[angerdan]

With convertible lenses, screwdrive is at average 11.5% faster than old SDM:
pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/430875-11-5-improvement-screwdrive-faster-than-sdm.html

You Tube

You Tube

[UncleVanya]

With convertible lenses, screwdrive is at average 11.5% faster than old SDM:
pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/430875-11-5-improvement-screwdrive-faster-than-sdm.html
Pentax SDM to Screwdrive Autofocus Test - YouTube

As mentioned in that thread, more data is needed with more samples to generalize that finding.

[baptêmes]

Hello everyone
my pentax 16-50 failed :-( I want to convert it with my k5 but I can't download pktether do you have an active link ...
can I make the modification with a mac?
thanks in advance

[FozzFoster]

can I make the modification with a mac?

I'm pretty sure the program is specific for Windows.

[UncleVanya]

Hello everyone
my pentax 16-50 failed :-( I want to convert it with my k5 but I can't download pktether do you have an active link ...
can I make the modification with a mac?
thanks in advance

How To: Convert SDM to ScrewDrive + Video - PentaxForums.com

[cdw2000]

I have a Pentax DA* 300mm/F4 that I want to convert, I just scored a K110D at a good price (I haven't received it yet), specifically to perform this conversion. Does the K110D require PK Tether to download the lens FW file? Or can it be done in-camera direct to the SD Card? Also can someone verify that this method works to get into the debug menu? (Pulled from an earlier post on this thread):

"*istD(L) series, K100D and K110D DEBUG STEPS
(it might be possible this also applies to the K100D Super?)

1. Power OFF
While pressing [AE-L]+[INFO], turn the camera ON.
Firmware is desplayed on LCD.
Press [MENU]->[MENU]->[INFO] within 5 seconds.
You can see DEBUG mode screen.
By pressing [Right key>], change DEBUG MODE [DIS] to DEBUG MODE [EN].
Then, Press [OK].

2. Press [MENU], you can see setup menu.

3. Power OFF
While pressing [AE-L]+[INFO], turn the camera ON.
Firmware is desplayed on LCD.
Press [MENU]->[MENU]->[INFO] within 5 seconds.
You can see DEBUG mode screen.
By pressing [Right key], change DEBUG MODE [EN] to DEBUG MODE [DIS].
Then, Press [OK]. This shall return your camera into normal operation (non-debug mode);"

[UncleVanya]

I have a Pentax DA* 300mm/F4 that I want to convert, I just scored a K110D at a good price (I haven't received it yet), specifically to perform this conversion. Does the K110D require PK Tether to download the lens FW file? Or can it be done in-camera direct to the SD Card? Also can someone verify that this method works to get into the debug menu? (Pulled from an earlier post on this thread):

I honestly don’t know if the k110d works but I’d expect it does. If I recall it’s a k100d without ibis.

The k100d super won’t go into debug using that method but will go into it using a prepared sd card with a file for that.

[cdw2000]

SDM Conversion success with K110D! No PKTether or special files required. Detailed instructions follow:


1. Power OFF
2. Attach the lens you want to modify to the camera
3. While pressing [AE-L]+[INFO], turn the camera ON. The firmware version is displayed on the LCD.
4. Press [MENU]->[MENU]->[INFO] within 5 seconds. You should now see the DEBUG mode screen.
5. Press [Menu] to display the debug menu.
6. Scroll down to "LENS EEPROM R/W" and Press [OK].
7. Scroll to "LENS EEPROM STORE" and Press [OK]. The camera will write the LENSEEP.LNS file to the SD Card
8. Turn the camera off and remove the SD card.
9. Use a card reader to access the card from your PC
10. Edit the LENSEEP file in accordance with the instructions in the Pentax Tips video:

You Tube

You Tube

11. Load the modified LENSEEP file back into the root directory of the SD Card and insert the card back into the camera.
12.Once again, while pressing [AE-L]+[INFO], turn the camera ON.
13. Press [MENU]->[MENU]->[INFO] within 5 seconds. You should now see the DEBUG mode screen.
14. Press [Menu] to get back into the debug menu.
15. Scroll down to "LENS EEPROM R/W" and Press [OK].
16. Scroll to "LENS EEPROM LOAD" and Press [OK]. The camera will load the file back onto the lens.
17. Power off the camera and you are done!

[UncleVanya]

SDM Conversion success with K110D! No PKTether or special files required.
…
5. Press [Right key>], to change DEBUG MODE [DIS] to DEBUG MODE [EN].
…
The camera will write the LENSKEEP.LNS file to the SD Card

Congrats! I use a k100D frequently to convert lenses. A few small comments:

You do not need to enable or disable debug mode. Using the method you used to enter debug is sufficient. Enabling the debug mode makes the camera default to power on into debug mode rather than shooting mode. Disabling returns it to normal operations.

The file should be named: “LENSEEP.LNS” there’s no “K”.

I’m glad to know the k110D works for this.

[cdw2000]

Congrats! I use a k100D frequently to convert lenses. A few small comments:

You do not need to enable or disable debug mode. Using the method you used to enter debug is sufficient. Enabling the debug mode makes the camera default to power on into debug mode rather than shooting mode. Disabling returns it to normal operations.

The file should be named: “LENSEEP.LNS” there’s no “K”.

I’m glad to know the k110D works for this.

Thanks, UncleVanya. I'll update my post with your corrections so no one gets led astray.

[chrisd015]

With much appreciation to the OP (Blacknight659), DavidDwight for the PK Tether workaround, and also posts on the other forum, I have been able to successfully complete the SDM to screw drive conversion without using PK Tether. This is great for Mac users like me (PK Tether is not available for Mac), but it should also work for PC users. I have just used this process to convert my DA* 16-50, using a K5IIs, firmware 1.07. I don't know if it will work with other camera models. For others who may like to try this, I have laid out the process I followed below. This is basically a combination of the processes described in this thread by the OP, David immediately above, and Ron (Brandrx) in the other forum, but I thought it may be useful to lay it out in one place, with some additional notes from my experience:

As noted by the original posters, continue at your own risk - I am not responsible for any damage that may occur to your equipment.

1. Download the two required files from Dropbox, depending on the camera you are using: Dropbox - enable Debug Menu

Note: When I did this on my Mac, for some reason the extension .txt was added to the file names during the download process. You need to remove this added extension, so the file names appear as 00077681.541 and DEVELOP.MOD. This is for the K5IIs - for other models, the numbers in the first file name will be different. The content of the first file is a single line: [OPEN_DEBUG_MENU]. The second file is empty.

2. Copy these two files to the root directory of your SD card. I did this using a card reader - you can also do it with the SD card in the camera, using a USB cord between camera and computer.

3. Put the SD card in your camera, and power on while leaving the memory card door open. The Development Menu will immediately appear. This is the step that gets you into the Development Menu without using PK Tether.

4. Scroll down to Development Menu 4, and select line "LENS ROM DAT CAMERA=>SD", press OK. This copies the LENSEEP.LNS file to your SD card.

5. If you are using a card reader, power off, remove SD card and place in card reader. This is how I did it, but you could also continue working with these files connecting to the SD card in your camera with a USB cord. Make a backup of the LENSEEP.LNS file, and save it to your computer for possible future use.

6. Open the original LENSEEP.LNS file on the SD card using the Textedit app (this is for Mac users, PC users would use Notepad or another text editor). Use the edit, find menu to highlight all occurrences of "C0". These were in the first column on the left, and in the column headed "03". Ignore the first column leaving it as it is, and change all of the "C0" occurrences in column 03 to "80" (in my case there were 16 of them in column 03 needing changing). Save the file changes, making sure that the only copy of the LENSEEP.LNS file left on the SD card is the modified file (the first two files from Steps 1 and 2 should still be there). Using the Textedit app on my mac, I did not have any issues with having to change RTF/ASCII save settings as reported by DavidDwight - I just used the standard file, save, and it worked fine.

7. Return the SD card to the camera, and power on, again leaving the memory card door open so the Development menu appears.

8. Scroll down to Development Menu 4, and select line "LENS ROM DAT SD=>CAMERA", press OK. This copies the edited file back to the lens. You will see "wait..." on the screen, and then some lines of text flashing past for a few seconds. This completes the process. Power off, and power on again normally with the memory card door closed - the lens should now be in screw drive mode. As reported by others, you may need to repeat this step. In my case it did not work the first time, but did after the second.

You will now find a backup file on your SD card created by your camera, called BACKUP.LNS. This seems to be the same as the backup of LENSEEP.LNS created in step 5. I have kept both of these on my computer in case of future need. As you don't need the files on your SD card any more, you can delete them, or preferably reformat the card.

The key to this method which does not use PK Tether is getting in to the Development Menu by having the two necessary files from step 1 in the root directory of your SD card, and powering the camera on with the card door open. I learned this from DavidDwight's post above - it works with both my K5IIs, and my K3. I don't know if it works with other Pentax models. I completed the lens conversion process with my K5IIs. Although I have seen that I can get in to the Development Menu the same way on my K3, I don't know if the whole lens conversion process would work the same as it did with the K5IIs.

I now have a fully functional DA* 16-50 again. As expected the screw drive focus is a bit noisier than the SDM was, but that is a small price to pay for having a working lens, and the confidence that it is not going to fail on me as it has three times previously.

Many thanks also to posters on the other forum for sharing their solutions (especially Ron - BrandrX, RIP).

Awesome! Got my DA 50-135 going again after the SDM failed a second time.

[PentaxBill]

K-3 II owners using K200d body for Firmware flash on DA* SMC lenses.


I have both a DA* 16-50 and a DA* 50-135.
Both have been to Precision for SDM repairs at least once.
I've never been happy with the slow focus of of the SDM, and low-light performance has not been up to snuff.

I have opened up the 16-50 and done the free-up-the motor trick. It does not last.
Also, for some off reason, a wonky SDM will sometimes work in Liveview but not through the viewfinder.

Enough is enough!

But, as luck would have it, the K3 II which I have will not work to flash the ROM in the lens.

Hmm, will this old K200d on the junk pile do the trick?


The Dropbox with the Debug files does not have the pair of files for the K200.

Dropbox - enable Debug Menu - Simplify your life


However, under Older Cameras, the K200 is listed in a text file. Under K200D it says

K200D (v1.00.00.03) in die Form Dateinamen MODSET.445, ohne den Kofferraumdeckel Fach SD Zustand zu schließen.

Google Translate is your friend! Baiscally, "name your file MODSET.445 and leave the door open."


The procedure for the older cameras is different. This website has some pointers:

First disassembly results « Blog

The good news is the K200d will work, and you can pick one up on e-bay for $50.




************************************

Here's the step by step:

1. Start with a freshly formatted SD card in your card read on your PC.

2. With a text editor (I use "Notepad") create a text file
Within that text file type in two lines:
[DEBUG_MODE EN]
[OPEN_DEBUG_MENU]

3. Save the file as MODSET.445
The file name varies by model- the 3 numbers are different -see the Pentax-hack web site and/or the dropbox list.

4. For the older cameras this is the ONLY file needed on the SD Card.

5. Install the Lens you wish to modify on the camera.
Place the SD card in the camera, with card door open, turn the camera on.

6. Navigate (scroll) with your up button to LENS ROM SAVE to FILE. Press OK.

7. Turn camera off, move card back to PC card reader.

8. Save a backup of the LENSEEP.LNS file. I named mine LENSEEP.LNS.1650.BAK and placed it elsewhere on the PC.

9. With a text editor, manuallt replace any instance of C0 with 80 (8-Zero) in Column 03 only.
I use Cntrl-F and just quickly edit. Block editing with catch "80" inother locations and is not worth the effor.

10. Save the file as LENSEEP.LNS on the SD card, also a modified backup on your PC. I named the modified backup LENSEEP.LNS.1650.MOD because I am modifying two different lenses.

11. Place the SD card back in the camera with card door open, turn camera on.

12. Navigate (scroll) with your up button to LENS ROM LOAD from FILE. Press OK.

13. Wait while it a uploads the firmware to the lens and verifies.

14. Turn camera off, remove SD card and reformat it with your PC.

15. You can test it with your K-200d with a fresh SD card, or just move the lesn back to your waiting K3 II.



Note: It looks like PKTETHER is pretty much history. If you had the file (and it was safe) you still probably could not run it on a 64-Bit Windows 10 or Mac. It's not really necessary, even with a newer body like the K-5. Just bite the bullet and shuttle the SD card back and forth as with the proceedur above. With a newer body you will need the pair of file on your SD card which you obtain from the dropbox site.


Results: I was able to flash the firmware on both the DA* 16-50 and a DA* 50-135 lenses using the K200D. A K200D can be bought on ebay for next to nothing, and seems simpler than the K100 procedure posted here. And it's a lot cheaper than a K-5 body. Good news for owners of the cursed K-3 and K-3 II.

[baro-nite]

My DA* 300, purchased used in early 2013, finally failed. One more successful conversion, following bjdavey's instructions for Mac users.

[tncowdaddy]

I use a k100D frequently to convert lenses.

Last year I sold my DA* 16-50 and a DA* 50-135 because I'd moved to Sony. I was trying to sell my K3, but couldn't get a nibble. Guess I had it overpriced. Anyway, I decided to keep the K3 as I have formed quite the emotional bond with it over our 55k click history. But I'd sold my lenses! So I keep my eye open and spot a DA* 16-50 on a used site for 1/2 the normal used price and the comment "autofocus doesn't work". Then a see a similar listing for a DA* 50-135 on another site. So I take the chance and buy them both. When they arrive I get my trusty K100d and do a couple conversions. And what do you know? Dead SDM motors in both, work PERFECTLY after converting!

I wouldn't have been able to do this without the help from this forum and specifically UncleVanya who helped with my first SDM conversion a while back. Thanks again UncleVanya!

[UncleVanya]

Last year I sold my DA* 16-50 and a DA* 50-135 because I'd moved to Sony. I was trying to sell my K3, but couldn't get a nibble. Guess I had it overpriced. Anyway, I decided to keep the K3 as I have formed quite the emotional bond with it over our 55k click history. But I'd sold my lenses! So I keep my eye open and spot a DA* 16-50 on a used site for 1/2 the normal used price and the comment "autofocus doesn't work". Then a see a similar listing for a DA* 50-135 on another site. So I take the chance and buy them both. When they arrive I get my trusty K100d and do a couple conversions. And what do you know? Dead SDM motors in both, work PERFECTLY after converting!

I wouldn't have been able to do this without the help from this forum and specifically UncleVanya who helped with my first SDM conversion a while back. Thanks again UncleVanya!

Glad to help. Those are both good lenses. Keep an eye out for the 200/300 in similar shape. Those convert also.