Pentax HD D FA 150-450 Zoom issues.

asahi67 · 06-05-2023, 03:29 PM

Dear Forum Members,
About 30 months ago I purchased this lens new (no longer under warranty) and use it with the 1.4 TC. It has been a great lens and has never been abused or dropped. About a month ago the zoom ring started to get very stiff and would not go lower than 190mm and there were also grinding sounds when zooming out. I read the user reviews of this lens and noted a number of users who had the same issue. I will be sending it to Sun Camera in Toronto for a guestimate to repair (if doable) Has any one here had the same issue and had a satisfactory repair? The lens is now stuck at 150 but when I was able to zoom out the bottom of the lens barell reveals scratches in the paint. I am disappointed that a lens of this quality and price should fail this way.

Thanks for any reply/suggestions

**luftfluss** · 06-05-2023, 03:45 PM

Sadly, you are not the only person to experience build quality issues with this lens

Maybe the info in one of these threads will help...

Pentax 150-450 fell apart. Advise - PentaxForums.com

Precision repair for my DFA 150-450 - PentaxForums.com

DFA 150-450mm needs repair - PentaxForums.com

**blackcloudbrew** · 06-05-2023, 04:09 PM

Well if you search deep enough, you will find my story from 2017. My 150-450 actually separated into 2 pieces with a lot of wires hanging out. Unfortunately I was on the Serengeti on Safari. :-(
Got home and sent it off to Precision for repair. $1,000 and months later after having to go to Japan for a fix, it came back fixed. As far as your problem, I've never noticed anything like that.
Good luck.

**H-T-Chiu** · 06-06-2023, 07:33 PM

This seems to be a common problem for 150-450. Mine developed the same issue several times. After reading this post, FIX for jammed DFA 150-450, I found it can be fixed easily by myself. And I did it several times.

asahi67 · 06-07-2023, 01:10 PM

Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I am going to send ;Big Nancy' to Sun Camera to see if she can be revived, will keep you posted.

Michael Barker · 11-17-2023, 04:45 PM

Originally posted by asahi67

Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I am going to send ;Big Nancy' to Sun Camera to see if she can be revived, will keep you posted.

How did it go?

asahi67 · 11-17-2023, 06:23 PM - **2 Likes**

I paid $45 for an asessment and after a couple of weeks I was told it was beyond repair. So I stripped it of all usable parts and it is now a boat anchor. In spite of all I bought a replacement 150-450 (Big Cindy) as I loved the lens. With the new one I am careful not to rush things when zooming out or in.

Lloyd_Christmas · 11-30-2023, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by asahi67

I paid $45 for an asessment and after a couple of weeks I was told it was beyond repair. So I stripped it of all usable parts and it is now a boat anchor. In spite of all I bought a replacement 150-450 (Big Cindy) as I loved the lens. With the new one I am careful not to rush things when zooming out or in.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck... Glad your new lens works well.
I have a used copy and really like the image quality, too!
So far I have not had the big failure...but the zoom action is a bit hard to turn although it works. Should I be worried or is this normal for it?

**Lowell Goudge** · 11-30-2023, 06:01 PM - **2 Likes**

Not sure how often you guys use your lenses, my 150-450 is working fine after about 18 months of almost daily use where it is carried for between 3-5 km daily. So far I have probably done over 25000 shots.

Lloyd_Christmas · 12-01-2023, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

Not sure how often you guys use your lenses, my 150-450 is working fine after about 18 months of almost daily use where it is carried for between 3-5 km daily. So far I have probably done over 25000 shots.

That is great to hear. Do you lock the zoom when you carry it? Based on what I've heard about the issue, I plan to use the lock switch whenever the zoom is not is use and especially when being carried while hanging from a strap.

**Lowell Goudge** · 12-01-2023, 01:50 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Lloyd_Christmas

That is great to hear. Do you lock the zoom when you carry it? Based on what I've heard about the issue, I plan to use the lock switch whenever the zoom is not is use and especially when being carried while hanging from a strap.

No but most of the time, other when in a backpack, or zooming out when I get too close to a larger bird, I use the lens at maximum focal length, and carry it that way when on the strap, or going from Home to our favourite park ( lens is in the back hatch of the car..

I drive with it at 150 mm when it is under my feet while birding on country roads.

So it gets some use but perhaps at most 1-2 zoom cycles per day

I treat it no different than my old Sigma 70-200/2.8 and 2x TC, except the sigma zoom was all internal zoom and focus and did not suffer from “zoom creep”

Edit note : just thought about this but when I walk with the lens, I have a rather compliant optech strap, that hooks onto the strap ends looped through holed in the end of an 80 mm lens plate on the tripod mount, the strap is over my neck and one shoulder and the lens balances naturally horizontal. Probably the lowest stress possible on the zoom helix. The strap is just the right length that I hold the tripod foot with my hand (it is always inverted (ie at the 12:00 position, where as you would have it at 6:00 to dupes on a tripod) I have carried the lens enough that the paint is wearing through on the tripod foot

06-05-2023, 03:29 PM	#1
asahi67 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Rainforest of Canada Vancouver Island and the sagebrush of southern Okanagan, BC Posts: 123	Pentax HD D FA 150-450 Zoom issues. Dear Forum Members, About 30 months ago I purchased this lens new (no longer under warranty) and use it with the 1.4 TC. It has been a great lens and has never been abused or dropped. About a month ago the zoom ring started to get very stiff and would not go lower than 190mm and there were also grinding sounds when zooming out. I read the user reviews of this lens and noted a number of users who had the same issue. I will be sending it to Sun Camera in Toronto for a guestimate to repair (if doable) Has any one here had the same issue and had a satisfactory repair? The lens is now stuck at 150 but when I was able to zoom out the bottom of the lens barell reveals scratches in the paint. I am disappointed that a lens of this quality and price should fail this way. Thanks for any reply/suggestions

06-07-2023, 01:10 PM	#5
asahi67 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Rainforest of Canada Vancouver Island and the sagebrush of southern Okanagan, BC Posts: 123 Original Poster	150-450 issues Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I am going to send ;Big Nancy' to Sun Camera to see if she can be revived, will keep you posted.

12-01-2023, 01:50 PM - 1 Like	#11
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Lloyd_Christmas That is great to hear. Do you lock the zoom when you carry it? Based on what I've heard about the issue, I plan to use the lock switch whenever the zoom is not is use and especially when being carried while hanging from a strap. No but most of the time, other when in a backpack, or zooming out when I get too close to a larger bird, I use the lens at maximum focal length, and carry it that way when on the strap, or going from Home to our favourite park ( lens is in the back hatch of the car.. I drive with it at 150 mm when it is under my feet while birding on country roads. So it gets some use but perhaps at most 1-2 zoom cycles per day I treat it no different than my old Sigma 70-200/2.8 and 2x TC, except the sigma zoom was all internal zoom and focus and did not suffer from “zoom creep” Edit note : just thought about this but when I walk with the lens, I have a rather compliant optech strap, that hooks onto the strap ends looped through holed in the end of an 80 mm lens plate on the tripod mount, the strap is over my neck and one shoulder and the lens balances naturally horizontal. Probably the lowest stress possible on the zoom helix. The strap is just the right length that I hold the tripod foot with my hand (it is always inverted (ie at the 12:00 position, where as you would have it at 6:00 to dupes on a tripod) I have carried the lens enough that the paint is wearing through on the tripod foot Last edited by Lowell Goudge; 12-01-2023 at 02:04 PM.

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06-05-2023, 03:45 PM	#2
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	Sadly, you are not the only person to experience build quality issues with this lens Maybe the info in one of these threads will help... Pentax 150-450 fell apart. Advise - PentaxForums.com Precision repair for my DFA 150-450 - PentaxForums.com DFA 150-450mm needs repair - PentaxForums.com

06-05-2023, 04:09 PM	#3
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	Well if you search deep enough, you will find my story from 2017. My 150-450 actually separated into 2 pieces with a lot of wires hanging out. Unfortunately I was on the Serengeti on Safari. :-( Got home and sent it off to Precision for repair. $1,000 and months later after having to go to Japan for a fix, it came back fixed. As far as your problem, I've never noticed anything like that. Good luck.

06-06-2023, 07:33 PM	#4
H-T-Chiu Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 1	This seems to be a common problem for 150-450. Mine developed the same issue several times. After reading this post, FIX for jammed DFA 150-450, I found it can be fixed easily by myself. And I did it several times.

11-17-2023, 04:45 PM	#6
Michael Barker Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Markham, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 185	Originally posted by asahi67 Many thanks for the replies to this thread. I am going to send ;Big Nancy' to Sun Camera to see if she can be revived, will keep you posted. How did it go?

11-17-2023, 06:23 PM - 2 Likes	#7
asahi67 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Rainforest of Canada Vancouver Island and the sagebrush of southern Okanagan, BC Posts: 123 Original Poster	I paid $45 for an asessment and after a couple of weeks I was told it was beyond repair. So I stripped it of all usable parts and it is now a boat anchor. In spite of all I bought a replacement 150-450 (Big Cindy) as I loved the lens. With the new one I am careful not to rush things when zooming out or in.

11-30-2023, 02:07 PM	#8
Lloyd_Christmas Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 458	Originally posted by asahi67 I paid $45 for an asessment and after a couple of weeks I was told it was beyond repair. So I stripped it of all usable parts and it is now a boat anchor. In spite of all I bought a replacement 150-450 (Big Cindy) as I loved the lens. With the new one I am careful not to rush things when zooming out or in. Sorry to hear about your bad luck... Glad your new lens works well. I have a used copy and really like the image quality, too! So far I have not had the big failure...but the zoom action is a bit hard to turn although it works. Should I be worried or is this normal for it?

11-30-2023, 06:01 PM - 2 Likes	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Not sure how often you guys use your lenses, my 150-450 is working fine after about 18 months of almost daily use where it is carried for between 3-5 km daily. So far I have probably done over 25000 shots.

12-01-2023, 07:16 AM	#10
Lloyd_Christmas Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 458	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge Not sure how often you guys use your lenses, my 150-450 is working fine after about 18 months of almost daily use where it is carried for between 3-5 km daily. So far I have probably done over 25000 shots. That is great to hear. Do you lock the zoom when you carry it? Based on what I've heard about the issue, I plan to use the lock switch whenever the zoom is not is use and especially when being carried while hanging from a strap.