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ChatMechant · 10-29-2015, 06:44 AM

FWIW I converted my DA300 and 16-50 with UncleVanya's K100d and it was super easy, took about 5 min each. And the screwdrive noise isn't bothersome at all.

**clackers** · 10-29-2015, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by woodywesty

. $1,000 lenses should work ...It's this kind of stuff that has the Nikon/Canon crowd looking down at Pentax

Sorry you seem to have a lemon, WW, but it's a lemon under warranty, which wasn't true in my case.

Lens motors fail in the Canikon world (the personal opinion of a repair guy I know is that he sees too many Nikons in his shop for their marketshare), and while he shakes his head about the under-engineered SDM motor in the 16-50 and 50-135, at least they have the bonus that they can be converted to screw drive for free later in their life.

If your Canon 70-200 (way more than $1000!) lens motor goes, you now have a manual lens. Heard a pro talk just last month about her 24-105 f4 dying.

Unfortunately, the DA* 300 is the same AFAIK, great lens it is otherwise.

cali92rs · 10-29-2015, 09:31 AM

I know this was mentioned in the other thread, but some enterprising Pentaxian with a K100D should charge $50 bucks for this service!
Hell, when i had the 16-50mm, I bought a K100D for the sole purpose of converting that lens.

**clackers** · 10-29-2015, 09:59 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by cali92rs

I know this was mentioned in the other thread, but some enterprising Pentaxian with a K100D should charge $50 bucks for this service!
Hell, when i had the 16-50mm, I bought a K100D for the sole purpose of converting that lens.

I'll do it for free for anyone in Melbourne with my K-x. I think that's a *little* more community minded. :-D

**woodywesty** · 10-29-2015, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by clackers

I'll do it for free for anyone in Melbourne with my K-x. I think that's a *little* more community minded. :-D

Well, Ricoh should be doing it for free but then that would be admitting that their focus hardware is crap!
I'm happy that Ricoh has pretty much saved Pentax but these lenses should be dumped from their offerings as quickly as possible. It only hurts the brand.

**clackers** · 10-29-2015, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by woodywesty

Well, Ricoh should be doing it for free but then that would be admitting that their focus hardware is crap!
I'm happy that Ricoh has pretty much saved Pentax but these lenses should be dumped from their offerings as quickly as possible. It only hurts the brand.

There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another.

Even yours, if it's optically up to par.

**Rondec** · 10-29-2015, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by clackers

There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another.

Even yours, if it's optically up to par.

Down to par?

**clackers** · 10-29-2015, 05:26 PM

Originally posted by Rondec

Down to par?

I apologise to golfers everywhere for mangling their vocab. :-)

**woodywesty** · 10-29-2015, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by clackers

There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another.

Even yours, if it's optically up to par.

You're probably right....... but at this point I'm still really pi**ed off. Maybe in a month or two I'll submit it to the multi month repair process and see what happens.. maybe.. ;-)

frogfoot · 10-30-2015, 12:15 AM

When I asked Russian Pentax service representative why my newly replaced SDM motor in 50-135, that is supposed to be more reliable, started to get "lazy" again, he answered that both new and old SDM motors are prone to get lazy if not used frequently, and there is nothing can be done about it.

**clackers** · 10-30-2015, 12:34 AM

Originally posted by frogfoot

When I asked Russian Pentax service representative why my newly replaced SDM motor in 50-135, that is supposed to be more reliable, started to get "lazy" again, he answered that both new and old SDM motors are prone to get lazy if not used frequently, and there is nothing can be done about it.

TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything?

Nicolas06 · 10-30-2015, 01:34 AM

Originally posted by clackers

TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything?

Think so, new SDM motors seems to have much less faillures reports.

frogfoot · 10-30-2015, 01:46 AM

Originally posted by clackers

TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything?

Who they? Pentax changed the design or Service replaced the motor?
If you mean the latter, the only proof I have is the receipt where the part number of the replaced motor is specified.

**clackers** · 10-30-2015, 02:47 AM

Originally posted by frogfoot

Who they? Pentax changed the design or Service replaced the motor?

Yes, Pentax. It is *said* something was changed, but WoodyWesty's new purchase is failing for the second time.

frogfoot · 10-30-2015, 04:22 AM

I have just asked that representative what's the difference between new and old motors if they both are still prone to "lazyness". He answered that in new ones the problem of "sudden death" was fixed.

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10-29-2015, 06:44 AM	#166
ChatMechant Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Matsuyama Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,284	FWIW I converted my DA300 and 16-50 with UncleVanya's K100d and it was super easy, took about 5 min each. And the screwdrive noise isn't bothersome at all.

10-29-2015, 09:21 AM	#167
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by woodywesty . $1,000 lenses should work ...It's this kind of stuff that has the Nikon/Canon crowd looking down at Pentax Sorry you seem to have a lemon, WW, but it's a lemon under warranty, which wasn't true in my case. Lens motors fail in the Canikon world (the personal opinion of a repair guy I know is that he sees too many Nikons in his shop for their marketshare), and while he shakes his head about the under-engineered SDM motor in the 16-50 and 50-135, at least they have the bonus that they can be converted to screw drive for free later in their life. If your Canon 70-200 (way more than $1000!) lens motor goes, you now have a manual lens. Heard a pro talk just last month about her 24-105 f4 dying. Unfortunately, the DA* 300 is the same AFAIK, great lens it is otherwise.

10-29-2015, 09:31 AM	#168
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	I know this was mentioned in the other thread, but some enterprising Pentaxian with a K100D should charge $50 bucks for this service! Hell, when i had the 16-50mm, I bought a K100D for the sole purpose of converting that lens.

10-29-2015, 09:59 AM - 2 Likes	#169
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by cali92rs I know this was mentioned in the other thread, but some enterprising Pentaxian with a K100D should charge $50 bucks for this service! Hell, when i had the 16-50mm, I bought a K100D for the sole purpose of converting that lens. I'll do it for free for anyone in Melbourne with my K-x. I think that's a little more community minded. :-D

10-29-2015, 12:52 PM	#170
woodywesty Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 725	Originally posted by clackers I'll do it for free for anyone in Melbourne with my K-x. I think that's a little more community minded. :-D Well, Ricoh should be doing it for free but then that would be admitting that their focus hardware is crap! I'm happy that Ricoh has pretty much saved Pentax but these lenses should be dumped from their offerings as quickly as possible. It only hurts the brand.

10-29-2015, 04:59 PM	#171
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by woodywesty Well, Ricoh should be doing it for free but then that would be admitting that their focus hardware is crap! I'm happy that Ricoh has pretty much saved Pentax but these lenses should be dumped from their offerings as quickly as possible. It only hurts the brand. There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another. Even yours, if it's optically up to par.

10-29-2015, 05:10 PM	#172
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,666	Originally posted by clackers There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another. Even yours, if it's optically up to par. Down to par?

10-29-2015, 05:26 PM	#173
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by Rondec Down to par? I apologise to golfers everywhere for mangling their vocab. :-)

10-29-2015, 06:07 PM	#174
woodywesty Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 725	Originally posted by clackers There's a lot to what you say, Woody, but you know what, if mine were stolen, I'd buy another. Even yours, if it's optically up to par. You're probably right....... but at this point I'm still really pi**ed off. Maybe in a month or two I'll submit it to the multi month repair process and see what happens.. maybe.. ;-)

10-30-2015, 12:15 AM	#175
frogfoot Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Moscow Posts: 70	When I asked Russian Pentax service representative why my newly replaced SDM motor in 50-135, that is supposed to be more reliable, started to get "lazy" again, he answered that both new and old SDM motors are prone to get lazy if not used frequently, and there is nothing can be done about it.

10-30-2015, 12:34 AM	#176
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by frogfoot When I asked Russian Pentax service representative why my newly replaced SDM motor in 50-135, that is supposed to be more reliable, started to get "lazy" again, he answered that both new and old SDM motors are prone to get lazy if not used frequently, and there is nothing can be done about it. TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything?

10-30-2015, 01:34 AM	#177
Nicolas06 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 4,854	Originally posted by clackers TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything? Think so, new SDM motors seems to have much less faillures reports.

10-30-2015, 01:46 AM	#178
frogfoot Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Moscow Posts: 70	Originally posted by clackers TBH, is there any proof they actually changed anything? Who they? Pentax changed the design or Service replaced the motor? If you mean the latter, the only proof I have is the receipt where the part number of the replaced motor is specified.

10-30-2015, 02:47 AM	#179
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by frogfoot Who they? Pentax changed the design or Service replaced the motor? Yes, Pentax. It is said something was changed, but WoodyWesty's new purchase is failing for the second time.

10-30-2015, 04:22 AM	#180
frogfoot Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Moscow Posts: 70	I have just asked that representative what's the difference between new and old motors if they both are still prone to "lazyness". He answered that in new ones the problem of "sudden death" was fixed.

Is the 50-135 Pentax' best zoom ever?

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