*istD Disaster

Turn your back for a couple of minutes and you never know what disasters can happen.

Today one of my youngest relatives got his hands on my *istD when I was looking the other way, I looked back in horror at the damage done.
Somehow he managed to pop the focus screen and cover the mirror in little finger prints. I was in the process of cleaning all my lenses at the time, got called into the kitchen and momentarilly left the body unattended without a lens attached.

I managed to get the focus screen reassembled after giving it a good blow with a canister of air but it appears to have a number of scratches on it now, they appear as dark blotches in the view finder. Didn't touch the mirror. Took some test shots, they appear to be slightly out of focus.

Does anybody have any idea how much it will cost to have the focus screen replaced (or does anybody know where I can get a split screen replacemant) as I've not seen any prices, what do Pentax UK charge for a service, what is their turn around.

That is just a dreadful thing to happen.

My first idea really would to claim on my insurance for a repair/replacement as necessary. If you are suitably insured either on special photographic insurance or the household policy all risks section, then all may be well.

If you are not insured, I think I would send it to Pentax or one of the other pentax repair houses for a quotation.

What else can you do?

Hi John

Thank's for the reply, your commiseration's are well received, I still feel pig sick today. I contacted my Home Insurer and Pentax UK this morning (my warranty ran out 3 days ago). Looks like I will be able to claim on my home insurance policy but I have an excess of £250 even though it covers new for old. Pentax want me to sent it to them for a free quoutation but it looks like I'll have to use my Fuji S350 for the next month or so. (damn! my new Sigma 70-200 f2.8 should be arriving any time soon).