QC and give us what the Specifications indicate, it would have been better if he had taken all the Fanboys with him. He did us no favors, witness the SDM situation, where he led the charge of "User Error" and the issue is to this day not addressed by Pentax. Perhaps the K5 would have fewer problems today if the SDM failures had sent a message that users won't tolerate defective products? Fanboys make a lot of noise, defend to the death, but do the majority of shooters no favors at all.....witness the K5. A great camera, full of the most wanted items in a camera, but lacking in the area of QC to a point that sullies its reputation and creates animosity among Pentax users.

Happy customers that get what they pay for....why is that such an alien concept here?
Best Regards

[donallison13]

Right on, James. I couldn't agree with you more. The bottom line: The K-5 is a great camera that I will soon purchase from a later production run and at a reasonable price. Speak the truth and we be branded malcontents by the "Lance" Brigade. Such is life, but we be like Festus, he of great endowments. Cheers. Don

[tree rat popper]

Don, hope you enjoy the K5 when you get it. But the camp boys want to know what caliber it is and if it will damage too much tree rat meat for a Brunswick stew?
And Doolittle, I know the K5 is in your future, hope you get a perfect one, those gals in the studio deserve it.
I'm sure Pentax will do right by us, it's just not going to happen over night. Wonder what happens will all those returns? Have to watch those serial numbers, I guess.
TRP

[Rupert]

Don, hope you enjoy the K5 when you get it. But the camp boys want to know what caliber it is and if it will damage too much tree rat meat for a Brunswick stew?
And Doolittle, I know the K5 is in your future, hope you get a perfect one, those gals in the studio deserve it.
I'm sure Pentax will do right by us, it's just not going to happen over night. Wonder what happens will all those returns? Have to watch those serial numbers, I guess.
TRP

Yes, one is in my future, no doubt. Pentax will get it right...they have to. I almost didn't recognize you here....you misspelled your name again......That is "Pooper" not Popper, everyone knows that!
Happy Pooping and Best Regards!

[raphtze]

here's a fella i shot with my K-5 mounted with a tokina AT-X 80-200mm f/2.8. my K-5...has the sensor stain....and it has issues with focusing on all my lenses (including the 18-55 kit) i did a +0.5 exposure + unsharp mask in photoshop cs2 for this shot. too bad there is some leaves in the foreground....as it would have been a perfect squirrel shot

-raph

[raphtze]

Happy customers that get what they pay for....why is that such an alien concept here?

i don't know, but i'm still licking my wounds heh!

-raph