16-50 sdm broken again

Mattox · 11-16-2015, 06:58 AM

So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing

Blacknight659 · 11-16-2015, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by Mattox

So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing

Personally, I would buy a cheap replacement like a tamron or sigma 17-50 f2.8

OR!!!!

Buy the new 24-70 f2.8 since it #1) Rocks and #2) you want to go to FF anyways.

You may wish to fix the 16-50 anyways so you can sell, I believe it will cost you about $250 to be fixed. Maybe this way you can get some of your money back.

**jpzk** · 11-16-2015, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Mattox

So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing

Before making any decision, I would suggest that you tried this: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/208353-how-...m-f-2-8-a.html
If that doesn't work for you, you can always put it up for sale here on the Marketplace and I am sure someone will buy it and do the conversion.
It's all up to you.
I did make the conversion to screw drive .... works very well and fast.

JP

Mattox · 11-16-2015, 09:13 AM

Good points but if I repair the lens to sell it again the going price looks around 300$ and the 24-70 is soooo expansive. My issue with that is, if the Pentax FF is no good I have just blown 1000$.

**jpzk** · 11-16-2015, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by Mattox

Good points but if I repair the lens to sell it again the going price looks around 300$ and the 24-70 is soooo expansive. My issue with that is, if the Pentax FF is no good I have just blown 1000$.

Read what I wrote, up one post. (post no. 3)

Edit: apologies to the OP: I misread your opening post!

f1monza · 11-16-2015, 09:24 AM - **1 Like**

Check on Ebay. I purchased my
From Ebay. So far I have not had any issues with my lense.
Also pictures are crisp clear.
I liked it so much I bought a second copy. Auto focus was even better then my sigma.

Have it checked out by a local camera shop in your area. Then decide go from there.
Let us know what you decide on.
Best of luck.

wibbly · 11-16-2015, 09:31 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jpzk

Read what I wrote, up one post. (post no. 3)

instead of insisting that he read your post, perhaps you could read his first post...

this isn't an sdm failure thread

hahahahahahaha

Mattox · 11-16-2015, 11:02 AM

It has just become such an unreliable and frustrating lens for me. I either have a lemon or I am just purely unlucky.

**jpzk** · 11-16-2015, 01:42 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by wibbly

instead of insisting that he read your post, perhaps you could read his first post...

this isn't an sdm failure thread

hahahahahahaha

Well, I got fooled with part of the title: "16-50 SDM broken again" ... my bad, I thought that he meant that his 16-50 had a SDM broken. But now I see that it is the 16-50 SDM lens (without referring to the SDM explicitly) that is broken.

I should retire my post!

JP

robjmitchell · 11-16-2015, 01:48 PM

It depends if the lens wobble is due to internal damage or loosening.

**RobA_Oz** · 11-16-2015, 02:39 PM

A small amount of "wobble" at the end of the objective barrel seems to be normal (at least, it is for mine). 3mm sounds like it might be excessive, and mine would be a tenth of that. Having stripped mine more than once, I can safely say that an SDM repair shouldn't involve touching that end of the lens, so I suspect that the cause of your other failure (the barrel jamming - I presume you meant that it couldn't be focussed manually) may have led to an inadequate repair, or worse an incompetent one. Was the repair done by an authorised Pentax service agent?

Mine suffered a small fall (once, a distance of about 400mm but into soft sand) which was enough to cause the zoom helicoid to distort enough to allow one of the ball bearings to jump out of the track and jam. Wiggling the zoom ring backward and forward was enough to allow the ball to slip back into the track (on the advice of the service technician who looked at it). The point I'm making here is that, although the rest of the lens is well-built, the zoom (and probably focus) mechanisms are sufficiently delicate that a small bump can cause trouble. Has yours suffered anything simlar?

Mattox · 11-17-2015, 12:40 AM

A few small bumps yes, but nothing I thought were excessive. It is just so delicate, as you say. No, I didn't have it repaired by an official Pentax repair service, so yes, this could also be a problem. Unfortunately I live in Italy and the lens was purchased OS do Pentax Italy (nital) won't repair the lens

ruggiex · 11-17-2015, 01:23 PM

Cheapest option is probably just convert it to a screw drive lens. Mine was working perfectly until last weekend that it suddenly just won't AF at all. I was surprised that it's still pretty quiet as screw drive lens compared to the 50-135.

**RobA_Oz** · 11-17-2015, 10:23 PM

Originally posted by Mattox

A few small bumps yes, but nothing I thought were excessive. It is just so delicate, as you say. No, I didn't have it repaired by an official Pentax repair service, so yes, this could also be a problem. Unfortunately I live in Italy and the lens was purchased OS do Pentax Italy (nital) won't repair the lens

It sounds like something (possibly having its origins in the repair to the stuck focus) has come loose. If that's all it is, it shouldn't be hard for a competent lens technician to fix, but the trick is finding one. Are you game to tackle it yourself?

Mattox · 11-18-2015, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by RobA_Oz

It sounds like something (possibly having its origins in the repair to the stuck focus) has come loose. If that's all it is, it shouldn't be hard for a competent lens technician to fix, but the trick is finding one. Are you game to tackle it yourself?

Noooooo way!!!!!

11-16-2015, 09:14 AM	#5
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251	Originally posted by Mattox Good points but if I repair the lens to sell it again the going price looks around 300$ and the 24-70 is soooo expansive. My issue with that is, if the Pentax FF is no good I have just blown 1000$. Read what I wrote, up one post. (post no. 3) Edit: apologies to the OP: I misread your opening post! Last edited by jpzk; 11-16-2015 at 01:44 PM. Reason: error correction to this post

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11-16-2015, 06:58 AM	#1
Mattox Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 292	16-50 sdm broken again So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing

11-16-2015, 08:13 AM	#2
Blacknight659 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 731	Originally posted by Mattox So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing Personally, I would buy a cheap replacement like a tamron or sigma 17-50 f2.8 OR!!!! Buy the new 24-70 f2.8 since it #1) Rocks and #2) you want to go to FF anyways. You may wish to fix the 16-50 anyways so you can sell, I believe it will cost you about $250 to be fixed. Maybe this way you can get some of your money back.

11-16-2015, 09:13 AM	#3
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251	Originally posted by Mattox So in the past 4 years my 16-50sdm da star has broken twice and 2 days ago once again. This time the front barrel is wobbling at least .3cm and as a results when I look at my photos on the big screen the focus is quite soft. Does anyone know what can cause this? How can it be fixed? I have pretty much had enough of this lens. Once the motor stopped focusing all together, another time the barrel and focus jammed and now this!!!! I paid at least 1000€ for this lens at the time and have probably spent the same again for repair work. It is very frustrating. I was hoping to use this lens on my k5 as much as possible prior to the FF release so I am contemplating whether it is worth even fixing Before making any decision, I would suggest that you tried this: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/208353-how-...m-f-2-8-a.html If that doesn't work for you, you can always put it up for sale here on the Marketplace and I am sure someone will buy it and do the conversion. It's all up to you. I did make the conversion to screw drive .... works very well and fast. JP

11-16-2015, 09:24 AM - 1 Like	#6
f1monza New Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 9	Check on Ebay. I purchased my From Ebay. So far I have not had any issues with my lense. Also pictures are crisp clear. I liked it so much I bought a second copy. Auto focus was even better then my sigma. Have it checked out by a local camera shop in your area. Then decide go from there. Let us know what you decide on. Best of luck.

11-16-2015, 09:31 AM - 1 Like	#7
wibbly Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Edmonton Posts: 600	Originally posted by jpzk Read what I wrote, up one post. (post no. 3) instead of insisting that he read your post, perhaps you could read his first post... this isn't an sdm failure thread hahahahahahaha

11-16-2015, 11:02 AM	#8
Mattox Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 292 Original Poster	It has just become such an unreliable and frustrating lens for me. I either have a lemon or I am just purely unlucky.

11-16-2015, 01:42 PM - 1 Like	#9
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251	Originally posted by wibbly instead of insisting that he read your post, perhaps you could read his first post... this isn't an sdm failure thread hahahahahahaha Well, I got fooled with part of the title: "16-50 SDM broken again" ... my bad, I thought that he meant that his 16-50 had a SDM broken. But now I see that it is the 16-50 SDM lens (without referring to the SDM explicitly) that is broken. I should retire my post! JP

11-16-2015, 01:48 PM	#10
robjmitchell Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Melbourne Aus Posts: 1,776	It depends if the lens wobble is due to internal damage or loosening.

11-16-2015, 02:39 PM	#11
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	A small amount of "wobble" at the end of the objective barrel seems to be normal (at least, it is for mine). 3mm sounds like it might be excessive, and mine would be a tenth of that. Having stripped mine more than once, I can safely say that an SDM repair shouldn't involve touching that end of the lens, so I suspect that the cause of your other failure (the barrel jamming - I presume you meant that it couldn't be focussed manually) may have led to an inadequate repair, or worse an incompetent one. Was the repair done by an authorised Pentax service agent? Mine suffered a small fall (once, a distance of about 400mm but into soft sand) which was enough to cause the zoom helicoid to distort enough to allow one of the ball bearings to jump out of the track and jam. Wiggling the zoom ring backward and forward was enough to allow the ball to slip back into the track (on the advice of the service technician who looked at it). The point I'm making here is that, although the rest of the lens is well-built, the zoom (and probably focus) mechanisms are sufficiently delicate that a small bump can cause trouble. Has yours suffered anything simlar?

11-17-2015, 12:40 AM	#12
Mattox Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 292 Original Poster	A few small bumps yes, but nothing I thought were excessive. It is just so delicate, as you say. No, I didn't have it repaired by an official Pentax repair service, so yes, this could also be a problem. Unfortunately I live in Italy and the lens was purchased OS do Pentax Italy (nital) won't repair the lens

11-17-2015, 01:23 PM	#13
ruggiex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: East Bay Area Photos: Gallery Posts: 811	Cheapest option is probably just convert it to a screw drive lens. Mine was working perfectly until last weekend that it suddenly just won't AF at all. I was surprised that it's still pretty quiet as screw drive lens compared to the 50-135.

11-17-2015, 10:23 PM	#14
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	Originally posted by Mattox A few small bumps yes, but nothing I thought were excessive. It is just so delicate, as you say. No, I didn't have it repaired by an official Pentax repair service, so yes, this could also be a problem. Unfortunately I live in Italy and the lens was purchased OS do Pentax Italy (nital) won't repair the lens It sounds like something (possibly having its origins in the repair to the stuck focus) has come loose. If that's all it is, it shouldn't be hard for a competent lens technician to fix, but the trick is finding one. Are you game to tackle it yourself?

11-18-2015, 06:26 AM	#15
Mattox Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 292 Original Poster	Originally posted by RobA_Oz It sounds like something (possibly having its origins in the repair to the stuck focus) has come loose. If that's all it is, it shouldn't be hard for a competent lens technician to fix, but the trick is finding one. Are you game to tackle it yourself? Noooooo way!!!!!