[biz-engineer]

Camera are consumer electronic stuff. K7 with DA lenses, is actually cheaper on ebay than 2 x shipment + hourly cost of qualified manpower of repair. If I had a K7 that needs repair, either I'd get a cheap K7 from ebay for parts, or, even better, I'd dispose the K7 and I'd by a brand new KP under warrantee or wait for the new Pentax K model.

[Larrymc]

I recently contacted my favorite Camera Sales and Service Center inquiring as to how much would it cost and how long would it take to a new focus screen in for my Pentax

K-7. Much to my surprise and chagrin, I was informed that the Center can no longer get parts from Ricoh/Pentax. Let me emphasize, NO PARTS AT ALL!!! Last time the

Center ordered parts from Ricoh/Pentax was approximately one year ago and it took constant pressure to get the part to finally arrive after approximately two months.

As if that news in itself wasn't disturbing enough, the Center added that Ricoh/Pentax is going down. Well, I do not know about the second part, but I do however believe the

news regarding the discontinuing of supplying parts. That is somewhat of a nebulus area that is difficult to get an accurate read. I do wish the Company the very best in the

future.

Thanks for reading and I will certainly appreciate any and all contributions to this thread.

Tonytee

Tony, you never really said which focusing screen you were replacing the one in your K-7 with. If its the standard screen why are you replacing it with the standard OEM screen? As for availability of the standard screen and several others they are readily available, as everyone has said, on many online sites.

Sounds to me like your favorite sales and repair center has some ulterior motive in telling you what they told you. Perhaps you should go set them straight as to the availability of the focusing screen. As members have said your K-7 is several generations old and many replacement parts just aren't available from anyone now.

Please go set them straight regarding the "Pentax is going down" statement. This is exactly how many unfounded rumors spread and they are virtually impossible to tamp down once out in the "wild".

Larry

[Larrymc]

Im curious if after the "Ricoh/Pentax is going down" comment they happened to suggest it was time to upgrade to some other brand they had on sale.? Thats a classic tactic if they did.AL

My thoughts exactly!!

[BigMackCam]

Odd that a thread about a random camera shop not providing service is in the "Pentax News and Rumors" section.

Well spotted!

I've moved it to "Pentax DSLR Discussion" since it's as much about the K-7 as the service center's poor performance

[Larrymc]

Odd that a thread about a random camera shop not providing service is in the "Pentax News and Rumors" section.

Well the Camera shop was spreading Rumors regarding Pentax.

[ChristianRock]

Pretty shameful behavior by the camera shop.

No wonder online sales are causing the closure of a lot of these places. If I'm going to an actual camera shop instead of online, I'd at least expect courteous and truthful answers to my questions and/or requests. If the human interaction aspect of service is confrontational like that, why even bother? If you like your K-7 it would be easy to replace the screen with one of the options that was already mentioned - I think this K-r video applies to the K-7 as well -

You Tube

You Tube

(I haven't done this so someone who's done it to the K-7/K-5/K-3 style body can confirm perhaps?)

[mtgmansf]

So my understanding is, there is a law - could be federal or just state (California in my case) - that requires manufacturers to have parts available for consumer electronics for at least ten years. However, in your case, it is clear the part(s) are available, so I must assume your service center - wherever it may be - is simply feeding you a line(s) of BS...

[luftfluss]

So my understanding is, there is a law - could be federal or just state (California in my case) - that requires manufacturers to have parts available for consumer electronics for at least ten years. However, in your case, it is clear the part(s) are available, so I must assume your service center - wherever it may be - is simply feeding you a line(s) of BS...

Over the years I've heard people state variations of that "law", but have never seen proof of it. Even it there were such a "law", it would likely only apply to having parts available to an authorized repair center, there would be stipulations on the value of the parts and product, the origin and number of sales of the product, does the company have a physical presence in the state in which the "law" applies, etc.

[Wheatfield]

I'm thinking said service center is not a factory authorized one. There is a trend towards not supplying repair parts to shade tree repair depots as they may not have the abilities required to do repairs. The factory trained depots probably don't like taking on repairs that are passed to them from butchers either, and would certainly be pressing manufacturers in a direction that makes their business more profitable.
After that, all it takes is some sour grapes and you have the perfect set up for the OP's conversation.

[boriscleto]

Over the years I've heard people state variations of that "law", but have never seen proof of it. Even it there were such a "law", it would likely only apply to having parts available to an authorized repair center, there would be stipulations on the value of the parts and product, the origin and number of sales of the product, does the company have a physical presence in the state in which the "law" applies, etc.

It's seven years as required by California law...

Apple's explanation of its "Vintage" and "Obsolete" products list...

Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago. Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Apple TV vintage products continue to receive hardware service from Apple service providers, including Apple Retail Stores, subject to availability of inventory, or as required by law.

Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than 7 years ago. Monster-branded Beats products are considered obsolete regardless of when they were purchased. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. All Apple Retail Stores and the Canadian, European, Latin American, and Asia-Pacific operating regions follow the U.S. product list, but make no distinction between vintage and obsolete. When applied to Apple Retail Stores and these operating regions, products on the U.S. vintage list (all models) are considered obsolete.

I'm sure Ricoh has a similar policy. But Ricoh-Imaging USA isn't in California...

[stevebrot]

It does not surprise me that even an authorized service center would complain about Ricoh/Pentax being slow or unresponsive in regards to parts orders. This has been an ongoing problem for several years if reports on this site are credible and refusing work based on access to parts seems quite reasonable. As for the other point, one might argue that the person answering the phone at a camera repair shop might have an inside line on photo industry trends and secrets, but on the other hand, one might doubt such. As for not knowing that replacement OEM screens for Pentax and Canon are readily available at retail, that is simple inexperience. The shop could have leveraged the request into a nice $120 ticket...their loss.


Steve

[stevebrot]

I'm thinking said service center is not a factory authorized one.

If the service center is the same TT has used in the past, they are quite reputable and are Pentax authorized. (TT is local to me and I know the business.)


Steve

[stevebrot]

(I haven't done this so someone who's done it to the K-7/K-5/K-3 style body can confirm perhaps?)

Replace on that series body is quite straightforward, but does require good eyesight and a steady hand.


Steve

[mtgmansf]

Good to know that electronics and photography equipment is now considered obsolete in California after only seven years. Now I will start looking more closely at manufacturing instead of when I buy something, especially if it is expensive. Maybe we all should pay more attention to reviews by Ifixit and Lensrentals in their breakdowns of items, or simply buy stuff that was made to last from decades ago. Still love and use my Pentax KX, K2dmd, and Nikon F2 & F3, and all my manual lenses which have held up way beyond these new standards of obsolescence, and most that still work on modern DSLRs.

[BigMackCam]

It does not surprise me that even an authorized service center would complain about Ricoh/Pentax being slow or unresponsive in regards to parts orders. This has been an ongoing problem for several years if reports on this site are credible and refusing work based on access to parts seems quite reasonable.

If the service center is the same TT has used in the past, they are quite reputable and are Pentax authorized. (TT is local to me and I know the business.)

If this is an authorised service center, it's worse still... appalling, in fact. They don't deserve their authorised status or the business it generates, and Ricoh Imaging USA should look to replace them posthaste. All they had to do was say, "We're having some supply issues with Pentax components just now, but we'll look into availability and let you know". To claim they can't get parts and Ricoh / Pentax is going down is both ignorant and deplorable...