K20 Auto Focus appears to have stopped working

Hi All

I don't know if you can help but my auto focus has appeared to stop working on my K20. I was doing some work for someone Friday evening when low a behold the camera wouldn't focus. I managed to do the work in manual so it didn't cause that big a problem but was just a bit frustrating.

I check the lenses (Pentax 16-45 mm and Sigma 70-200mm) out on my trusty old D-ist and they are both working fine. I have tried the camera with various combinations of single and continuous focus as well as set the auto focus at Auto, SEL and spot focus and the lens just hunts.

So before I bundle up my K20 to go back to Pentax, has anyone else had this problem and more importantly did you manage to fix it without sending it back?

I would be grateful for your help and all the best

Andrzej

Do you still get the green "AF-S" at the top of the screen when you switch the camera on?

Hi Oggy

Yes I am getting that when I switch on. Have you had experience of this?

All the best

Andrzej

No - never had any trouble with mine. I was just trying to work out where the problem is. If the switch was duff, you probably wouldn't get the AF-S. As it is, the fault is probably with the autofocus system itself.

The only thing I can suggest is cleaning the contacts on the lens mount on your camera. A dry tissue should do.

Hi Oggy

I thought of that, a friend of mine has a similar problem with a Canon. Thanks anyway looks like she will be heading back to Pentax for the second time.

All the best

Andrzej

For what it's worth, I had a similar with my K20D and 200mm DA* SDM lens. Turned out to be a compatibility issue between camera/len and Metz 36 AF4 flash gun. While the flash is listed as full Pentax compatible, it upset the camera AF system when using an SDM lens.

Removing the battery from the camera for a few minutes restored normal AF operation (without the flash). Purchased a Pentax AF360 and since have not encountered any SDM/AF issues.

I had an af motor inside an mz5 break from my (ex) manually turning the af ring while the body was set to AF.
it was a warrenty repair at that time. The af motor is inside the camera body...
possible someone was trying to manual focus on your camera with the AF on?

Hi Lad

Thanks for the replies. In reality I have probable taken around a 1000 shots on each of the lenses so I don't think it's a compatibility issues as I think it would have shown up earlier. The motors are running fine on both lens, plus they work (my Pentax lens)fine on my D-ist.

I tried the reboot option as mt friend with a similar problem with the Canon D5 had to do this to rectify the problem.

When the lenses are hunting they will even hesitate at the correct focus and then carry on hunting. Yes the problem reared itself in low light (the work I was doing Friday night) but I took it out on Sunday in Cardiff with not a cloud in the sky and she was still hunting.

Thanks for the help lads but it look like she on fer travels to Pentax again!

All the best

Andrzej

Hi All

Just to add to the above, I am in the process of bundling up my K20 to go back to Pentax and thought I would have one more look at her. She still won't auto focus in Auto and Spot focus, but there are about five regions she will focus in Select, bizarre.

The other good news is I am a month out of warranty as well

All the best

Andrzej

Hi All

Just to let you all know my autofocus problem was due to fluff in my mirror box, (see reply from Johnsons Photopia). Even though my Camera is out of warranty they have cleaned it free of charge. Can't really ask for more than that

Thanks Johnsons and all the best

Andrzej


"Dear Andrzej,

The technician has inspected you K20D and the fault was due to a quite large piece of fluff in the mirror box. This has been cleaned and checked and the unit is working fine. We will test the unit this afternoon and if it is all working fine we will return as no charge.

I hope this helps,

Best Regards

Joanne Roper
Johnsons Photopia
Service Administration"

top marks for Johnsons on service then...