[Rupert]

The real question is, "What is Japan going to do about Denver?"

Sell it on E-Bay and start over?

[monochrome]

Sell it on E-Bay and start over?

I suspect you are being ironic, but don't laugh. There was some talk about shutting it down completely and going to a Internet-only business model.

Pentax Webstore and eBay would be the whole enchilada.

IMHO the Marketplace would be better.

[UncleVanya]

And yet, it didn't happen here, why?

I have no idea what size store sold this.

[biz-engineer]

I have the 150-450, and since the beginning I noticed that there is additional friction between 150mm and 200mm (additional sealing contact). This is sort of viscous friction, meaning that the force increases with speed. Fast zooming in or out on this lens between 150mm and 200mm greatly increase the chance of getting the seal out of its location, and the chance of defect may decrease over time as the seal gets eased out. Non weather sealed lenses don't have this problem. Until now, I used the 150-450 a lot, and must be lucky of not having a single issue with it.

---

Last edited by biz-engineer; 07-17-2016 at 05:04 AM.

[rawr]

additional friction between 150mm and 200mm (additional sealing contact)

There are certainly a lot of sealing rings in the 150-450, particularly at the front of the lens barrel.



It strikes me that another cause of problems with the lens seals may be that (similar to other sealed zooms), you may get a lot of 'suction pump' pressure behind the seals, which may blow them out of location sometimes.

[hutchst]

Just an update. I sent the lens back to Alphaphoto video in Brussels just after my original post. They passed it straight to Pentax for repair but nothing has been heard of it since. So a little over 4 weeks with no lens throughout the holiday period.

I am off to Svalbard in two weeks and really need a long lens. Thanks to the excellent service from Alphaphoto I may yet get a loan replacement, but if Pentax want to be taken as serious competitors to the big two they need to sell properly developed products and fix them quickly when/if they go wrong.

Over twenty years with Canon and never a failure, three weeks with Pentax and my only wildlife lens failed......

[AdrianM]

I understand your frustration. Fortunately, it is a great lens, and mine was repaired under warranty.

[mikeSF]

Originally posted by mikeSF Quote
ugh!
If you buy from Amazon, they would just overnight a new replacement and you box up the defective one and forget about dealing with Precision Camera. That seems wrong for a 2 week old brand new lens.

That's true of most large dealers with stock to be able to replace it I would think.

---------- Post added 07-16-16 at 07:54 AM ----------



.

This is slightly off topic...
B&H does not do it that way. You fill out a form online and they issue an RMA #. You pay return shipping out of pocket and when they receive the returned item and determine it is an acceptable return, they will send out a replacement.

[hutchst]

Yesterday, 28 September, I go the lens that started this thread back from the retailer. Thus, a new lens, after a few weeks careful use, was back with Pentax (in Japan) for about 9 weeks. There still feels to be a certain hesitation in the zoom movement, but at least the blockage has been fixed. No explanation or apology offered from Pentax. To irritate me further I find that I cannot download the latest firmware, 1.30, despite following the instructions very carefully.

I own the 645Z which has performed impeccably during two hard years and is the finest camera I have ever owned. The experience with the K1 is less satisfactory. It produces excellent results, but the problems I have experienced to date are proving frustrating.

[gaweidert]

Sorry about your lens issue.

I just did the firmware update:

If you have a spare memory card. put it in the camera and format it.

Take the downloaded file out of it's folder on your hard drive and copy, just the file (fwdc228b.bin), to the root directory of your memory card. If it is in a folder the firmware upgrade will not take place.

Put the memory card back in slot 1 of the camera

They while you are pressing the MENU button, turn on the camera. You should get a screen asking you to start the upgrade.

The actual upgrade only takes a few minutes, but you should have a fully charged battery in the camera.

[fsge]

I just noticed my copy is jammed as well one year old...

[HopelessTogger]

Found a new D-FA 150-450 for £1369 in the UK today. Read about this issue a few times before, going to put off buying the thing. Hopefully Sigma or Tamron will issue their 150-600 in K-mount at some point. Much sooner have one of those, especially with in-lens stabilisation at this focal length range.

[35mmfilmfan]

Don't know if I'm allowed to post links to other sites, so here goes

Warning! Pentax 150-450 zoom issue - Photo.net Pentax Forum

'It's always easier to apologise than to get permission'

Tony

[Nass]

Don't know if I'm allowed to post links to other sites, so here goes

Warning! Pentax 150-450 zoom issue - Photo.net Pentax Forum

'It's always easier to apologise than to get permission'

Tony

This is fine Tony. Thanks for the headsup

[Outlander]

I have had my 150 - 450 mm for about close 3 years , my lens barrel would not fully close , it wouldn't close past 200mm fully , my lock has been jamming for some time now also,a long time ,, if i move the barrel in and out it falls back into the fully closed position , had it out yesterday , now the auto focus has stopped working , motor in turning but not close to focusing , I can now hear something ratting around inside the lens , this can not be good ! not impressed to say the least . this will be the last variable zoom lens I purchase ! after trying to submit my post on this issue up pops a warning , my concern and issue with this same product as above serves no purpose ?