Originally posted by April.H So in February my K3 got broken, the lens mount on the camera got ripped off and stuck on my lens. I sent the lens to Sigma and got it back in a week, cleaned with a new lens cap for free and shipped UPS or Fedex I don't remember which. The camera took a month, came back loose in the box with no cap and oil on the sensor even though they claimed to have cleaned it. I paid them over $300 and they shipped USPS. I called them about the dirty sensor and they said I'd need to ship it back at my cost and they'd clean it but they had no idea how long it would take. So I sent it to my closest camera shop 4 hours away and they got it back quickly.
After a couple weeks of use the mount on the camera got looser and looser and my 70-200 would no longer connect to the camera. I tried putting lighter zooms and primes on it but finally it pulled free at a session.
I had to send the camera back to Precision but I'm really not happy about it. I called Ricoh and they did at least send me a shipping label so I didn't have to pay for it to be shipped but I have 7 weddings in 8 weeks starting the 23rd. I need my camera back!
I do thankfully have the k5II for a backup but I'm really not sure what to do. It feels like Ricoh doesn't care about their customers or they'd get a better service center. I love pentax cameras and I don't want to switch brands but man, I don't feel real confident with the service if I need to have something fixed.
When I show up for a job, portrait session or event, there are two bodies in my bag. One will get a wide lens and one will get something longer. There is a 3rd body in my truck, just in case.
When I update bodies, I buy two of the same. I keep one of my old bodies ( worth more to me as a spare) and sell the other. If I lose a body, for whatever reason, l know I can get a used spare for not much in day or two. In your case, KEH has like new K-3's for $698 and K5IIs for $559, all with a six month warranty. .
Ripping the lens mount off a body, you might as well total it. My Business Liability Policy has an Inland Marine Rider but I keep my policy reasonable with $1,000 deductible so I wouldn't even make a claim for this, I'd just call KEH and have a new body in a day or so. And I'd get the Sec 179 Depreciation Deduction on my Schedule C.
With 7 weddings in 8 weeks, you should be able to cover the cost in Week 1. Nothing is faster than a ready spare and when the spares are cheap, its the smart play.