Pentax 200mm f/2.8 autofocus not working?

milka · 05-31-2012, 09:12 PM

Dear fellow Pentax users,
I rented a Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA for my k200 body. I mounted it and panicked, I could not take a picture. I switched to manual focus and it worked. I switched to auto and it seemed to work about every 6th time. What am I doing wrong? Am I at a wrong distance, is it broken? HELP!

Adam · 05-31-2012, 09:17 PM

Sounds like a broken lens perhaps. Either that, or it's not locking focus for some reason or other.

milka · 05-31-2012, 09:20 PM

Hm, broken lens is what I need to take wedding photos on Saturday...

Anvh · 05-31-2012, 09:26 PM

Clean the contact and look what it does and place some freshly charged batteries or lithium batteries if you've them lying around in it, it might be enough to persuade the lens.

milka · 05-31-2012, 09:39 PM

I will try that!

yusuf · 05-31-2012, 10:53 PM

famous SDM issue may be?

Anvh · 06-01-2012, 02:20 AM

Originally posted by yusuf

famous SDM issue may be?

Maybe but this the first time i hear it happening with the DA*200

milka · 06-09-2012, 01:29 PM

This is what the company wrote me after I stated my problem: "The lens will not AF as you discovered on a Pentax K200. I wish you had emailed us first before you seleced the lens so we could have let you know that."
I am sorry - what? They never really gave me a reason. Is this true and why doesn't AF work with K200? Is it a full frame lens?

Jodokast96 · 06-09-2012, 01:52 PM

That's nonsense. The DA*200 has both screw and SDM drives, so it should work no matter what unless the lens is faulty. This is a DA*200 and not an FA*200, right?

milka · 06-11-2012, 02:26 PM

The lens is; f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA - so I am assuming it is a DA, right?

Anvh · 06-12-2012, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by milka

The lens is; f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA - so I am assuming it is a DA, right?

Yep.
P-DA, P stands for Pentax.

**MJL** · 06-15-2012, 03:17 PM

When I sold my DA*200/2.8 to an older gentleman who use K200, he told me he has the same AF issue as you mentioned. He e-mail me later and said he find out that the AF on K200 will not work with that lens either in LiveView or Viewfinder mode. He was planning to use the lens to shot grandchildren and didn't tell me he has problem after that, so I presume he was able to work around this issue. I don't remember which Mode it is because I couldn't find the e-mail now.

knufo · 12-07-2012, 12:27 AM

My DA*200/2.8 (on a Pentax K5) did not autofocus 100 % from the beginning (october 2011). I did not use it very much at first, but recently I found out that it is 99 % "not functioning". I have to turn to "manual focus" both on the lens, and at the camera, turn the focus ring manually (several times to make the ring catch the "interior"), the back to autofocus. If lucky then it will autofocus for a few shots.
I have made complaint both to B&H (USA) and to Pentax Norway, but no one will explain, or take responsibility for this mess. (B&H wil not issue a world wide guaranty as I live outside US (Norway).

I should add that I brought camera and lens to a service-shop in Oslo (Camera&Videoteknikk) to let them check wether the problem was the lens or the camera. When I mountet the lens on a demo-camera, autofocus seemed to function 100 %. Changing back to my camera, autofocus suddenly seemed to function 100 % !! It stayed this way for the next week, then back to 100 % no function:-(

I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax.
Knufo

Jodokast96 · 12-07-2012, 08:20 AM

Originally posted by knufo

My DA*200/2.8 (on a Pentax K5) did not autofocus 100 % from the beginning (october 2011). I did not use it very much at first, but recently I found out that it is 99 % "not functioning". I have to turn to "manual focus" both on the lens, and at the camera, turn the focus ring manually (several times to make the ring catch the "interior"), the back to autofocus. If lucky then it will autofocus for a few shots.
I have made complaint both to B&H (USA) and to Pentax Norway, but no one will explain, or take responsibility for this mess. (B&H wil not issue a world wide guaranty as I live outside US (Norway).

I should add that I brought camera and lens to a service-shop in Oslo (Camera&Videoteknikk) to let them check wether the problem was the lens or the camera. When I mountet the lens on a demo-camera, autofocus seemed to function 100 %. Changing back to my camera, autofocus suddenly seemed to function 100 % !! It stayed this way for the next week, then back to 100 % no function:-(

I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax.
Knufo

If it did not work from the beginning, you should have just returned immediately. B&H gives you 30 days to figure out if the thing is damaged or not. No need to worry about guarantees or warranties. Sorry, but you dropped the ball by waiting.

**MJL** · 12-08-2012, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by knufo

I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax.
Knufo

Pentax lenses IQ still top notch - but the electronics inside are light years behind.

05-31-2012, 09:12 PM	#1
milka New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 18	Pentax 200mm f/2.8 autofocus not working? Dear fellow Pentax users, I rented a Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA for my k200 body. I mounted it and panicked, I could not take a picture. I switched to manual focus and it worked. I switched to auto and it seemed to work about every 6th time. What am I doing wrong? Am I at a wrong distance, is it broken? HELP!

05-31-2012, 09:17 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Sounds like a broken lens perhaps. Either that, or it's not locking focus for some reason or other. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

06-15-2012, 03:17 PM	#12
MJL Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The Canadian WetCoast Photos: Albums Posts: 384	*K200 with DA 200/2.8** When I sold my DA200/2.8 to an older gentleman who use K200, he told me he has the same AF issue as you mentioned. He e-mail me later and said he find out that the AF on K200 will not work with that lens either in LiveView or Viewfinder mode. He was planning to use the lens to shot grandchildren and didn't tell me he has problem after that, so I presume he was able to work around this issue. I don't remember which Mode it is because I couldn't find the e-mail now. Last edited by MJL; 06-15-2012 at 03:24 PM.*

12-08-2012, 10:29 AM	#15
MJL Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The Canadian WetCoast Photos: Albums Posts: 384	Ditto Originally posted by knufo I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax. Knufo Pentax lenses IQ still top notch - but the electronics inside are light years behind.

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05-31-2012, 09:20 PM	#3
milka New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 18 Original Poster	Hm, broken lens is what I need to take wedding photos on Saturday...

05-31-2012, 09:26 PM	#4
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Clean the contact and look what it does and place some freshly charged batteries or lithium batteries if you've them lying around in it, it might be enough to persuade the lens.

05-31-2012, 09:39 PM	#5
milka New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 18 Original Poster	I will try that!

05-31-2012, 10:53 PM	#6
yusuf Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,497	famous SDM issue may be?

06-01-2012, 02:20 AM	#7
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Originally posted by yusuf famous SDM issue may be? Maybe but this the first time i hear it happening with the DA*200

06-09-2012, 01:29 PM	#8
milka New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 18 Original Poster	This is what the company wrote me after I stated my problem: "The lens will not AF as you discovered on a Pentax K200. I wish you had emailed us first before you seleced the lens so we could have let you know that." I am sorry - what? They never really gave me a reason. Is this true and why doesn't AF work with K200? Is it a full frame lens?

06-09-2012, 01:52 PM	#9
Jodokast96 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Erial, NJ USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,134	That's nonsense. The DA200 has both screw and SDM drives, so it should work no matter what unless the lens is faulty. This is a DA200 and not an FA*200, right?

06-11-2012, 02:26 PM	#10
milka New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 18 Original Poster	The lens is; f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA - so I am assuming it is a DA, right?

06-12-2012, 08:01 AM	#11
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Originally posted by milka The lens is; f/2.8 ED(IF) SDM smc P-DA - so I am assuming it is a DA, right? Yep. P-DA, P stands for Pentax.

12-07-2012, 12:27 AM	#13
knufo New Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 10	My DA*200/2.8 (on a Pentax K5) did not autofocus 100 % from the beginning (october 2011). I did not use it very much at first, but recently I found out that it is 99 % "not functioning". I have to turn to "manual focus" both on the lens, and at the camera, turn the focus ring manually (several times to make the ring catch the "interior"), the back to autofocus. If lucky then it will autofocus for a few shots. I have made complaint both to B&H (USA) and to Pentax Norway, but no one will explain, or take responsibility for this mess. (B&H wil not issue a world wide guaranty as I live outside US (Norway). I should add that I brought camera and lens to a service-shop in Oslo (Camera&Videoteknikk) to let them check wether the problem was the lens or the camera. When I mountet the lens on a demo-camera, autofocus seemed to function 100 %. Changing back to my camera, autofocus suddenly seemed to function 100 % !! It stayed this way for the next week, then back to 100 % no function:-( I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax. Knufo

12-07-2012, 08:20 AM	#14
Jodokast96 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Erial, NJ USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,134	Originally posted by knufo My DA*200/2.8 (on a Pentax K5) did not autofocus 100 % from the beginning (october 2011). I did not use it very much at first, but recently I found out that it is 99 % "not functioning". I have to turn to "manual focus" both on the lens, and at the camera, turn the focus ring manually (several times to make the ring catch the "interior"), the back to autofocus. If lucky then it will autofocus for a few shots. I have made complaint both to B&H (USA) and to Pentax Norway, but no one will explain, or take responsibility for this mess. (B&H wil not issue a world wide guaranty as I live outside US (Norway). I should add that I brought camera and lens to a service-shop in Oslo (Camera&Videoteknikk) to let them check wether the problem was the lens or the camera. When I mountet the lens on a demo-camera, autofocus seemed to function 100 %. Changing back to my camera, autofocus suddenly seemed to function 100 % !! It stayed this way for the next week, then back to 100 % no function:-( I am sorry to say that I am not happy with Pentax. Knufo If it did not work from the beginning, you should have just returned immediately. B&H gives you 30 days to figure out if the thing is damaged or not. No need to worry about guarantees or warranties. Sorry, but you dropped the ball by waiting.