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If you thought only Pentax had bad QC

ilovesaabs
Posted 03/08/2015 - 14:14 Link
Try joining the Nikon User Club - through Grays of Westminster....

latest copy has a review of the new AF-S 300 PF f4 lens - Simon Stafford, a renowned reviewer of all things Nikon, tore into Nikon's QC - in black and white - due to the inability of the lens to focus properly with the D7100 and D810. The problems were so bad that lenses of certain serial numbers have had to be recalled.

So much for perceived quality eh? Nikon haven't quite admitted fault for the D600 oily sensor but to have a senior editorial reviewer and a Magic Lantern author slamming Nikon that way you'd be worried that the next ANA/JAL 777 flying into Heathrow will be a sword-winging Ninja....


That's the extent of my bragging - sod's law dictates the next time I use my DA*300 the SDM packs in....
AKA Welshwizard/PWynneJ
Assorted Pentax/Nikon/Mamiya stuff
johnriley
Posted 03/08/2015 - 17:26 Link
Whatever the marque there will be problems from time to time, usually overblown into a crisis by the internet. If we were all willing to pay a premium for more checking in the QC department maybe that would reduce the incidence, but there would still be failures. That's life.
Best regards, John
ilovesaabs
Posted 03/08/2015 - 18:22 Link
This was from Nikon User, subscribers pay £59 for the privilege of a year's membership through Grays (so this is Nikon gospel not Ken Rockwell excessiveness). just imagine you'd published in a 'Pentax User' (ah yes those were the days) , a publication supported by SRS (other Pentax Pro dealers are available) for example and you'd openly criticised the performance of Pentax's new lens....nice knowing you John

But then again, just like in the good old days of BL, the early customers did the final development of a new product, that's the price you pay for being an early adopter I suppose.
AKA Welshwizard/PWynneJ
Assorted Pentax/Nikon/Mamiya stuff
Mag07
Posted 03/08/2015 - 18:33 Link
Quality control is slipping all around - not just in the camera industry. Sad thing is, we seem to be 'accepting it' as it comes. People just keep on buying; often oblivious to anything concerning the purchase. As long as we do; it will keep on slipping. Be it Nikon, Pentax or anyone else.

Sometimes I look at some of the old lenses I have from my dad and dad in law. Comparing to several hundred pounds worth of gear now, they are unbelievably well manufactured. They feel solid. They have lasted several decades and are in a perfectly usable state. Somehow I doubt, many of our current purchases, will withstand the call of time as well as these old, often cheap, lenses did.
'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)
Edited by Mag07: 03/08/2015 - 18:33
Jonathan-Mac
Posted 03/08/2015 - 18:51 Link
People sometimes compare the current DA and FA limited lenses to the old "M" series lenses but the old manual lenses are far, far more solid than anything manufactured now.

This is part of the consumer/throw-away culture but then, if all lenses cost as much as Leica ones there would be very few photographers around.
Pentax hybrid user - Digital K3, film 645 and 35mm SLR and Pentax (&other) lenses adapted to Fuji X and Panasonic L digital
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses
cabstar
Posted 03/08/2015 - 18:53 Link
I thought Nikon had admitted the d600 oily sensor problem by repairing and or replacing those d600 with d610. Mine did suffer a little but once cleaned hasn't done it since.

My af-s 85mm af didn't work out the box and took three returns to get working again. Once they did fix it it's great.

I guess cameras and lenses are getting that technical now that there will be problems regardless of brand...
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography

Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
cabstar
Posted 03/08/2015 - 18:53 Link
Jonathan-Mac wrote:
People sometimes compare the current DA and FA limited lenses to the old "M" series lenses but the old manual lenses are far, far more solid than anything manufactured now.

This is part of the consumer/throw-away culture but then, if all lenses cost as much as Leica ones there would be very few photographers around.

Surely you mean built in obsolecance???
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography

Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
Mag07
Posted 03/08/2015 - 19:01 Link
Yes and no. What's left of Leica is predominantly the name until you reach the highest price bracket. Had a chance to handle a couple of Leicas lately at a photography meet up. They were the middle of the range jobbies. Nothing I would pay the asking price for. Maybe I'm just getting old though, who knows My dad has some old Soviet Union made lenses, and being from Poland, not the ones that were made for export. Still, they could put a lot of whats considered enthusiast photographer's gear now, to shame.

Back to the OP. My best friend just reminded me of a little Nikon mess up back when the 5300 came out. She purchased it, came home only to find out, it won't work with a couple of Nikon mount Sigmas she had. Not a pleasant surprise. Took over 8 months to resolve in her case.

Maybe that is why I've stuck with Pentax all these years. The ability to carry on with the kit you have while upgrading your cameras. The lil QC issues here and there seem insignificant and personally was never affected by any.
'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)
Edited by Mag07: 03/08/2015 - 19:04
wvbarnes
Posted 03/08/2015 - 19:19 Link
I was in the retail trade in the mid Seventies. We sold most makes from stock except Leica which we left to our specialist Cambridge shop still there I think.

The cameras often felt solid because of the materials of the time. They were just as prone to problems. You should have seen our repair storeroom. Failure of shutters/flash sych were very common I recall. Not much went wrong with lenses as they were very simple in the main. I remember the first Olympus OM cameras being tiny but oddly flimsy as if the levers were too soft and would fall off. David Bailey was paid to convince us otherwise of course . The greatest pleasure for me was the Leica rep calling in (courtesy call) to see the manager and leaving me with the latest model round my neck to play with. They were beautifully built then. I loved Pentax's but was far too poorly paid then to actually own one Biggest 'repair' in store was torn/jammed films. We got very good using those black light bags and a can opener. Cameras went three to five years without much model change beyond the cosmetic or better metering which was the big in camera thing then.

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