Originally posted by DoYouKnowJack Should I have went with Nikon/Canon?
Welcome to the Pentax Forums!
Sorry you had this problem, though I am not sure that you made a mistake. The serious defect and failure rate for dSLR cameras is similar to that for personal computers and televisions and other consumer electronics. According to Consumer Reports the defect rate for dSLRs goes like this:
- Canon - 4%
- Sony - 4%
- Nikon- 6%
Pentax is not currently listed due to small sample size, though it should be noted that CR is very good for flagging brands or models with poor reliability. In their current listing the K-3 and K-S1 are recommended with the K-50 and K500 listed as best buys. (The K-S2 is too new for inclusion.)
Back to the numbers...What this means is that
one out of every 25 Canon dSLR going out the door at Costco, Best Buy, B&H, or Adorama will require repair or replacement. For Nikon the rate is
one of every 17 dSLRs. Several years ago when Pentax was still in the evaluated list the serious fault rate was 3%, better than both Canon and Nikon.
An failure/fault rate of 4-6% is unacceptable in my opinion, but it appears to be the industry standard for acceptable rate of returns. If the user is lucky, the fault will be discovered while the camera is still on warranty. If not, it is most unfortunate since repair is usually close to the cost of replacement. In the U.S., Ricoh/Pentax offers a two-year extension to the factory warranty at a very reasonable price of about $25. I always suggest that purchasers add the extended warranty if offered.
Steve