I just bought a Pentax DA* 50-135 which majorly back focuses (unfixable in-camera).
You can read the exact story in my post [url="http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=38701931"]here[/url].
I live in Switzerland and I'm thinking of sending it to Pentax to get it calibrated. Of course, I'll have to send the lens + the body.
Has anyone already got their lens calibrated in Switzerland recently?
I did a few years ago, but it has changed since as they don't have an office in the country anymore.
Now the 2 obvious questions are:
1. Where do I sent it to?
2. How long is it gonna take? (as I need my K5 for my holidays trip in 2 weeks and the summer in general)
I heard now everything is dealt with in the Netherlands!?
This situation really really sucks.
Any advice regarding this matter would be very welcome, thank you.
[quote name='thxbb12' timestamp='1308524311' post='9350']
I just bought a Pentax DA* 50-135 which majorly back focuses (unfixable in-camera).
You can read the exact story in my post [url="http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=38701931"]here[/url].
I live in Switzerland and I'm thinking of sending it to Pentax to get it calibrated. Of course, I'll have to send the lens + the body.
Has anyone already got their lens calibrated in Switzerland recently?
I did a few years ago, but it has changed since as they don't have an office in the country anymore.
Now the 2 obvious questions are:
1. Where do I sent it to?
2. How long is it gonna take? (as I need my K5 for my holidays trip in 2 weeks and the summer in general)
I heard now everything is dealt with in the Netherlands!?
This situation really really sucks.
Any advice regarding this matter would be very welcome, thank you.
[/quote]
If the lens behaves the same on another K5 (very probable), sending in YOUR K5 makes little sense.
Sending in your camera before your vacation in 2 weeks makes even less sense.
Which other lenses do you have? Either go on vacations without this lens, and if needed, buy another lens which covers the focal length needed (like a cheap Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 APO DG Macro, which will do e decent job in the 70-135mm range). And send this 50-135mm back to where you bought it, or contact Pentax service organization and have it calibrated.
Or, take this lens with you on vacations (making it not returnable probably), and just enjoy using it within its limitations and with use of live view and/or manual focus. After vacations send it in to have it calibrated. Without your K5, as K5's tend to not be different.
[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1308558291' post='9358']
If the lens behaves the same on another K5 (very probable), sending in YOUR K5 makes little sense.
Sending in your camera before your vacation in 2 weeks makes even less sense.
Which other lenses do you have? Either go on vacations without this lens, and if needed, buy another lens which covers the focal length needed (like a cheap Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 APO DG Macro, which will do e decent job in the 70-135mm range). And send this 50-135mm back to where you bought it, or contact Pentax service organization and have it calibrated.
Or, take this lens with you on vacations (making it not returnable probably), and just enjoy using it within its limitations and with use of live view and/or manual focus. After vacations send it in to have it calibrated. Without your K5, as K5's tend to not be different.
[/quote]
I tested the lens on 2 other bodies beside my K5: a K20 and a K10. All 3 cameras show the same back focusing issue. This seems to indicate it's not a body issue, but definitely a lens issue.
I contacted Pentax Switzerland and they told me they now out source repairs through a 3rd party company in Switzerland.
They said I can just ship them the lens to get it fixed as long as I send it with the proof of purchase and the warranty card.
I contacted Pentax USA and they are going to mail me an international warranty card for the lens as I need it to get the lens fixed in Switzerland.
I hope it will work out in the end.
In the meantime, I'll take these 3 lenses with me on vacation (Egypt):
Pentax DA 55-300
Sigma 17-70
Pentax FA 35 f/2
And maybe a Pentax FA 50 f/1.4
Thanks for the feedback.
