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03-17-2010, 09:14 AM   #1
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I guess my DA*50-135mm SDM is dead..

Hey guys, I have been very busy for the past 6 months and didn't use this lens for at least 8 months. I decide to take it out today and no response, no auto focus at all, sdm or screwdrive.
When I hold down the AF button (on the K20D), the manual focus indicator comes on inside the viewfinder, so the camera think the lens is on manual.. I played with the AF switch on the lens but still no response.
I also tried it on my K10D back up but same story.

It makes me really mad because I bought it in august 2007, at BH Photo, so I guess it's out of warranty now. I'm gonna have to pay to repair a $800 lens I used a very small amount of time.

What are my options ? Just send it to Pentax repair center? How much is it gonna cost ?
I read in another thread about some "Eric" that fixes Pentax equipment, does he do new SDM lenses too ?
Thanks for your help.

03-17-2010, 09:30 AM   #2
Igilligan
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Lots of info on here and the other forum about having to 'Wake up' the AF on the DA* zooms after a they have been sitting for a while, or in cold temps.

Did you put it on MF and rack thru focus and zoom a few times? Others talked about having to half press the shutter for long periods to get the AF to begin to move.

try a search...
03-17-2010, 11:54 PM   #3
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Thanks for your info Gus! I haven't been on the net for ages so I wasn't aware of this DA* problem... I will do a search. I tried what you said and after doing it for quite a while, the SDM finally came back. It's great but it worries me that such an expensive lens have a problem like this.
03-18-2010, 12:04 AM   #4
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I think it's because part of the gears are made out of some sort of rubber. If you don't use them for awhile, then they will eventually stick after touching the same spot for a long period of time.

03-18-2010, 12:34 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by LeDave Quote
I think it's because part of the gears are made out of some sort of rubber. If you don't use them for awhile, then they will eventually stick after touching the same spot for a long period of time.
I imagine that could be the reason, however I've read of a few people having that problem after just a few days of not using theirs

I wonder if the factory has some sort of lube, which hopefully stops them from sticking, before they sale.
For that mater, I wonder if they may be using too thin of a lube, causing some of the problems
03-18-2010, 12:41 AM   #6
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Could be. Or it could be that the lube if not in movement for a period of time, could start to become "thick". Not solidify but instead thicken like a sludge from not being mixed by the gear movement, and stays "fluid" as the gear is in regular use.
03-18-2010, 01:32 AM   #7
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The ball contacts in the mount and the pz contacts sometimes get dirty from caps that don't completely cover them, please make sure that these are cleaned as well. These can cause SDM failure symptoms as some have reported.

03-18-2010, 06:46 AM   #8
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Im confident that someone here at PF will dismantle an broken SDM lens.......someday or any day. Just wait and see.
03-18-2010, 10:29 AM   #9
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Thanks Phil...

QuoteOriginally posted by philbaum Quote
The ball contacts in the mount and the pz contacts sometimes get dirty from caps that don't completely cover them, please make sure that these are cleaned as well. These can cause SDM failure symptoms as some have reported.


I was afraid we might have to go a couple of pages before someone suggested cleaning the contacts...


It is not the contacts or the lube... It is a bad lens design.... We have got to stop making excuses for Pentax.
03-18-2010, 12:35 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Igilligan Quote
We have got to stop making excuses for Pentax.
Yeap... It's what happens when we are all left to die by Pentax, our almighty father, our almighty guidance, has chose to ignore our words of petition that we prayed so hard each night. When hard times end to be like this, at this last resort... We tend to go crazy... we resort to lose our minds and think out of the ordinary.
03-18-2010, 02:19 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by LeDave Quote
Yeap... It's what happens when we are all left to die by Pentax, our almighty father, our almighty guidance, has chose to ignore our words of petition that we prayed so hard each night. When hard times end to be like this, at this last resort... We tend to go crazy... we resort to lose our minds and think out of the ordinary.
I guess that is thinking of the ordinary... although cleaning the battery contacts and lens contacts are usually the answer that we always resort to... They even have the battery contacts now being the problem with the K-x mirror slap/blurry photo problems.

I guess it is one step better than User Error... but hardly out the ordinary. And hardly ever the answer.
03-18-2010, 05:06 PM   #12
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Gus, if you're so bitter, why even bother sticking around with Pentax?
Go ahead, jump ship! Seriously. I think you'll be better off and less negative when you don't have to contend with problematic gear.
03-18-2010, 05:18 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by creampuff Quote
Gus, if you're so bitter, why even bother sticking around with Pentax?
Go ahead, jump ship! Seriously. I think you'll be better off and less negative when you don't have to contend with problematic gear.
Ouch Creampuff...

Well I guess now the problem with the SDM lenses is me and my attitude?
I guess maybe I should just leave this forum since it has become about as tolerent as DPR for any discussions of Pentax quality issues.

Thanks for showing me the door. I do appreciate it.
03-18-2010, 07:05 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Igilligan Quote
Ouch Creampuff...

Well I guess now the problem with the SDM lenses is me and my attitude?
I guess maybe I should just leave this forum since it has become about as tolerent as DPR for any discussions of Pentax quality issues.

Thanks for showing me the door. I do appreciate it.
No I'm not saying you're the problem. I'm a pretty pragmatic kinda guy. If something doesn't work, I'll find something that does and move on. Less angst, less negativity all round. For example I used to drive several Toyotas (before their recent issues) and discovered the build quality wasn't as good as before and recently switched to Subaru. Same thing for apartments, golf equipment, commercial equipment, services, etc. you name it.

It's one thing to rant about a product defect, but too much negativity rehashing how crappy SDM is and frankly the sentiment starts wearing thin. Nobody is asking you to leave the forums but if you feel thin skinned and overly sensitive about it then I can only wonder if you're blowing things way out of context. OK SDM lenses aren't cheap, yeah they do fail on occasion, so you're disappointed it didn't meet your quality/reliability expectations... whatcha gonna do? Keep crying about it? Once bitten twice shy?

BTW this is the same thing I tell many of my Nikon user friends whose 18-200mm VR lenses just die unexpectedly, a far more common and widespread problem imo. If it don't work for you just switch to what works.
03-18-2010, 07:22 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by creampuff Quote
If it don't work for you just switch to what works.

Well, that's exactly what a lot of people are doing. They are basically staying with the older lenses that work and staying away from SDM motors.
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