18-55 kit lens problems

cbustapeck · 10-24-2007, 11:37 AM

I have a 3 month old Pentax K100D with about 7500 frames on the clock (can you tell that I'm having lots of fun shooting with it?) and, starting about 1000 frames ago, I began to have an intermittent problem.

The focusing ring sticks near infinity. It can easily be dislodged by hand, but it sticks enough that the autofocus cannot focus, causing me to miss shots. This only happens intermittently, so I'm sure that when I take it in for warranty service, it won't show up. There's a tiny ding on the filter ring on the lens, and I'm worried that they'll blame whatever it is on that.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions?

little laker · 10-24-2007, 12:06 PM

Welcome to the Pentax Forums.

And you have got to give us another name to call you.... cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net is just to much.

I haven't heard of that problem before, and I really don't know what to recommend.
I don't imagine that you have another auto focus lens, do you?

I'm just wondering if it's the lens or the camera it's self

It's almost impossible to tell unless you have another lens to try.

If it gets to be too much of a problem the kit lens is just about the easiest lens to learn manual focus with.

Good luck with it.

cbustapeck · 10-24-2007, 12:31 PM

>Welcome to the Pentax Forums.

>And you have got to give us another name to call you.... >cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net is just to much.

Thank you. Is there some easy way I can change my display name? I signed up for this account, ages ago, it seems - I'd forgotten I even had it.

>I haven't heard of that problem before, and I really don't know what to >recommend.
>I don't imagine that you have another auto focus lens, do you?
Alas, I do not - I've got a healthy stable of manual focus m42 lenses, which for the most part suit me fine, except at the very wide end of the spectrum - which is why I'm so interested in getting this lens working properly. (Also, it has something to do with my better half insisting on it - this is the first new camera I've ever owned, so dangit, I want everything to work perfectly.)

>I'm just wondering if it's the lens or the camera it's self
>It's almost impossible to tell unless you have another lens to try.

I'm relatively sure that it's the lens - I've tried removing the lens from the camera body when this occurs, and the focus is still sticky until I move the focusing ring back and forth a couple times, just as I would if it were still mounted to the camera.

>If it gets to be too much of a problem the kit lens is just about the easiest
>lens to learn manual focus with.

Perhaps for some. It's just too dark for me to focus easily - I learned with 35mm and medium format primes, all of which were much faster than this zoom. I'm tempted to follow your advice, but I think it would necessitate buying one of the Katz Eye focusing screens, and at $150, it's just not in my budget right now.

dbh · 10-24-2007, 01:09 PM

I have this lens and mine is quite loose and free-moving. A bit sloppy even. Never sticky.
2 things come to mind: a) it needs a cleaning. Even a tiny little mist of apple juice working its way into the cracks will gum things up. -or-
b) it was subjected to a shock that threw something out of alignment or damaged a sliding surface inside. In which case it would bind whenever conditions were just right.
Either case I'd send it to Pentax after consulting with customer service. Should be either covered under warrantee or nominal charge to find and fix the problem.
--
dbh

little laker · 10-24-2007, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net

Thank you. Is there some easy way I can change my display name? I signed up for this account, ages ago, it seems - I'd forgotten I even had it.

I'm pretty sure that Mo can change your display name.
Just shoot him a PM at this link.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1

If we lived anywhere near each other I'd offer to just trade you lenses, but it isn't worth it when you have to pay for shipping both ways

Lots of luck with it, and I hope to see some of your pictures soon

axl · 10-24-2007, 02:07 PM

welcome to forums,
DA 18-55 "the Kit" lens, is my most used lens, and I never had any problem with it. So unfortunately I won't be able to help you with this. Basicly just wanted to say Hi !

cbustapeck · 10-24-2007, 02:51 PM

Thank you.

Pictures? It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a link to them to my profile, would it?

I have a bad habit of not editing as much as might be helpful, but here's a little taste of what I've been shooting of late:

Of course, now I've noticed that bit of dust on the second picture. Ack.

little laker · 10-24-2007, 02:57 PM

I love the top one.

You have some nice photos in your gallery

cbustapeck · 10-24-2007, 04:16 PM

Thanks. I shot a few good ones that morning. It's almost enough to motivate me to get up that early more often.

10-24-2007, 11:37 AM	#1
cbustapeck New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 8	18-55 kit lens problems I have a 3 month old Pentax K100D with about 7500 frames on the clock (can you tell that I'm having lots of fun shooting with it?) and, starting about 1000 frames ago, I began to have an intermittent problem. The focusing ring sticks near infinity. It can easily be dislodged by hand, but it sticks enough that the autofocus cannot focus, causing me to miss shots. This only happens intermittently, so I'm sure that when I take it in for warranty service, it won't show up. There's a tiny ding on the filter ring on the lens, and I'm worried that they'll blame whatever it is on that. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions?

10-24-2007, 12:31 PM	#3
cbustapeck New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 8 Original Poster	>Welcome to the Pentax Forums. >And you have got to give us another name to call you.... >cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net is just to much. Thank you. Is there some easy way I can change my display name? I signed up for this account, ages ago, it seems - I'd forgotten I even had it. >I haven't heard of that problem before, and I really don't know what to >recommend. >I don't imagine that you have another auto focus lens, do you? Alas, I do not - I've got a healthy stable of manual focus m42 lenses, which for the most part suit me fine, except at the very wide end of the spectrum - which is why I'm so interested in getting this lens working properly. (Also, it has something to do with my better half insisting on it - this is the first new camera I've ever owned, so dangit, I want everything to work perfectly.) >I'm just wondering if it's the lens or the camera it's self >It's almost impossible to tell unless you have another lens to try. I'm relatively sure that it's the lens - I've tried removing the lens from the camera body when this occurs, and the focus is still sticky until I move the focusing ring back and forth a couple times, just as I would if it were still mounted to the camera. >If it gets to be too much of a problem the kit lens is just about the easiest >lens to learn manual focus with. Perhaps for some. It's just too dark for me to focus easily - I learned with 35mm and medium format primes, all of which were much faster than this zoom. I'm tempted to follow your advice, but I think it would necessitate buying one of the Katz Eye focusing screens, and at $150, it's just not in my budget right now. Last edited by cbustapeck; 10-24-2007 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Formatting

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10-24-2007, 12:06 PM	#2
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	Welcome to the Pentax Forums. And you have got to give us another name to call you.... cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net is just to much. I haven't heard of that problem before, and I really don't know what to recommend. I don't imagine that you have another auto focus lens, do you? I'm just wondering if it's the lens or the camera it's self It's almost impossible to tell unless you have another lens to try. If it gets to be too much of a problem the kit lens is just about the easiest lens to learn manual focus with. Good luck with it.

10-24-2007, 01:09 PM	#4
dbh Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Edmonton Photos: Gallery Posts: 404	I have this lens and mine is quite loose and free-moving. A bit sloppy even. Never sticky. 2 things come to mind: a) it needs a cleaning. Even a tiny little mist of apple juice working its way into the cracks will gum things up. -or- b) it was subjected to a shock that threw something out of alignment or damaged a sliding surface inside. In which case it would bind whenever conditions were just right. Either case I'd send it to Pentax after consulting with customer service. Should be either covered under warrantee or nominal charge to find and fix the problem. -- dbh

10-24-2007, 01:59 PM	#5
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	Originally posted by cbustapeck@sbcglobal.net Thank you. Is there some easy way I can change my display name? I signed up for this account, ages ago, it seems - I'd forgotten I even had it. I'm pretty sure that Mo can change your display name. Just shoot him a PM at this link. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=1 If we lived anywhere near each other I'd offer to just trade you lenses, but it isn't worth it when you have to pay for shipping both ways Lots of luck with it, and I hope to see some of your pictures soon

10-24-2007, 02:07 PM	#6
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	welcome to forums, DA 18-55 "the Kit" lens, is my most used lens, and I never had any problem with it. So unfortunately I won't be able to help you with this. Basicly just wanted to say Hi !

10-24-2007, 02:51 PM	#7
cbustapeck New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 8 Original Poster	Thank you. Pictures? It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a link to them to my profile, would it? I have a bad habit of not editing as much as might be helpful, but here's a little taste of what I've been shooting of late: Of course, now I've noticed that bit of dust on the second picture. Ack.

10-24-2007, 02:57 PM	#8
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I love the top one. You have some nice photos in your gallery

10-24-2007, 04:16 PM	#9
cbustapeck New Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 8 Original Poster	Thanks. I shot a few good ones that morning. It's almost enough to motivate me to get up that early more often.