SDM Failure at WGW

Not a happy bunny, Whitby Goth Weekend and the SDM packed up on my 16-50 for the second time, thought I was lucky getting it fixed just before the warranty ran out last November but less than 6 months down the line and it's packed in again, what makes matters worse is I have three weddings to go to over the next three weeks and I'm photographing 2 of them, looks like the kit lens will be getting an airing.

No way am I paying for a repair that may not even last so if anyone has a quick link to the fix/mod for disabling the SDM it would be appreciated.

Less than six months? Any warranty on the repair? Clearly what they did hasn't worked.

Err....not sure, may look into that.

If the warranty option doesn't work then consider converting the lens to screwdrive. It requires a K body that's either K-5 or older.

Screwdrive focusing is responsive and quick in my experience. If you haven't got an older body, then it might be worth seeing if you have a PU user nearby. If not, I can possibly help if you post it out.

SDM failures pre-date the purchase of your lens, ergo, Pentax has known about the problem for some time and apparently done nothing to fix it.

Which? advice: https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

If a fault develops after the first six months, the burden is on you to prove that the product was faulty at the time you took ownership of it.

In practice, this may require some form of expert report, opinion or evidence of similar problems across the product range.

Find out more about how to return a faulty item and claim a refund, repair or replacement from a retailer.

You have six years to take a claim to the small claims court for faulty goods in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland.

This doesn't mean that a product has to last six years - just that you have this length of time in which to make a claim if a retailer refuses to repair or replace a faulty product.

Convert the lens to screw-drive and if you need something reliable with in-lens motor then get a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 HSM.

Alan sorry to hear that
When my 50-135 went belly up the repair came with a 6 months warranty so check it out
Good luck

http://www.pentaxiste.org/pratique/depannage/article/how-to-deactivate-sdm-and-a...

Hmm! looks like time flies when your having fun, searched round for the repair receipt and can't find it, then realised I'd have mentioned it on here so checked my posts, it was 12 months ago

I was right insofar as it failed just before WGW and I got it back in time, just the wrong WGW.

I shall now be having a good read of how to modify it.

Hi Alan,
Have a look at my post for some interesting reading link regarding changing your 16-50mm to screw drive, converted mine a long time ago and still workinng fine.

Thanks Tom, I got a PM from Barrie, he said you'd have the answer

I had a quick look at that earlier but couldn't get my head round what it does, is it a change to the camera body for a specific lens or does it do something to the lens itself.

Hi Alan,
Once the modification is done the lens will work in screw drive on all camera bodies.
To carry out the modification you will need a few things –
Notepad ++ (https://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v7.5.6.html)
Two SDHC cards, one to enter “DEBUG MODE” for the K5 or K3.
The other SDHC card to save, amend and write back the Lens Data file “LENSEEP.LNS”.
Message or give me a ring.

Can it be done from a K-3II?

Never tried it on the K-3II Mike, but if you can enter “DEBUG MODE” the same as the K-3 yes.

Ok thanks Tom

I'm just wondering if I do it on my 16-50mm, 50-135mm and 300mm (doesn't seem to work on the 60-250mm) whether it will save the SDM motor or kill it from lack of use. Screw drive has got to be faster but if it kills the SDM then it loses value as well.

Save the original LENSEEP.LNS file some where safe then you can always revert back with SDM as normal.