"Parts No Longer Available" to Service FA 50mm F1.4?

[danielneal]

I just attempted to get my ~ 4 year old SMC FA 50mm f/1.4 repaired at an authorized Pentax repair shop I've used

before for warranty repairs.

 

The repair shop is telling me that "parts are no longer available" for this lens.

 

Pentax has said the following: "[The shop is] authorized, however we have no rights over there facility. So there

really isn't anything we can do except advise you to send it our service department." Pentax also confirmed that

they still service this model (which, to me at least, is a no-brainer seeing as how it's listed for sale on their

web page).

 

So, what's going on? A dispute between Pentax and the repair shop, or something else?

 

Can anyone recommend a good repair person for FA Pentax lenses?

 

Finally, should I need to send the lens into Pentax for repair, how ridiculously expensive will the repair be?

(Autofocus won't focus on infinity, but glass is fine and manual focus works fine too).

[michael_elenko]

It seems like you chose an unmotivated repair shop that first time. Bad luck I'd say. If you are in a metro area I'm sure there

are other qualified repair shops--ask other photographers on your area. If this is warranty coverage, send it to Pentax and be

done with it.

 

Tell us where you are at, perhaps that will trigger a recommendation.

 

ME

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Wherever you are, I'd recommend<a href="http://pentaxs.com/index.html"> Erick Hendrickson </a></p>

[jeremy_corbin]

<p>Dave, does Erik service lenses? I thought he just did film bodies.</p>

[mountainvisions]

<p>He can do lenses, but I'd check about AF lenses, i don't know if he does AF lenses. MF lenses he does do.</p>

<p> </p>

[lee_w2]

<p>Eric just serviced my DA18-250 in September although it was not an AF issue. He fixed a broken mount on my DA*300 in the Spring. </p>

[jeremy_corbin]

<p>Well what can I say? The man is a badass.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Ooops, sorry to be slow in responding. As others have confirmed, he absolutely<em> doe</em>s do lenses--he salvaged my A*300mm after a bad drop. I can't speak to AF issues: I'd contact him in advance to see if it's an issue he can deal with. </p>