Jammed lens on my K5

I put a Sirius 28mm PKA fit on my K5 without realising it was actually a PK-R fit with that extra Richo pin. I realised I had a problen after less than 1/8th of a turn, when there was a sharp click as this pin engaged the screw hole at the 6o'clock position on the camera mounting ring. Now it will turn either way for a fraction of a turn but it's jammed on solid due to the fouled pin.

Any ideas?

I think I've seen it written that you can sometimes slide paper or a feeler gauge between the lens and the camera, which holds the pin in while you release/turn it. Apparently this is easier if the pin has a rounded end, rather than flat.

Luckily neither of my Ricoh lenses have the dreaded pin, but I've heard similar solutions to Barrie.
I think I remember hearing that activating the cameras autofocus motor can help with getting the feeler gauge in. Probably best to try without first.
Good luck!

Have you tried putting the body into manual focus? This should retract the screw-drive connector and might help?

Unfortunately, I don't have a feeler gauge thin enough but I've tried the others. I can't get a piece of tracing paper in the gap even so. (The screw drive isn't engaged on anything as it's a manual focus). I could kick myself - it actually says KR on it.

Very carefully and with enough force.....twist the lens as if removing it and hope that the pin shears off.

When all else fails you have to bite the bullet.

Best regards

David

I did exactly the same years ago on my K10D and then stupidly repeated the mistake with a different lens on a K5 a couple of years ago. Barrie's suggestion is essentially the way to go. You do not need a feeler gauge. I cured mine using a razor blade. I did not even have an 'old school' razor blade so I carefully broke open a 3 blade head with pliers and removed one of them .

If the lens is very tight to the body - the tricky part is working it loose enough to get the blade in - I found rocking it gently back and forth with the button engaged gave me enough clearance. Once you get the blade in the right position and touch the pin - it should release fairly easily.

Good luck

Carl

Thanks guys!
I didn't have a feeler and I didn't have a razor blade to hand. I did, however, have a beer can which I thought would be thin enough -- and it was.

Here is the culprit (which had engaged on the autofocus screw hole) and the saviour bit of beer can. The AF screw clearly didn't have the oomph to shove it clear but it was far enough to get the shim between the surfaces. I'd tried brute force but, as you can see, the pin is quite robust.

The moral is DON'T USE ANYTHING MARKED "KR", "PK-A/R"; and this one has "(A)P" on the aperture ring.

Thank God for Beer

Well done.

Best regards

Glad you got it off. Removing the pin is probably quite easy (I've removed all of mine), see this link for an idea of the procedure: link

John.

Glad you got it off I had the same problem but didn`t want to say before because my fix was to use brute force as was suggested by Gary,it is surprising how strong the cameras are,we had two strong guys to fix it and it was tears,but no damage was done.

Johnha (above) gives us a 1st class link for dealing with this problem
A bit late for me as I used a beer can! I also got a Miranda 70-300 zoom today and found it too had this pesky pin so I dealt with it in my own way by grinding it off .....




It's like real surgery - keep it clean, mask it all except the work area




No more pin ! But the process leaves fine dust everywhere,




so do nothing more until vacuuming it all off




Here's the tell tale PK-A/ Rxxxxxxxx serial number. 'R' = Richo.

I think you will find it easier to remove the base plate and take the pin out. I've done it with two Vivitar and a Sigma, so it's not hard

but does that give you the satisfaction that grinding something into dust does?