Normal or not? Focus ring on quickshift lens occasionally "sticks" (HD DA 55-300mm)

Doundounba · 04-16-2015, 01:21 PM

Hi all. So I've been quite happy with my HD DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8 WR lens, but for one thing... Occasionally, I will try to use the focus ring to manually change the focus on the lens, and either it won't turn at all, or will only turn in one direction (for example, I can manually focus closer, but it won't go back towards infinity). When this happens, if I activate auto-focus, the focus ring turns by itself, and after that the lens is "unstuck" and I can focus manually again in either direction. The lens is still under warranty, so if this is not normal, I'd like to send it in for repairs... So: is this normal or is there something wrong with my lens?

**ramseybuckeye** · 04-16-2015, 03:10 PM

If you have your finger on the shutter button, pushed down a little, it won't move if I remember correctly.

08amczb · 04-16-2015, 03:41 PM

You can't use quick shift while auto focusing, but it's not your case. I have the 100mm macro, and I have the same problem, but my lens only did it in one direction (always the same). So if someone knows it's normal or not please tell to us. I've never had the problem whit the 18-55 WR, which I also have.

Doundounba · 04-16-2015, 07:05 PM

As you say 08amczb, I am, of course, not trying to manually focus with a half-pressed shutter or with the back-AF button pressed. Sometimes I just try to focus manually and I find that the focus ring seems to be "stuck". I then have to engage auto-focus, and after the focus is acquired (and no buttons are pressed any longer), I can (usually) again focus manually... It seems pretty odd, and it would surprise me that it's normal, but I'm guessing maybe it's possible that while I'm carrying the camera, some movements might cause the "clutch" mechanism to lock up...? I've never experienced this behavior with my only other quickshift lens (HD DA 70mm), but then I've perhaps not used it enough to see it happen.

**UncleVanya** · 04-16-2015, 07:11 PM

News to me if this is common. I haven't seen it before on any quick shift lens of mine.

sterretje · 04-16-2015, 09:32 PM

I have the older DA55-300 and have never experienced the issue (nor with any other quick-shift capable lenses). I use the shutter button for focusing; just tested on the K5 with the DA55-300 to confirm.

Jonathan Mac · 04-16-2015, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by Doundounba

Hi all. So I've been quite happy with my HD DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8 WR lens, but for one thing... Occasionally, I will try to use the focus ring to manually change the focus on the lens, and either it won't turn at all, or will only turn in one direction (for example, I can manually focus closer, but it won't go back towards infinity). When this happens, if I activate auto-focus, the focus ring turns by itself, and after that the lens is "unstuck" and I can focus manually again in either direction. The lens is still under warranty, so if this is not normal, I'd like to send it in for repairs... So: is this normal or is there something wrong with my lens?

My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck.

I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty.

08amczb · 04-17-2015, 01:16 AM

Does it gets better or worst over time?

**UncleVanya** · 04-17-2015, 06:54 AM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck.

I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty.

Curious - if it did it on one body but not on the other why do you think it is a lens issue?

Doundounba · 04-17-2015, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck.

I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty.

OK, thanks for sharing your experience! So we now have three people on the thread who've seen this across several (but all screwdrive) quickshift lenses (the DA limiteds, 100 macro and HD DA 55-300mm). Doesn't seem like it's too uncommon a behavior, but no one has argued it's normal just yet, so it might indeed be a fault. I would be surprised if the body had anything to do with it personally, since I don't think Pentax bodies do anything differently with screwdriven quickshift lenses than they do with regular screwdriven lenses. The quickshift mechanism is strictly a lens thing, isn't it?

sterretje · 04-17-2015, 10:01 PM

Originally posted by Doundounba

but no one has argued it's normal just yet, so it might indeed be a fault.

Maybe it's not clear from my earlier post, but I think it's NOT normal.

3 bodies (K100D, K10D, K5) and 4 quickshift lenses (2 kit lenses, DA55-300, DFA100WR) and I have never noticed the behaviour as described by you.

Jonathan Mac · 04-18-2015, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Curious - if it did it on one body but not on the other why do you think it is a lens issue?

My first DA 70mm did this a lot, maybe 70% of the times I used it. My other quick-shift lenses, the kit lens and 55-300, never have, and neither has the WR kit lens I bought later. My three current DA limited lenses (with ther possible exception of the 21mm) did it very occasionally on the K200D and may or may not have ever done it on the K3.

It's definitely a lens issue, but it may be slightly affected by the camera. The K3 has a faster, more powerful AF motor, so this may help. It's also possible that I haven't used the lenses enough on the K3 for it to have happened yet, or that I simply learned to ignore it. The K3 focusses more accurately and reliably than the K200D, so it's also possible that due to that I simply use quick-shift less and therefore don't notice the problem on the odd occasion it arises.

04-16-2015, 01:21 PM	#1
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	Normal or not? Focus ring on quickshift lens occasionally "sticks" (HD DA 55-300mm) Hi all. So I've been quite happy with my HD DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8 WR lens, but for one thing... Occasionally, I will try to use the focus ring to manually change the focus on the lens, and either it won't turn at all, or will only turn in one direction (for example, I can manually focus closer, but it won't go back towards infinity). When this happens, if I activate auto-focus, the focus ring turns by itself, and after that the lens is "unstuck" and I can focus manually again in either direction. The lens is still under warranty, so if this is not normal, I'd like to send it in for repairs... So: is this normal or is there something wrong with my lens?

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04-16-2015, 03:10 PM	#2
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,288	If you have your finger on the shutter button, pushed down a little, it won't move if I remember correctly.

04-16-2015, 03:41 PM	#3
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	You can't use quick shift while auto focusing, but it's not your case. I have the 100mm macro, and I have the same problem, but my lens only did it in one direction (always the same). So if someone knows it's normal or not please tell to us. I've never had the problem whit the 18-55 WR, which I also have.

04-16-2015, 07:05 PM	#4
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351 Original Poster	As you say 08amczb, I am, of course, not trying to manually focus with a half-pressed shutter or with the back-AF button pressed. Sometimes I just try to focus manually and I find that the focus ring seems to be "stuck". I then have to engage auto-focus, and after the focus is acquired (and no buttons are pressed any longer), I can (usually) again focus manually... It seems pretty odd, and it would surprise me that it's normal, but I'm guessing maybe it's possible that while I'm carrying the camera, some movements might cause the "clutch" mechanism to lock up...? I've never experienced this behavior with my only other quickshift lens (HD DA 70mm), but then I've perhaps not used it enough to see it happen.

04-16-2015, 07:11 PM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,384	News to me if this is common. I haven't seen it before on any quick shift lens of mine.

04-16-2015, 09:32 PM	#6
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I have the older DA55-300 and have never experienced the issue (nor with any other quick-shift capable lenses). I use the shutter button for focusing; just tested on the K5 with the DA55-300 to confirm.

04-16-2015, 10:16 PM	#7
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,887	Originally posted by Doundounba Hi all. So I've been quite happy with my HD DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8 WR lens, but for one thing... Occasionally, I will try to use the focus ring to manually change the focus on the lens, and either it won't turn at all, or will only turn in one direction (for example, I can manually focus closer, but it won't go back towards infinity). When this happens, if I activate auto-focus, the focus ring turns by itself, and after that the lens is "unstuck" and I can focus manually again in either direction. The lens is still under warranty, so if this is not normal, I'd like to send it in for repairs... So: is this normal or is there something wrong with my lens? My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck. I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty.

04-17-2015, 01:16 AM	#8
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	Does it gets better or worst over time?

04-17-2015, 06:54 AM	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,384	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck. I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty. Curious - if it did it on one body but not on the other why do you think it is a lens issue?

04-17-2015, 01:27 PM	#10
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac My first DA 70mm did this so often I had to return it as faulty. My current DA limiteds (21/35/70) did this occasionally on my K200D but I don't think any of them have done it yet on the K3 I've had since January, but that may just be luck. I think it's due to a bad adjustment within the lens. If it does it frequently then I'd classify it as faulty. OK, thanks for sharing your experience! So we now have three people on the thread who've seen this across several (but all screwdrive) quickshift lenses (the DA limiteds, 100 macro and HD DA 55-300mm). Doesn't seem like it's too uncommon a behavior, but no one has argued it's normal just yet, so it might indeed be a fault. I would be surprised if the body had anything to do with it personally, since I don't think Pentax bodies do anything differently with screwdriven quickshift lenses than they do with regular screwdriven lenses. The quickshift mechanism is strictly a lens thing, isn't it?

04-17-2015, 10:01 PM	#11
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Originally posted by Doundounba but no one has argued it's normal just yet, so it might indeed be a fault. Maybe it's not clear from my earlier post, but I think it's NOT normal. 3 bodies (K100D, K10D, K5) and 4 quickshift lenses (2 kit lenses, DA55-300, DFA100WR) and I have never noticed the behaviour as described by you.

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04-18-2015, 01:45 AM	#12
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,887	Originally posted by UncleVanya Curious - if it did it on one body but not on the other why do you think it is a lens issue? My first DA 70mm did this a lot, maybe 70% of the times I used it. My other quick-shift lenses, the kit lens and 55-300, never have, and neither has the WR kit lens I bought later. My three current DA limited lenses (with ther possible exception of the 21mm) did it very occasionally on the K200D and may or may not have ever done it on the K3. It's definitely a lens issue, but it may be slightly affected by the camera. The K3 has a faster, more powerful AF motor, so this may help. It's also possible that I haven't used the lenses enough on the K3 for it to have happened yet, or that I simply learned to ignore it. The K3 focusses more accurately and reliably than the K200D, so it's also possible that due to that I simply use quick-shift less and therefore don't notice the problem on the odd occasion it arises.