Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
12-22-2011, 09:09 PM   #1
Junior Member




Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 40
Maybe this is why we are so rare....!

Hi all,

Please slap me if I rant but I am rather despondent.

I bought a k5 a little over a year ago and the front e-dial malfunctioned a few weeks later. Pentax Canada told me that they could not repair it and told me to send it to the US for the warranty repair. Being close to christmas and our canadian customs it was out for over two months while they repaired the dial and a far-focus problem.

1st December this year the same e-dial broke again. I called them and said that it is out of waranty but that if you exclude the time that I did not have the camera in my hands while being repaired, it is less than a year. They said "send it it in for a free repair" I was ecstatic.

Today they sent me a 150$ estimate, I called Dale, who I spoke to initially, who now refused to repair the camera saying "it's out of warranty and thats it"........ Pentax also has no escalation channel. What Dale says goes!

I don't know but it seems to me that a garauntee clock should only tick if you actually have the camera to use. The fact yo have to shell out 50$ to ship a 2 week old camera to Pentax seems like robbery, especially when you have to shell it out again a year later for the same thing.

Sorry - Rant off - Go ahead and tell me if you think I am out of line - I am just feeling like a big pentax sucker, especially with all my canikon friends snickering at me........... It's sad when you pray that your camera will be stolen in the post so you can buy something else - normally you pray it arrives safely.

Happy christmas all!

Brett

12-22-2011, 09:25 PM   #2
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jatrax's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cascades
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,991
I read someplace that the warranty is two years in Canada. Is that no longer true? Or am I mistaken?
12-22-2011, 09:37 PM   #3
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 271
Bad luck man, sorry. Sounds like Pentax rightly lost a customer though. I'd be checking Canon or Nikon rumors right about now if I were you. That said, I love my K-5 and hope to buy a 645D some day.

Hope you have better luck in the future!
12-22-2011, 09:41 PM   #4
Veteran Member
Docrwm's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Somewhere in the Southern US
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,285
Tell Dale he's mistaken: Exclusive PENTAX 2-Year Canadian Warranty

PENTAX Canada | Warranty Information

12-22-2011, 09:43 PM   #5
Veteran Member
bobmaxja's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Laval, Quebec Canada
Posts: 2,171
THis mean you bought the Camera in the USA . Because you bought it there , you get 1 year international warranty not the Canadian 2 years warranty.
I dont know if you contacted the CRIS or Pentax Canada for the second malfunction. But I agree with you , they should repair it as this is the same issue as the first time
12-22-2011, 09:54 PM   #6
Pentaxian
ducdao's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montreal/Vermont
Posts: 2,160
Did you pay the camera with a credit card such as MC or Visa? If so, you should have 1 additional year warranty from your credit card company.
12-22-2011, 09:58 PM   #7
Veteran Member
ironlionzion's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 409
shitty deals man...electronics are electronics...it happens. It's strange that they are refusing to repair it though. You could maybe look into getting it repaired by someone else outside of pentax. If it is just a broken e-dial, it would be very simple to fix if one had a basic understanding of the K5's electronic internals.

I just bought a Pentax MX...I'm amazed by the build quality. Everything feels so sturdy and solid, even after 30 years. I wish they still made cameras like these.

12-23-2011, 02:58 AM   #8
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,889
Canadian warranty is 2 years, so as said above, unless you bought it outside of Canada, you're entitled to that.

When you say the e-dial broke, do you mean it stopped working entirely, or do you mean you got the issue with it skipping erratically when trying to change settings? If it's the latter, it's similar to the e-dial on the K-r, which was produced with a bit too much non-conductive lubricant on the e-dial mechanism. It's also a very easy self fix, and there's no need to even open the casing to remedy it. A small squirt of contact cleaner - the kind that dries with no residue - into the e-dial, followed by working the dial one way and then the other for a few minutes should fix the issue semi permanently (some need a second treatment later, some don't).
12-23-2011, 05:28 AM   #9
Veteran Member




Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Iowa
Photos: Albums
Posts: 2,275
Hey Brett.

You're right to be angry. They totally screwed you. I would be fuming too.

Good luck,
Bobbo :-/
12-23-2011, 06:14 AM   #10
Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter
Wheatfield's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The wheatfields of Canada
Posts: 15,903
QuoteOriginally posted by GibbyTheMole Quote
Hey Brett.

You're right to be angry. They totally screwed you. I would be fuming too.

Good luck,
Bobbo :-/

The part of the story we are missing is where did he buy the camera?
If he bought it in Canada, then he has warranty for the next 10 or so months, but if he bought it gray market, he may well be out of warranty.
This sounds as if he bought a gray market camera, which is always risky, even more so given the K5s track record WRT reliability.
12-23-2011, 06:31 AM   #11
bmf
Junior Member




Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 40
Original Poster
where bought and a couple of questions

Hi All,

Thanks for your feedback.

Yes I lived in the US back then when I bought the camera but now I am based in Montreal!

I was prepared to get it repaired in Canada originally for the 50$ surcharge but they said they could not do it, I had to send it to the US.

BTW the problem is the old "I turn both ways but I only increment one way" behavior

Two questions based on your comments:

1) How would one get the spray cleaner into the K5, it's famously weather sealed no? I am comfortable taking the camera apart if need be.
I assume such a simple fix (spray of cleaner) is what pentax did originally rather than replace a defective piece.

2) How would the Mastercard added year warranty work (I wonder if living in Canada will ruin my chances of that as well - it's a tough country up here you know??)

Best regards all

Brett
12-23-2011, 07:11 AM   #12
Pentaxian
ducdao's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montreal/Vermont
Posts: 2,160
QuoteOriginally posted by bmf Quote
Hi All,

Thanks for your feedback.

Yes I lived in the US back then when I bought the camera but now I am based in Montreal!

I was prepared to get it repaired in Canada originally for the 50$ surcharge but they said they could not do it, I had to send it to the US.

BTW the problem is the old "I turn both ways but I only increment one way" behavior

Two questions based on your comments:

1) How would one get the spray cleaner into the K5, it's famously weather sealed no? I am comfortable taking the camera apart if need be.
I assume such a simple fix (spray of cleaner) is what pentax did originally rather than replace a defective piece.

2) How would the Mastercard added year warranty work (I wonder if living in Canada will ruin my chances of that as well - it's a tough country up here you know??)

Best regards all

Brett
Call your MC hotline and tell them you want to use their 1 extra year warranty on a product that was purchased with an MC card. They will tell you what to do next.

Below is the coverage policies from my credit card company (Bank of Montreal)

http://www.bmo.com/pdf/EW_PP_en.pdf

Excerpt below.

"Coverage Benefits
This benefit provides for an extension of the original
manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of one (1)
year. We will reimburse You, at Our discretion, the
lesser of the cost to repair or to replace the item.
Terms of the extension will be in accordance with the
original manufacturer’s warranty (excluding any
extended warranty offered by the manufacturer or
any other party).
The combined overall lifetime"
.....
12-23-2011, 07:44 AM   #13
Pentaxian




Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: East central Indiana
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 893
If you go with trying to fix it your self with contact cleaner, be sure and get the cleaner that is safe for plastic.

Here in the U.S. we can get two different types of cleaner and one is not to be used on plastic. It will melt the plastic.
12-23-2011, 08:45 AM   #14
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Lowell Goudge's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 17,869
it is unfortunate that you have run into problems, but this is a fact of life with respect to internaltiona warranties etc., that Local Corporations have a problem honoring warranties of their sister companies.

Pentax canada, aside from reputation of Pentax Corporation has very little responsibility for a product sold outside canada and imported, because they are not the one holding the warranty provisions for that product.

Pentax US, however, has a different issue, because if the defect has returned you have every right to argue that the origonal repair was not done correctly, or that the parts used had the same defect as the origonal.

Your case of a recurring problem is much stronger than the case of lost use. I am not sure if the warranty conditions in the US allow for that provision.
12-23-2011, 09:33 AM   #15
New Member




Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: ontario
Posts: 4
I enjoy my photography hassle free
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
camera, christmas, dale, dslr, e-dial, pentax, photography, repair, shell, warranty
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Are we really THAT rare? abmj Pentax DSLR Discussion 7240 03-18-2024 09:59 AM
For Sale - Sold: Rare Pentax K 85mm f1.8 and rare SMC Takumar 85mm f1.8 (free worldwide s (Worl EricR Sold Items 5 03-26-2011 01:10 AM
Black & White Rare Bird Sailor Post Your Photos! 8 12-13-2010 04:29 PM
FAte and some rare FA's d.bradley Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 38 05-23-2010 04:18 PM
Nature A Rare Bird Sailor Post Your Photos! 16 01-07-2010 03:41 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:59 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top