[Not a Number]

Seems like half of the cost is labor. Usually the same with auto repair. Even if you could buy the parts DIY repair may not be possible without the diagnostic and service software in order to set and calibrate the mechanism.

[BigMackCam]

Seems like half of the cost is labor. Usually the same with auto repair. Even if you could buy the parts DIY repair may not be possible without the diagnostic and service software in order to set and calibrate the mechanism.

I'm about to have the front bumper replaced on my low-end 2014 4x4 after someone backed into it in a parking lot. No damage other than the plastic bumper... Total cost? £570!! Wow. Thankfully, the other party is liable and it won't affect my insurance...

[pentaxus]

The lens cap not being there doesn't affect the camera's ability to take pictures. I have seen many cameras of this type that work fine without the cap. In fact, if the cap refuses to open you can take the cap off to be able to take pictures. Lens error when you turn the camera on means that something in the lens isn't going to the start position.

[sibyrnes]

The lens cap not being there doesn't affect the camera's ability to take pictures. I have seen many cameras of this type that work fine without the cap. In fact, if the cap refuses to open you can take the cap off to be able to take pictures. Lens error when you turn the camera on means that something in the lens isn't going to the start position.

That is certainly possible but Precision is not providing me with any information. From what I have seen they have no desire to actually analyze the problem - just quoted me on the replacement of the entire lens assembly. And that happened to be the cost of a new camera. And on top of that they returned the camera to me without the part that would help confirm their action.

And the part in question is not just a “lens cap”. It is an actual part of the lens that appears to have electronic connections, hence the Lens Error” message. The parts that serve as the "lens cap" are two leaf shutters that reside inside the missing piece. If the camera is trying to tell the lens protectors/shutters to open and they are not there then you will most likely get an error message. We will never know because the original parts were not returned to me.

After spelling out my problem with Ricoh, here's the answer I got:

"Thank you, for contacting Ricoh Imaging America.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your past, present and future support.

We have the repair center that can repair items that are sent in but they do not sell parts."

---

Last edited by sibyrnes; 04-05-2022 at 06:29 AM.

[Not a Number]

You need to call Ricoh's 800 number and speak to somebody. The number should be on the warranty card. It's on the website but nowhere obvious and you have to root around for it.

[Wheatfield]

The front housing around the lens and the lens "leaves" came loose when I dropped it. I thought it was a minor problem but they want to replace the entire lens assembly $493.00 with $366.00 labor cost. If I refuse repair it cost me $58.00 to get my camera back.

And yeah, the next one I buy will be with drop protection!

That's not unusual. Quite often these days, "parts" are actually an entire assembly encompassing the part rather than just the part.
As an aside, if the camera was dropped in such a way that there is damage to the lens internals, it's pretty likely that there is damage that you can't obviously see, such as elements knocked out of alignment, so replacing the entire assembly is probably for the best.
If you have a homeowners insurance policy, you could probably get the entire camera replaced, since it is likely beyond economical repair.
As another aside, as consumers, we only have ourselves to blame for this sort of stuff. We insist that manufacturers give us their products for next to no profit, which forces them to find ways to cut manufacturing and assembly costs as much as possible.
This means equipment that is difficult to repair, it means equipment that has fewer "parts" that are made up of more non serviceable components, etc.

As an example, I recently had to have the positive crankcase ventilation valve replaced on my Cummins turbo diesel. To me, this should be a pretty simple repair, as when I was playing with engines back in the day, the PCV valve was pretty much just something that was popped off the valve cover and replaced.
Not any more, it seems. Now it's a deep dive into the engine bay requiring much disassembly, replacement of fuel lines, the PCV valve is now part of the valve cover rather than a separate component so the entire valve cover needs to be replaced, there was just over 8 hours of billed labour, and ultimately, a repair bill of just over CAN$4K.
The last time I replaced a PCV valve, I went to the local parts store, bought one for around 10 bucks and replaced it myself in about 10 minutes.
The times they are a changing.

---------- Post added Apr 6th, 2022 at 10:22 AM ----------

Well they want $58.00 to return the camera to me but I don't know if it's worth it. I have already ordered a new one from B&H with 3 year drop protection! After this I hate giving money to Ricoh but I love that camera!

You could give your money to another company, drop their camera and be in exactly the same place. Don't kid yourself into thinking this is some sort of Ricoh conspiracy to bilk you out of your money, this is the way the consumer products industry as a whole operates.
Your best defence is a good homeowners insurance policy that will cover you for this sort of thing, and perhaps consider putting the camera strap around your neck next time.

---------- Post added Apr 6th, 2022 at 10:28 AM ----------

How about the actual manufacturers, like they used to? Pentax used to have a great repair center in Colorado.

Precision quoted me the price of a new camera to have mine repaired so of course I declined and bought a new camera. Apparently they are not interested in repairing cameras, just selling new ones. If that is how they run a repair business they should go bankrupt.

To be fair, the manufacturers would still have these repair facilities in place IF WE AS CONSUMERS HAD SUPPORTED THEM.
But we didn't, and now we don't.
I understand you are bitter, but please, Ricoh and Precision camera are not the villains here. The problem is Western consumerism, something we all, including you, play a part in.

---------- Post added Apr 6th, 2022 at 10:42 AM ----------

I have to agree with OP for two reasons: first that camera sells new from Ricoh for about nine hundred bucks right now, so how could it possibly be worth over eight hundred to fix one? Do they have to replace everything that's inside the camera? Secondly, "right to repair" laws have not yet gone into place as a global thing in the U.S., so Precision is exploiting its dominant market power by virtue of a monopoly on parts and service because Ricoh will only provide parts and manuals to them. In other words, using monopoly power to rip off consumers.

And, by the way, @sibyrnes, they know perfectly well they have little or no customer support. I won't ever buy anything from them again for that one reason, after having been burned several times.

To answer the first part of your question, the camera has to be disassembled and put back together by First World (American) labour, which is way more expensive than the mostly automated assembly processes and manual labour in the country of assembly.
Right to repair laws are going to be a gut punch for anyone who thinks they can take on a repair with a set of jewelers screwdrivers. First, it's going to increase the cost of consumer products by a good margin just to satisfy the egos of a few people, and it is not going to lower the cost of owning goods, but will, in fact, make things overall more expensive.
All the right to repair laws are going to do is open up a whole new industry of grifters who say they can fix stuff, take your money and make things worse, so be very careful what you wish for.
As for monopolies on parts and that sort of thing, the facts really are not on your side. The reason why there are authorized repair dealers is because companies have to put warranties on repairs (something that will disappear with right to repair and everyone with a kitchen table and a desk lamp fixing stuff), so they have a very real interest in ensuring that repair technicians are properly trained.

The reality here is that the OP dropped his camera and damaged it seriously enough for it to be a write off. The cost of repair is a reflection of that reality, and all the diving down rabbit holes doesn't alter this.
It's funny how we accept this sort of thing when we wreck our cars by running them into other vehicles, but not when we wreck our cameras by dropping them onto hard objects.

---------- Post added Apr 6th, 2022 at 10:47 AM ----------

Well, I got my camera back from Precision.


Yeah, no front lens cover returned with the camera! When I called they asked if I had included the part. I said "Of course, that was the reason for the repair!" So, I'm waiting for a response from them.

You're looking at $873.00 worth of damage.

The lens retracts and extends as normal when turned off/on. For all I know, if that front piece was properly reinstalled the camera might function. I have sent Ricoh a photo of the camera and a copy of the invoice as well as a reminder that I have been a loyal Pentax/Ricoh customer for over 30 years. We'll see if that has any value.

I'm reminded of the time one of my friends sent his Canon T90 in to have the hot shoe repaired (everything on the camera functioned, but it would not fire a flash off the hot shoe). They sent him back a box of parts and a note that the camera was beyond economical repair.

[Eyewanders]

I've not read through this entire thread but simply wanted to share that in early 2011 I had the lens assembly "repaired" for my GR Digital III whilst staying in Sydney during nearly 2 years of travel. Same story. There is no "repair" in most cases, but a replacement of the whole assembly itself. That assembly, plus markup, plus technician time is the cost. At that time it too was probably 75% the cost of buying a new GRDIII or GRDIV. Ouch. But, it was less overall and so I had them go ahead with the repair. It was painful but i got working camera back in 2 days.

I don't know - there are a lot factors to consider here, but while these accidents are grotesquely unfortunate I really don't think this kind of situation reflects on equipment, or the brand, or a given repair facility. I've carried equipment insurance when I've worked regularly and that is the real way to mitigate the risk, but for most folks that's not a reality. Rather, it's a 'sure hope i don't get sick this year' kind of affair instead.

Hope this all worked out without too much additional grief. Sorry to hear. That's frustrating. I know.

[clackers]

I've carried equipment insurance when I've worked regularly and that is the real way to mitigate the risk, but for most folks that's not a reality.

In this country, at least, you can choose a house and contents insurance and add specific items on like a camera. That's affordable.

The premium will be lower than for a professional, presumably because it's not being used as much.

[Eyewanders]

In this country, at least, you can choose a house and contents insurance and add specific items on like a camera. That's affordable.

The premium will be lower than for a professional, presumably because it's not being used as much.

Def. Those sorts of policies are available here as well (at the time even I had a travel policy which covered a portion with a larger claim much later, but that's neither here or there); I just mean that the vast majority of casuals and hobbyists shooting our expensive do-dads usually don't bother to insure specifically.

[Wheatfield]

That is certainly possible but Precision is not providing me with any information. From what I have seen they have no desire to actually analyze the problem - just quoted me on the replacement of the entire lens assembly. And that happened to be the cost of a new camera. And on top of that they returned the camera to me without the part that would help confirm their action.

And the part in question is not just a “lens cap”. It is an actual part of the lens that appears to have electronic connections, hence the Lens Error” message. The parts that serve as the "lens cap" are two leaf shutters that reside inside the missing piece. If the camera is trying to tell the lens protectors/shutters to open and they are not there then you will most likely get an error message. We will never know because the original parts were not returned to me.

After spelling out my problem with Ricoh, here's the answer I got:

"Thank you, for contacting Ricoh Imaging America.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your past, present and future support.

We have the repair center that can repair items that are sent in but they do not sell parts."

The problem now is that your issue is with Precision Camera, not Ricoh Imaging. This is the beauty of farming out repair services.

[DonV]

This is going to sound harsh and uncaring, but the moral of this saga is "don't drop your camera".
I've been taking pictures with cameras for over 60 years and have yet to drop one; I may drop one tomorrow and destroy it or even drop it into the lake and never find it- but if I do
I won't expect it to be repaired under warranty or by insurance or anything else.

It is my fault and I will suffer the loss. JMHO.

[Not a Number]

Then there is this tale of woe:

Broken mode dial on KP - PentaxForums.com

[clackers]

I just mean that the vast majority of casuals and hobbyists shooting our expensive do-dads usually don't bother to insure specifically.

Yep. And of course, people without much disposable cash of course need insurance more than rich people.

Once they save up to buy a $1500 camera, the real question should be, 'Can I afford *not* to be insured or have an extended warranty?'.

[MarkJerling]

Very true Ian. I hate the cost of insurance, but it's a necessary evil for me.

[h.butz]

This is going to sound harsh and uncaring, but the moral of this saga is "don't drop your camera".
I've been taking pictures with cameras for over 60 years and have yet to drop one; I may drop one tomorrow and destroy it or even drop it into the lake and never find it- but if I do
I won't expect it to be repaired under warranty or by insurance or anything else.

It is my fault and I will suffer the loss. JMHO.

I've only dropped one camera, right on the lens. Thankfully it had a UV filter with brass thread on it which took the punishment. The filter was now jammed onto the lens and I needed to remove it with a very large kitchen type pipe wrench. It made this horrific squealing sound as I slowly backed the filter off the lens, like fingernails on a chalkboard. oh gawd I can still hear the filter screaming in my ears. It was the nastiest thing I've ever done to a piece of camera equipment; but, the lens was perfectly fine.