[stevebrot]

Yes, Precision claims THEY are replacing the lens.

Oh...refurbished?


Steve

[UncleVanya]

Personally I wonder if the title of this thread should change to WHY PRECISION SUCKS...

[mee]

I'm just hoping that your K-5 II is in the box.

me too.. me too. What is behind door number 3!

---------- Post added 02-02-16 at 06:04 PM ----------

Personally I wonder if the title of this thread should change to WHY PRECISION SUCKS...

Well they do.. but Ricoh/Pentax has them on contract.. so its their doing. Until Ricoh decides otherwise, they're sort of a package deal.

[stevebrot]

Personally I wonder if the title of this thread should change to WHY PRECISION SUCKS...

I strongly agree. Multiple makers (including the big three) include Precision as an authorized service provider and some (not just Ricoh) have them as their sole and exclusive service facility. So, if Ricoh/Pentax sucks because they are exclusive with Precision, so does Sony.*

I propose "Why PENTAX AND SONY suck? Repair service"

...or would that not be as much fun?


Steve

* Similar to Pentax, Sony USA lists Precision as their sole service facility for still camera repair. Strangely, Sony Pro is for pro video only.

---

Last edited by stevebrot; 02-02-2016 at 07:49 PM.

[UncleVanya]

me too.. me too. What is behind door number 3!

---------- Post added 02-02-16 at 06:04 PM ----------




Well they do.. but Ricoh/Pentax has them on contract.. so its their doing. Until Ricoh decides otherwise, they're sort of a package deal.

My thinking is this. In several cases Pentax has gone above and beyond the normal and bent over to make it right. This is what differentiates them from others using Precision in my opinion.

[stevebrot]

Well they do.. but Ricoh/Pentax has them on contract.

Advance Camera Repair in Portland, Oregon is authorized for Pentax repair and has been for decades, though not for warranty work. Knight Camera and Repair here in Vancouver was also an authorized shop, but they have recently severely curtailed operations. It is likely there are others, though it might be difficult to ferret them out.

Advance Camera Repair


Steve

[mee]

My thinking is this. In several cases Pentax has gone above and beyond the normal and bent over to make it right. This is what differentiates them from others using Precision in my opinion.

Only after their customers have been through the ringer 2 3 4 times. That's pretty lousy. They make the customer bend over for months before stepping in and resolving Precision's incompetence when, if they were a healthy company, they'd simply drop Precision and find some place(s) more capable of repairing Pentax products.

---------- Post added 02-02-16 at 09:49 PM ----------

Advance Camera Repair in Portland, Oregon is authorized for Pentax repair and has been for decades, though not for warranty work. Knight Camera and Repair here in Vancouver was also an authorized shop, but they have recently severely curtailed operations. It is likely there are others, though it might be difficult to ferret them out.

Advance Camera Repair

Thanks. I just sent a message to them for a quote on a DA* 50-135mm to see if they can get parts and handle the repair for it.

I've heard other Pentax forum goers say similar things about other repair shops only to contact them and be told they can't get parts anymore and thus don't do Pentax repairs. I'm interested in knowing if Advance really can order new parts from Ricoh. Their generic estimates for repairs are muchhh cheaper than Precision. I'm still rather skeptical this will be any different than the handful of other 'Pentax' repair shops I've emailed in the past 6 months.. will keep everyone posted.

[Rondec]

I thought it was interesting that Eric Hendrickson in the interview done with him indicated that he replaces SDM motors. He said that for a while he couldn't get parts from Pentax, but that now he could. He also said that the current motors seem better than the old ones. Obviously he doesn't do warranty work, though.

[mee]

Got the UPS shipment.. My camera body was in the box (phew) along with a brand new lens in the retail box both rubberbanded together.

It appears they cleaned the outside of the camera body, even though there is no mention of it on the repair ticket (nice touch). Strangely, they had the camera set to program mode, ISO 1600, and 3star JPG quality and format with none of the other settings enabled (including MicroAF adjustments disabled, so they appear not to have tested lens with body). From what I can see, they just waited until the lens came in, boxed it all up and called it a day.

Interestingly, in the 16-50 retail box, I see it came with a notification slip stating a change in company name will occur on August 1, 2013 -- so it appears they must have a large stock of these lenses on hand as this one appears to be pre-august 2013 built.

In any case, that is that. Beyond it appears the VF rubber thingy on the body is missing. I'll have to contact them about that..

In other news, Advance camera has responded saying they have contacted Pentax to make sure they can get parts. Awaiting Pentax's response to Advance and then for them to communicate that to me. Again, will keep you posted. Would be nice to have options (at least for non-warranty work in the USA).

---------- Post added 02-04-16 at 06:07 PM ----------

btw 'VF rubber thingy' = the eyecup / loupe

I'm guessing they did clean the body and forgot to reattach it... I have a magnifying loupe that I can use so I can still shoot, but it would be nice to have all the stock parts come back.

[mee]

No response thus far from Precision about the missing eyecup. Thankfully I recorded a video of me opening the box that shows the camera body with missing eyecup.

I've come to do that these days.. record videos of me opening the boxes (and taking screenshots of sales at webshops) just to prove any items missing are missing and any damage found is not my doing.. of course it isn't 100% full proof but it is a lot better than a 'he said, she said' dispute.


In other news.. I've taken the new lens out and tested it on tripod. Muchh better at infinity. This copy needs around a +5 AF micro adjustment but it is muchly better than the old copy at f/2.8 and is VERYYY sharp stopped down.

In any case, this lens is definitely usable and I look forward to doing just that! :c )

[bobore]

I used to pop into Advance Camera all the time back in the '90s. They sold new gear then along with used equipment, and they were always very high on Pentax. Great people to talk to, and I recall one staff member in particular who shot with a Pentax, and loved to chat about her camera. I think I was shooting mostly with my PZ1p at the time.

Anyway, they were & probably still are, a first class operation.

[stevebrot]

I've come to do that these days.. record videos of me opening the boxes (and taking screenshots of sales at webshops) just to prove any items missing are missing and any damage found is not my doing.. of course it isn't 100% full proof but it is a lot better than a 'he said, she said' dispute.

That is my standard operating procedure and has been for years, particularly with stuff purchased used.


Steve

[mee]

After I sent another email to Precision last night asking about an update to the missing eyecup, they responded this morning saying they found it and shipped it on the 5th (but didn't tell me about it) and would send me a tracking # shortly.

It should be interesting to see if the shipping date on the box matches the statement made as I wonder why one would find and ship a missing part but not provide notification it was found and shipped?

They seem to be flying by the seat of their pants over there!

[amoringello]

After I sent another email to Precision last night asking about an update to the missing eyecup, they responded this morning saying they found it and shipped it on the 5th (but didn't tell me about it) and would send me a tracking # shortly.

It should be interesting to see if the shipping date on the box matches the statement made as I wonder why one would find and ship a missing part but not provide notification it was found and shipped?

They seem to be flying by the seat of their pants over there!

Ha! I must know what the actual ship date is once you get the tracking number.
I would bet money that you'll find the shipping date was the day you called.
"Oh, er, um, hey BillyBob! Ya know that odd rubber thingy you found on the floor the other day? um, yeah, can you dig that out of the dumpster? We need that shipped out today."

[UncleVanya]

After I sent another email to Precision last night asking about an update to the missing eyecup, they responded this morning saying they found it and shipped it on the 5th (but didn't tell me about it) and would send me a tracking # shortly.

It should be interesting to see if the shipping date on the box matches the statement made as I wonder why one would find and ship a missing part but not provide notification it was found and shipped?

They seem to be flying by the seat of their pants over there!

Ha! I must know what the actual ship date is once you get the tracking number.
I would bet money that you'll find the shipping date was the day you called.
"Oh, er, um, hey BillyBob! Ya know that odd rubber thingy you found on the floor the other day? um, yeah, can you dig that out of the dumpster? We need that shipped out today."

I'm not sure. I asked about my K-50 back when they first took over repairs and it sat and sat until I got in touch with someone then it went to waiting for repair and then it showed up on my doorstep repaired before the website status was updated to "in repair"! I'm not sure they understand how to communicate date like status tracking reliably. I feel like they are trying but they are just overwhelmed in some way. The staff was always nice enough when I talked to them - but the right hand left hand problem was HUGE.