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16-50 f2.8 ssm lens
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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 16-50 f2.8 ssm lens
    Posted: 29 January 2022 at 06:13
Having an issue with my 16-50 f 2.8 sam lens. It hunts back and forth for 5 or 10 seconds and finally locks focus allowing the shutter to release. Moving the camera to a new subject causes this behavior to repeat. I mounted six other a mount lenses and al function properly with my A7711 body. Has anyone had this experience with this combination. This is my only SAM lens.
 



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addy landzaat View Drop Down
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Posts: 12962 		Post Options Post Options   Quote addy landzaat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 January 2022 at 09:10
Yeah, that is annoying.

Is the picture really in focus?
Is the lens wide open when you focus?
Do you have access to another camera to check it on that one?

I would first try to clean the lens contacts, both on the lens and on the camera. Standard procedure
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Phil Wood View Drop Down
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Posts: 2374 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Phil Wood Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 January 2022 at 12:37
On a point of pedantry - the 16-50 is SSM not SAM.

I have a 24-70 SSM which lost its motor - it happened gradually, started off with intermittent issues and eventually failed completely. It was not a cheap repair.

Cleaning contacts is good advice, as it testing it on another body. Trying another SAM/SSM/HSM/USD motorised lens on your A77ii would also make sense - if all your other lenses are screwdrive you really don't know yet whether the problem is with the lens or the camera.

Edited by Phil Wood - 29 January 2022 at 13:09
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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 January 2022 at 07:27
Cleaned the camera and lens contacts carefully with isopropyl alcohol and bulb blower. No change in behavior and the picture is not in focus. The lens exhibits the same issue when mounted on my A850. As I have only screw drive lenses other than the 15-50 SSM that is about my limit for investigation. This was my go to lens for video for the most part but I have the 17-35 F2.8-4 as a fallback.
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neilt3 View Drop Down
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Posts: 2883 		Post Options Post Options   Quote neilt3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 January 2022 at 11:53
When the camera/lens locks on focus , is the fixture correctly in focus ?

With the camera set to manual focus , does the focus confirm light come on as soon as the image is in focus in the viewfinder ?

If you stand square on to a wall and take a photo , is it evenly in focus both to the left and right and above and below ?

If you can't answer yes to all the above , but you can with your other lenses , it would suggest the lens has been drop and the lens elements are not aligned correctly .
I take it it worked fine when you bought it and has since gone bad , or did you buy a lemon and it's never worked right ?
see my photostream on flickr;
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Miranda F View Drop Down
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Posts: 4019 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Miranda F Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 January 2022 at 23:30
Good points, Neil. People often think a control system has failed when it is actually working correctly on incorrect data, or when the outputs are prevented by some other fault from appearing as they should.
Miranda F & Sensorex, Sony A7Rii, A58, Nex-6, Dynax 4, 5, 60, 500si/600si/700si/800si, various Sony & Minolta lenses, several Tamrons, lots of MF primes and *far* too many old film cameras ...
 



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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 January 2022 at 07:39
The lens has never been dropped .The lens never really attains focus even when focus is confirmed . Manual focus gives perfect results even at 200 percent in photoshop indicating there is no mis alignment in the lens groups. It is starting to appear that there might be an issue with the   electronics of the lens as all 8 of my other lenses autofocus properly on the A7711.
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neilt3 View Drop Down
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Posts: 2883 		Post Options Post Options   Quote neilt3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 January 2022 at 10:06
Do you have a camera shop ( or know someone locally ) where you can try another SSM lens on your camera , to rule out that as being the issue ?

Unlikely , but as the extra three pins supply the +/- power for the lens and the third pin ( IIRC ) is the data connection , it's still possible .
If all your other lenses only have five contacts , they won't be affected .

Lastly , I know you've cleaned your lens with IPA , but try cleaning the contacts with the eraser on the end of a pencil .
This is more aggressive than a cloth with IPA on .
Other than that it might be poor connection in the lens which isn't likely a DIY fix .
For what used copies sell for it might be best to sell yours on listing it as for spares/repairs and buy another .
I can't imagine sending it off for repair would be cost effective .

But you really do need to try another SSM lens on your camera to rule that out .
Even if you can get hold of a cheap 18-55mm SAM kit lens .
If it's the data connection on your camera , it should behave the same .
see my photostream on flickr;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilt3/
C & C welcome.
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Miranda F View Drop Down
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Posts: 4019 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Miranda F Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 January 2022 at 17:49
If you need another SSM lens to check, dare I suggest buying on-line from one of those sellers who offer a refund without proving a faulty item?
Miranda F & Sensorex, Sony A7Rii, A58, Nex-6, Dynax 4, 5, 60, 500si/600si/700si/800si, various Sony & Minolta lenses, several Tamrons, lots of MF primes and *far* too many old film cameras ...
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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 February 2022 at 07:22
If needed I will rent a lens from Lens Rentals that I can use to test the A7711 body and also use on my A850. That would allow me to see if the problem is lens or body specific.
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neilt3 View Drop Down
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Posts: 2883 		Post Options Post Options   Quote neilt3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 February 2022 at 08:09
Originally posted by littledab littledab wrote:

If needed I will rent a lens from Lens Rentals that I can use to test the A7711 body and also use on my A850. That would allow me to see if the problem is lens or body specific.


Without sending both the camera and lens off for repair , it's the only way you can confirm where the fault is .
If it's behaving the same on your a850 though , it would indicate it's the lens at fault .
see my photostream on flickr;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilt3/
C & C welcome.
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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 February 2022 at 07:32
My A850 and maxxum7D (both 8 pin) exhibit the same result which leads me to assume the problem is with the lens.
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overeema View Drop Down
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Posts: 364 		Post Options Post Options   Quote overeema Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 February 2022 at 14:46
Originally posted by littledab littledab wrote:

Having an issue with my 16-50 f 2.8 sam lens. It hunts back and forth for 5 or 10 seconds and finally locks focus allowing the shutter to release. Moving the camera to a new subject causes this behavior to repeat. I mounted six other a mount lenses and al function properly with my A7711 body. Has anyone had this experience with this combination. This is my only SAM lens.

I have no direct comparison, but have an SSM lens (70-300G) and a similar Tamron 2/60. The 70-300G rarely runs through its entire focus range beforw wanting to focus (but takes only 1-3 seconds), and the Tamron also has sometimes difficulty in finding a focus point. Does it depend on the metering setting of camera? In my case setting the camera to spot metering usually ends the ranging of the lens.
minolta owner since 1969;A350-CZ1680-G70300-Tamron60F2-Minolta100F2-35105-28135-50F1.7; NEX6-E1650-E18105G (& 5 x minolta MC/MD)
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littledab View Drop Down
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Posts: 22 		Post Options Post Options   Quote littledab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 February 2022 at 20:49
Tried all options for metering and focus to no avail. Going to contact KEH Repair to find out if they have had experience with this issue.
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