http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-SMCP-FA-77mm-Limited-Lens/dp/B000EA3RW4

[glee46]

I wouldn't doubt this! I've noticed if I leave items in my shopping cart for a couple of days, and them come back, they have almost always lowered in price.. haha

---------- Post added 07-15-15 at 10:49 PM ----------



Amazon isn't handling the warranty, Ricoh is. Have you communicated with Ricoh?

"Originally posted by glee46"

"When it gets here, I'll check with the Pentax site with the serial number. I can also ask them, if they will honor the warranty."

Amazon gave it to me in writing they would honor a one year warranty. I have no clue if they are paying for it or what. However, as stated, when it gets here, and I look it over, then I will call Ricoh.

I also posted that I can get a 3 yr warranty for $50.

Either way, the lens is made by Pentax, I'll see if it's as great as everyone says, and go from there. I will shoot the crap out of it for 29 days. If it fails, I send it back to Amazon and wait for another deal to pop up down the line.

[PenTex]

"When it gets here, I'll check with the Pentax site with the serial number. I can also ask them, if they will honor the warranty."

You can check whether an individual lens carries a Ricoh US warranty by the serial number? News to me.

Does anyone know if Ricoh will service gray market equipment even if you try to pay for the repair? I know that Nikon service centers won't touch gray market equipment even if you send a bag of cash along with your faulty lens. This becomes an issue once your warranties expire and you want to have your 800 dollar lens serviced five years from now.

[Lukinosity]

Why would a service center care where your lens was bought when you are paying for their service? If it's under warranty, they repair for free.....if you have no warranty, they charge you..... simple as that.

[PenTex]

Why would a service center care where your lens was bought when you are paying for their service? If it's under warranty, they repair for free.....if you have no warranty, they charge you..... simple as that.

Ask Nikon that same question...

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Last edited by PenTex; 07-16-2015 at 07:37 AM.

[dcumpian]

I have a question related to this lens:

I like the idea of the 77mm, and I like the sample images I have seen that have been taken with it. Here's where I'm at. I plan to buy the DA* 60-250 at some point and am wondering if I will get similar results with it, IQ-wise, at 77mm as with an actual FA 77mm. Anyone have any thoughts?

Regards,
Dan

[Bunch]

I have a question related to this lens:

I like the idea of the 77mm, and I like the sample images I have seen that have been taken with it. Here's where I'm at. I plan to buy the DA* 60-250 at some point and am wondering if I will get similar results with it, IQ-wise, at 77mm as with an actual FA 77mm. Anyone have any thoughts?

Regards,
Dan

You should probably look up the many threads and sample photos about each of those lenses that are on this forum. While I'm sure the zoom, being a star lens, provides good IQ, it is a zoom. The 77 Limited is obviously a prime and regarded as one of the best lenses Pentax has ever made.

[debakarma]

The FA77 used to be priced at somewhere near $1100 at B&H, back in March last year (2014). Then B&H started with the 3 day sales in Sept and prices came tumbling down to $850. Now its just above $700. It seems, if we wait enough we might get for $500 or less soon enough. Same story with the K3. Whats Pentax upto? Getting rid of excess capacity/inventory (new lens line-up in the offing?) or just trying to get more marketshare? Anyone any ideas?

[mee]

"Originally posted by glee46"

"When it gets here, I'll check with the Pentax site with the serial number. I can also ask them, if they will honor the warranty."

Amazon gave it to me in writing they would honor a one year warranty. I have no clue if they are paying for it or what. However, as stated, when it gets here, and I look it over, then I will call Ricoh.

I also posted that I can get a 3 yr warranty for $50.

Either way, the lens is made by Pentax, I'll see if it's as great as everyone says, and go from there. I will shoot the crap out of it for 29 days. If it fails, I send it back to Amazon and wait for another deal to pop up down the line.

But the 1 year warranty is through Ricoh/Pentax -- how is Amazon going to honor a warranty that is between you and Ricoh/Pentax? Amazon is simply the retailer. I mean Amazon sells the lens, after that it is generally between you and the manufacturer of the product you bought with respect to the warranty. I find it very difficult to believe 6 months down the road you are going to see Amazon saying 'sure send it back to us and we'll fix it' should the lens break. I suspect, they will refer you to Ricoh Customer Support.

[glee46]

But the 1 year warranty is through Ricoh/Pentax -- how is Amazon going to honor a warranty that is between you and Ricoh/Pentax? Amazon is simply the retailer. I mean Amazon sells the lens, after that it is generally between you and the manufacturer of the product you bought with respect to the warranty. I find it very difficult to believe 6 months down the road you are going to see Amazon saying 'sure send it back to us and we'll fix it' should the lens break. I suspect, they will refer you to Ricoh Customer Support.

I agree with you about the Authorized Dealer and Me the buyer. All I know is that Amazon sent me an email, (Not the Vendor) and told me they would honor a one year warranty. However, I shot an email off to the vendor and they wrote back asking me to talk to Amazon. Amazon said they would still honor it. I called Richo/Pentax and talked with them. They said if Amazon wants to pay for it, they can.

I had to send back my 2nd K-3II today to Amazon as it's in the same group of serial numbers with Turn Off issues. Since I've purchased a number of items from B&H, (I also saw where Chuck at B&H stated none of their stock was now in that S/N group) So, I decided to purchase my K-3II and the Pentax 77mm 1.8 from B&H.

I wasn't worried about 6 months down the road. I was worried more about day 31 after I talked to Richo/Pentax and he told me it was @ $310 just to look at it. I trust Amazon, I now half way trust the dealer. In the end, I want to be taking pictures and not playing back and forth.

Thanks for your input.

[Rondec]

I wouldn't worry too much either way. It is a great deal on the lens and even if it is a gray market lens, the FA 77 should be fine, as long as it is sharp initially. There just aren't reports of it failing and it has an awesome build. If you drop it, it probably wouldn't be good for it, but Pentax wouldn't pay for it under warranty if that was the cause of a lens problem anyway.

[mee]

I agree with you about the Authorized Dealer and Me the buyer. All I know is that Amazon sent me an email, (Not the Vendor) and told me they would honor a one year warranty. However, I shot an email off to the vendor and they wrote back asking me to talk to Amazon. Amazon said they would still honor it. I called Richo/Pentax and talked with them. They said if Amazon wants to pay for it, they can.

I had to send back my 2nd K-3II today to Amazon as it's in the same group of serial numbers with Turn Off issues. Since I've purchased a number of items from B&H, (I also saw where Chuck at B&H stated none of their stock was now in that S/N group) So, I decided to purchase my K-3II and the Pentax 77mm 1.8 from B&H.

I wasn't worried about 6 months down the road. I was worried more about day 31 after I talked to Richo/Pentax and he told me it was @ $310 just to look at it. I trust Amazon, I now half way trust the dealer. In the end, I want to be taking pictures and not playing back and forth.

Thanks for your input.

Good deal and understood. Wasn't trying to hassle you (if I came off that way) but just to ensure YOU wouldn't be hassled later on (should you need to make use of the warranty).

[glee46]

Good deal and understood. Wasn't trying to hassle you (if I came off that way) but just to ensure YOU wouldn't be hassled later on (should you need to make use of the warranty).

No problem at all. I think that it's good for everyone to offer advice. It definitely helps those of all levels. I know for myself, that the smarter I get, the dumber I realize I've been. If you hadn't offered the advice, my one year warranty & extended 2 year warranty for my K-3 II would have been void. I think, I could have made due with the 77mm, but in the end, I'm glad I went for both thru B&H.

Thanks again.

[alamo5000]

Why would a service center care where your lens was bought when you are paying for their service? If it's under warranty, they repair for free.....if you have no warranty, they charge you..... simple as that.

I can't say for 100% but I certainly know how international finance operates. And Nikon and those other companies... numerous other companies...all severely discriminate against grey market anything.

The answer to 'why' is a different story than merely 'paying for a service', which that is not how they see it at all. Here is the nutshell version:

Companies (like Nikon) offer their products at a certain price point which can be different in different markets. So lets say Nikon has outlets in Columbia, but then Columbia goes into a recession. To keep sales moving and to keep business going and viable they have to slash prices. Those moves are usually things that the corporations are forced to do as it really hurts their bottom line.

Now times all that by 120+ countries where Nikon is offered and you can see what their finance people have to deal with. Basically they view grey market items as a direct hit to their bottom line and hence they fight grey market traffic in any way possible. That includes refusal to honor any service work on grey market items. In other words they are not merely out 'selling a service'... they are out selling cameras and lenses which is the primary bread and butter. The service portion is merely a support tool to keep people happy not a business model unto itself.

[Bunch]

If grey market items really impacted them that much you would think they would take more precaution letting that inventory hit distribution paths that become grey market. I'll be honest the whole grey market thing is a bit confusing. I suppose I don't like different global markets receiving different rules for their distribution. Makes no sense to me why two lenses made in the same factory would have different warranty rules because they get sold in different countries.

[Lukinosity]

I understand why Nikon does it. They have their own repair "branch". But Pentax using an independent 3rd party for repairs it shouldn't matter. The 3rd party should do warranty work and bill Pentax and non-warranty work and bill the customer.

The car dealership I bring my car to for repairs doesn't care where I bought my car. If it's under warranty, they bill the manufacturer....if it's not they bill me. At the end of the day the color of the money should be all that matters.