[xGene]

I posted a couple months back about my 50-135 SDM failure(s) SNAFU(s). My first copy was replaced by Pentax Canada on good faith, although they never admitted there was an issue... My second copy failed after only a few months of use. This time a had to pay for the parts (motor & gear assembly).

Guess what? Now my DA*300 is starting to act-up on me! The focus is very slow, but I can hear the motor inside. I have to turn manually the focus ring from stop to stop several times for the focus to speed up normally. To be honest, I am not sure wether this is due to the SDM or some sort of friction impeding the normal operation, but it is definitely related to focus. Perhaps too much lubricant or grease, or too thick a grade... I don't know, but this is getting silly! I also have the DA*200 which I use quite a lot, it's been perfect so far. I got rid of my 16-50 a few weeks ago, more to do with questionable optics performance in this case. All in all, I am not so lucky with the DA* range! I still have my older FA*, 28-70, 80-200, I NEVER had any issues whatsoever with those, and they've been used for much much longer, in unbelieveable conditions and temperatures, and they are still strong...

What to think?

xGene

[Pentaxor]

I believe it's wrong to compare lenses to computers. Lenses are precision instruments while computers are electronic equipment. computers are more prone to wear out quickly due to excessive use and abuse. the life expectancy of computers nowadays ranges from 3-5 years. especially if you never turn them off. capacitors, resistors, transistors, fan and the CPU itself, not to mention the monitor, are pretty much heavily labored. just imagine having not to turn off your tv for 5 years, I think you get the point. also the elements itself doesn't make it any better. exposing your computer to a warm/hot environment would decrease the life expectancy further down.

[philbaum]

I'm disappointed that the threads been diverted to talk about Toshiba laptops. What they have in common with SDM is beyond my imagination.

I now have 16 months on my DA 300 and 11 months on my DA 50-135, both are working very well.

I understand where xGene is coming from and his opinions from that experience are valid of course. But when someone posted recently that the DA 50-135 is one of the better selling lenses in Japan - that tells me that there are a lot of them performing OK.

Now that benjikan as reported that there is a good repair for these lenses if they do fail, then i'm in them for the long haul. They are just too good to give up IMO. I remember the bad advice i got on buying the Sigma 10-20 2 years ago, dire predictions about how if i bought 3 Sigma 10-20 lenses, they would all be bad. Glad i didn't listen to that advice and glad that i didn't listen to the advice on the DA 50-135.

[Russell-Evans]

Now that benjikan as reported that there is a good repair for these lenses if they do fail, then i'm in them for the long haul.

So you are willing to pay an average of a $1000, and then at a later date pay another $260, plus two weeks to a month of down time, for a lens? All because you read that some Pentax rep told somebody it's all good and that person posted it on the Internet?

Thank you
Russell

[Ash]

Indeed, 'hit and miss' is simply not good enough for Pentax's premium lenses.
I've been fortunate this far with my 2 year old 16-50, which on the whole functions flawlessly. But an AF failure would just ruin my attitude about this lens, which has given me unrivalled results in all conditions.

I'll keep saying it, but the only way Pentax can restore confidence in their SDM lenses is to offer extended/lifetime warranty on their DA* lenses. Should SDM II technology come and rectify much of the failure rates, then Pentax may be on a winning formula again, particularly with the enthusiasts and pros.

[Pentaxor]

Indeed, 'hit and miss' is simply not good enough for Pentax's premium lenses.
I've been fortunate this far with my 2 year old 16-50, which on the whole functions flawlessly. But an AF failure would just ruin my attitude about this lens, which has given me unrivalled results in all conditions.

I'll keep saying it, but the only way Pentax can restore confidence in their SDM lenses is to offer extended/lifetime warranty on their DA* lenses. Should SDM II technology come and rectify much of the failure rates, then Pentax may be on a winning formula again, particularly with the enthusiasts and pros.

extended warranty is good for added confidence and security. but there might be some issue for some people sending their lenses annually for recalibration. if the recalibration would only take 1 week or 2 including free shipping, that would be fine. but if it would take a month or so, that would be a problem.

[EricT]

So you are willing to pay an average of a $1000, and then at a later date pay another $260, plus two weeks to a month of down time, for a lens? All because you read that some Pentax rep told somebody it's all good and that person posted it on the Internet?

Thank you
Russell

Well, if you compare the price of the 16-50mm to Nikon's 17-55mm, you can repair it twice and it will still be cheaper!

[philbaum]

So you are willing to pay an average of a $1000, and then at a later date pay another $260, plus two weeks to a month of down time, for a lens? All because you read that some Pentax rep told somebody it's all good and that person posted it on the Internet?

Thank you
Russell

Russell,
You missed one of the big salient points, its a best selling lens. If they were all crapping out, then there would be a much bigger outroar.

If you looked at the other current SDM thread, you would find that a photographer in another county, other than France, also got the same feedback on a new revised motor being available.

Electrical motors in many many applications run reliably for a greater number of years than i have available to me.

Be happy, its a lot more fun that being obsessive.

[kevinschoenmakers]

I think a big survey could prove useful for the SDM issues. There might be telling patterns when it comes to third-party battery usage, body model, lens model, lens age, zoom/prime, gender of the photographer*, or whatever conceivable variable.


* only joking

[Pentaxor]

how do we know which copy has a revised motor? which serial nos. ? or do we still need to see some failure before a replacement is made? does Pentax seems to go cheap on us by letting it wear out or weather the storm? is it afraid to lose money if ever it does recall all of it's earlier problematic versions?

[gdog]

I think a big survey could prove useful for the SDM issues. There might be telling patterns when it comes to third-party battery usage, body model, lens model, lens age, zoom/prime, gender of the photographer*, or whatever conceivable variable.


* only joking

If Pentax changed the SDM motors we can get an idea from the serial numbers and how frequent is the problem at early copies and later copies of the same lens, i think.

P.S.
Kevin i voted for your self portrait at PPG.

[Blue]

SDM issues is one of the biggest clouds hanging over the DA 17-70mm f4 given it has F.R.E.E. etc. This would be the ultimate street and event lens.

[Russell-Evans]

Well, if you compare the price of the 16-50mm to Nikon's 17-55mm, you can repair it twice and it will still be cheaper!

How much value do you assign the time when the lens fails on a trip, or during a special event?

Thank you
Russell

[Russell-Evans]

You missed one of the big salient points, its a best selling lens. If they were all crapping out, then there would be a much bigger outroar.

So one in ten is OK? As long as they aren't all crapping out, right. It's not like they are the top of the line lenses, right? Have you seen the pile of grief that is given someone that posts an SDM failure?

If you looked at the other current SDM thread, you would find that a photographer in another county, other than France, also got the same feedback on a new revised motor being available.

Wow, two people at Pentax smart enough to figure out that lens sales might be impacted by this. Was that in this thread?

Be happy, its a lot more fun that being obsessive.

You be happy spending your money, I hear some people are soon parted with it anyway.

Thank you
Russell

[Internetpilot]

As I'm currently looking at buying a lens in a category chock full of SDM and HSM lenses, I would greatly appreciate a SDM survey.

Does anyone know if the Sigma HSM lenses suffer the same failure rate or is that too much apples to oranges type of thing?

-- Chris