DA 10-17 Question

FuzzyOne · 12-03-2008, 05:01 PM

I literally just took delivery of the Pentax 10-17 a few hours ago and have a question. I noticed the focusing ring seems a little loose compared to my other lenses. If I hold my fingers on the bottom cap and lens cap and shake the lens, I can hear it rattle a little. If I hold the focusing ring, the rattle stops. This is very slight but noticable.

Did this lens get damaged in shipping? I ordered it from a eBay seller in Canada and they only used bubble wrap for the long journey to NJ. From the few test shots I took inside, it looks pretty darn sharp.

Thank you.

*heliphoto* · 12-03-2008, 05:28 PM

I bought this lens used and my focus ring is also fairly loose, but it's never been an issue, and as you say it takes nice photos, so I've never worried about it. I hate when people / businesses ship without a box - lame.

SpecialK · 12-03-2008, 07:08 PM

Yeah, it makes a dull rattle when shaken. Never noticed, or used.

FuzzyOne · 12-04-2008, 07:18 PM

Thanks for the responses. I tried it out today and it works perfectly.

walter · 12-04-2008, 10:29 PM

Just tried it with my lens and it does the same thing. The front of the lens wobbles a fair bit. I haven't noticed any issues with the images.

*Sailor* · 12-05-2008, 02:13 PM

Mine also has a little mechanical play - I guess you could call it a rattle. Never noticed it before and the lens works fine. These things are a bunch of fun to use - and I'm glad you posted this, since it reminds me to use mine more often.

Jer

FuzzyOne · 12-05-2008, 02:54 PM

I also noticed there is a lot of CA which I'm guessing is also normal.

*heliphoto* · 12-05-2008, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by FuzzyOne

I also noticed there is a lot of CA which I'm guessing is also normal.

Yeah, it's a CA monster

. Fun lens though.

madphys · 12-05-2008, 03:59 PM

Don't know about rattle or wobble of focusing ring on 10-17 - this lens has a very good build quality compared to other DA lenses, but my DA 16-45 does have this problem - focusing ring is very loose and it really wobbles around but as mentioned it doesn't affect the image in any way. So I guess this normal and depends on particular lens - so don't worry.

creampuff · 12-05-2008, 05:07 PM

Read the Pentax DA lens operating manual - page 15
The "loose" focusing ring is because of Quick Shift, a feature on all DA/DFA lenses.

madphys · 12-06-2008, 02:59 AM

Yup Quick Shift makes it easy to turn the focusing ring, but on that particular 16-45 it is way to loose - it really wobbles in perpendicular direction - sometimes just a slight touch of finger moves the focus point away - so I am careful when using that lens. I always thought that it is construction of those 16-45 because on my other DA Lenses focusing rings are much tighter - and 10-17 is one of the best (from mechanical point of view).

*John Kovarik* · 12-06-2008, 04:30 AM

Yes the ring is very slightly 'looser' than on other lenses. The 10-17 is am amazing lens, though. I got my 31 ltd from prodigital Thurday - it came in a bag too..........EeeK!

avian · 12-06-2008, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by John Kovarik

Yes the ring is very slightly 'looser' than on other lenses. The 10-17 is am amazing lens, though. I got my 31 ltd from prodigital Thurday - it came in a bag too..........EeeK!

By this do you mean it didnt come in a box?