DA 560 AF failure?

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-02-2020, 08:08 PM

Just brought out my DA 560 to do a shoot tomorrow. I don't use it that often and actually the last time I used it was a bit more than a year ago. I have had it for 3-4 years and bought it used. So...

Thought I'd test it out. I won't auto focus and each camera K-1II, K-3, and K-5 all think it's a manual focus lens. The K-1II seems ok with it otherwise, but the K-3 and K-5 can't decide whether it's a matrix focus or center focus and keep switching back and forth - rapidly. I have not seen this behavior before, nor can I find any remarks on the forum of this issue on another DA 560. In case anyone asks, all cameras have the most current firmware.

Has anybody seen / heard of this before. I 'thought' because is has a DC motor it shouldn't have the problems experienced on some of the older SMD lenses. I'd just like to know if this is a known issue or am I just luck and am the first to report it.

A little help here?

BCB

**sergysergy** · 07-02-2020, 08:20 PM

First thing to try...have you cleaned the contacts?

**Ash** · 07-02-2020, 08:40 PM

Does sound like an electrical miscommunication, and the above suggestion is prudent if not done already.

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-02-2020, 08:40 PM

Originally posted by sergysergy

First thing to try...have you cleaned the contacts?

Yes, I've given them a once over, no change. I will try again though.

Did another cleaning...no difference.

Last edited by blackcloudbrew; 07-02-2020 at 08:49 PM.

**sergysergy** · 07-02-2020, 08:54 PM - **2 Likes**

Since it is working with the K-1 it is likely that there is something going on with the mount. Are screws tight? Once I had a problem with a long telephoto and it was because lens was too heavy and wasn't making proper contact with the body.

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-02-2020, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by sergysergy

Since it is working with the K-1 it is likely that there is something going on with the mount. Are screws tight? Once I had a problem with a long telephoto and it was because lens was too heavy and wasn't making proper contact with the body.

I'll check that but, I may have confused the situation. Even on the K-1, it will not auto focus. The only thing different on the K-1 with the DA 560 is that I'm not getting a flashing back and forth of the matrix and center focus indication on the back display.

redpit · 07-02-2020, 11:17 PM

I can't really understand the problem with your DA 560. It sounds ike it looses communication with the camera. A video would be very helpful.

I know that the lens has a tendency after much hunting in difficult situations to move to the end of focus scale and get stuck there. It needs to switch off and back on the camera to overcome this. Could it be your situation? Not from what I read.

Make sure the lens is in AF and not in MF and also check maybe the focus limit switch whether it is set properly and not in between or something that might jam the lens.

Paul the Sunman · 07-02-2020, 11:39 PM

Does it behave any differently with the focus limiter in different positions?

Stargeezer · 07-03-2020, 09:09 AM

did you check the square contacts????
Joe

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-03-2020, 01:20 PM

I've checked all switches (AF/MF, limiter, etc., checked the contacts, checked the mounting plate screws and all are good they way they are supposed to be. Basically, all a video would show is that the auto focus simply will not work. I'm familiar with sleepy SDM lenses too, but this is not an SDM lens. It doesn't auto focus, period. I will manually focus ok, but I did notice a thunking noise when turning the focus band from one end to the other. I can't recall if it did that before. It's not loud but it's there.

So...

**Apet-Sure** · 07-03-2020, 01:25 PM

Are your camera batteries fully charged? (Grasping at straws; scratching head.)

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-03-2020, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by Apet-Sure

Are your camera batteries fully charged? (Grasping at straws; scratching head.)

Always

**Ash** · 07-05-2020, 03:03 PM

It sounds like you have done everything to check for user factors. Given it behaves differently on different bodies, it would be worth a service through your Pentax repair centre, since it is an unusual functional problem.

**blackcloudbrew** · 07-11-2020, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by Ash

It sounds like you have done everything to check for user factors. Given it behaves differently on different bodies, it would be worth a service through your Pentax repair centre, since it is an unusual functional problem.

Yes, I agree. Time to go to the shop.

However, just checked Precision's price for repair on the 560...$543USD and shipping to the center. Ouch! Going to have to do though.

**catman6** · 07-15-2020, 06:04 PM - **1 Like**

I had to send mine back for repair.motor kept sticking and locking freed off when you swapped cameras K1 mkii and K70 at first i thought it was the camera body? then would stop focusing again.
Manually focus using the focus ring would free it up for a while.
Now back like new accurate and reliable focusing.

07-02-2020, 08:08 PM	#1
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461	DA 560 AF failure? Just brought out my DA 560 to do a shoot tomorrow. I don't use it that often and actually the last time I used it was a bit more than a year ago. I have had it for 3-4 years and bought it used. So... Thought I'd test it out. I won't auto focus and each camera K-1II, K-3, and K-5 all think it's a manual focus lens. The K-1II seems ok with it otherwise, but the K-3 and K-5 can't decide whether it's a matrix focus or center focus and keep switching back and forth - rapidly. I have not seen this behavior before, nor can I find any remarks on the forum of this issue on another DA 560. In case anyone asks, all cameras have the most current firmware. Has anybody seen / heard of this before. I 'thought' because is has a DC motor it shouldn't have the problems experienced on some of the older SMD lenses. I'd just like to know if this is a known issue or am I just luck and am the first to report it. A little help here? BCB

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07-02-2020, 08:20 PM	#2
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,176	First thing to try...have you cleaned the contacts?

07-02-2020, 08:40 PM	#3
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Does sound like an electrical miscommunication, and the above suggestion is prudent if not done already.

07-02-2020, 08:40 PM	#4
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	Originally posted by sergysergy First thing to try...have you cleaned the contacts? Yes, I've given them a once over, no change. I will try again though. Did another cleaning...no difference. Last edited by blackcloudbrew; 07-02-2020 at 08:49 PM.

07-02-2020, 08:54 PM - 2 Likes	#5
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,176	Since it is working with the K-1 it is likely that there is something going on with the mount. Are screws tight? Once I had a problem with a long telephoto and it was because lens was too heavy and wasn't making proper contact with the body.

07-02-2020, 09:44 PM	#6
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	Originally posted by sergysergy Since it is working with the K-1 it is likely that there is something going on with the mount. Are screws tight? Once I had a problem with a long telephoto and it was because lens was too heavy and wasn't making proper contact with the body. I'll check that but, I may have confused the situation. Even on the K-1, it will not auto focus. The only thing different on the K-1 with the DA 560 is that I'm not getting a flashing back and forth of the matrix and center focus indication on the back display.

07-02-2020, 11:17 PM	#7
redpit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Greece Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,858	I can't really understand the problem with your DA 560. It sounds ike it looses communication with the camera. A video would be very helpful. I know that the lens has a tendency after much hunting in difficult situations to move to the end of focus scale and get stuck there. It needs to switch off and back on the camera to overcome this. Could it be your situation? Not from what I read. Make sure the lens is in AF and not in MF and also check maybe the focus limit switch whether it is set properly and not in between or something that might jam the lens.

07-02-2020, 11:39 PM	#8
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,847	Does it behave any differently with the focus limiter in different positions?

07-03-2020, 09:09 AM	#9
Stargeezer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: sunny florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 128	did you check the square contacts???? Joe

07-03-2020, 01:20 PM	#10
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	I've checked all switches (AF/MF, limiter, etc., checked the contacts, checked the mounting plate screws and all are good they way they are supposed to be. Basically, all a video would show is that the auto focus simply will not work. I'm familiar with sleepy SDM lenses too, but this is not an SDM lens. It doesn't auto focus, period. I will manually focus ok, but I did notice a thunking noise when turning the focus band from one end to the other. I can't recall if it did that before. It's not loud but it's there. So...

07-03-2020, 01:25 PM	#11
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,872	Are your camera batteries fully charged? (Grasping at straws; scratching head.)

07-03-2020, 07:36 PM	#12
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	Originally posted by Apet-Sure Are your camera batteries fully charged? (Grasping at straws; scratching head.) Always

07-05-2020, 03:03 PM	#13
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	It sounds like you have done everything to check for user factors. Given it behaves differently on different bodies, it would be worth a service through your Pentax repair centre, since it is an unusual functional problem.

07-11-2020, 11:10 AM	#14
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash It sounds like you have done everything to check for user factors. Given it behaves differently on different bodies, it would be worth a service through your Pentax repair centre, since it is an unusual functional problem. Yes, I agree. Time to go to the shop. However, just checked Precision's price for repair on the 560...$543USD and shipping to the center. Ouch! Going to have to do though.

07-15-2020, 06:04 PM - 1 Like	#15
catman6 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 84	I had to send mine back for repair.motor kept sticking and locking freed off when you swapped cameras K1 mkii and K70 at first i thought it was the camera body? then would stop focusing again. Manually focus using the focus ring would free it up for a while. Now back like new accurate and reliable focusing.