[syotel]

Hello all!

I've got a 16-50mm that was purchased in January 2011 with SDM that failed in July 2011 and July 2012 (both times fixed under warranty) and has just failed again. Was this one of the "early models" that was known to be a problem or am I just lucky?

Just finished reading through all the posts and didn't see a fix for screw drive conversion with a K5 camera and a Mac. (I tried the K7 fix with Mac but that didn't work--placed sd disk in camera with debug folder on it and it didn't do anything.)

Can anyone point me in the correct direction? I only have the K5, a Mac and don't have a PC.

Thanks!
Sue

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Last edited by syotel; 01-14-2016 at 08:48 AM.

[Duc-Driver]

Hello Sue,

have a look in this Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k464hmts3b9yk98/AAB-TIg_f-HfSowrT7096_YMa/enable%20Debug%20Menu?dl=0

there you'll find a How-To, it's written what you should do.

[csa]

Sue, you might want to consider this very reasonable offer by a fellow member:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/311609-sal...nversions.html

[UncleVanya]

Sue, you might want to consider this very reasonable offer by a fellow member:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/311609-sal...nversions.html

I have no problem helping but Sue if you are able to convert it yourself and feel up to it that's a great way to do it. Saves a lot of time and shipping and enables you to go back and forth in the future should you repair the lens. However if you want my services I'm happy to help. I have been working in computers since I was about 14 and I'm no spring chicken. I have been shooting with an ILC since about 11 and with rangefinders before that. Happy to help you if you get stuck but I'm no expert on using that camera for the conversion.

[K57XR]

Hi Sue,
Unlike a K-x and older models that can be forced into debug mode with certain files on an SD card, with a K5 you need to tether the camera to put it in debug mode. I'm not sure if there are other programs but I used PK-Tether found here: www.pktether.com

Unfortunately, at the time when I converted my 16-50 PK-Tether only worked on Windows - (XP in my case). I don't know if anyone used it on Win-VIsta and up. The writer was working on a Mac version but I'm not sure if he got that working or not.

A few Options you might consider if PK Tether is not available for Mac:
1) The easiest and reasonable option would with be forum member Uncle Vanya as suggested by CSA above, although there is a turn-around time involved if that matters.
2) See if you can borrow a Windows PC/Laptop from friends or relatives and use PK Tether to put your K5 in debug mode. Then follow instructions here courtesy of forum member "mee":Page-30 / Post 438.html
3) If you know anyone with an older body (K-x, K20, K7 and a few K100 family), you can use that to convert your lens without PK-Tether. Please Note: K-r and K-01 will not work. I don't know about K3.

Hope this helps.

[UncleVanya]

My experience with K50 was that while I could get into debug with files (if I recall correctly) the debug mode would not actually read/write the files when started that way. I never used PKTether.

K100D Super and K100D are pretty easy options and cheap to buy. I also (as others have mentioned) will do the conversion.

[Duc-Driver]

You don't need PK Tether to get into debug mode (and it will not work).
Just have a look in my link - did writing/reading lensrom with K5 and K5IIs without any problems - so you don't need to buy an old Pentax Camera!

[K57XR]

You don't need PK Tether to get into debug mode (and it will not work).

You can get a K5 in debug mode without PK-Tether? Can't speak for a K50 or K30 but I know you don't need PK-Tether with a K-x and below. I thought the only way to get a K5 in debug mode is with Pk-Tether?

[Duc-Driver]

yes, you can open full debug menu without pk tether. So reading and writing of lensrom is possible on K5, K3, etc.
With pk tether you can open debug menu too, but not the full one with reading/writing lensroms

If you wanna read:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/250555-resurrect...ml#post2710109

[K57XR]

With pk tether you can open debug menu too, but not the full one with reading/writing lensroms

You actually can and the options are there. It's how I've done my DA* screwdrive conversions. It's the only way I knew how to put a K5 on debug mode. Putting a K5 in debug without PK-Tether is new to me - I stand corrected.

If you wanna read:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/250555-resurrect...ml#post2710109

I've browsed through this thread before but obviously missed that one important part of it...

[UncleVanya]

yes, you can open full debug menu without pk tether. So reading and writing of lensrom is possible on K5, K3, etc.
With pk tether you can open debug menu too, but not the full one with reading/writing lensroms

If you wanna read:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/250555-resurrect...ml#post2710109

Can anyone else confirm this? Being able to open debug hasn't been the issue for a while - the problem with more modern cameras has been that the option was there but the camera would not do anything when you tried to read a lensrom. I will try this later with my K3 - it might be tomorrow or this weekend. Past experience with debug on the K50 is that it did not work - I was only able to access the menu not actually able to read or write files.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/288713-has-anyone-been-abl...ing-k-3-a.html
See posts 3 & 7.

[Duc-Driver]

ok, i'm sorry. Forgot, that there are problems with lensrom on K3, but K5 /II/s is working!

[syotel]

Hello Sue,

have a look in this Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k464hmts3b9yk98/AAB-TIg_f-HfSowrT7096_YMa/enable%20Debug%20Menu?dl=0

there you'll find a How-To, it's written what you should do.

Hello Duc-Driver,

I've loaded the 2 files onto the SD card and followed your instructions on inserting into camera w door open and it only has a black screen showing. Do you have any other recommendations on what to do to get this to work? With door closed, the camera operates as normal.

[Duc-Driver]

if you have these two files in the root of your sd card and the card is in the camera..after turning on the camera a "development menu" should be shown in the screen.
Do you have the right files?

[syotel]

I formatted the SD disk, then copied your 2 files to the disk without any alterations and powered on. Nothing happens, just black screen. I can tell the power is on. I've turned it off and back on with disk door open and closed. With open, black screen. With closed, normal functions.

Here is a snapshot of the SD disk contents.