[jpzk]

The process begins likely as updating the firmware, with press and holding MENU button, but we will not use a firmware but a Text document created as written in Pentax-hack.info website Debug mode

This was a bit vague for me:
Do I need to go to this site and get a file there?
I clicked on the link and ended up with what seems to be the right place .... but what do I do when there?

Thanks

JP

[Sandy Hancock]

I'm no computer boffin, but I was able to negotiate it.
Just give it a go, but make sure you make back-up copies of the EEPROM file before you start modifying it.

[bjstirling]

Just wanted to share my success using my K200D to revive a "dead" DA* 50-135 I bought off eBay. I also have a K-5 and it seems you can enter debug mode using the latest version of PK_Tether. However, some users had commented about PK_Tether crashing so I didn't want to try it while flashing firmware. Since i had the K200D I decided to take the easy way of course. ;-) (see this thread on how to access the debug menu on the K200D)

• I created the modset.445 file (required for the K200D) using the instructions in post #3 of this thread
• I inserted the memory card and left the card slot door open while turning the camera on which opens the debug menu
• On page 3 of the debug menu I selected "Save Lens PROM File" (or similar). This puts the LENSEEP.LNS file on the memory card
• I saved the original LENSEEP.LNS file in case I wanted to restore (yeah right)
• I placed the LENSEEP.LNS file from post #66 in this thread on the memory card overwriting the original LENSEEP.LNS file
• Place the card back in the camera start up with the card slot door open again to access debug menu
• Again, from the third page I chose "Load Len PROM file" which opened the LENSEEP.LNS file from the memory card
• From the first page of the debug menu I selected to disable debug mode

The lens then worked on both the K-5 and the K200D. I know this is probably pretty old news for most folks but I hadn't specifically seen the K200D mentioned in this thread so I thought i'd share that it worked for me.

Thanks Clover and others for making this fix possible!

[RobA_Oz]

I've tried the hack using my K20D with firmware v1.03, but it won't open Debug Menu. After creating the MODSET.TXT file on the SD card, and starting the camera with Menu pressed, it displays the version number and then reverts to the standard menu. Does anyone have any clue about dealing with this? I presume it is v1.03 that is the problem.

[rdj92807]

I just converted my Pentax 16-50, using my K20D with v1.04.
I had the same difficulty getting into debug mode. To get there, download PK_Teather and click on the tab that says "Debug", and click Debug On. Then follow the instructions in this forum for inserting the SD card, etc. 100% it will work, and the surprising thing is how fast and relatively quiet the screw focusing is on this lens. I don't miss SDM at all!

[RobA_Oz]

I just converted my Pentax 16-50, using my K20D with v1.04.
I had the same difficulty getting into debug mode. To get there, download PK_Teather and click on the tab that says "Debug", and click Debug On. Then follow the instructions in this forum for inserting the SD card, etc. 100% it will work, and the surprising thing is how fast and relatively quiet the screw focusing is on this lens. I don't miss SDM at all!

Thanks for that. I tried both Mac OS X and Windows 7 computers, with equal success. I'd tried using .TXT and .442 extensions, but no luck. I'll have to download PK_Tether to my Windows machine, and see where we go from there. I was starting to think I was the only one who couldn't use a K20D with v1.03 firmware to do this!

[rdj92807]

Thanks for that. I tried both Mac OS X and Windows 7 computers, with equal success. I'd tried using .TXT and .442 extensions, but no luck. I'll have to download PK_Tether to my Windows machine, and see where we go from there. I was starting to think I was the only one who couldn't use a K20D with v1.03 firmware to do this!

Just use PK Teather to get to debug mode in the K20D, then proceed under the remaining instructions. It WILL work.

[derekkite]

Has anyone successfully done the DA*300?

[Clinton]

Has anyone successfully done the DA*300?

I haven't heard of anyone experiencing SDM failure with the 300.

It's worked a treat on my DA* 16-50. I dont know that I'd want to use it for video now, but it's working like a champ for stills.

[Mike Katcher]

Sorry, I was off line for a couple of days. I did the same thing as Nixite and Aegon, I changed C0 to 80 in column headered with a 3. My screw focus seems to work fine at all focal lengths. Thanks to all for the help.

Here is my updated LENSEEP.LNS (just remove the .TXT from the end.) This worked fine with my K-7 with firmware 1.11 and my 50-135 SDM (not not SDM) lens!

AMG2000, can you post a copy of that file before you added the "txt" extension? I've discovered, at least on my Mac and with my K10, that once any of these LNS files are converted to "txt" by adding a ".txt" extension, they don't go back to "LNS" files when the "txt" extension is removed. The file name returns to "LENSEEP.LNS" but it remains a "txt" files, instead of reverting to a "Unix Executable File" which is what I think they should be with a LNS extension.

I'd greatly appreciate your help. I don't have a PC so I can't use to Notepad++ to make the changes myself. I suppose I could change the code line by line in the camera, but I'm not sure how to do that.

Thanks.

Mike

[lukelbd]

Hey all, I have an important question that I haven't yet seen discussed in this thread:

Will this modification work for Sigma lenses with HSM? And for that matter, will it work for any other lenses with in-body focus motors? I currently own a Sigma 17-50mm HSM, but due to what I assume to be infiltration of moisture into the focus motor, it will now focus "in and out" from the correct point of focus repeatedly as you half-press the shutter. So it's not completely non-functioning, but for all intents and purposes it is unusable. I had hoped it would be possible to activate the in-body screw drive instead. I own another Sigma lens without an in-body motor, the Sigma 10-20mm, which works fine using Pentax's screw drive motor.

[lytrytyr]

due to what I assume to be infiltration of moisture into the focus motor, it will now focus "in and out" from the correct point of focus repeatedly as you half-press the shutter.

If you can't get any other fixes to work,
try assigning AF to the rear button,
rather than half-pressing the shutter button.
Then stop pressing that rear button as soon as you get good focus (green hexagon),
and just shoot normally with the shutter button.

[lukelbd]

If you can't get any other fixes to work, try assigning AF to the rear button, rather than half-pressing the shutter button. Then stop pressing that rear button as soon as you get good focus (green hexagon), and just shoot normally with the shutter button.

This will work, to a degree. Another option is to very rapidly half-press the shutter and, with the AF button set to AF-lock, hold it down when the correct focus is achieved, which is what I've tried to do. However this is very annoying, and takes at least 5 seconds for it to slowly zero in and settle on the subject, which means I miss shots with any sort of moving subject. Also means I have very low confidence on my AF because it won't always work perfectly and it's hard to judge when the motor has gotten it right.

[lytrytyr]

it's hard to judge when the motor has gotten it right.

No green hexagon?

[Kylv]

I just wanted to confirm again that this works as advertised. I own a K5 and couldn't figure out debug mode. I bought a K100d off ebay that needs a shutter (got it CHEAP!). Changed to lens file, now it works with screw drive on both cameras. Now to find a shutter for this K100d...