The Value of Pye
Philip
Steve
If it proves anything, it's that just travelling with one camera body and/or one lens has a risk element, as cameras and lenses do fail. In all the years I have used Pentax, since around 1975 full time, I have only had two camera faults and two lens faults. The cameras were an MV and a K-1. The lenses were an SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7 and the 43mm Limited. Both failed with mechanical problems - jammed manual focus and/or aperture ring.
Having had issues with Pye previously I tried several local and national recommended lens repairers without any success. Several did not reply to my enquiry and of the ones I spoke to none were interested. The reason given was mainly they couldn't get spares from Ricoh. However one repairer said he would no longer take on Pentax repairs because when he ordered the parts invariable they took months to arrive or the wrong part(s) were sent or they arrived in dribs and drabs.
I then sent the lens to Pye and this is what happened.
1. They received the lens on 3/11/22
2. After some chasing I received a quote on 30/11/22.
3. The quote did not give a breakdown, it was a take it or leave it lump sum. It also stated that they had not allowed for checking the lens and this could cost more.
4. After some correspondence with Pye and not getting much sense from them I took the matter up with Ricoh-imaging EU. After being shunted about a bit the discussions became between me and a Japanese man who I suspect was based in Japan. I was assured that the quotation I received included everything needed to get a fully working lens and the work would take 3-4 weeks plus a bit extra because we were near Christmas.
5. Having decided I had no viable alternative I paid Pye on the 13/12/22
6. On 16/01/23 I received a new estimate from John Pye telling me that the repair agents in Germany (news to me) needed another ~£150 as the circuit board needed replacing. I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why a lens, even with a dodgy mount that was working fine when it was posted, needed a new circuit board.
7. I decided I was caught between a rock and a hard case so I paid, with a view to getting the lens back before contacting Ricoh again.
I eventually received the lens back last week.
With customer service like this is it any wonder that fewer and fewer people are buying Pentax products.
Stuart..
Gotta K-3iii now, had a K-S2, K50 and so suffering from a relapse and so buying digital camera kit.
Previous addiction has resulted in using Zeniths, Yashicamat, Chinons, Minoltas, Samsungs, Fujis, Cosina, Kodak, Lumix, Canon, Nikon and Pentax etc etc - have tried most makes in the past 50 years. Love cameras - love taking photos even more
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
24265 posts
22 years
Tyldesley,
Manchester
The story begins with an SMC Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limted lens that had started to let me down in terms of AF. It just wasn't doing it, not every time but too often. Then the manual focusing jammed as well, so it was on the telephone to John Pye Technical, and it took a bit of running around to actually find the correct department in what seems to be a huge company with many fingers in many, er...pies?
So eventually on 11th November 2022 the lens went off to Pye via DPD, who delivered it the next working day on 14th November 2022. So far so good, but by early December a call was made to make sure it was in progress. "We may have to send this to Germany for repair, we'll get out technician to look at it." OK, checked again before Christmas 2022. "We may have to send this to Germany for repair, we don't think we can do it here." OK, then send it please.
Mid January, "We may have to send this to Germany for repair, we can't do this here." I requested that perhaps whoever had decided that it needed to go to Germany might find some sense of urgency about it.
Eventually a quote came in mid February, which I accepted rather than having a useless lump of beautifully engineered metal and glass, and eventually, yesterday, the lens actually arrived back home. I have no problem with the repair. Everything sent came back (hood, lenscap, etc.) and the work was impeccable. The length of time it took is something else. It's a good job we have plenty of spares and no one lens is essential.
So, to conclude, the value of Pye is 4.5 months. The value of Pi goes on for ever, probably much longer than 4.5 months to express it.