[VoiceOfReason]

Finally got my 150-450 out on a trip. I do not remember the zoom being that hard to do and I noticed under bright light the hood is cracked. Seriously?

[Not a Number]

Finally got it back. Finally....

Yes, it is repaired. They had to send it to Japan for the repair to happen.

Finally got my 150-450 out on a trip. I do not remember the zoom being that hard to do and I noticed under bright light the hood is cracked. Seriously?

So you waited just over a month to check it out? Seriously?

[VoiceOfReason]

So you waited just over a month to check it out? Seriously?

I did a once over checking it quickly for focus, and the hood issue was hard to see unless in good light, which standing outside today just south of Big Sur CA was great light.

[GuitarGuru76]

Here is the latest from my recent experience with Precision and Ricoh.
This is the short version of what transpired.

I bought my K-01 on 1-30-2013. from Adorama Cameras. about 7 to 8 months after that the camera quit working. At that time I was instructed to send it to CHRS for warranty repair. Which I did. Then the camera disappeared for over 6 months. Then I was notified late June of 2014 that CHRS had sent all repairs , parts and tooling to Precision, as they were no longer an authorized Pentax Repair center. I began asking the people at Precision if they had my camera. I never got a reply from them. Then around the middle of August of 2014, my camera showed up at my home, in a box with no paperwork , or explanation. Still not working.
Ricoh finally decided to do the right thing in October of last year, and repair my camera. After numerous emails between Ricoh and myself. Shipped the camera to Precision on 10-15-2016. No updates for a month, finally got an on hold for parts update on 11-29-2016. Then, a phone call January 2nd, 2017 Stating it would ship back to me on the 5th this month. Arrived on the 10th.

So, I have had it home just over 24 hours. Put a fresh battery in it yesterday, and SD Card. Powers up fine. Set the Language, Date, and Time. I took a few test photos.
Looked the photos over in Lightroom. Seems fine.

I put the SD card back in the camera to format, and when I power up the camera, it defaults to the set Date and Time screen!!! Reset, turn off, turn back on, same issue every time.
You mean to tell me that Precision had this camera over 3 months, stating that everything was repaired, replaced, tested, calibrated, and returned to factory default. And now it wont keep date and time. A whole new main board and no one checks the battery on the main board? The main board was one of the parts replaced, according to the repair sheet.

I think it is time to dump and run to another brand. Totally unacceptable experience for anyone to have to endure. Look for a huge pile of Pentax to hit the marketplace soon.

[UncleVanya]

Here is the latest from my recent experience with Precision and Ricoh.
This is the short version of what transpired.

I bought my K-01 on 1-30-2013. from Adorama Cameras. about 7 to 8 months after that the camera quit working. At that time I was instructed to send it to CHRS for warranty repair. Which I did. Then the camera disappeared for over 6 months. Then I was notified late June of 2014 that CHRS had sent all repairs , parts and tooling to Precision, as they were no longer an authorized Pentax Repair center. I began asking the people at Precision if they had my camera. I never got a reply from them. Then around the middle of August of 2014, my camera showed up at my home, in a box with no paperwork , or explanation. Still not working.
Ricoh finally decided to do the right thing in October of last year, and repair my camera. After numerous emails between Ricoh and myself. Shipped the camera to Precision on 10-15-2016. No updates for a month, finally got an on hold for parts update on 11-29-2016. Then, a phone call January 2nd, 2017 Stating it would ship back to me on the 5th this month. Arrived on the 10th.

So, I have had it home just over 24 hours. Put a fresh battery in it yesterday, and SD Card. Powers up fine. Set the Language, Date, and Time. I took a few test photos.
Looked the photos over in Lightroom. Seems fine.

I put the SD card back in the camera to format, and when I power up the camera, it defaults to the set Date and Time screen!!! Reset, turn off, turn back on, same issue every time.
You mean to tell me that Precision had this camera over 3 months, stating that everything was repaired, replaced, tested, calibrated, and returned to factory default. And now it wont keep date and time. A whole new main board and no one checks the battery on the main board? The main board was one of the parts replaced, according to the repair sheet.

I think it is time to dump and run to another brand. Totally unacceptable experience for anyone to have to endure. Look for a huge pile of Pentax to hit the marketplace soon.

So so sorry. I would try contacting both again. I would explain it as and ask Pentax to make it right.

Just beware that other brands have similar horror stories.

[GuitarGuru76]

So so sorry. I would try contacting both again. I would explain it as and ask Pentax to make it right.

Just beware that other brands have similar horror stories.

The emails have gone out to Ricoh and Precision. Beyond acceptable at this point. Been a Pentax shooter for over 35 years. I have amassed alot of lenses and equipment over the years. 2 K20's, that are still going strong. K-7 is great. Q has had no issues. 3 K-01's. My old Fuji's are still rolling without issues. Sure every brand has their issues but, it's the level of customer care from a company that drives loyalty. 4 years to get a warranty repair completed? Absurd! 30 pages of emails over that time to get this one camera repaired, and they botch that. I believe I have invested more than enough with this brand.

[Not a Number]

A whole new main board and no one checks the battery on the main board? The main board was one of the parts replaced, according to the repair sheet.

So the Precision tech made the same mistake you did. Powered up the camera ran a few tests and diagnostics, saw all was good, powered off and had it shipped back to you. You turn the camera on, set the time, ran some tests and thought all was good. You only found out it was bad because you were able to try the camera again after sometime. Given that the clock battery is soldered on at the time of manufacture and main boards for the K-01 have been out of manufacture for many years it's not likely that any of the spares or unsold K-01 have good clock batteries either. If completely discharged long enough most batteries will lose the ability to hold a recharge. The diagnostic check list for board replacement probably doesn't include checking the clock battery as this is done at the point of manufacture. The repair manual probably only has a procedure to check the battery only when the time and date does not hold. Yes, it is an oversight. Is it excusable? Yes and no. It is human nature not to think of something that is taken for granted - like the clock keeping settings. It is also easy not to include a diagnostic for the clock battery because it is assumed good from the factory and the time element was unforeseen.

Yes, it is inexcusable to have taken four years for the repair. Your misfortune began with the timing of the failure. Had it happened 3-6 months earlier C.R.I.S. probably would have done the repair without problems. Six months later it is problematic on how well Precision would have done. By October/November Precision at least wasn't having the long delays in getting to repairs but they were still having severe problems with communication.

Your anger and frustration is understandable.

[GuitarGuru76]

So the Precision tech made the same mistake you did. Powered up the camera ran a few tests and diagnostics, saw all was good, powered off and had it shipped back to you. You turn the camera on, set the time, ran some tests and thought all was good. You only found out it was bad because you were able to try the camera again after sometime. Given that the clock battery is soldered on at the time of manufacture and main boards for the K-01 have been out of manufacture for many years it's not likely that any of the spares or unsold K-01 have good clock batteries either. If completely discharged long enough most batteries will lose the ability to hold a recharge. The diagnostic check list for board replacement probably doesn't include checking the clock battery as this is done at the point of manufacture. The repair manual probably only has a procedure to check the battery only when the time and date does not hold. Yes, it is an oversight. Is it excusable? Yes and no. It is human nature not to think of something that is taken for granted - like the clock keeping settings. It is also easy not to include a diagnostic for the clock battery because it is assumed good from the factory and the time element was unforeseen.

Yes, it is inexcusable to have taken four years for the repair. Your misfortune began with the timing of the failure. Had it happened 3-6 months earlier C.R.I.S. probably would have done the repair without problems. Six months later it is problematic on how well Precision would have done. By October/November Precision at least wasn't having the long delays in getting to repairs but they were still having severe problems with communication.

Your anger and frustration is understandable.

On the note of being out of production. One of the emails I received from Ricoh stated that they had to start up a production run just to make replacement parts. Given that information, and the steps for reassembly, firmware, and programming, they would have power cycled the camera many times, they should have noticed it at some point. But now I can report, after 40+ hours on an AC adapter power supply, the camera now holds date and time. AC Adapter kit K-AC1202
(Kit includes AC Adapter D-AC120, DC Coupler D-DC120 and AC plug
cord.) Bought 2 of these awhile back to use in the studio. My other 2 K-01's have not developed this issue yet.

[JML69]

I am just amazed at this whole process with Precision and Pentax.

Precision received my lens into their system on June 7th, they shipped it to The Factory on June 15th.

I had to show my as* today in order to speak with a Manager only to be informed that my lens "should" be shipping back to them in 2 weeks from The Factory, then they can collect payment and ship it to me. Prior to that it was no returned
e-mails or phone calls, etc. As well as the "online information system" showing diddly squat!

Bottom Line is..... a 16 Month old DFA 150-450 that was not reading the correct focal length in camera but otherwise was working just fine with Auto Focus and everything else turned out to needing a cleaning for dust inside the "weather sealed" lens as well as a new Auto Focus system to the tune of over $900.00..........Going to seriously consider if what I love about Pentax is worth this kind of crap going forward.

I am going to go do some shots of Whiskey now, thanks for letting me vent!

[DeadJohn]

I am just amazed at this whole process with Precision and Pentax.

Precision received my lens into their system on June 7th, they shipped it to The Factory on June 15th.

I had to show my as* today in order to speak with a Manager only to be informed that my lens "should" be shipping back to them in 2 weeks from The Factory, then they can collect payment and ship it to me. Prior to that it was no returned
e-mails or phone calls, etc. As well as the "online information system" showing diddly squat!

Bottom Line is..... a 16 Month old DFA 150-450 that was not reading the correct focal length in camera but otherwise was working just fine with Auto Focus and everything else turned out to needing a cleaning for dust inside the "weather sealed" lens as well as a new Auto Focus system to the tune of over $900.00..........Going to seriously consider if what I love about Pentax is worth this kind of crap going forward.

I am going to go do some shots of Whiskey now, thanks for letting me vent!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Did you authorize the $900 before they did the repair? If not, escalate it directly with Ricoh USA.

[VoiceOfReason]

I am just amazed at this whole process with Precision and Pentax.

Precision received my lens into their system on June 7th, they shipped it to The Factory on June 15th.

I had to show my as* today in order to speak with a Manager only to be informed that my lens "should" be shipping back to them in 2 weeks from The Factory, then they can collect payment and ship it to me. Prior to that it was no returned
e-mails or phone calls, etc. As well as the "online information system" showing diddly squat!

Bottom Line is..... a 16 Month old DFA 150-450 that was not reading the correct focal length in camera but otherwise was working just fine with Auto Focus and everything else turned out to needing a cleaning for dust inside the "weather sealed" lens as well as a new Auto Focus system to the tune of over $900.00..........Going to seriously consider if what I love about Pentax is worth this kind of crap going forward.

I am going to go do some shots of Whiskey now, thanks for letting me vent!

If you used a credit card to pay for it may of them will extend the warranty on it by a year. I'd also contact Ricoh directly for it as well.

[guinnessman]

My first K3 repair seemed fine - replaced a broken aperture pin (the tab inside the mount), in which they replaced the whole aperture motor and mount. Repair took all of June, mostly waiting for parts.

Seemed fine for a couple weeks, and took great pics, but then it could no longer control the aperture - the camera meters, but the aperture is stuck wide open. Thought that the motor just failed, and sent the camera back for a replacement. I told them of that issue n the new invoice when I sent the camera back at the beginning of this month.

Got the camera back today, and it's having the same issue before I sent it back, so back again it will go, but I guess I will have to attach a old18-55 so that they will actually check lens function, rather than just electrical functionality...

Oh well, guess I won't have my camera in time for a trip to Yellowstone in about 3 weeks.

[sibyrnes]

Man, you guys are scaring me! Sounds like it is a good idea to have back up equipment. So far I have had no problems with any of my Pentax gear. I recently sent a Zeiss lens in for repair and had it back in a week.

[guinnessman]

I got my K3 back last week, Precision did fix it this time, replaced the aperture assembly again, took it up to the National Bison Range on Saturday, and it worked well.

It took them about a week to fix it (and a week in transit) but at this point, I'd rather not have to get it fixed again, which is poor QA/QC - Precision can only put in the parts given them, but Precision has to do the correct repair in the first place.