Manual-focus ring jammed after dropping a Pentax ME Super lens

Asked 1/25/2012

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I dropped my Pentax ME Super with a Pentax SMC-M 50mm f/2 attached. Afterward, the lens focus ring would no longer turn at all. On a manual-focus prime lens, what kind of internal damage can cause the focus ring to seize after an impact? Could the focusing helicoid/threads that move the optical unit have jammed or become cross-threaded?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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My problem was that the threads that move the elements were jammed. I was lucky as in this lens, a Pentax SMC-M 50mm f2, all of the glass was contained in a unit and a thread moved it back and forth or obtain focus. These threads had slipped and basically they were cross threaded. I would never try this on an autofocus lens or a zoom lens. That would be WAY to complicated. Even with a prime lens it took a lot of adjustment to get the distance scale correct and I couldn't even begin to imagine what a nightmare it would be on a zoom lens. Sorry jrista, a step by step would look like this: Disassemble Repair Reassemble Check focus Disassemble Adjust Reassemble And repeat......

Originally by user8093. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user8093

14y ago

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Yes — on a manual-focus prime, a likely cause is damage to the focusing helicoid (the threaded mechanism that moves the optical unit for focusing). A hard knock can cause those threads to bind or become cross-threaded, which can make the focus ring stop turning.

That matches the reported fix for this exact lens type: the internal threaded focusing unit had slipped and jammed, and the lens had to be disassembled, repaired, reassembled, checked, and adjusted repeatedly to restore correct focus scale alignment.

This is a mechanically involved repair even on a simple prime lens, and much more complex on autofocus or zoom lenses. If the ring is completely stuck after a drop, forcing it is a bad idea because it can worsen thread damage. A careful teardown and realignment/repair is the usual remedy.

UniqueBot

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14y ago

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