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12-26-2021, 07:19 AM   #1
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Possible KP/Sigma 150-500 incompatibility or defect?

Hello,

I have recently bought a long-yearned for and new-looking, used Sigma 150-500 APO HSM lens.
Unfortunatly, it seems that I have a problem or compatibility issue with the lens with my Pentax KP camera, and I need help on sorting out if it is a possible defect:

When I half-press the shutter or use the AF button, the lens will not focus - nothing will move when looking though the viewfinder. The focus indicator in the viewfinder does not light up, and in live view mode the focus indicator turns red.
I can also hear a hardly noticeable trickling sound during half-press, as if some electrical current is periodically trying to do something.
When I turn off AF with the switch on the lens, the camera detects that MF is enabled. If I turn on the in-lens OIS, I can also hear it working during half-press, and the camera is able to manipulate the aperture setting of the lens.
Therefore I don't think I have an electrical contact problem. The contacts on the lens look fine, just as new as the rest of the lens.

The seller says the lens was fully functional, I have a 14 days return and one year warranty policy, where 7 days are still left.
Unfortunately I have sold my K-5 years ago when I bought my KP, so I have no other body to test this lens on, and I don't know anybody in my region where I can test it.

Does anybody know of any setting in the KP which I need to change to get the lens working?
Or of any compatibiliy issue with the KP? I have already updated the camera firmware to 1.31. (I had 1.10 before updating)

I have also heard of lens firmware updates. I could still get a Sigma USB Dock 01 for Pentax mount for cheap, but in the description it says it is compatible only with newer Art lenses. I also cannot find firmware downloads for this lens on the Sigma website, and I am not sure if the USB Dock software will contain a firmware image for this lens.

I would really like to keep this lens, so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Unfortunately I have only the next 7 days to decide.

Thank you in advance for your replies and advice!

Marc

12-26-2021, 07:55 AM   #2
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Dumb question: have you accidentally set the KP to back button autofocus?
12-26-2021, 08:41 AM   #3
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Being a third party reverse engineered lens there is possibility that the mount is slightly off, at one extreme end of the spec tolerance. where it could work on some cameras but not others. I one had a Tamron that I had to send back for them to adjust that. Does the lens have any play in th mount. You might try putting a little twist pressure on the mount, either way to see if it makes a difference.
12-26-2021, 09:49 AM   #4
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Another dumb question or statement; what about the three switches on the lens? I don't have a KP but it works on the K-5IIs, the K-1 and the K-3III. For me, the lens seems to work best with the OS set to off (I let the body do the work) the AF set to "on" the the zoom set to "unlock". On my version of the lens, the switches take a little effort to move, they're not "soft" by any means. I always assumed this was to prevent accidental movement of the switches while shooting.

12-26-2021, 10:12 AM   #5
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Wow, thank you for your fast replies, this is more than I have hoped for, especially on Sunday after Christmas.

QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Dumb question: have you accidentally set the KP to back button autofocus?
As I was told once: there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers
No, I did not accitentally disable focusing with the shutter release button if you mean that. Just found out that I could do so.

QuoteOriginally posted by AfterPentax Mark II Quote
Another possible dumb question: Sigma warns for, when using this lens on a Pentax, the shake reduction should be off. Did you that?
Yes, I have turned in-camera shake reduction off. Turning it on and disabling the in-lens IS does not change anything though.

QuoteOriginally posted by ramseybuckeye Quote
Being a third party reverse engineered lens there is possibility that the mount is slightly off, at one extreme end of the spec tolerance. where it could work on some cameras but not others. I one had a Tamron that I had to send back for them to adjust that. Does the lens have any play in th mount. You might try putting a little twist pressure on the mount, either way to see if it makes a difference.
I have just tried that too, I can twist it slightly, by just a fraction of a millimeter perhaps. Tried focusing once twisting left, then right. Unfortunately no improvement. I even tried releasing the lens mount lock and twisting it slightly more - in the moment the lock is released, the aperture display immediately goes from Fsomething to F--.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Marc
12-26-2021, 10:29 AM   #6
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I've used my Sigma 150-500mm APO DG OS HSM on my KP for about a year, previously on my K-70 also for about a year and now on my K-3iii since April … compatibility is something I've not had a problem with on any body.
The only thing I can suggest is that you may have dirty or damaged contacts, either the AE contacts themselves or the power contacts in the throat of the camera.
Assuming your KP "behaves normally" with another lens attached, especially if the other lens isn't screw-drive focus, I'd invoke the warranty and get the lens returned.
Just for reference, I use shutter button a/f and lens stabilisation, but I don't think that'd make a difference.
12-26-2021, 12:00 PM   #7
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FWIW; my Sigma 50-150 needed a firmware update to function on my Kp

Grtz Gerard

12-26-2021, 01:35 PM   #8
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First thing of course is to pop on another lens and see if it focuses. If the trouble is only the Sigma, it is probably a firmware issue (try it both in live view and not -- they are different) and you'll have to send it to Sigma for a firmware update (which is free, except for the cost to ship it to Sigma). Probably also make sure you are running the latest KP firmware while you are at it, and if at all possible find somebody in your area with an older body that is known to work just to make sure it does.
12-26-2021, 01:43 PM   #9
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I have the Sigma 150-500 for Pentax. I use it on my Pentax K-5 IIS. If you hear a trickling sound and no action occurs when you have the lens set to AF, the AF motor in the lens may not be functioning. But a Pentax camera has the in body AF, so you could switch the AF off on the lens and set your camera AF on. That is what I do and the lens functions very well. You do not want to have the OS (optical stabilization) on the lens and the SR (shake reduction) on the camera on at the same time, because they might have conflict. Try using just the SR on the camera, and shutting the OS on the lens off. When you try the AF, make sure to test it on a still object that has some contrast, in other words something that may be multi colored or not pure white for example.

Please note that the lens has to be a Sigma for Pentax lens, it should not be a version of the lens that is intended for another brand such as Nikon, Sony, or Canon.

You may also want to update your KP firmware version if it is not already using the latest version.

Last edited by C_Jones; 12-26-2021 at 05:50 PM.
12-26-2021, 06:15 PM   #10
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I have owned and used my 150-500 on every Pentax I've owned without problem... However if it is firmware your SOL because Sigma no longer support older Pentax version updating or so I ws told by their techs on another lens that needed one. The doc will not work
12-26-2021, 09:31 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Oldbayrunner Quote
I have owned and used my 150-500 on every Pentax I've owned without problem... However if it is firmware your SOL because Sigma no longer support older Pentax version updating or so I ws told by their techs on another lens that needed one. The doc will not work
I got a firmware update from Sigma (New York) for the 85/1.4 HSM (pre usb dock lens) just a few months ago. Go to the Sigma site, fill out the repair form and say you just want the firmware update, see what they say.
12-27-2021, 01:23 PM   #12
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I've used my Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM with a KP with no issues. I don't know if the prior owner sent it in for a firmware update, but nothing was stated at the time of buying. I thought that I'd read somewhere that the firmware update was needed for older versions.

I couldn't find where I'd read that, but on Wikipedia, found a note relating to a recall, "In 2010, Sigma recalled some lenses due to a "potential autofocus defect". Sigma offered customers a modification service, free of charge. Lenses requiring the modification were those with serial numbers between 10674301 and 10972000." Might yours be in that S/N range?
12-27-2021, 08:58 PM   #13
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I had similar issues with tryi8ng to use a Sig 150-500 on two K-1's and a KP. Seems they['re not compatible with newer bodies. Tried two copies of the lens, both did the same thing. The older 50-500 worked fine, though I don't think is was optically as good
12-29-2021, 02:56 PM - 1 Like   #14
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Hi all,

thank you for all the helpful answers you have sent me while I was busy writing emails to the seller, and to Sigma.
Unfortunately Sigma service seems to be on holiday too, or at least the service of my country and my neighbouring country both do not give me any sign that they have received or seen my emails.
I will try to reach out to them by phone and try to get some answers tomorrow, my timeframe for returning the lens gets really tight.
Also the seller responded in the meantime, the lens was working fine on his K-5. He also thinks the lens might need a firmware update.

Thank you kypfer for the valuable information that the lens in general works with the KP and newer models - and regarding your note:
QuoteOriginally posted by kypfer Quote
...Assuming your KP "behaves normally" with another lens attached, especially if the other lens isn't screw-drive focus, I'd invoke the warranty and get the lens returned.
Yes I have the KP working fine with the HD 16-85mm and the 55-300 PLM, so the camera drives those external AF motors just fine.

I was able to figure out by comparing pictures of the Sigma 50-500 on this page Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO OS HSM Review - Review | PentaxForums.com Reviews that I seem to have the or at lease a newer model - it looks exactly like the left one shown in the comparative picture.

This might rule out the idea of C_Jones:
QuoteOriginally posted by C_Jones Quote
... But a Pentax camera has the in body AF, so you could switch the AF off on the lens and set your camera AF on. ...
I can clearly see the nose of the camera body AF motor sticking out, but no corresponding space on the lens, where this nose would fit in. Maybe the older version of the lens had this possibility.

And thank you Oldbayrunner for this little piece of information:
QuoteOriginally posted by Oldbayrunner Quote
...However if it is firmware your SOL because Sigma no longer support older Pentax version updating or so I ws told by their techs on another lens that needed one. The doc will not work
You saved me from rushing out to get the dock.

Roger completes my picture with this:
QuoteOriginally posted by rogerstg Quote
...found a note relating to a recall, "In 2010, Sigma recalled some lenses due to a "potential autofocus defect". Sigma offered customers a modification service, free of charge. Lenses requiring the modification were those with serial numbers between 10674301 and 10972000." Might yours be in that S/N range?
The serial number of my lens begins with 1386.. so that seems to be much newer. Thank you anyway, I can rule that one out too.

Thank you again all of you for your help, I am really overwhelmed.

I will keep you updated.

Marc
02-06-2022, 06:47 AM   #15
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Hi,

Here is my final update on that topic, unfortunately it has turned out different than I have hoped for.

At the beginning everything sounded promising - I have contacted Sigma support of my country (Austria) and later a neighbouring country (Germany). After verifying the serial number I was told that a firmware update for this lens was still possible, and that, if there were any other parts that have to be replaced, they would still have access to newly produced parts until the end of Q1 2022.

Confident, that it was just a firmware issue I have sent it to Sigma Germany (in Austria thed didn't have the accessories for doing the firmware update any more).
The week after it departed I received a note with estimated costs - much higher than expected, but not that much for a lens of this size:
The lens didn't need a firmware update, but the HSM motor had to be replaced.

I have paid much more for repairs of my broken HD-DA 16-85mm last year, and that was a cheaper lens than the Sigma.
Assured by the fact that I have warranty, and that the bill was not much for that kind of repair, I have contacted the seller and told him about that.

Surprisingly, he behaved very differently than expected: He neither believed me nor Sigma, literally saying that we wanted to cheat on him. He still insisted the lens was fully functioning on his K-5.
Fortunatetly for me, he just told me to send it back to him, which I did, and received a full refund a few days later.

Since the same lens is now selling for above 1000€ at Ebay in Germany, I bet he will repair it, re-sell it and still get away with a profit.
If he had just returned part of the amount to me so I could pay the repairs, he would effectively have sold the lens to me quite cheap, not to say for a bargain.
On the other hand: nobody would have paid much for a lens which is being offered as broken, because you never know how much the repairs will cost you.
So in the end this was quite a smart move for him.

In the end I was left wih a bill of 35€ for Sigma to review and send back the item.
After all this I am happy I did not get into more trouble (the seller could have continued claiming even more bizarre things), and I surely will not look into buying any other used or even new Sigma 150-500 or 50-500 model at any time soon.
I just pity that it was really a good and well preserved lens, if it was used at all. I was really so happy and sure to have had real luck with this one.

Regards,
Marc
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