[Donkeypunch]

The reason for this thread, is I have just had the SDM AF on my 16-50 fail for the second time now: LINK
I thought it would be nice to have a consolidated thread with numbers on how many SDM AF's have failed, as the threads now are spread all over. Recently it was stated (I can't remember exactly where) that Pentax had shifted also to a newer SDM motor for replacement back around February 2010. So if you have had a lens with an SDM failure, post it up in here. Maybe some Pentax employee will read this and get the hint.

Give as much info about the following as you want, and I won't ask for serial #'s, unless you guys think it is relevant.

Lens Model
When Bought
Bought new or used
When failure occured
When Repaired
Under warranty/Out of Warranty
Cost to repair
And, if you have had multiple failures, the amount of failures, and time in between each



So I'll start

SMC-DA* 16-50 f/2.8
Feburary 2009
Bought New
1st failure was around March of 2010
Repaired/Received back from Pentax 5/1/2010
Out of warranty
Cost to repair was $205 USD
I am now on failure #2 as of 7/9/2010, lens has been shipped to Pentax, and is still under 90 day warranty from last repair.

[hangu]

Might want to change it to unofficial. Also, might want to do a fast search/check the stickies before claiming to be official.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/22297-da*-16-5...-database.html

[Donkeypunch]

Might want to change it to unofficial. Also, might want to do a fast search/check the stickies before claiming to be official.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/22297-da*-16-5...-database.html

I understand that, I need a mod to change the title, so if a mod would please change it to unofficial. Also you linked the serial # database. Different issue. The serial # database is to show #'s for lenses being bought that mis-focused (front or rear) from the factory/dealer/used, or didn't focus at all.

My thread is to show #'s for SDM AF motor failures from "good copies" that have been used for some time. As some of us here are starting to experience problems with their lenses. Some of us multiple times now. And how long it took to fail, or fail multiple times.

Edit:
And this isn't a 16-50 exclusive thread. All the SDM lenses are applicable here.

[hangu]

I understand that, I need a mod to change the title, so if a mod would please change it to unofficial. Also you linked the serial # database. Different issue. The serial # database is to show #'s for lenses being bought that mis-focused (front or rear) from the factory/dealer/used, or didn't focus at all.

My thread is to show #'s for SDM AF motor failures from "good copies" that have been used for some time. As some of us here are starting to experience problems with their lenses. Some of us multiple times now. And how long it took to fail, or fail multiple times.

Edit:
And this isn't a 16-50 exclusive thread. All the SDM lenses are applicable here.

They're also mixing SDM issues in there, unfortunately. You might want to create different threads for different lenses. The 16-50mm's serial numbers are not related to the 50-135mm's.

[Donkeypunch]

They're also mixing SDM issues in there, unfortunately. You might want to create different threads for different lenses. The 16-50mm's serial numbers are not related to the 50-135mm's.

True, but I don't want to overkill the forum with that, as there are a ton of SDM lenses. Good point though. Thanks

[Adam]

You might as well also include the serial numbers in this thread, as that's quite important too. Or, refer to this one: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/22297-da*-16-5...-database.html

[PentaxPoke]

I feel your pain Donkey. I have had 3 SDM failures myself. It may be a bit presumptious to say "Official SDM Failure Thread" since Russell created a thread which was quite detailed about all the reported SDM failures reported on the forum, and even had a spreadsheet. You might just want to "bump" that thread, add your data, and sign the SDM petition!

So as an alternative, lets have some fun and come up with ideas for a new thread title. I'll start with a few:


"The Official: Why SDM is the Biggest Mistake Pentax Ever Made, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Things I would Rather Throw My Money Away on Than an SDM Lens, Thread"

"The Official: Pool to Bet When Will Pentax Finally Admit There is a Problem, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread"

[Donkeypunch]

I feel your pain Donkey. I have had 3 SDM failures myself. It may be a bit presumptious to say "Official SDM Failure Thread" since Russell created a thread which was quite detailed about all the reported SDM failures reported on the forum, and even had a spreadsheet. You might just want to "bump" that thread, add your data, and sign the SDM petition!

So as an alternative, lets have some fun and come up with ideas for a new thread title. I'll start with a few:


"The Official: Why SDM is the Biggest Mistake Pentax Ever Made, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Things I would Rather Throw My Money Away on Than an SDM Lens, Thread"

"The Official: Pool to Bet When Will Pentax Finally Admit There is a Problem, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread"

Can you give me a link to that thread you referred to? Is it the 16-50 serial # thread that is stickied? If not, is Russell the actuall member name? I did search for this, and found various SDM failure threads, but nothing extremely detailed. And yes I have signed the petition. A petition is nice, but again data is nice to have also. So I would apperciate some help. I also did ask the question in my thread yesterday about my second SDM failure, if we needed a thread like this, and got few responses.

[Donkeypunch]

I assume this was the one you were referring me too?

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/60184-screw-drive-...or-lenses.html

Yeah, I have voted in there, and guess what my vote was?

Edit:

Found this one. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/83743-superson...failure-5.html

I wish the poll was still open. I will post my results in it though.

I guess if the mods want to delete this thread, whatever.

[Peter Zack]

I feel your pain Donkey. I have had 3 SDM failures myself. It may be a bit presumptious to say "Official SDM Failure Thread" since Russell created a thread which was quite detailed about all the reported SDM failures reported on the forum, and even had a spreadsheet. You might just want to "bump" that thread, add your data, and sign the SDM petition!

So as an alternative, lets have some fun and come up with ideas for a new thread title. I'll start with a few:


"The Official: Why SDM is the Biggest Mistake Pentax Ever Made, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Things I would Rather Throw My Money Away on Than an SDM Lens, Thread"

"The Official: Pool to Bet When Will Pentax Finally Admit There is a Problem, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread"

Humm I can't pick a favourite but the last one made me laugh.

How about
"The Official, Why SDM makes me read Canon, Nikon forums more and more, thread."

[mokey]

OK, here's my experiences with SDM....
DA*16-50
bought Nov 2008
#1 sent to Japan for motor replacement Nov 2009 (warranty covered by Canadian 2yr)
#2 No AF - sent back to Pentax March 2010 (still under warranty)

DA*50-135
bought Dec 2007
SDM issues-squeeking and slow focus (how the first one started)
Sent to Pentax - motor replaced June 2010 - NOT under warranty- but because of my previous experiences with SDM- they only charged me parts - $143 Cd.

[Mike.P®]

The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread



DA* 16-50mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 50-135mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 55mm f1.4 - No Issues
DA* 200mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 60-250mm f4 - No issues.


You said it not me ....

[mokey]

The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread



DA* 16-50mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 50-135mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 55mm f1.4 - No Issues
DA* 200mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 60-250mm f4 - No issues.


You said it not me ....

Just wondering....how long have you had these lenses?
And is sending 2 lenses in for repair 3 times, "all in my head"? I could think of a lot better things to do, if it was all in my head.

[Blue]

I feel your pain Donkey. I have had 3 SDM failures myself. It may be a bit presumptious to say "Official SDM Failure Thread" since Russell created a thread which was quite detailed about all the reported SDM failures reported on the forum, and even had a spreadsheet. You might just want to "bump" that thread, add your data, and sign the SDM petition!

So as an alternative, lets have some fun and come up with ideas for a new thread title. I'll start with a few:


"The Official: Why SDM is the Biggest Mistake Pentax Ever Made, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Things I would Rather Throw My Money Away on Than an SDM Lens, Thread"

"The Official: Pool to Bet When Will Pentax Finally Admit There is a Problem, Thread"

"The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread"

Here's another possibility: "What kind of extended warranty/repair plan did you purchase with your expensive SDM lens because of concerns of an SDM failure 30 minutes after the expiration of the Pentax warranty."

[Blue]

The Official: Top 10 Fanboy Excuses why SDM Failure is All in your Mind, Thread



DA* 16-50mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 50-135mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 55mm f1.4 - No Issues
DA* 200mm f2.8 - No Issues
DA* 60-250mm f4 - No issues.


You said it not me ....

This is why statistical analyses are required for these kinds of issues. You represent 1 data point for 5 lens models. This question would need to be asked about 2x per year for a 5 year period from a large enough sample size to get a handle on this. Pentax probably knows a hell of a lot more than they are letting on about and the fact they are being quite about it is suspect. The reason I say that is they have likely looked at this situation and came to some conclusion. It may take a lawsuit and subpoena from the repair facility and sails records for a given area to get this type of data, or have the same people participate in a survey over a period of time. The problem with the latter is it would require substantial participation for each model. I would participate for the 2 lenses that I have.