eye-watering water-damage repair cost for K5+18-135mm

I previously opened a thread regarding damage apparently caused by the elements while using my K5+18-135mm lens combo. Well, although not sure it even was water damage (my guess was the cold) I left it for a week in a nice dry warm place and it was back to normal in the 35C+ summer here.

However, as my warranty was almost up, I sent it off anyway for a warranty investigation/repair just in case there was something hidden.

Well, a warning to all using this combo in rain (persistent drizzle in my case). Pentax have confirmed that as a repair is indeed needed due to water damage, that this is not covered under warranty. So, to put it short, Pentax's weather-resistant flagship is only weather-resistant as far as marketing goes. You may be lucky, but if you're not, the warranty won't cover you.

To add insult to imjury, without actually telling me what is wrong, Pentax are quoting me 650 Euros to repair the camera. K5 body only is currently available for less than 600 Euro body only brand new...

Fuming doesn't even cover it.

Needless to say I'm tryng to find out what they discovered was wrong and will be pushing them on this. Will update on here as I find out more.

I think we need to know a bit more detail before reaching any conclusions.

You need to know what the problem is before being asked to pay for it to be fixed though.

Agreed - the worst part was being asked to stump up (with bank details given) without any explanation other than as it's water-damage, it's not covered.

My main concerns generally are:
1) How can they possibly charge more than for a brand new camera, regardless of what needs doing
2) How much confidence can I be expected to have should I repair, buy an outgoing K5, or upgrade, knowing full well that my warranty isn't valid for arguably one of the camera's biggest USPs

As it seems to be back to good health (although not to the repair centre), I shall continue with it. WInter will be the test for me.

I have been given 10 days to decide what to do - will see what they reveal to me before my time is up

Talk about reputational damage. Let's see what Pentax have to do with this, as they've been banking on "weather-proof" cameras as a major selling factor. I hope we get more information.

Regarding water-proofing, the new mobile phones from Sony and Samsung (Z, S4 Active) seem to have it in their clause that even if you can submerge these mobile devices in water, water damage is still not covered in the warranty.

Whatever it is, we the consumers aren't exactly the winners here. It just seems like it.

do you have any clue how water could have got in? I mean, if you think it was just rain, I used no WR lenses under rain without any problem (right, not heavy rain, but still my camera was wet).

I have used this combination in pouring rain without a glitch, but I accept it's always a risk.

maybe he could try to prove that the sealings are defective.

Hi,

Have you been dealing with Richo/Pentax or with an authorised service centre?

Regs,

Pentax service centre via the seller. The seller has actually been quick and communicative and paid for the postage needed.

I actually just copy pasted the following to them from the product description, making exactly that argument. That if water damage has occured itself may be the defect - mentioning seals.

"The K-5 is exceptionally solid and durable, with a body of sturdy yet lightweight magnesium alloy, and a chassis of highly-rigid stainless steel. Thanks to the inclusion of 77 special seals, it also boasts a dustproof, weather-resistant and cold-resistant (-10°C) construction, assuring reliable operation even under harsh environment."

Actually - since this was bought in germany (where I live), the German pentax website goes even further to describe how rain and dust can affect other cameras - but with the K5 you don't need to worry!

I copy pasted that too.

Their answer + translation:

wir haben heute vom Hersteller einen Kostenvoranschlag über 647,40 Euro für Ihr Gerät erhalten. Der Fehler fällt nicht unter die Hersteller-Garantie da er aufgrund eines Wasserschadens entstanden ist.

We received a quotation from the manufacturer for 647,40 Euros for your device. The problem isn't covered by the warranty as it is as a result of water-damage.

I have naturally asked for a copy of their report. Maybe I was too open about the conditions that it was in use in wet conditions and they have jumped on that. But with such a precise quote, they must have looked at it!

I really don@t want to go down the formal complaints / negative facebook etc. exposure route...

Hi,

The reason I have asked is that normally a service centre has limited discretion and works under guidelines given by manufacturers (who pay warranty costs). I would take this up with Pentax Germany quoting all the points you listed. But of course quoting a repair cost higher than the value of the camera (let alone a new one) does not make any sense,.... They should be more proactive.

Hi Giofi,

Yes, I plan to. Their response doesn't say they have a quote from the service centre, but from the "manufacturer". So, Pentax.

Actually the official Pentax repair centre is where I live, Munich. Not sure how kindly they will take to people turning up and knocking on their door, but tempted. ALthough I also can@t exactly document that for customer service either.

Just need a few more facts first - including job number.

p.s. Customer Service is generally an oxymoron in Germany. The customer is ALWAYS wrong / to blame / should apologise for daring to ask for help. This may also be part of the problem. Everything is so perfect, if something is wrong it's like the universe has collapsed - unexplainable. cultural thing

Funny you mention this...... Many years ago I used to own a Volkswagen car and I had recurring electrical problems that their service centres could not solve. I was really frustrated so I sent a letter to Volkswagen customer service in Germany. Their answer was more or less: we are very sorry, but how can we be sure that things are like you state....

I gave up....

I think the problem here is just what exactly is weather resistant? Its not the same as waterproof is it? Just also what kind of weather is the camera resistant to? In your copy and paste above it says cold and dust but not how long in rain. After three days shooting in rain last year my mki eventually developed condensation behind the lcd screen and took a good three days to dry out. I would say three days of use in the rain was extreme but just how long should a weather resistant body be resistant!

Fair point, even the waterproof cameras have a time limit for immersion.

You can't really test a camera for rain..... it varies too much

It's usual to specify an IP Rating based on International IEC 60529,
but I don't think Pentax have.

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