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For Sale: SDM to Screwdrive Conversions
Listed: 01-11-2016, 07:27 PM

PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing

Item for Sale
SDM to Screwdrive Conversions

Asking Price
45.00 USD

Item Location
Mint Hill, NC (United States)

Item Description
As a service to fellow Pentax Forum users and with special permission from Adam I am happy to announce that I am available to convert failed SDM lenses to Screwdrive. I am only charging $45 at this time for lenses that I know how to convert. This is merely to cover my time and effort involved in tracking and sending packages and the time required to perform the conversion. The actual conversion is not hard and I encourage those willing to do this for themselves to do so but for those who want a bit of help - I'm offering this service.

The service includes:
Test Lens prior to conversion to verify that screwdrive is functional.
Backup LENSEEP.LNS file as is.
Modify a copy of this file to have screwdrive configuration.
Load modified file into the lens and test on an SDM capable body.
Return lens postage paid by owner.

Optionally: Email backup and modified files to the owner.


I have successfully converted all of these lenses:
DA* 16-50
DA* 50-135
DA* 200
DA* 300

I am unable to convert the DA* 60-250. There are no known methods for this conversion since the method that works for the other lenses is unreliable on this lens.

An example converted 16-50:



Please NOTE Lenses shipped to me without insurance that are lost are not my responsibility. I strongly suggest using a method with tracking and insurance but that is entirely up to you. My return postage will be based on your explicit instructions and I will not be responsible for lost items. I encourage the use of tracking and insurance.

I STRONGLY recommend that you include a letter inside the package identifying your Pentax Forums ID, the email you wish to be billed at and a contact phone number as well as full address. Ideally the letter should contain your address and mine just in case the label is lost for any reason. Finally if you include your postage instructions (insurance amount, signature required) it will make it easier. You should include not only an email for contact but also the specific email for me to send a paypal invoice to for payment.

Shipping Destinations
United States (Others considered on request)

Shipping Charge
Paid by Lens Owner

Shipping Services
USPS, UPS

Accepted Payment Types
PayPal

Return Policy & Additional Details
If I am unable to convert the lens I will not charge for the service. Lens owner is still responsible for return shipping.

Please send me a private message if interested in the service!


In Canada fozzfoster is offering a similar service: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/456045-sa...ns-canada.html

Last edited by UncleVanya; 12-20-2023 at 10:08 AM.
Views: 62,246
08-10-2017, 01:03 PM   #151
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Friendly bump

08-10-2017, 09:51 PM   #152
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QuoteOriginally posted by kjphilippona Quote
Friendly bump
QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
Sounds like a great deal to me.
You are both too kind. Thank you.
09-01-2017, 07:11 AM   #153
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I'm still converting! I've just been busy and not on the forum much lately.
09-10-2017, 05:33 PM   #154
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Still converting lenses - just suggest waiting a few days for the hurricane to clear out before sending.

09-10-2017, 06:26 PM   #155
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I have to confirm that my 2 DA* lenses - 16-50 and 50-135 were successfully converted and shipped to and from Canada with no Canadian or US custom charges, as it was the case before. Well done Uncle Vania...!
09-16-2017, 02:39 PM   #156
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rnovo Quote
I have to confirm that my 2 DA* lenses - 16-50 and 50-135 were successfully converted and shipped to and from Canada with no Canadian or US custom charges, as it was the case before. Well done Uncle Vania...!
I'm so glad it all worked out. I hope the lenses have new life now that they work in AF mode again.
09-17-2017, 04:40 AM   #157
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Can be Pentax DA 17-70 SDM converted ?



09-26-2017, 08:02 AM   #158
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QuoteOriginally posted by gzub Quote
Can be Pentax DA 17-70 SDM converted ?
No sadly that lens doesn't have any screw drive hardware. The conversion is only useful on the lenses with both SDM and screwdrive which were created during the transition to SDM. These lenses only work in SDM on SDM bodies but they also only work in Screw Drive on non-SDM bodies unless you convert them.

The lenses that I can convert are:
DA* 16-50 f/2.8
DA* 50-135 f/2.8
DA* 200 /f2.8
DA* 300 /f4

And while I should think it would be possible to convert this last lens, it isn't - something weird happens and the SDM and Screw Drive fight one another in these lenses:
DA* 60-250 f/4
09-27-2017, 04:02 AM   #159
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
No sadly that lens doesn't have any screw drive hardware. The conversion is only useful on the lenses with both SDM and screwdrive which were created during the transition to SDM. These lenses only work in SDM on SDM bodies but they also only work in Screw Drive on non-SDM bodies unless you convert them.

The lenses that I can convert are:
DA* 16-50 f/2.8
DA* 50-135 f/2.8
DA* 200 /f2.8
DA* 300 /f4

And while I should think it would be possible to convert this last lens, it isn't - something weird happens and the SDM and Screw Drive fight one another in these lenses:
DA* 60-250 f/4
Thanks for the answer. Costs of replacing new SDM motor are not acceptable so I will have to use it as a manual lens.

10-02-2017, 10:12 PM   #160
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Here's my basic process:

Test lens on K100D to be sure it works.
Get into Debug mode on K100D
Backup LENSEEP.LNS from damaged lens.
Shut off camera, move SD card to laptop.
Copy and rename file so that you end up with a copy on the laptop named Original with lens info and serial number and a copy named similarly on the sd card.
Create another copy on the laptop for editing named ScrewDrive etc.
Edit this screwdrive file and make appropriate changes (I used *.txt extension and notepad for this but many other ways work)
Save the file and then put a copy of the new file on the SD card named LENSEEP.LNS
Repeat steps to get card in camera and camera in debug mode.
Load file to lens.
Shut down camera.
Move lens to K3, test.

An example set of file names on my laptop might be "50-135_SNxxxxxxxxxx_Original.LNS" and "50-135_SNxxxxxxxxxx_ScrewDrive.LNS"
I gather you use the k100 super to test lenses as it lacks the ability to drive the Sdm. Is this correct? If so, do you know if there are other camera bodies that can be used to test the screw drive?

Thanks in advance for your response.
10-03-2017, 05:34 AM   #161
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QuoteOriginally posted by geek-girl Quote
I gather you use the k100 super to test lenses as it lacks the ability to drive the Sdm. Is this correct? If so, do you know if there are other camera bodies that can be used to test the screw drive?

Thanks in advance for your response.
I use the plain k100d to test them since it has no SDM capability. The k100d super has SDM if you have updated bios.

Almost any camera body older than the k100d (k10d varies based on firmware) that lacks SDM functionality would be a good test platform. However I have only found a pair of lenses in the 70+ conversions that wouldn't work in screw drive mode. These lenses had internal problems that made them unable to focus (one wouldn't focus manually). In all honesty it is rare to find one that doesn't work so this step can be skipped if you are converting your own lens. I do it just to validate the condition prior to conversion.
10-03-2017, 09:48 PM   #162
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Thanks. I have a k-10, have to check which firmware version it has. Any idea which version didn't support sdm? (Just curious). Guess I can just try doing the conversion and if it fails I can reverse it or send it to you the next time I'm in the US.
10-09-2017, 10:44 AM   #163
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QuoteOriginally posted by geek-girl Quote
Thanks. I have a k-10, have to check which firmware version it has. Any idea which version didn't support sdm? (Just curious). Guess I can just try doing the conversion and if it fails I can reverse it or send it to you the next time I'm in the US.
Release notes here explain: Firmware Update Software for K10D | Software Downloads?RICOH IMAGING CANADA
10-10-2017, 05:44 PM   #164
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I apologize for an ignorant question....but this weekend my 16-50 rarely autofocused. Is that a likely indicator that SDM failed? If so, you may have a customer. Thanks.
10-10-2017, 06:35 PM   #165
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My da*50-135 stopped responding completely today. It usually came back to life after about 2-3 minutes of AF activation. But it did not this time. I may do the conversion myself though. On second thoughts is it worth opening the lens and twisting the motor pivot to see if it comes alive?
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