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SDM Quit Working - DA* 16-50mm

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viking79

viking79

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I just got a DA* 16-50mm and the SDM stopped working on my K20D, and man this lens is loud without it, reminds me of the F 70-210mm. As much as I like the feedback of the screw drive, since I paid for SDM I would like it to work. Is there anything I might have done on the body to disable it, is there some way to perform a reset on the camera, I am assuming a power cycle and battery swap should be adequate incase anything got in a strange state.

All I was doing was swapping lenses between my Sigma 17-35mm and the Pentax 16-50 to compare them, so I was swapping back and forth a couple times. I put the lens on, went to focus, and heard it was loud. I checked to make sure I didn't have the Sigma on, but I had the DA. Now, it only seems to use the screw drive.

I bought this lens used from Amazon, but they do have a 30 day return policy. If there is something wrong with the lens I will return it, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't my body acting up instead. Maybe I will take the pair to the local camera shop and see if the lens works on a K20D body there. Any other ideas? Is this a common issue?
 
Have you tried cleaning the contacts of the both the lens and the body?

Perhaps they just became a little dirty breaking the SDM electrical connection thereby making the lens think it was a screw drive?

Oliver
 
I had the same problem. It was the two contacts that are just inside the lens mount in the camera and the matching ones on the lens.
 
What did you use to clean them, a solvent like alcohol or electrical contact cleaner, or did you use something abrasive like fine grain sand paper?

Eric
 
Looks even more problematic than Canon or Nikon's short lived Micro USMs - yours isn't the first to have died - great that it moved over to the screw drive ....

Shame you couldn't leave it on screw drive from a menu setting in the camera - Micro USM was designed for Dogtoy cheap bundle lenses and that is where it should STAY

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
 
Let's hope that lenses without the screw drive at least have reliable motors (i.e. 17-70). There is no fail safe. I have rarely seen the trusty old screw drive fail unless it gets full of dirt or something.

I will try cleaning the contacts as someone else stated, if that doesn't fix it, I will try it on a body at the store, and if it still doesn't work it goes back to Amazon for my money back.

I will say, besides the lack of feedback, the SDM does feel more refined. The grating noise from the screw drive is readily apparent after using the SDM. It doesn't help that the 16-50mm is about as loud as my F 70-210 was, and it slams into the focus stops in the same unrefined fashion.
Adam-T said:
Looks even more problematic than Canon or Nikon's short lived Micro
USMs - yours isn't the first to have died - great that it moved over
to the screw drive ....
Shame you couldn't leave it on screw drive from a menu setting in the
camera - Micro USM was designed for Dogtoy cheap bundle lenses and
that is where it should STAY

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
Click to expand...
 
There's some stuff sold at hobby shops for cleaning electrical contacts and electric motors. You might have luck with that.
--
Lipo
*

 
viking79 said:
after using the SDM. It doesn't help that the 16-50mm is about as
loud as my F 70-210 was, and it slams into the focus stops in the
same unrefined fashion.
Click to expand...
Jeez, is it that bad ??? the 70-210 can make a K100 jump out of your hands almost but no one could accuse it of being slow ! .. Other screw drive lenses are a lot more refined, the Sig 17-70 for one

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
 
I do not seeing myself getting a Pentax USM any time soon.I honestly do not trust the micro motor design. There is no gain in speed,so whats the point ? some will say its quieter,but the screw drive noise is not what i would call loud.

Cheers !
 
Hell Yeah, my SMC F 70-210 is loud and ugly but it is focusing fast and taking great pictures. even wide open.

Once in a blue moon a small metal ring that holding front element is getting loose from the momentum that it gains while focusing.
I am kidding you not, I have tightened it 2 or 3 times already.

--
I had superpowers, but my therapist took them from me.
 
The 16-50mm has a very loud screw drive, much louder than that on my Sigma 17-35mm. I have no complaints about it, but was just starting to get used to the SDM (which I didn't like because it was too quiet) ;) I don't want to sound like I am complaining though, because these don't bother me.
 
Okay, I cleaned the contacts on my body and I still don't think the SDM is working. I will try some stronger alcohol, I just used the rubbing alcohol I had. I will try the 99% isopropyl. I tried it on a body at the store and it worked fine, so it is either dirty contacts or a faulty camera body.

Thanks,

Eric
viking79 said:
I just got a DA* 16-50mm and the SDM stopped working on my K20D, and
man this lens is loud without it, reminds me of the F 70-210mm. As
much as I like the feedback of the screw drive, since I paid for SDM
I would like it to work. Is there anything I might have done on the
body to disable it, is there some way to perform a reset on the
camera, I am assuming a power cycle and battery swap should be
adequate incase anything got in a strange state.

All I was doing was swapping lenses between my Sigma 17-35mm and the
Pentax 16-50 to compare them, so I was swapping back and forth a
couple times. I put the lens on, went to focus, and heard it was
loud. I checked to make sure I didn't have the Sigma on, but I had
the DA. Now, it only seems to use the screw drive.

I bought this lens used from Amazon, but they do have a 30 day return
policy. If there is something wrong with the lens I will return it,
but I wanted to make sure it wasn't my body acting up instead.
Maybe I will take the pair to the local camera shop and see if the
lens works on a K20D body there. Any other ideas? Is this a common
issue?
Click to expand...
 
I had the same thing happen with my 50-135/K10D. I initially suspected the lens, but after trying the lens on another K10D, discovered it was the body. I sent the K10D to Colorado and they worked their magic on it and sent it back all within about two weeks (even cleaned up the viewfinder for me!) It sucked not having a camera for two weeks, but Pentax will take care of you!
viking79 said:
Thanks,

Eric
viking79 said:
I just got a DA* 16-50mm and the SDM stopped working on my K20D, and
man this lens is loud without it, reminds me of the F 70-210mm. As
much as I like the feedback of the screw drive, since I paid for SDM
I would like it to work. Is there anything I might have done on the
body to disable it, is there some way to perform a reset on the
camera, I am assuming a power cycle and battery swap should be
adequate incase anything got in a strange state.

All I was doing was swapping lenses between my Sigma 17-35mm and the
Pentax 16-50 to compare them, so I was swapping back and forth a
couple times. I put the lens on, went to focus, and heard it was
loud. I checked to make sure I didn't have the Sigma on, but I had
the DA. Now, it only seems to use the screw drive.

I bought this lens used from Amazon, but they do have a 30 day return
policy. If there is something wrong with the lens I will return it,
but I wanted to make sure it wasn't my body acting up instead.
Maybe I will take the pair to the local camera shop and see if the
lens works on a K20D body there. Any other ideas? Is this a common
issue?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Okay, it is going to go back to Pentax for something else anyway, so I will mention the non working SDM to them too.

What do I need to do to return it, I don't think I have ever had to have warranty work done on a product.

Eric
 
Online Pentax has a form you fill out. Print out form, fill it out, pack up camera, stick in box with said form and be sure to include your original receipt/proof of purchase.

It really wasn't too bad, I was nervous, but Pentax did a good job of fixing it.
 
Of the Pentax 16-50 f2.8. Although, I was holding my breath since January 2007 when they announced the Pentax 16-50. It was supposed to be the best lens to come out of Pentax and was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread.

Well, about this time last year, the first lenses came on the market and if I am remembering correctly, there were more lemons than good lenses, according to the viewers personal reviews. There were many issues with this lens and it was obvious that the quality control at Pentax was given to the lowest bidder…

Now this defective SDM. I am afraid this will not be the only case we ear about…

--

 
See the above posts. My K20D is junk, not the lens. The lens is great.
 
My DA*16-50 f2.8 stopped focusing once on my K20D and all I did was take it off, then turn the camera's AF screw drive half a turn and I have never had a problem since. For some reason it seems as though the camera's screw drive was not seated properly with the lens and this affected the SDM of the lens. I have no idea why, but it seems to have corrected itself.

Maybe you could give this a go and see if it works.
--
Lance B
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b

 
Lance B said:
Maybe you could give this a go and see if it works.
Click to expand...
I doubt that's the issue as the lens is using the Screw drive to actually focus so it must be aligned

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist
 
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