Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
09-16-2007, 10:28 AM   #1
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland,OR
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 308
Pentax A 50 1.4 stiff focus

Hello...i just bought a lens off eB@y..a Pentax A 50mm 1.4....i wanted to try this lens,and this one was not too expensive...(although it wouldn't be worth the 65 dollars i paid if i dont make it work)..the reason?..the seller states that the lens focus ring(i havent received the lens yet...but i am anxious about finding solutions)gets pretty stiff when it gets to 2 feet close.....There is a little dent on the filter ring..could that be the cause?...Any of you have had similar problems with some of your manual lenses..?..Of course there is nothing to really do until i get the lens!!!..but i thought it could be interesting to know how far can we get repairing lenses...I have cleaned front element assembly form M and Takumar lenses....Would getting into the helicoid be much more difficult?...Any tip or advice on lubrication...?
Thanks

09-16-2007, 12:35 PM   #2
roy
Inactive Account
roy's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: D/FW area, Tx.
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,710
i haven't done an A lens yet. the K M TAKs pretty much come apart the same. the helical when it gets to 2' may need a little grease or it just need some use. if turning it a few times thru out the range doesn't help, try setting the lens in the sun for and hour with the ap ring down. run it thru a few more cycles and see if it helps. try again if it doesn't..
if that doesn't work , punt. just kidding. post back and we will see what else can be done. i've got a dusty M50/2 i need to diassemble again.
09-16-2007, 03:41 PM   #3
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland,OR
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 308
Original Poster
Jeeee...i should have got this lens in June,because in the next months i dont know how much Sun we are going to be getting here in Portland!!!!!!
Thanks for the tips Roy,i will keep you posted ...By the way...Did you sell the Bushnells?????
09-16-2007, 03:54 PM   #4
roy
Inactive Account
roy's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: D/FW area, Tx.
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,710
a good halogen work light will do the same. after a lens sets for a long time the grease tends to get harder with no use. i've fixed a couple of zooms with a quick twist before but you need to realize if it's too hard a twist well..... i understand your prob in portland. use a 100-150 watt light bulb even. all you are trying to do is warm up the grease and get it moving again. at the lower end of 2' it could mean there isn't enough or there is too much grease there. all you'll be trying to do is get it to migrate anywhere else except into the aperture module.
if this fails then nuke it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on hi....... surely hope you know i'm kidding about the microwave.

09-16-2007, 05:10 PM   #5
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland,OR
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 308
Original Poster
Kidding???...sounds like a good idea to me!!!!..Actually i wonder if 10 second of microwaves would do the trick....In anycase i would start with a couple of hours of manipulation ,back and forth ..and then the Sun...we are going to have Sun until November this year...i was kidding..Or a lamp like you said...yes..i think some moderate warmth and use would probably do...If the bent in the filter ring was causing any friction it would probably be noticeable not only in the close part of the focus...i dont know...for some interesting info go to:htpp://www.kyphoto.com/classics/repairmanuals.html....scroll down all the way and there ia link to pentax manuals,with an exploded view of the 50mm A 1.7...
Dont forget that i am still interested in your binocs!
09-17-2007, 04:40 PM   #6
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland,OR
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 308
Original Poster
I receive the lens,and i was VERY happy...the focus gets a little dry or stiff passing the 1.8 feet towards the end of the close focus,..but i bought it with the assumption that it wouldnt get to the end!..It does feel a bit drt ,but there is no problem getting the lens to close focus....glass and aperture look great..so it is sunbathing now,dont let me forget it there overnight!!!!!!!!thanks
09-18-2007, 06:54 AM   #7
Veteran Member
FotoPete's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,774
I bought a Mir-1 37mm/2.8 a while back and its been sitting on my shelf since because the focus ring is stiff as hell. Like everytime I turn it, I end up unscrewing the lens from the M42 adaptor. I took off the focus rim to expose the inside focus collar. I added some of that rust pepellant lubricating solution. Kinda like WD-40 and the focus ring is now alot more useful. (luckily no grease seeped into the lens tube or aperture assembly...yet)

With russian lenses, construction seems alot more simplistic and rough. Like I was able to fix a lagging aperture on my Helios-44. The screws are usually easy to find if not exposed. If you have the guts, I'm guess you can try peeling back the rubber on the SMC A 50/1.4 to see what it looks like. Check with Roy because he's actually dismantled pentax primes.

09-18-2007, 11:51 AM   #8
Senior Member
Trawlerman's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Hull, Yorkshire, UK
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 210
QuoteOriginally posted by mayoapo Quote
Actually i wonder if 10 second of microwaves would do the trick....
You were kidding about this right? Tell me you're kidding!

If you put this lens in your microwave you are likely to damage both the lens and the microwave. This lens has a metal barrel and mounting and will give off a lot of sparks.

Don't even think about trying this, please.
09-18-2007, 07:43 PM   #9
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland,OR
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 308
Original Poster
Yes ,,i was kidding ,and i should be more careful,so no one get the wrong ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!
09-19-2007, 12:00 PM   #10
Veteran Member
Jimfear's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 576
I just recently had this same problem with my K 50mm 1.4. It was quite easy to fix, this is what I did. Took the lens apart as far as I needed with the help of this site

Pentax 50mm f/1.4 strip-down instructions

then took some clotch and cleand out as much of the old greese as possible, then put som new fresh greese in and put it all together again. After that I sat a while running the focus from end to end and the problem was as good as gone.

I don't know if the A version is similarly built to the rest of the gang but I do think so.

Regards Axel
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
focus, k-mount, lens, pentax, pentax lens, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Stiff On-Off Switch on K7 seachunk2 Pentax DSLR Discussion 4 06-27-2010 07:29 PM
Stiff Focus Ring geauxpez Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 6 04-12-2010 09:34 AM
Stiff Breeze Sailor Post Your Photos! 29 06-19-2009 08:27 AM
Pentax F 28-80 all stiff jezza323 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 3 02-24-2009 10:40 AM
Voigtlander 180mm stiff focus normal? jsherman999 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 4 03-01-2008 10:14 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:56 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top