The Pentax web store has some great sales today. Official Pentax Online Store | Pentax Digital Cameras | Pentax Webstore

The FA 31mm Limited is on sale for 773! smcP FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited (Black) | Pentax Webstore

The D-FA 50mm Macro is 303. smcP D-FA 50mm f2.8 Macro | Pentax Webstore

There are a lot of other lenses on sale as well although the price cuts are not quite as high generally.

I just ordered the 31mm :-)

[krebsy75]

Good news. Now tell us about the lens

So far, so good.


My first FA 31mm photo at f/1.8. It features my daughter, Julianne, and her new kitten.

[trumanusa]

So far, so good.


My first FA 31mm photo at f/1.8. It features my daughter, Julianne, and her new kitten.

wow...Now i understand why 31mm limited is called 'legendary'.

[rgknief60]

I didn't like it either when I saw the "pending" status on the website. I did call customer service a couple of times. The first time I was told that it took a business day for the transaction, that they had to physically look at the order. I called a couple of days later to verify that the "pending" didn't mean that there was a problem with the credit card. I finally received an email stating that my order was on the way. But the charge listed on the email was for the item full priced. I called the next day, sent a screen shot of my order and my original email with the black Friday pricing while on phone with the rep, and was told I would be credited. When I received the order yesterday, the website still listed status as pending. Today my cc account was credited as they promised. But my order status on the web is now "Automatic CC Auth" -- go figure. There's a bug in the system somewhere.

I'll order from the webstore again. But I will be sure to do what I always do: take and save screenshots of the transaction, download the order PDF, and save the emails received. I do something similar with every transaction from any vendor. Rarely need all the documentation, when you need it it's there!

Was it a perfect experience? No. But I had a great customer service rep (Jade), and the deal I received was well worth the extra time I spent.

[vZwicky]

Well this thread is making me a little nervous. I also ordered the 31mm at the sale price. I have a pending charge in the correct amount on my cc statement, but have recieved no shipping confirmation yet. I really want this lens at the stated sale price, and I hope nothing goes arwy with the transaction.

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Last edited by vZwicky; 12-06-2014 at 07:24 PM.

[Youngster]

For what it's worth. I ordered my 55-300 on Thanksgiving day. Got order confirm the same day. Got shipping confirm with tracking on Friday. Received the lens via UPS/USPS Smartpost yesterday. Box was a little beat up, but otherwise a flawless transaction. I charged the entire amount on an AMEX though.

[Docrwm]

For what it's worth. I ordered my 55-300 on Thanksgiving day. Got order confirm the same day. Got shipping confirm with tracking on Friday. Received the lens via UPS/USPS Smartpost yesterday. Box was a little beat up, but otherwise a flawless transaction. I charged the entire amount on an AMEX though.

Interesting, people who ordered the same day and even after me have their 55-300WR lenses in hand but mine just got shifted from "Pending Auth" to "All Backordered". I'm ok with it if it actually comes in at the great price but that doesn't mean that their system isn't incredibly poor - particularly for a company that is in the business of online fulfillment for other companies. Essentially they are bad at the thing that they are selling to the companies that they are the "Official" webstore for because, theoretically at least, its their specialty they should be able to do a better job at it than the companies themselves who are in other businesses like making cameras.

[T Evergreen]

I bought a 50 1.8 and had no real problems. I ordered it in mid-October and got it in late November as it was on backorder. I got the $119.95 sale price and free shipping, and there was no problem with the billing. Nevertheless, something is terribly wrong with the Pentax WebStore when they acknowledge in an email the sale price to the buyer and then turn about and charge someone the full price. Yes, they'll refund the difference, but only after you prove to them you should get the sale price. I'm thinking they should be able to fix these billing issues without having the buyer forward back to them their own billing statement. After all, they set the sale prices and know when they were in effect and should also know when someone placed an order, This really is extremely poor service.

[vZwicky]

I am going to be more proactive and contact customer service about the status of my order. Hopefully I can return here in a few days to report a generally positive experience.

[JibbaJab]

Received my FA31 today. I'm excited to be able to take prime-quality environmental photos indoors, and to get some bokeh-licious holiday light shots.

[krebsy75]

This is well put. It is indeed troubling to think there could be an undetermined number of people out there who do not read this thread and who (if they look at all!) will find $200-$600 in overcharges on their next credit card statement. Plus, if those buyers delete their original order emails when their merchandise arrives or shortly thereafter, they'll lack a key piece of information to get the Pentax Webstore to honor the original pricing.

If Brand Shop management didn't review all orders in which their was a BF discount... That's criminal.

Any lawyers in this group?

[PenTex]

Good news: a credit of $526 has been applied to my CC by the pentaxwebstore and my FA31 will be here tomorrow. I guess after everything was said and done, those of us that did not cancel our order did manage to get the lens at a fantastic price. That being said, there is no excuse for the debacle that was the PWS Black Friday fiasco.

[vZwicky]

I am encouraged by the good news that many of you are reporting. Happy shooting with the 31mm! I hope to be in that number soon.

[LeRolls]

Received my FA31 today. I'm excited to be able to take prime-quality environmental photos indoors, and to get some bokeh-licious holiday light shots.

Very happy to hear you received your 31! I think you will like it quite a lot. I received my Q7 on Friday and have been enjoying it.

[JibbaJab]

Very happy to hear you received your 31! I think you will like it quite a lot. I received my Q7 on Friday and have been enjoying it.

Thanks! Glad to hear you got your Q7 without any issues. I'm loving the 31. I didn't think I would since it didn't seem like a good focal length for portraits, but now I think it might even displace the 77 as my favorite lens.

[vZwicky]

Thanks to those who've posted shots taken with their new lenses... they're beautiful! For those like me who are still waiting, I spoke with customer care this morning and the FA 31mm is back ordered and new shipment is expected around the 18th, but everything seems in order. I suppose the long delay is the result of me being late to the party and not ordering until the Monday of the sale. I'm thankful the discounted price was kept open even after the initial stock was depleted.

Tom Petty said the waiting would be the hardest part...