[mysterick]

I am now wondering if this is a "problem" just for warranted repairs. Is there any reason another shop cannot buy and use Pentax camera/lens parts for repairs? I have an email in to my previous repair shop: United Camera. We'll see.

[Not a Number]

Any of the Authorized Services Centers should handle non-warranty repair. I may be wrong but I believe all warranty work used to be forwarded to C.R.I.S. (I suppose Precision Camera now).

It appears the list of Authorized Services centers on the Ricoh - Pentax USA site lists only Precision Camera. I hope this doesn't mean that Precision is now the only Authorized Service Center. If you dig around in the international links you can find the old list of service centers:

Americas | Inquiry | Support | RICOH IMAGING

However I have no idea if this list is current or not. I suggest calling the nearest center near you and finding out if they are still authorized. It could just be the web pages are out of date.

[vonBaloney]

I am now wondering if this is a "problem" just for warranted repairs. Is there any reason another shop cannot buy and use Pentax camera/lens parts for repairs? I have an email in to my previous repair shop: United Camera. We'll see.

Only for very simple repairs. The calibration equipment for cameras and lenses comes from Pentax. For the last several years, CRIS has been the only shop in the nation that had the equipment. Now that equipment is moving to Precision and they'll be the only ones that can do repairs. That's why this sucks if they suck -- there is no other choice. For older lenses (non-AF and older, but maybe some of the FA's) you have many choices, but for newer digital equipment and modern lenses, they need that equipment from Pentax. (And a parts pipeline, which no one else has either.) I wouldn't send them anything that you are not forced to -- certainly not a Sigma lens (as was asked in another post) -- send that to Sigma...

[Alex Nostalgix]

My K3 is currently in for repair that I sent in the first week of July, which so far hasn't been touched since. I've tried to pull up my repair status but found nothing. Tried to call, nothing. Even when I called Ricoh/Pentax they were at a loss to the status of my repair let alone a return date. All they did was just give me the run around, call precision, and tell them the same thing I told them. Service like this makes me wanna sell my K3 all together when it gets back!

[vonBaloney]

If Pentax has a liaison between the customers and the service center and could lean on the service center to do its damn job then they could avoid much of this...there is no reason a customer getting WARRANTY repair should have to be begging to try to get a response from the service center that Pentax has chosen...

[Alex Nostalgix]

They were telling me "they probably wont pick up due to all the shipments". In my head I'm thinking "so your saying I shoulda got a GH4 or the 6D like I planned". Seriously if you cant even give me a estimate of time getting my....oh i dont know.....1300 dollar camera from you guys, why dont you find a way to do it yourselves...

[GoremanX]

The calibration equipment for cameras and lenses comes from Pentax. For the last several years, CRIS has been the only shop in the nation that had the equipment. Now that equipment is moving to Precision and they'll be the only ones that can do repairs.

Precision has been an authorized Pentax repair facility for many years, just not the warranty center until recently. They had all that calibration gear there before, they've had it for years.

This is exactly why I chose to send my damaged 21mm Limited there a couple years ago. They're just a couple hundred miles from here, so I figured they'd have faster turnaround and cheaper shipping than C.R.I.S. in AZ. What I ended up with was a nightmare of unanswered phone calls, ignored emails, and no 21mm lens for weeks. 8 weeks and one expensive bill later, what I got back was a lens that had never even been touched. It was still broken. The bill didn't actually state what they did to it, it just had my original instructions printed on it ("I dropped this lens on concrete, focus ring doesn't turn smoothly anymore and the left side of the frame is always soft now, please fix it") and a stamped "Done" over it. For this privilege I was billed $370!!!

After more complaining and some messages back and forth on the BBB web site, I got all my money back.

I then sent the lens to C.R.I.S. with the same instructions. Within 2 days of them receiving my lens, I had an estimate of the required work and the cost to perform it, which I authorized. Less than 2 weeks later, the lens was back. Focus ring turned smooth as butter, and the resulting image quality was even better than when the lens was new. The bill clearly stated that some element groups had been replaced and others re-aligned to bring the lens' calibration inline with specifications. I didn't even realize it had always been slightly decentered since new, this was even better than getting a brand new lens. For this fantastic service, I was billed $180.

After that experience, I also sent C.R.I.S. my 15mm Limited, which I knew had always been decentered ever since I bought it (this was past the warranty period). Once again, I got it back within 2 weeks, with one element group replaced and all groups aligned to perfect specification. The result blew me away, I had no idea a Pentax lens could be this good. For this service I was charged $200, which I was more than happy to pay. That 15mm Limited blows away every other copy of that lens I've ever seen, and I've had many pass through my hands over the years.

Warranty work I don't much care about, but if C.R.I.S. isn't even an authorized Pentax repair center anymore, then this is a sad, sad day. This is bad enough that I might consider jumping ship to another camera system. I can't afford to have my gear stuck in the clutches of Precision Camera, I need my gear to get work done. Precision Camera is the absolute worst place for a pro to get his gear repaired.

[Nakedgun]

Precision has been an authorized Pentax repair facility for many years, just not the warranty center until recently. They had all that calibration gear there before, they've had it for years.

This is exactly why I chose to send my damaged 21mm Limited there a couple years ago. They're just a couple hundred miles from here, so I figured they'd have faster turnaround and cheaper shipping than C.R.I.S. in AZ. What I ended up with was a nightmare of unanswered phone calls, ignored emails, and no 21mm lens for weeks. 8 weeks and one expensive bill later, what I got back was a lens that had never even been touched. It was still broken. The bill didn't actually state what they did to it, it just had my original instructions printed on it ("I dropped this lens on concrete, focus ring doesn't turn smoothly anymore and the left side of the frame is always soft now, please fix it") and a stamped "Done" over it. For this privilege I was billed $370!!!

After more complaining and some messages back and forth on the BBB web site, I got all my money back.

I then sent the lens to C.R.I.S. with the same instructions. Within 2 days of them receiving my lens, I had an estimate of the required work and the cost to perform it, which I authorized. Less than 2 weeks later, the lens was back. Focus ring turned smooth as butter, and the resulting image quality was even better than when the lens was new. The bill clearly stated that some element groups had been replaced and others re-aligned to bring the lens' calibration inline with specifications. I didn't even realize it had always been slightly decentered since new, this was even better than getting a brand new lens. For this fantastic service, I was billed $180.

After that experience, I also sent C.R.I.S. my 15mm Limited, which I knew had always been decentered ever since I bought it (this was past the warranty period). Once again, I got it back within 2 weeks, with one element group replaced and all groups aligned to perfect specification. The result blew me away, I had no idea a Pentax lens could be this good. For this service I was charged $200, which I was more than happy to pay. That 15mm Limited blows away every other copy of that lens I've ever seen, and I've had many pass through my hands over the years.

Warranty work I don't much care about, but if C.R.I.S. isn't even an authorized Pentax repair center anymore, then this is a sad, sad day. This is bad enough that I might consider jumping ship to another camera system. I can't afford to have my gear stuck in the clutches of Precision Camera, I need my gear to get work done. Precision Camera is the absolute worst place for a pro to get his gear repaired.

[Eagle94VT]

Goreman, you are full of good news! I think I will just ask them to send my lens back...if they ever find it.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

I'm not a lawyer, but if the situation is as described, with numerous people missing their expensive gear for weeks or months awaiting contractually-obligated warranty work, then it seems like Pentax USA could possibly have some kind of legal trouble on their hands if somebody wanted to take them to court.

[noser]

I think the negative press = loss of sales they get from threads like this costs them way more than lawyers fees and any settlements.

But the odds of anyone at Pentax who speaks english, reads this thread, understands the customers issues, and is in any position to do anything about it?

= Diddly/Squat.

[mee]

Get it posted on the camera/photo news sites and blogs...

[mysterick]

Only for very simple repairs. The calibration equipment for cameras and lenses comes from Pentax. For the last several years, CRIS has been the only shop in the nation that had the equipment. Now that equipment is moving to Precision and they'll be the only ones that can do repairs. That's why this sucks if they suck -- there is no other choice. For older lenses (non-AF and older, but maybe some of the FA's) you have many choices, but for newer digital equipment and modern lenses, they need that equipment from Pentax. (And a parts pipeline, which no one else has either.) I wouldn't send them anything that you are not forced to -- certainly not a Sigma lens (as was asked in another post) -- send that to Sigma...

I used United Camera in 2012 to repair a dropped DA 21mm; very happy. And last year I had them fix my DA*16-50mm for SDM failure and calibration and, once they could get the parts from the "moving Ricoh warehouse" in two months, they repaired it and returned it as good, actually better, than new. I'm waiting to hear back about the possibility of United repairing the lens I sent to Precision. If they can, I will get it back and send it to them for sure. I will talk with them both tomorrow.

Below see the email they responded to me TODAY from one I sent yesterday. (Put that in your pipe Precision camera)

unitedcamera.com Custom Quote

You requested a custom quote for item: PENTAX K5

Problem Description: I have one spot, not dust I think, on the sensor. I would also like the body generally checked out.

Hi Clarence, Good afternoon and thanks for inquiring about United Camera’s repair services. Based on your description it sounds like you are looking for a sensor cleaning, check debris service. We should be able to repair your camera and bring it back to good working order. In addition, we will clean and calibrate to factory specification. Our repair price includes parts / labor, return ground shipping, and a 90 day repair warranty. If, upon inspection, we find that the problem is something other than estimated, we will contact you before completing any work so you can decide whether or not you would still like to have the unit repaired. To complete the transaction, simply click the link and you we be prompted for the next steps. After completing the checkout process, you will receive a confirmation email with shipping/packaging instructions. Thanks for the opportunity to earn your business and have a great weekend.
Quote:$65.00

Please use this link to access your customized repair quote to repair your PENTAX K5: Custom Quote for PENTAX K5

Sincerely,
unitedcamera.com
©2014 UnitedCamera Inc. All rights reserved.
866-488-8227

---------- Post added 09-07-14 at 10:59 PM ----------

I think the negative press = loss of sales they get from threads like this costs them way more than lawyers fees and any settlements.

But the odds of anyone at Pentax who speaks english, reads this thread, understands the customers issues, and is in any position to do anything about it?

= Diddly/Squat.

I just sent Ricoh Customer Service a link to this thread. Of course that doesn't mean anything if they don't read it.

[vonBaloney]

Precision has been an authorized Pentax repair facility for many years, just not the warranty center until recently. They had all that calibration gear there before, they've had it for years.

Interesting, I was fishing around a few years ago for a non-CRIS place that could do Pentax repairs (this was just after CRIS became the official repair center) and was repeatedly told that CRIS was now the only place in the country with the equipment. I was told by a few places that they used to have it, but Pentax took it away. (And seeing as how Precision didn't actually touch your lens, are you sure they had actually did have that calibration gear?). At the time I was Denver and Pentax HQ has just a few minutes away in Golden -- they had an authorized service center there in Westminster, CO that did some warranty work on my K10D, but when I needed my K-7 fixed (non-warranty), everyone said only CRIS would be able to do it now. Luckily CRIS ended up doing great work and all was fine, and I ended up sending them a couple more repairs. (One of which was the K-5 under warranty, whose flash stopped working just a couple months after I bought it new.)

Ok, so I guess at least one of the stories at read at BBB about them returning untouched gear along with a bill for "repair" is yours, but unfortunately yours was not the only such story. Even places with bad reps usually aren't THAT bad -- returning literally untouched gear claiming repair is not just shoddy work, but outright fraud! Of course if this really is the status quo it will quickly come to bite Ricoh in the butt and won't last, but still it makes me very nervous about buying new gear. It makes me very nervous about the gear I already have. I would also encourage anybody that has sent gear to them that has any trouble at all to not hesitate and file a BBB complaint (or other legal action if you are so inclined) sooner rather than later...

[mysterick]

If Pentax has a liaison between the customers and the service center and could lean on the service center to do its damn job then they could avoid much of this...there is no reason a customer getting WARRANTY repair should have to be begging to try to get a response from the service center that Pentax has chosen...

The ONLY liaison I have found is the "Call Center" in North Carolina; (Randy, Paul, and Dale on three separate occasions). Although very courteous on the phone and seemingly helpful, they do not seem to actually have any function other than being a screen for Ricoh and Precision Camera. However, I did seem to get some movement from my calls and emails:

I now have a tag number and a listing for an incorrect lens.

Model: LENS 50/1.8 SMC D (is actually DA* 50-135mm)
Serial #: *******

Tag #: ******

Received: Sep 5, 2014 (actually received by Devlin on August 20th according to UPS )

In Service Delay, Please Call Us At: (800) 665-6515.

Maybe this number might help some of you who have lost sight of your equipment. Worth a try?