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Saturday, November 07, 2009

SDM Issue Strikes Again - This Time DA 17-70

Since Pentax made the SDM AF motor, the SDMs in various DA* lenses have been reported death by different users from time to time. In fact, such reports have never stopped. Recently, the death reports of SDMs have been about the DA 17-70. Examples:-

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=33624008

http://www.dchome.net/viewthread.php?tid=778328
(Post in Traditional Chinese, or read the Google Translation Here)

So, the poor reliability of the SDMs really upset so many users and also put off quite some potential buyers as well, like what this guy tells. I think unless Pentax "improve" (actually debug) their SDM design to make it works more reliably (not even to mention to make it run faster), nobody would trust the SDM! (yet an example)
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potential's avatar

potential · 801 weeks ago

Yes, this is a home truth. All these reports keep me away of buying any sdm lens. And not only the reports but mainly the lack of any answer or even care by the side of HOYA.
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Vytautas's avatar

Vytautas · 801 weeks ago

Canon and Nikon are also full of similar problems with their motors. In fact, same thread lists a bunch of such cases. ANY equipment these days sometimes fails. I have a pair of German made scissors that my grandfather used as a tailor. These were made in 1930'ties. Razor sharp even today! Never sharpened!! And my grandfather used to cut metal sheets with them!!! NOBODY anymore makes such equipment, nobody wants to enjoy your equipment for long, neither Canon, neither Nikon, neither Pentax, nor anyone else. They want you to BUY it! So, why to praise one piece of junk against the other? NONSENSE!!!
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Raphael's avatar

Raphael · 801 weeks ago

SDM ... has come back to life !!

Read the original post in dpreview ;-)

Just a bit cleaning of the pins, and it now works "as new"
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Bob's avatar

Bob · 773 weeks ago

Canon and Nikon do not have similar problems to the poorly designed SDM. Don't try to spread that FUD. SDM has widespread systemmatic problems. Canon has been doing lens motors since 1987. Pentax started just a few years ago and got it wrong.

Raphael, the fact that the SDM "comes to life" after cleaning is very often a false hope. The problem with SDM is typically intermittent. What brings the SDM "back to life" is often just the act of removing and replacing the lens. It has nothing to do with the contacts. It will probably fail again. Many people have "brought thier SDM back to life" after spinning the zoom rings and focusing rings, but eventually it fails again.

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