[Lowell Goudge]

Hi folks,

The plastic mount on my kit lens 18-55 DAL broke when it fell while on holiday last year, and I had since replaced it with a DA 18-135 WR. Recently, I decided to get my kid a used K100D as a starter DSLR, but it did not come with any lens. I'd been looking around for an 18-55 for him, but was wondering what others' thoughts are as far as trying to get the 18-55 fixed. Is it actually worth the cost and effort or should I go looking for another 18-55 online? Speaking of effort, where DOES one go to get this fixed? I'm in Canada, so don't say Henry's :-) as I'm sure the cost will be more than the lens itself! Thanks to everyone for any suggestions / comments.

Henry's outlet store in Mississauga sells them used in good condition for $40

[drewski]

Here's a final update to my original question :

I actually responded to the ad Steinback suggested - guy in St Catharines responded a day later, saying he had it, but didn't reply to my next email. I finally called him up a day later, and he sounded annoyed saying there had been too many calls and he didn't know who was who. So.. scratch the road trip to St Catharines :-)

@ASa - I think I was missing some plastic pieces, so the epoxy glue trick wouldn't probably work in my case.

@Lowell Goudge - as suggested by Primes4ever too, I was going to drive out to Mississauga on the weekend, but before the weekend arrived, I came across an online ad from a gentleman selling his GX10. I enquired if he was willing to part with just the 18-55 lens, and he said yes, so now I'm the proud owner of a Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 18-55 with metal mount and quick shift for $50! I actually quite like the lens myself - it certainly looks different from its Pentax brother.

So, short story long, I still don't know where one would get lenses fixed on the cheap in town but the journey has been interesting to say the least.

[wombat2go]

Metal mount and a focus ring too.
All's well that ends well.

[wookowaratz]

I had mine DA L 18-55 dropped too and the screw threads dropped off, the AF wasn't working because of that.
Today I had an DIY idea and it works!!




1. the plastic sheets cut off from some cheap packaging plastic
2. punched a holes wide enough to push a screw through, but tight enough not to let the head of the screw to pass through
3. tighten the screws - the plastic just holds the mount and the screws close together, it's thin enough for screws to go in and dont scratch the camera mount and it's softer than metal so it can't damage your camera

Tried it, screwing the lens on is a tiny bit harder but thats expected, and it works like a charm

I know some of you broken the whole ring, but if you manage to superglue that plastic and make this you have your cheap reserve (or even main) all-rounder ready to serve

Cheers

[drewski]

I had mine DA L 18-55 dropped too and the screw threads dropped off, the AF wasn't working because of that.
Today I had an DIY idea and it works!!




1. the plastic sheets cut off from some cheap packaging plastic
2. punched a holes wide enough to push a screw through, but tight enough not to let the head of the screw to pass through
3. tighten the screws - the plastic just holds the mount and the screws close together, it's thin enough for screws to go in and dont scratch the camera mount and it's softer than metal so it can't damage your camera

Tried it, screwing the lens on is a tiny bit harder but thats expected, and it works like a charm

I know some of you broken the whole ring, but if you manage to superglue that plastic and make this you have your cheap reserve (or even main) all-rounder ready to serve

Cheers

Great idea wookowaratz! will definitely try it out one day, and as you say, it makes a cheap reserve!

[cyclone3d]

I have that same D-Xenon lens. Bought it when I got my K10d.

As for the plastic mounts on the DA-L lenses, you can order then directly from Pentax.

Should be around $7 + shipping.

That is how I got a DA-L 55-300 for ~$50.