DA* 60-250, automatically switches to screw drive

**UncleVanya** · 02-16-2018, 03:19 PM

First. I will be happy to check. But I highly doubt that covering the contacts will do anything to enable screw drive af. The k100d has those contacts but cannot do sdm. It has no issue making screw drive work with the sdm lenses.

Second - we know of only one ScrewDrive converted 60-250, speculation is that some hardware mod was done but I'm not entirely convinced. The lensrom file that we normally modify isn't the entire answer that much is true.

**catfishjohn** · 02-16-2018, 05:07 PM

After reading this post I dug out my SDM failed lens, removed the SDM contacts on the lens and tried it. It turned slightly and then failed. I removed the lens and turned the screwdrive using a small screwdriver. It turned freely so I put it back on my K-1 and tried it again, nothing. Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working! Was a bit slow at first but then seemed to smooth out and work as it should. Still wont work thru the viewfinder and back button focus doesn't work even in liveview. This needs more testing but may be a partial work around for the failed 60-250 lenses. We can hope, need others to try and post results. Care must be used removing the SDM contacts from the lens as the two black screws are very small and can drop into the lens. I put my lens on its side on a towel so if dropped the screws would fall outside. Of course I cant be responsible for the out come of this work around for anyone else but it is working for me.

**UncleVanya** · 02-16-2018, 05:53 PM

Originally posted by catfishjohn

After reading this post I dug out my SDM failed lens, removed the SDM contacts on the lens and tried it. It turned slightly and then failed. I removed the lens and turned the screwdrive using a small screwdriver. It turned freely so I put it back on my K-1 and tried it again, nothing. Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working! Was a bit slow at first but then seemed to smooth out and work as it should. Still wont work thru the viewfinder and back button focus doesn't work even in liveview. This needs more testing but may be a partial work around for the failed 60-250 lenses. We can hope, need others to try and post results. Care must be used removing the SDM contacts from the lens as the two black screws are very small and can drop into the lens. I put my lens on its side on a towel so if dropped the screws would fall outside. Of course I cant be responsible for the out come of this work around for anyone else but it is working for me.

Wow! That's weird.

**grahame** · 02-16-2018, 09:24 PM

Originally posted by catfishjohn

Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working!

That is very interesting! K-01 is of course in live view model when I tested it. What is the special magic behind? I thought PDAF and CDAF share the same AF drive module, only differ in "judging step". Maybe more than that?

**catfishjohn** · 02-17-2018, 09:16 AM - **1 Like**

I thought low light yesterday evening might have something to do with it. Testing this morning shows screwdrive in live view focus works, both back button and shutter button. Granted its a little slow and hunts a bit but it works. When I tried it yesterday I had the back button disabled in the camera settings, my mistake. My K-1 has the latest Pentax update, no other changes. The lens I bought off Ebay, Was listed as "non working parts only". It was missing the o ring seal on the mount, the contact pins on the mount also the hood. With shipping it was $265.00, I needed the foot for another lens anyway so took a chance. Ordered a couple "for parts" F lenses as organ donors. after installing the springs and contacts the lens is fully functional apart from the SDM. I tried the massage trick on the SDM while I was in there, it didn't work. Also modified the baffle for full frame. I assume someone else tried the SDM repair, had an epic fail and sold the lens as junk. The focus thru the viewfinder has tried to work, screwdrive ran a little, but usually nothing happens when I press the shutter. I have no way to know if any other mods were made to the lens before I got it. Optically it is great and pictures are what I would expect from a star lens. I like and use several old "A" lenses so manual focus is no problem for me anyway. Now I am even more pleased with the lens. Total cost including donor lenses about $300.00.

Samoht · 02-17-2018, 09:58 AM

I only use live view when shooting stars or northern lights so it didn't happen in live view in my case. However, both my DA* 60-250 and K-3II has been recently at service center (lens for fixing a loose tube and calibrating lenses and the K-3II for sensor replacement) so I have to admit that when putting these two together I just made a spontaneous cleaning of the contacts since I assumed that everything was clean, when I cleaned the contacts yesterday the contacts in the outer ring was actually quite dirty. So hopefully the dirt caused some miscommunication between camera and lens.

It's however interesting in the point of the fact that my K-3II perhaps have been seen as a camera that doesn't support SDM.

**mikesbike** · 02-18-2018, 05:22 PM

Perhaps if a professional technician from Pentax were to investigate what is going on with this DA* 60-250mm lens, there could be a modification so in case of SDM failure, the lens would automatically employ screw-driven AF! Wouldn't that be a fantastic solution!

**BigMackCam** · 02-18-2018, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by mikesbike

Perhaps if a professional technician from Pentax were to investigate what is going on with this DA* 60-250mm lens, there could be a modification so in case of SDM failure, the lens would automatically employ screw-driven AF! Wouldn't that be a fantastic solution!

It would, but I fear there's a greater chance I'll win the lottery this week. And I haven't even bought a ticket...

**catfishjohn** · 02-19-2018, 11:11 AM

Yesterday I took a few bird pictures to see how the screw drive on my K1 DA 60-250 is working in real use. Before I just took a few shots under the carport because of rain. It did great, the lens could use a focus limiter option but that has no effect on the screw drive. Still does not work thru the viewfinder, is live view only. Thru the viewfinder it does once in every few tries start the screw drive enough to bump the focus slightly, runs maybe one half second. I put the lens on my wifes K5IIs for a try and it was a complete fail. wouldn't focus in any mode, also the auto/manual focus indicator flashed nonstop alternating between auto and manual. The menu button would not bring up the menu and live view button wouldn't bring up live view. I will not try that again! I put her SDM functioning all good 60-250 back on her camera and all returned to normal. I have no idea why the lens works on my K1 in live view and nowhere else. It does look like my hope for a work around to enable the screw drive on 60-250 were in vain. I'm glad at least its working well in live view on my camera, I will take what I can get.

02-16-2018, 05:07 PM	#17
catfishjohn Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Arkansas Posts: 137	60-250 screwdrive After reading this post I dug out my SDM failed lens, removed the SDM contacts on the lens and tried it. It turned slightly and then failed. I removed the lens and turned the screwdrive using a small screwdriver. It turned freely so I put it back on my K-1 and tried it again, nothing. Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working! Was a bit slow at first but then seemed to smooth out and work as it should. Still wont work thru the viewfinder and back button focus doesn't work even in liveview. This needs more testing but may be a partial work around for the failed 60-250 lenses. We can hope, need others to try and post results. Care must be used removing the SDM contacts from the lens as the two black screws are very small and can drop into the lens. I put my lens on its side on a towel so if dropped the screws would fall outside. Of course I cant be responsible for the out come of this work around for anyone else but it is working for me.

02-19-2018, 11:11 AM	#24
catfishjohn Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Arkansas Posts: 137	60-250 screwdrive Yesterday I took a few bird pictures to see how the screw drive on my K1 DA 60-250 is working in real use. Before I just took a few shots under the carport because of rain. It did great, the lens could use a focus limiter option but that has no effect on the screw drive. Still does not work thru the viewfinder, is live view only. Thru the viewfinder it does once in every few tries start the screw drive enough to bump the focus slightly, runs maybe one half second. I put the lens on my wifes K5IIs for a try and it was a complete fail. wouldn't focus in any mode, also the auto/manual focus indicator flashed nonstop alternating between auto and manual. The menu button would not bring up the menu and live view button wouldn't bring up live view. I will not try that again! I put her SDM functioning all good 60-250 back on her camera and all returned to normal. I have no idea why the lens works on my K1 in live view and nowhere else. It does look like my hope for a work around to enable the screw drive on 60-250 were in vain. I'm glad at least its working well in live view on my camera, I will take what I can get.

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02-16-2018, 03:19 PM	#16
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,403	First. I will be happy to check. But I highly doubt that covering the contacts will do anything to enable screw drive af. The k100d has those contacts but cannot do sdm. It has no issue making screw drive work with the sdm lenses. Second - we know of only one ScrewDrive converted 60-250, speculation is that some hardware mod was done but I'm not entirely convinced. The lensrom file that we normally modify isn't the entire answer that much is true.

02-16-2018, 05:53 PM	#18
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,403	Originally posted by catfishjohn After reading this post I dug out my SDM failed lens, removed the SDM contacts on the lens and tried it. It turned slightly and then failed. I removed the lens and turned the screwdrive using a small screwdriver. It turned freely so I put it back on my K-1 and tried it again, nothing. Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working! Was a bit slow at first but then seemed to smooth out and work as it should. Still wont work thru the viewfinder and back button focus doesn't work even in liveview. This needs more testing but may be a partial work around for the failed 60-250 lenses. We can hope, need others to try and post results. Care must be used removing the SDM contacts from the lens as the two black screws are very small and can drop into the lens. I put my lens on its side on a towel so if dropped the screws would fall outside. Of course I cant be responsible for the out come of this work around for anyone else but it is working for me. Wow! That's weird.

02-16-2018, 09:24 PM	#19
grahame Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,041	Originally posted by catfishjohn Then I put the camera in live view and the screwdrive started working! That is very interesting! K-01 is of course in live view model when I tested it. What is the special magic behind? I thought PDAF and CDAF share the same AF drive module, only differ in "judging step". Maybe more than that?

02-17-2018, 09:16 AM - 1 Like	#20
catfishjohn Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Arkansas Posts: 137	I thought low light yesterday evening might have something to do with it. Testing this morning shows screwdrive in live view focus works, both back button and shutter button. Granted its a little slow and hunts a bit but it works. When I tried it yesterday I had the back button disabled in the camera settings, my mistake. My K-1 has the latest Pentax update, no other changes. The lens I bought off Ebay, Was listed as "non working parts only". It was missing the o ring seal on the mount, the contact pins on the mount also the hood. With shipping it was $265.00, I needed the foot for another lens anyway so took a chance. Ordered a couple "for parts" F lenses as organ donors. after installing the springs and contacts the lens is fully functional apart from the SDM. I tried the massage trick on the SDM while I was in there, it didn't work. Also modified the baffle for full frame. I assume someone else tried the SDM repair, had an epic fail and sold the lens as junk. The focus thru the viewfinder has tried to work, screwdrive ran a little, but usually nothing happens when I press the shutter. I have no way to know if any other mods were made to the lens before I got it. Optically it is great and pictures are what I would expect from a star lens. I like and use several old "A" lenses so manual focus is no problem for me anyway. Now I am even more pleased with the lens. Total cost including donor lenses about $300.00.

02-17-2018, 09:58 AM	#21
Samoht Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Härjedalen, Sweden Posts: 72 Original Poster	I only use live view when shooting stars or northern lights so it didn't happen in live view in my case. However, both my DA* 60-250 and K-3II has been recently at service center (lens for fixing a loose tube and calibrating lenses and the K-3II for sensor replacement) so I have to admit that when putting these two together I just made a spontaneous cleaning of the contacts since I assumed that everything was clean, when I cleaned the contacts yesterday the contacts in the outer ring was actually quite dirty. So hopefully the dirt caused some miscommunication between camera and lens. It's however interesting in the point of the fact that my K-3II perhaps have been seen as a camera that doesn't support SDM.

02-18-2018, 05:22 PM	#22
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	Perhaps if a professional technician from Pentax were to investigate what is going on with this DA* 60-250mm lens, there could be a modification so in case of SDM failure, the lens would automatically employ screw-driven AF! Wouldn't that be a fantastic solution!

02-18-2018, 05:30 PM	#23
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,673	Originally posted by mikesbike Perhaps if a professional technician from Pentax were to investigate what is going on with this DA* 60-250mm lens, there could be a modification so in case of SDM failure, the lens would automatically employ screw-driven AF! Wouldn't that be a fantastic solution! It would, but I fear there's a greater chance I'll win the lottery this week. And I haven't even bought a ticket...