An end to SDM failure?

Blue · 09-18-2012, 08:41 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by blende8

Petersen said the same already in 2010.

There may have been changes, but when and what we do not know.

The USA office still hasn't heard about it. Apparently they don't pay attention to Photokina or anything. I guess they are polishing their snow skis.

ogl · 09-18-2012, 08:54 AM

How to know if the lens is 2012 made or not? What are the serial numbers of DA16-50?

Blue · 09-18-2012, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by ogl

How to know if the lens is 2012 made or not? What are the serial numbers of DA16-50?

That is a good question and I hope someone has the answer to it. There may be serial numbers during the failure survey to help come up with a transition period.

8540tomg · 09-20-2012, 05:38 AM - **1 Like**

I've had my Pentax DA* 16~50/2.8 for about three years now. As I recall the lens cost a $1,000 at the time of purchase. I admit I don't use it a lot but I have experienced no SDM or other issues of any kind. That being said it appears it will only be a matter of time before I shall. As others have said above I think Pentax should take the high road and recall these lenses for repair. It appears lenses built before 2012 have failure prone motors. Some provision should be made for owners to have these parts replaced by Pentax. I doubt it will happen but it would be the right thing to do.

Tom G

bossa · 09-20-2012, 05:52 AM

As I said in an earlier post my DA*55 & DA*50-135 have been away for repairs for 8 weeks now. They are in Japan on holiday, a place I would like to visit myself one day. I was told I 'might' see them in another week or two as they have been repaired and are awaiting the next commercial shipment to OZ. The Pentax 'tech' I spoke to told me he had not heard of any upgrades to the spec on those lenses. I seriously cannot fathom how they can think two months (maybe three) is an acceptable time to be without lenses I paid Australian prices for. It's a huge chunk out of the warranty period.

Alizarine · 09-20-2012, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by bossa

It's a huge chunk out of the warranty period.

If punctuality were to be included for the warranty we pay for, then the time the equipment spends in wherever it's being repaired should ideally not be deducted from the warranty period - frozen in time until it's shipped back to owner. 2 months is way too long for me...

Medium FormatPro · 09-20-2012, 07:03 AM

Originally posted by snake

Is it time yet to start a consumer action against Pentax for these failures

Yes. I still cannot believe that a camera company such as Pentax would ever release the 16-50. In terms of reliability; I'd trust a lensbaby more than the 16-50. This is by far the worst Penta lens ever to be made. By the way, did I mention it's not just the Sudden Death Motor, but also the zoom mechanism?

bossa · 09-20-2012, 07:23 AM

Originally posted by Medium FormatPro

Yes. I still cannot believe that a camera company such as Pentax would ever release the 16-50. In terms of reliability; I'd trust a lensbaby more than the 16-50. This is by far the worst Penta lens ever to be made. By the way, did I mention it's not just the Sudden Death Motor, but also the zoom mechanism?

No you didn't mention that.. cheers.

I already had a sloppy zoom ring 'fixed' on my DA*50-135 and when I got it back the motor was slower than treacle. Also, the lower left side was now 'soft', as if it had been bumped around and an element had become de-centered. I'm pretty sure that I'll be selling up as soon as they return. I'll be glad to get away from the endless whining about how there's no FF, if nothing else. Anyway, if any more lenses were to fail I'd likely have to pay for them as I only have two left under warranty.

**7samurai** · 09-24-2012, 07:56 PM

Just ask Pentax USA and they claimed the DA* 16-50 and 50-135 do not have any issues with SDM or know of any issues with SDM.
I guess I'm still on the fence and not buying them then.

snake · 09-25-2012, 03:26 AM

This is why I never bought an SDM and likely never will. There are even owners of the primes reporting failures, too. Not as much as the 16-50 and 50-135, but there's no way I'll be going out on a trip only to have the AF fail and it won't toggle to screw drive. I want that lens working at all costs.

It stuns me how passive Pentax customers are in this, paying insane prices for repairs on a bad design. Luckily, my dealer warned me to not go SDM and Pentax is their main line. That should say enough.

Medium FormatPro · 09-25-2012, 04:29 AM

Originally posted by 7samurai

Just ask Pentax USA and they claimed the DA* 16-50 and 50-135 do not have any issues with SDM or know of any issues with SDM

My reply to Pentax and/or the person representing Pentax that stated that; The claim made "by Pentax" is nothing short of a lie.

But better yet I coulld clearly prove it; as could many, many others who own the 16-50.

fuf · 09-25-2012, 04:37 AM

I've sent my 16-50 in for a 3rd repair of the SDM and the serviceman told me that the motors in the faulty lenses are being replaced with stronger ones. Unfortunately my lens is out of warranty already but I really hope he was telling me the truth and this will be the last repair.

Docrwm · 09-25-2012, 04:53 AM

Originally posted by fuf

I've sent my 16-50 in for a 3rd repair of the SDM and the serviceman told me that the motors in the faulty lenses are being replaced with stronger ones. Unfortunately my lens is out of warranty already but I really hope he was telling me the truth and this will be the last repair.

Good luck. Which repair facility are you using?

bossa · 09-26-2012, 10:00 PM

My DA*50-135 & DA*55 are back now. They were away for 10 weeks all up...

I got a report which consisted of one line per lens: The DA*50-135 AF motor was replaced and the lens cleaned and tested. The DA*55 report said "replace gears, clean and test".. that lens was brand new and only a few months old. I'm seriously wondering if AIV is worth the effort if lenses have to go back to Japan like this. Anyway, the DA*55 no longer 'chatters' although I still need to do some AF tuning. Thus far, they seem to be working well and yhe AF speed of the 50-135 is way better now, but for how long?

Alizarine · 09-30-2012, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by bossa

My DA*50-135 & DA*55 are back now. They were away for 10 weeks all up... I got a report which consisted of one line per lens: The DA*50-135 AF motor was replaced and the lens cleaned and tested. The DA*55 report said "replace gears, clean and test".. that lens was brand new and only a few months old. I'm seriously wondering if AIV is worth the effort if lenses have to go back to Japan like this. Anyway, the DA*55 no longer 'chatters' although I still need to do some AF tuning. Thus far, they seem to be working well and yhe AF speed of the 50-135 is way better now, but for how long?

Nice to hear that. Will be waiting for any update to this before I take the dive and get a DA*50-135, which I've been holding off bay by comparing it with the Tamron 70-200 f2.8... Hope that "replaced AF motor" thing did fix the lens and will last for an indefinitely long time.

09-25-2012, 03:26 AM	#55
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	This is why I never bought an SDM and likely never will. There are even owners of the primes reporting failures, too. Not as much as the 16-50 and 50-135, but there's no way I'll be going out on a trip only to have the AF fail and it won't toggle to screw drive. I want that lens working at all costs. It stuns me how passive Pentax customers are in this, paying insane prices for repairs on a bad design. Luckily, my dealer warned me to not go SDM and Pentax is their main line. That should say enough. Last edited by Blue; 09-25-2012 at 08:43 AM.

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09-18-2012, 08:41 AM - 1 Like	#46
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by blende8 Petersen said the same already in 2010. There may have been changes, but when and what we do not know. The USA office still hasn't heard about it. Apparently they don't pay attention to Photokina or anything. I guess they are polishing their snow skis.

09-18-2012, 08:54 AM	#47
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	How to know if the lens is 2012 made or not? What are the serial numbers of DA16-50?

09-18-2012, 08:56 AM	#48
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by ogl How to know if the lens is 2012 made or not? What are the serial numbers of DA16-50? That is a good question and I hope someone has the answer to it. There may be serial numbers during the failure survey to help come up with a transition period.

09-20-2012, 05:38 AM - 1 Like	#49
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	I've had my Pentax DA* 16~50/2.8 for about three years now. As I recall the lens cost a $1,000 at the time of purchase. I admit I don't use it a lot but I have experienced no SDM or other issues of any kind. That being said it appears it will only be a matter of time before I shall. As others have said above I think Pentax should take the high road and recall these lenses for repair. It appears lenses built before 2012 have failure prone motors. Some provision should be made for owners to have these parts replaced by Pentax. I doubt it will happen but it would be the right thing to do. Tom G

09-20-2012, 05:52 AM	#50
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	As I said in an earlier post my DA55 & DA50-135 have been away for repairs for 8 weeks now. They are in Japan on holiday, a place I would like to visit myself one day. I was told I 'might' see them in another week or two as they have been repaired and are awaiting the next commercial shipment to OZ. The Pentax 'tech' I spoke to told me he had not heard of any upgrades to the spec on those lenses. I seriously cannot fathom how they can think two months (maybe three) is an acceptable time to be without lenses I paid Australian prices for. It's a huge chunk out of the warranty period.

09-20-2012, 05:59 AM	#51
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Originally posted by bossa It's a huge chunk out of the warranty period. If punctuality were to be included for the warranty we pay for, then the time the equipment spends in wherever it's being repaired should ideally not be deducted from the warranty period - frozen in time until it's shipped back to owner. 2 months is way too long for me...

09-20-2012, 07:03 AM	#52
Medium FormatPro Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh Photos: Albums Posts: 1,668	Originally posted by snake Is it time yet to start a consumer action against Pentax for these failures Yes. I still cannot believe that a camera company such as Pentax would ever release the 16-50. In terms of reliability; I'd trust a lensbaby more than the 16-50. This is by far the worst Penta lens ever to be made. By the way, did I mention it's not just the Sudden Death Motor, but also the zoom mechanism?

09-20-2012, 07:23 AM	#53
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Originally posted by Medium FormatPro Yes. I still cannot believe that a camera company such as Pentax would ever release the 16-50. In terms of reliability; I'd trust a lensbaby more than the 16-50. This is by far the worst Penta lens ever to be made. By the way, did I mention it's not just the Sudden Death Motor, but also the zoom mechanism? No you didn't mention that.. cheers. I already had a sloppy zoom ring 'fixed' on my DA*50-135 and when I got it back the motor was slower than treacle. Also, the lower left side was now 'soft', as if it had been bumped around and an element had become de-centered. I'm pretty sure that I'll be selling up as soon as they return. I'll be glad to get away from the endless whining about how there's no FF, if nothing else. Anyway, if any more lenses were to fail I'd likely have to pay for them as I only have two left under warranty.

09-24-2012, 07:56 PM	#54
7samurai Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 474	Just ask Pentax USA and they claimed the DA* 16-50 and 50-135 do not have any issues with SDM or know of any issues with SDM. I guess I'm still on the fence and not buying them then.

09-25-2012, 04:29 AM	#56
Medium FormatPro Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh Photos: Albums Posts: 1,668	Originally posted by 7samurai Just ask Pentax USA and they claimed the DA* 16-50 and 50-135 do not have any issues with SDM or know of any issues with SDM My reply to Pentax and/or the person representing Pentax that stated that; The claim made "by Pentax" is nothing short of a lie. But better yet I coulld clearly prove it; as could many, many others who own the 16-50.

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09-25-2012, 04:37 AM	#57
fuf Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 51	I've sent my 16-50 in for a 3rd repair of the SDM and the serviceman told me that the motors in the faulty lenses are being replaced with stronger ones. Unfortunately my lens is out of warranty already but I really hope he was telling me the truth and this will be the last repair.

09-25-2012, 04:53 AM	#58
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by fuf I've sent my 16-50 in for a 3rd repair of the SDM and the serviceman told me that the motors in the faulty lenses are being replaced with stronger ones. Unfortunately my lens is out of warranty already but I really hope he was telling me the truth and this will be the last repair. Good luck. Which repair facility are you using?

09-26-2012, 10:00 PM	#59
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	My DA50-135 & DA55 are back now. They were away for 10 weeks all up... I got a report which consisted of one line per lens: The DA50-135 AF motor was replaced and the lens cleaned and tested. The DA55 report said "replace gears, clean and test".. that lens was brand new and only a few months old. I'm seriously wondering if AIV is worth the effort if lenses have to go back to Japan like this. Anyway, the DA*55 no longer 'chatters' although I still need to do some AF tuning. Thus far, they seem to be working well and yhe AF speed of the 50-135 is way better now, but for how long?

09-30-2012, 09:21 AM	#60
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Originally posted by bossa My DA50-135 & DA55 are back now. They were away for 10 weeks all up... I got a report which consisted of one line per lens: The DA50-135 AF motor was replaced and the lens cleaned and tested. The DA55 report said "replace gears, clean and test".. that lens was brand new and only a few months old. I'm seriously wondering if AIV is worth the effort if lenses have to go back to Japan like this. Anyway, the DA55 no longer 'chatters' although I still need to do some AF tuning. Thus far, they seem to be working well and yhe AF speed of the 50-135 is way better now, but for how long? Nice to hear that. Will be waiting for any update to this before I take the dive and get a DA50-135, which I've been holding off bay by comparing it with the Tamron 70-200 f2.8... Hope that "replaced AF motor" thing did fix the lens and will last for an indefinitely long time.