[GeneV]

I am not sure if screwdrive is a bad thing. It makes the lens less likely to fail and that's a good thing IMHO. Despite the lack of complains about Nikon or canon in lens motor, I would take the security of screwdrive any day.

True enough. The only place where the lens motor is critical is where quiet is essential. I've drawn dirty looks at a wedding with a noisy screw drive.

[Ash]

Prefocusing helps quieten screwdrive down nicely. That too is a good virtue of quickshift.

[Clavius]

True enough. The only place where the lens motor is critical is where quiet is essential. I've drawn dirty looks at a wedding with a noisy screw drive.

It seems as if the only choises are screwdrive + noise or siltent in-lense motors. Obviously, I'm no engineer, but can't screwdrive motors be madem more silent then? Or have they reached the end of their developement path, and is there no oppertunity for improvement?

[GeneV]

It seems as if the only choises are screwdrive + noise or siltent in-lense motors. Obviously, I'm no engineer, but can't screwdrive motors be madem more silent then? Or have they reached the end of their developement path, and is there no oppertunity for improvement?

Good question. And, as Ash noted, we can deal with this through all or partial manual focus (also fixes many low-light issues), but it would be nice to get full use of an AF camera in these situations.

Frankly, as a 35+ year Pentax user, I would like to see lenses that can still be used decades from now, just like my lenses from the 70s and 80s. I see that as a possibility with screw drive, but unlikely with any device containing a micro-motor. I'd rather fix the motor in once, in one location, that have this repair done a dozen times. This is one reason why I only own 1 SDM lens. The longer I use AF, the more respect I have for the plastic FA series, which are light, fast, quiet and of high optical quality, though aesthetically uninteresting. The FA35/2 is always on one of my bodies, and it seldom disturbs anyone.

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Last edited by GeneV; 01-23-2013 at 07:57 AM.

[paranoia23]

Because you're doing it wrong; first, they should buy Pentax and only then, jump to Canon/Nikon, thus adding their gear to the used lenses/cameras pool.

... but in case of FA31.. which is out of production ... its useless

Unless they go to Canon, or Sony, or any other brand with a shorter registry distance. In which case you can still use the Pentax lenses.

who would use the autofocus pentax lenses on a canono or a sony manually ... if u can sell it at this high prices and get a lens (or 1.5) with working AF for your camera?!


edit: and who cares about people who look at you at a wedding ?! ... TAKE PICTURES OF THEM ... and start a new thread ... people upset because of screwdriver AF noise ... i would love that thread

[Medium FormatPro]

It seems as if the only choises are screwdrive + noise or siltent in-lense motors. Obviously, I'm no engineer, but can't screwdrive motors be madem more silent then? Or have they reached the end of their developement path, and is there no oppertunity for improvement?

One of the currently marketed PK lens with screwdrive that is probably one of the loudest; would be the Pentax 50mm f2.8 macro. But in it's range it's also the best optically; plus who knows - someday that fullframe lens might just come back into play. But given that macro throw - it occassionally has to look around a bit and go throught the entire range of focus.

But yes most any screwdrive lens could be made to be considerably quieter, but at a price, a price in more than one respect.

The most naotable difference would be pricing - probably adding in at least one humdred dollars minimum to make most screwdrive lens' quieter. Plus there would most likely be an added "give" in size. That's where Pentax has a bit of an advantage - look how many of there lens' basically have the same filter size

[ihasa]

who would use the autofocus pentax lenses on a canono or a sony manually ... if u can sell it at this high prices and get a lens (or 1.5) with working AF for your camera?!

Well you did say 'the market would be flooded with old pentax lenses' - perhaps he thought you meant those old MF gems.

[GeneV]

One of the currently marketed PK lens with screwdrive that is probably one of the loudest; would be the Pentax 50mm f2.8 macro. But in it's range it's also the best optically; plus who knows - someday that fullframe lens might just come back into play. But given that macro throw - it occassionally has to look around a bit and go throught the entire range of focus.

But yes most any screwdrive lens could be made to be considerably quieter, but at a price, a price in more than one respect.

The most naotable difference would be pricing - probably adding in at least one humdred dollars minimum to make most screwdrive lens' quieter. Plus there would most likely be an added "give" in size. That's where Pentax has a bit of an advantage - look how many of there lens' basically have the same filter size

The macro has a lot of real estate to cover in its focus range. I agree it is a noisy one. As to the size, another lens I have found to be especially noisy is the DA40, especially on the K10/20d. OTOH, some older Sigmas are quite large and quite loud.

[Clavius]

and who cares about people who look at you at a wedding ?! ... TAKE PICTURES OF THEM ... and start a new thread ... people upset because of screwdriver AF noise ... i would love that thread

Such a thread would be awesome!

That's also why Pentax should include AF functionality in video mode. Imagine a video where you're loudly focussing on someone and their frown goes from bad to worse.

On a serious note: it's often quicker to just manual focus instead. I can focus my DA 35 ltd quicker manually in low light then the AF system can. Not to mention more accurate. And, as discussed, more quiet.

[ElJamoquio]

... but in case of FA31.. which is out of production ... its useless

I'll believe that when Pentax announces it... or when I actually can't buy one anywhere.

edit: and who cares about people who look at you at a wedding ?! ... TAKE PICTURES OF THEM ... and start a new thread ... people upset because of screwdriver AF noise ... i would love that thread

I'm less concerned about my Pentax screw-drive (which I can remove by manually focusing) and more concerned about Nikon's shutter.

[the swede]

It seems as if the only choises are screwdrive + noise or siltent in-lense motors. Obviously, I'm no engineer, but can't screwdrive motors be madem more silent then? Or have they reached the end of their developement path, and is there no oppertunity for improvement?

Well, many of the Nikkor "D" lenses are rather quiet and fast although being screw driven...

[Na Horuk]

The question about screwdrive isnt so much IF it can be improved, but rather at what the cost would be. I was a little surprised when I first tried AF with my K-r and kit lens. It sounded almost like a drill! Oh, but what bothers me more than the AF whirring is the CLANK I hear when the AF hits infinity. With my 35mm if it can't lock focus it sounds like its just smashing the lens near and far..

[cali92rs]

edit: and who cares about people who look at you at a wedding ?! ... TAKE PICTURES OF THEM ... and start a new thread ... people upset because of screwdriver AF noise ... i would love that thread

Have you been married?
Women at their own weddings can transform into different creatures in which every single nanosecond needs to be 100% perfect or she begins crying and screaming.

[paranoia23]

i'm still... but i dont attend weddings... neither do i take pictures there ... until today

[monochrome]

Women at their own weddings can transform into different creatures

Don't EVEN say MOTHERS of those women ....