Unhelpful Tokina importer - anyone got manufacturer contact?

[Ari]

Trying to find out when the new Tokina 11-16 MK2 is due out.

Emailed the UK importer, get back:

[i]We have not been notified by Tokina when the new product is available.

It will be shown on our website when available.
[/i]

Ask if they could find out when it's likely to be (they are, after all, the Tokina importer, surely they have a contact!) Get back:

They will inform us when they are available to purchase.

Dead helpful.

Leaves me in limbo because the new one has been announced, I want to get one, but I don't want to buy the old one only for it to be immediately replaced by a better one, or wait for the better one and find it doesn't arrive for another six months. (I need to be able to be using it next month).

I don't seem to be able to find a direct email contact for the manufacturers, anyone got any suggestions?

[lloyd h]

A simple google search shows that it is due out in March.

[Ari]

Really? What did you search for? I couldn't find anything useful.

Is it March in the UK?

[Ari]

Aha, managed to find some info. It seems the lens is out "late March", but no info on when coming to the UK.

http://translate.google.com/translate?rurl=transla...

Meanwhile UK distributor is saying:

Tokina are not the best of companies for communication. They will not advise an item is ready for shipment until there are stocks available.

I’m sorry if I’m being slightly vague, but we do not have the necessary information at present.

Dammit, need it for mid April, what to do, what to do...

[AndWhyNot]

Ari said:

what to do, what to do...

Rent

[Ari]

That's a thought. Who's recommended?

[ian in lancs]

if thats what they're like when youre trying to spend money imagine what the after sales is like. Walk away?

[Elderly]

I bought a Tokina 12-24 a few years back and I suspected that it might have had a problem
(it didn't ).
The distributers couldn't have been more helpful.

[AndWhyNot]

Ari said:

That's a thought. Who's recommended?

Lenses for Hire
LensPimp (seriously)

[Ari]

ian in lancs said:

if thats what they're like when youre trying to spend money imagine what the after sales is like. Walk away?

To be fair it sounded like it was a communications problem from the factory. However I find it hard to believe they cannot contact someone there and say "we've seen there's a new MK2 version coming out, when might we expect it in the UK?"

So yes, and I did actually put that in a polite email back. And got no response, again hardly encouraging.

Oh well, good job there's not a recession on, guess they can sell all they can get without having to answer questions.

[ian in lancs]

Elderly said:

I bought a Tokina 12-24 a few years back and I suspected that it might have had a problem
(it didn't ).
The distributers couldn't have been more helpful.

Fair comment but this is now and people move on.

[Ari]

Don't suppose anyone's heard anything more about the MK2 version of this lens have they? All the info I can find on Google is dated beginning of the year, doesn't seem to be much else since.

I read somewhere (on Tokina's site I think) that the MK2 was out late March. Well we're there now and seems to be no sign of it.

Anyone know anything?