[monochrome]

ok. so, 150-450 and the DA*560.

Heaven forbid any other else.
(Hands over both eyes)

The 77 Limited is known to separate. It’s an easy fix.

[bertwert]

The 77 Limited is known to separate. It’s an easy fix.

Yes.

[redpit]

Assuming you're referring to my 560, I'd unzipped the case and released the velcro straps that hold it down inside the case, grasped the foot, and lifted it up as if to pull it out of the case (there's a circular foam "socket" at the bottom of the case the lens fits into), and the back half came off in my hand leaving the front half in the case with the eight tiny screws, a paper gasket and the sealing gasket.

Yep that’s what I wanted to know... that is terrible! Can’t think how on earth that lens passed the QC check

[aslyfox]

Nope, it's still "in the shop" as it were. I'll probably see it again sometime late next year, I reckon. It was well within the warranty period - I'd only had it out two or three times before it self-destructed.

no chance the store won't just replace it for you

did you have to send it to Precision ?

[termy]

small number reported vs. large number sold

I certainly would not advise anyone from not buying the lens

i actually recommended the 150-450 to two other persons that i know will love the image quality that lens is capable of.

But i also told them about that few reported cases (on this forum), of how the lens just separated into two just like that.

This is so that they are fully aware of the existence of this problem with some of the 150-450 and go into it with full knowledge of this.

---------- Post added 12-31-19 at 05:00 PM ----------

.


Read more at: DFA 150-450mm needs repair - Page 2 - PentaxForums.com

Just to share as well.

My 150-450 serial number 4582571

So far, no signs of any sort of problem with it.

(I do avoid zooming it very fast etc cuz recall reading somewhere else in this forum, some of the 150-450, when zooming it fast, became "stuck")

[aslyfox]

sounds fair

[Paul the Sunman]

Good to know that this is a potential (however unlikely) issue. My 150-450 has shown no signs of misbehaviour in the 2.2 years since I bought it new.

However, it was full of dust when it arrived, and prompted an emergency K-1 sensor-clean. No further issues since giving it a good internal clean with a vacuum cleaner. It does point to production line issues though.

[aslyfox]

. . . I am well aware of possible legal remedies against the seller (I sort of specialized in commercial law in law school, advanced courses in letters of credit, that sort of thing). However, I like these guys and I think it's Ricoh's fault; it's the only store anywhere nearby that isn't B&H/Adorama and sells Pentax stuff. So I don't want to mess with the seller.

I'm quite sure you can handle the legal end so no thoughts on that front from me

[stevebrot]

I got a call from the store I'd bought the lens from telling me that they want me to pay $600 plus some odd dollars to get the lens fixed - they probably got that from Precision acting as Ricoh's agent and think they're doing me a favor by acting as liason between me and Ricoh.

Does the store have power of attorney to submit your lens to Precision for warranty service?


Steve

[gaweidert]

Status update:

I got a call from the store I'd bought the lens from telling me that they want me to pay $600 plus some odd dollars to get the lens fixed - they probably got that from Precision acting as Ricoh's agent and think they're doing me a favor by acting as liason between me and Ricoh.

So I'm going to be giving the store a notice of revocation of acceptance letter and telling them to keep their lens. (Revocation of acceptance is a "purchaser's remedy" provision under "sales of goods" in the Uniform Commercial Code.) Then I'm going to file suit against Ricoh. Of course I'll be adding in the damages from the prior adventures with the previously-purchased-and-returned 560mm. That on top of another item they refused to fix under warranty on a different occasion.

That does it for me. I won't be buying any more products from Pentax, and I expect to get treble damages plus attorneys' fees, court costs and interest on the total pursuant to the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. They messed with the wrong lawyer.

Wow! Not sure where to begin and sorry for your problems. Here in the US after sales support is a dying art. Nikon is closing all but two of their repair facilities and I think such stories are just an indication of what is down the road. Companies are more and more totally detached from their customers as they farm out sales and after sales support to third party companies. The one time much touted "Three legged stool" of employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction and shareholder satisfaction has been replaced by a single legged stool called CEO satisfaction. Quarterly bonuses rule the day.

[luftfluss]

I wonder if the $600+ for the "repair" is for shipping to/from Japan + Precision's overhead.

Unfortunately, with many products the cost of shipping for warranty work is not covered.

[brewmaster15]

This really is disturbing. Im sorry to hear about the problems with the 560. It makes me think twice about purchasing that lens.

Not likely they'll replace it - it's not a well-capitalized operation, a small mom-and-pop kind of operation; I think the one I bought from them was the only one they've had in stock for more than a year,

I do have a question though on this $600 charge.You mentioned the store was a small mom and pop shop . Is it possible they are not a true pentax authorized dealer and that your warranty was not good with pentax as a result? It just seems odd the way this has been handled. Maybe contact Pentax and verify they even know about this case?Just a suggestion.

AL

[WorksAsIntended]

I had the same issue on my first Fa77. This however may happen everywhre. The construction in general seems fine to me.

[WorksAsIntended]

We get "junk" because we expect way more complex features, extremly high efficiency and prices like in the days we bought simple engineered stuff.
The example here was faulty, most are not. So I consider it at the level you can expect for the price paid. You may think differently about this.

I got an ice cream maker bought by my grand father back in 1963, produced in my country.
This thing still works like on the first day, yet it consumes more power than my washing mashine.
It is open for discussion, if you can call this old machine superiour to modern ones, I do not.

[luftfluss]

I'm treating that as a non-issue; I returned the lens to the seller who was given an opportunity to cure the defect. Once I gave it back to him, it's up to him to get it done right; whether he chose to have returned it to Precision as Ricoh's agent or to Ricoh as his supplier directly is beyond my control. That is to say, I'm treating my return of the lens to the seller as an aspect of my relation to the seller in the transaction, and not enlisting the seller as my agent for dealing with Ricoh. Any attempt on my part to control what he does to cure the defect would be inconsistent with my legal position.

True as to the warranty's exclusion of shipping costs, but thus far I have had no contact with Ricoh about the warranty issue. Having had prior experience with Ricoh, I decided to buy the lens from a local dealer precisely so I wouldn't have to deal with Ricoh - got a local guy on the hook.

It was just some musing on my part, given that I have purchased large lenses from Japan and the shipping is very expensive. The other parties involved likely think they are not failing in their obligations in any way. I've seen situations that are somewhat akin to yours that have been resolved with the consumer receiving a new lens, but the process was rather anxiety-inducing and I certainly don't blame you one iota for being ticked off at Ricoh and soured on the Pentax brand.

If I were your local camera store owner, a single circumstance like this plus the scarcity of Pentax users would possibly lead me to dropping Pentax altogether, simply to avoid a future headache and diminished reputation as collateral damage from Precision's/Ricoh's "service".

Anyway, it's a genuine shame you've had to go through this, it must be tremendously frustrating.