[HarisF1]

That's great to hear, thank you for your work.

[niceshot]

for this post ,appreciate it

[HarisF1]

I've just picked up a slightly iffy DA* 60-250 so I wouldn't mind conducting tests if you wish. I've still got my K100d to change the lens eeprom data.

[Blacknight659]

I've just picked up a slightly iffy DA* 60-250 so I wouldn't mind conducting tests if you wish. I've still got my K100d to change the lens eeprom data.

Please go for it. We have another user working on this outside the thread. Any help you can provide is appreciated.

---------- Post added 07-28-17 at 03:51 PM ----------

Ok. Did the donation thread get created?

Yes it was ,but was quickly deleted by the admin. It was marked as personal gain and I was almost banned. Sorry I am just answer this now, I missed it in all the excitement.

---------- Post added 07-28-17 at 03:52 PM ----------

Hello HarisF1,

I've got a K20D body but till now I don't have got a solution...but I'm on it


Edit: Video: Dropbox - VID_20170703_115643.mp4
So far..but only working if I focus manually to nearest distance

Looks promising!

[HarisF1]

I've only converted lenses. I don't know how I'd contribute to any fix but if there's something that I can be directed to do, I'd be happy to oblige.

[philanker2012]

A big thank you to the guys that have put all the work into this. I have just managed to convert my 16-50 and 50-135 using a K5iis, both lenses were showing signs of impending SDM failure. I was not looking forward to have to pay for SDM repair with a strong chance that it would fail again in the future.

[Blacknight659]

A big thank you to the guys that have put all the work into this. I have just managed to convert my 16-50 and 50-135 using a K5iis, both lenses were showing signs of impending SDM failure. I was not looking forward to have to pay for SDM repair with a strong chance that it would fail again in the future.

You are very welcome! Enjoy the new life out of your lenses!

My 50-135 is already converted, and I just purchased a used 16-50 with a working SDM. While it works, I'll leave it unconverted. As soon as things change I'll take care of it.

Happy shooting!

[Ishpuini]

Tx for this video! I've just successfully converted both my 10yo DA* zooms over the week-end. It took me under 30min to do both my DA*16-50 and DA*50-135.

Both had failed in November 2016, but it took me this long to get round to the conversion because I have a K-3II which cannot be used for the conversion. I finally got a friend to borrow me his K-5, which was all I required...

Looking forward to getting at least another 10 years out my DA* zooms without AF worries...

Tx again for the ground work to all involved!

Wim

[Weevil]

Hi, Thanks for posting this video... I do not have any SDM issue at the moment, but I'd like to know what are the Pentax Bodies that are compatible for the hack ? I have saerched a bit in this thread, and cannot find that info (unless I have missed something ?)

I also read that K-5 would work... but I have a K-01, would that work ?
otherwise, I may check the ads for a used Kx or Kr (I remember reading that those ones should work).

thanks!

[mattb123]

Has anyone had success with the 60-250? I thought I had heard this process (or one like it) didn't work on them. I'd love for that to be wrong!

[Duc-Driver]

Has anyone had success with the 60-250? I thought I had heard this process (or one like it) didn't work on them. I'd love for that to be wrong!

Yes - I tried a lot but without success.
To convert a 60-250 we need to modify hardware of the lens...but I don't want to disassemble my (sdm working) lens.


@ Weevil, K-01 should work like K5, you find the files in my database

[Ishpuini]

Follow-up on my conversion last month.

Both DA*16-50 and DA*50-135 have been focusing as never before. Such a joy not to have to wake them. There's a bit more noise now, but still not much compared with some screw drive only oldies.

Changing the firmware doesn't seem to change AF behaviour alone however. I first thought it was a coincidence, but I checked other DA zooms and they still work as I remember the DA*s working before. This could be specifically related to my using Lightroom, but I notice two things are different for DA*16-50 or DA*50-135 images since the hack:
- Focal length now registers with digits after the comma for the hacked lenses. This used to be rounded to the unit, and it still is as such for my other Pentax zooms. Doesn't make any difference, but it's just strange.
- More annoying: the lens corrections no longer immediately recognize the lens. With pre-hacked DA* zooms and other Pentax glass checking "Enable Profile Corrections" would be enough to engage the corrections, as the software would ID the correct profile immediately. For both hacked lenses, however, I need to explicitly select Pentax in the Make dropdown now before it will automatically select the proper profile. Fortunately no manual selection of the Model necessary. So one step (and a few mouse manipulations) extra.

Well, I would rather do a few extra clicks in post processing (and take care to synchronize the setting over multiple files within the same shoot more often) and have accurate and fast AF in the field, than have to use MF and miss focus a few (rare but still) times as I experienced those three weeks on my last trip. so I'm still happy to have done the conversion!

Just a note I thought interesting to add. Not sure others have noticed this? I didn't read about it in this thread, or did I miss it? It is a long thread...

hth, Wim

[mattb123]

Yes - I tried a lot but without success.
To convert a 60-250 we need to modify hardware of the lens...but I don't want to disassemble my (sdm working) lens.


@ Weevil, K-01 should work like K5, you find the files in my database

The SDM seems to be toast in mine. What is the mod, do you know? I might take a chance since this thing is mostly a paper weight at the moment.

[UncleVanya]

Hi, Thanks for posting this video... I do not have any SDM issue at the moment, but I'd like to know what are the Pentax Bodies that are compatible for the hack ? I have saerched a bit in this thread, and cannot find that info (unless I have missed something ?)

I also read that K-5 would work... but I have a K-01, would that work ?
otherwise, I may check the ads for a used Kx or Kr (I remember reading that those ones should work).

thanks!

The change impacts the lens itself. So the question is do you mean what bodies will the lens work on afterwards (all of them) or what bodies can you do the modification on?

---------- Post added 09-26-17 at 10:45 AM ----------

Has anyone had success with the 60-250? I thought I had heard this process (or one like it) didn't work on them. I'd love for that to be wrong!

No one that I know has been able to convert this. Only one person reported success and later recanted his statements. I have a working 60-250 and I have not been able to convert it in my testing. The conversion seems to work at first but it rapidly fails. The lens starts to work as screw drive and then suddenly starts working as SDM. It doesn't seem quite as simplistic as I am saying - it's more of a tug of war between the two systems at first.

Yes - I tried a lot but without success.
To convert a 60-250 we need to modify hardware of the lens...but I don't want to disassemble my (sdm working) lens.

What hardware would you modify? Unless you mean firmware that cannot be written to by the interface we have to the lens?

Follow-up on my conversion last month.

Both DA*16-50 and DA*50-135 have been focusing as never before. Such a joy not to have to wake them. There's a bit more noise now, but still not much compared with some screw drive only oldies.

Changing the firmware doesn't seem to change AF behaviour alone however. I first thought it was a coincidence, but I checked other DA zooms and they still work as I remember the DA*s working before. This could be specifically related to my using Lightroom, but I notice two things are different for DA*16-50 or DA*50-135 images since the hack:
- Focal length now registers with digits after the comma for the hacked lenses. This used to be rounded to the unit, and it still is as such for my other Pentax zooms. Doesn't make any difference, but it's just strange.
- More annoying: the lens corrections no longer immediately recognize the lens. With pre-hacked DA* zooms and other Pentax glass checking "Enable Profile Corrections" would be enough to engage the corrections, as the software would ID the correct profile immediately. For both hacked lenses, however, I need to explicitly select Pentax in the Make dropdown now before it will automatically select the proper profile. Fortunately no manual selection of the Model necessary. So one step (and a few mouse manipulations) extra.

Well, I would rather do a few extra clicks in post processing (and take care to synchronize the setting over multiple files within the same shoot more often) and have accurate and fast AF in the field, than have to use MF and miss focus a few (rare but still) times as I experienced those three weeks on my last trip. so I'm still happy to have done the conversion!

Just a note I thought interesting to add. Not sure others have noticed this? I didn't read about it in this thread, or did I miss it? It is a long thread...

hth, Wim

That is interesting. I have never paid attention to that and you are the first person to mention it that I recall. I'm not surprised and wonder if the lens profiles could be modified to match the changes so that automatic corrections could be applied.

The SDM seems to be toast in mine. What is the mod, do you know? I might take a chance since this thing is mostly a paper weight at the moment.

Matt - I'm so sorry to hear that. I would reach out to KEH and see if they can do the SDM repair. They seem to offer that service more cheaply than Precision. I honestly can't think of a way to make the lens work otherwise.

[mattb123]

Matt - I'm so sorry to hear that. I would reach out to KEH and see if they can do the SDM repair. They seem to offer that service more cheaply than Precision. I honestly can't think of a way to make the lens work otherwise.

KEH did an initial repair that failed again after a few months. I sent it back to them and they decided they couldn't fix it and refunded that initial repair cost. They said maybe Precision would have more luck but I've been hesitant to put more money into it so instead I put that money toward a Tamron 70-200/2.8 because I needed to cover that range for an upcoming paid shoot.
I'm now just holding on to the 60-250 in hopes that an inexpensive fix or conversion might come along but I'm not holding my breath. I really like the size, handling, and rendering of that lens as well as the peace of mind WR gives.