[VILLAINofOZ]

So as of today I have started having an issue or possibly 2 issues with my Pentax K-70.
My camera is under warranty and I want to know if I should send it back for repair...... unless someone here can tell me more information on the issue.

When mounting a lens onto the camera (so far I have only tried two lenses) it does not lock into position correctly.
I have tried to mount a D-FA 28-105 and also a Tamron Di SP 90 Macro lens today and once the lens is correctly turned to lock into place, it doesn't lock into place.
I correctly line up the red dots to begin with and turn it anticlockwise to lock into position and it reaches the intended position without locking - meaning I can freely turn it back clockwise again as it didn't lock.

When I place the D-FA 28-105 into place and turn on the camera, the focusing works perfectly as it is electronically controlled.
Turning my camera switch from AF to MF works completely as intended with this lens attached
When I place the Tamron Di SP 90 into place, the focusing does not work at all and I can hear the motor trying to work but nothing happens.
I can literally hear 4 quick motions of the motor (almost like a tapping) and then a winding of the motor with no results at all.
I can manually focus but the auto focus does not work.
No difference weather I have the lens itself switched to manual or auto (I can pull the focusing ring back for manual or forward for auto) and no difference is notable weather I have switched to AF or MF on the camera in this case either..

When I turn the D-FA 28-105 lens back and forth a few times to attempt to lock it into place, it eventually does lock.
I then un-mount the lens and try again but it doesn't seem to lock without turning it back and forth 10 or so times.
This does not happen with the Tamron lens.

----UPDATE---

I just tried several other lenses (Pentax DA 50 1.8, Pentax Pentax DA* 55, Pentax DA 18-55 Kit lens and Pentax DA 40 1.28 XS)
Once I put the 40mm lens into place, the lens being so thin, I gave it a little pull upwards and heard the locking mechanism activate and locked into place.
I then tried the Tamron lens once again and it worked fine and locked straight away.

Evan though the camera seems to be now working fine, this tells me it is not the last I have seen of the issue.

Could there be some dirt or residue in the mount or lock itself??
Visually, I can see nothing wrong or dirty with the mount, in or around it.

Another thing to note is the environmental parameters, as the manual tells me that the maximum operating temperature is 104 °F (40 °C) with humidity at 0 - 85% (non-condensing), 0 - 80% (non-condensing)
Today's temperature hit 39.8 °C at 4pm with 11% humidity where I live in Australia.

I didn't even turn on the camera until around 6 or 6:30pm when the temp was 31.8 °C with humidity at 19%

What do people recommend ?? Is this worthy of sending the camera back for repair ?
My K-70 camera is less than 6 months old and has just over 25,000 activation's (a quarter of its shutter life expectancy)
Could this be related to the weather?

Any and all help is appreciated and thank you for your time in advance.

---

Last edited by VILLAINofOZ; 12-18-2019 at 03:23 AM. Reason: more info.

[Benz3ne]

Turning the lens anticlockwise with the camera facing away from you or towards you? I don't doubt that you're doing it correctly, mind you.

It sounds like something might've gummed up the locking nub on the front of the mount perhaps? That would explain the lack of lock, if it didn't correctly seat in the lens. Would perhaps also explain the lack of correct focus if the non-/poorly focusing lenses are screwdrive. There might have been enough contact with the 28-105 electrical contacts as you allude to.

It's still something I've not seen with either the K-70 or K-S2 I had before that, so it might be worth getting an opinion from Pentax if there's little/no cost to you to do so.

Edit: I would assume it's physical and not weather related otherwise there might've been more instances of this reported between 2016 and now? I.e. a bit of debris has jammed somewhere it shouldn't, which you've subsequently set free?

[othar]

I don't think this issue is related to the weather, which in my opinion is only harming the electronics inside the camera, but the problems that you describe are more likely on the mechanical side.
I think the likeliest problem is that the spring that pushes the locking pin into the lens mount might be damaged / out of position or the pin was somehow blocked in the open position. The Tamron was probably not in the correct position because of that and therefore no connection between AF motor and lens was made.

[swanlefitte]

With the lens off push the lens release bottom and maybe you can see what's happening with the lock pin.

[VILLAINofOZ]

Thank you for the suggestions and help thus far.

Firstly I would like to confirm that after my K-70 being my 5th Pentax DSLR (and I own 12 or 13 Pentax film SLR's and close to 100 K-mount lenses) that I am 100,000% positive that I am trying to turn the lens correctly LOL

Secondly, I have (with the lens not mounted) pushed in the lens release button and both the pin and the screw drive mechanism both move downward and lower than the top of the mount. Releasing my finger from the release button shows that both return to their normal position.

I think after reading the comments that the spring is now probably the most likely culprit but as I am not knowledgeable of the mechanics of this camera, I can only assume this is correct.

I have noticed that even with the kit lens (DA 18-55) and a few others that it was not focusing either and I could hear the motor trying.

I also want to re-explain that when mounting a lens and it doesn't click and lock into position and being in the position where it should lock - if I give the lens a little wiggle left and right, the lens then locks correctly.
I know this is not how the camera should not operate and I am very much thinking that I should now return the camera for repair.

All I know is this will take time and I will be a little saddened to return to my Pentax K-r and Pentax K-x cameras for my photography addiction during the repair process.

I guess tomorrow I will contact the dealer I purchased my K-70 from and ask where to send it.

Thank you again for your comments, help, time and effort involved.

[reh321]

Thank you for the suggestions and help thus far.

Firstly I would like to confirm that after my K-70 being my 5th Pentax DSLR (and I own 12 or 13 Pentax film SLR's and close to 100 K-mount lenses) that I am 100,000% positive that I am trying to turn the lens correctly LOL

Secondly, I have (with the lens not mounted) pushed in the lens release button and both the pin and the screw drive mechanism both move downward and lower than the top of the mount. Releasing my finger from the release button shows that both return to their normal position.

I think after reading the comments that the spring is now probably the most likely culprit but as I am not knowledgeable of the mechanics of this camera, I can only assume this is correct.

I have noticed that even with the kit lens (DA 18-55) and a few others that it was not focusing either and I could hear the motor trying.

I also want to re-explain that when mounting a lens and it doesn't click and lock into position and being in the position where it should lock - if I give the lens a little wiggle left and right, the lens then locks correctly.
I know this is not how the camera should not operate and I am very much thinking that I should now return the camera for repair.

All I know is this will take time and I will be a little saddened to return to my Pentax K-r and Pentax K-x cameras for my photography addiction during the repair process.

I guess tomorrow I will contact the dealer I purchased my K-70 from and ask where to send it.

Thank you again for your comments, help, time and effort involved.

Now that you have succeeded in locking a lens in place, I would try the first one and the one that works in quick succession. If it still doesn’t work, I would try cleaning the lens’s side of the mount. I would also ask someone I trusted, such as a worker at the local brick & mortar store. I would send it out only as a last effort.

PS: it does sound like a failure of the lock, but with different results on different lenses, it is difficult to say which half of the locking mechanism is at fault.

[Benz3ne]

Firstly I would like to confirm that after my K-70 being my 5th Pentax DSLR (and I own 12 or 13 Pentax film SLR's and close to 100 K-mount lenses) that I am 100,000% positive that I am trying to turn the lens correctly LOL

I hope I didn't offend! I guess it's sometimes worth covering all bases just in case. As I said, I didn't doubt you were doing it correctly!

[Not a Number]

Since you are probably returning the camera for replacement it probably doesn't matter at this point. But I would check to see if the bayonet mount ring is secure - the screws may be loose. Alternatively the mount may be slightly out of position/alignment and loosen the mount screws and tightening them again may just get it into position. And with the lens securely locked check the AF and exposure functions. If the lens isn't rotated to the locked position the contacts may not align and give good continuity.

[VILLAINofOZ]

Now that you have succeeded in locking a lens in place, I would try the first one and the one that works in quick succession. If it still doesn’t work, I would try cleaning the lens’s side of the mount. I would also ask someone I trusted, such as a worker at the local brick & mortar store. I would send it out only as a last effort.

PS: it does sound like a failure of the lock, but with different results on different lenses, it is difficult to say which half of the locking mechanism is at fault.

I should have explained a bit clearer. I tried to explain a little but am not the best at describing.

I have figured out that when I attach any of the lenses into the correct position where it should lock, and then give it a wiggle left and right with a slight push and pull - every lens will lock correctly. Not only this, but when every lens attaches correctly and eventually locks into place, there is no issue with auto focus on any of the lenses. it seems now that the auto focus would work on a non screw drive lens as the contacts would have been touching and thus make the lens auto focus properly.

I should have also explained that when I said "Visually, I can see nothing wrong or dirty with the mount, in or around it.", I should have said that both the camera mount and all the lens mounts are clean and show no signs of scratches or any residue or dirt of any kind. (I try my best to keep everything very clean and tidy. I also store all my lenses with silica gel packets to absorb any potential moisture also.)

I love the idea of taking the camera to my local camera store experts for a second opinion as I hadn't thought of that. Thank you.

I hope I didn't offend! I guess it's sometimes worth covering all bases just in case. As I said, I didn't doubt you were doing it correctly!

HAHA - No offence taken my friend. You are correct in trying to cover all bases.

Since you are probably returning the camera for replacement it probably doesn't matter at this point. But I would check to see if the bayonet mount ring is secure - the screws may be loose. Alternatively the mount may be slightly out of position/alignment and loosen the mount screws and tightening them again may just get it into position. And with the lens securely locked check the AF and exposure functions. If the lens isn't rotated to the locked position the contacts may not align and give good continuity.

I had thought of that, but nothing seems to be loose on the camera and the screws look very tight already. I had also thought that if the camera shows evidence of tampering with the screws (scratches etc), a warranty may not be covered.

Thank you all once again for your time, effort, consideration and help.

[alanjt67]

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I had thought of that, but nothing seems to be loose on the camera and the screws look very tight already. I had also thought that if the camera shows evidence of tampering with the screws (scratches etc), a warranty may not be covered.

Thank you all once again for your time, effort, consideration and help.

Hi had the same problem with my K-200 D a while back was two slightly loose screw on the Mounting Ring. Doing a Screw and nut check on the camera and your lenses mounts won't void your warranty.

[VILLAINofOZ]

Hi had the same problem with my K-200 D a while back was two slightly loose screw on the Mounting Ring. Doing a Screw and nut check on the camera and your lenses mounts won't void your warranty.

Well.. I was worried about my warranty obviously.. I just tried and none of my screws were loose.

[Dale H. Cook]

I have figured out that when I attach any of the lenses into the correct position where it should lock, and then give it a wiggle left and right with a slight push and pull - every lens will lock correctly.

I will concur that there seems to be something wrong with the bayonet mount or the locking mechanism, as I own five lenses that will mount on my K-70 body, and all easily lock when mounted.

I love the idea of taking the camera to my local camera store experts for a second opinion as I hadn't thought of that.

That does sound like a good idea. Even though I have more than 50 years of experience with SLRs and DLSRs the manager at my local camera store probably sees more problems in a year than I have seen in 50 years. Because of his experience there (and at other stores earlier in his career) he is far better qualified to evaluate problems than I am.