snow shootin' tips - Page 2

flyer · 10-31-2009, 06:25 AM

And I've used my K10D and K20D at -30 F. Hard on the batteries, but beside that, everything was OK.

*Canada_Rockies* · 10-31-2009, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by flyer

And I've used my K10D and K20D at -30 F. Hard on the batteries, but beside that, everything was OK.

The only time I have had a failure due to cold and not due to batteries was one time, March, in the Abitibi region of Quebec. My brother in law took me up for a flight in his unheated Piper Cub. Temp was about -30 C at ground level, where the camera worked just fine, but it must have been quite a bit colder at altitude. The camera shutter curtains froze together and travelled across the film aperture without any gap. No harm came to the camera (an original Pentax) but all the in flight shots had nothing on the film.

Keep in mind, this was a camera built in 1957, bought in a pawn shop in 1961, and never CLA'd, with very long horizontal travel shutter curtains. Yvon took me for a flight around Easter 1985.

I suspect that my k10 would also fail at this temperature. I believe the sensor would be sluggish to react. A lot of transistor equipment seriously dislikes extreme cold. If it were a killer shoot at -30 C or -40 (F or C) the SF-1 would be the camera of choice with the cold pack in use. At times, film is still the best alternative.

nanok · 11-03-2009, 06:05 AM

however with film i also heard (though it never happened to me) that the film itself might become fragile and snap in very low temperatures. so if it gets that low, i guess it's a bit of a gamble either way. another problem common with mechanical cameras, which is quite obvious and i felt it too to some extent, is that the oil used in the gearing onside (shutter, mirror, and most obviously to the touch: focus helical) tends to get thicker in very low temperature, and slows things down. of course, a dslr is still mechanical to a high degree

*Canada_Rockies* · 11-03-2009, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by nanok

however with film i also heard (though it never happened to me) that the film itself might become fragile and snap in very low temperatures. so if it gets that low, i guess it's a bit of a gamble either way. another problem common with mechanical cameras, which is quite obvious and i felt it too to some extent, is that the oil used in the gearing onside (shutter, mirror, and most obviously to the touch: focus helical) tends to get thicker in very low temperature, and slows things down. of course, a dslr is still mechanical to a high degree

More common than the film going brittle enough to break was the static electricity causing lightning flashes on the negatives.

mysticcowboy · 11-06-2009, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by code4code5

I tried to take a couple shots of the black labs playing in the 14" of fresh snow in the back yard this morning. I also used M mode for an exposure of about +2EV, but the black dogs still came out too dark. I need more practice!

Are the dogs backlit? Even strong side lighting can cause too wide an exposure latitude for the camera to handle.

mysticcowboy · 11-06-2009, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Canada_Rockies

More common than the film going brittle enough to break was the static electricity causing lightning flashes on the negatives.

I used to live in Fairbanks, AK and never had much of a problem with film breaking. The camera froze before the film got too cold ;-), even with a totally manual OM-1. Never had a problem with static.

With digital cameras the biggest problem is the battery losing juice in the cold. When it's really cold you need to keep your camera in your parka until you're ready to shoot.

michael mckee
http://myporttownsend.com/

twilight_samurai · 11-06-2009, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Canada_Rockies

The only time I have had a failure due to cold and not due to batteries was one time, March, in the Abitibi region of Quebec. My brother in law took me up for a flight in his unheated Piper Cub. Temp was about -30 C at ground level, where the camera worked just fine, but it must have been quite a bit colder at altitude. The camera shutter curtains froze together and travelled across the film aperture without any gap. No harm came to the camera (an original Pentax) but all the in flight shots had nothing on the film.

Keep in mind, this was a camera built in 1957, bought in a pawn shop in 1961, and never CLA'd, with very long horizontal travel shutter curtains. Yvon took me for a flight around Easter 1985.

I suspect that my k10 would also fail at this temperature. I believe the sensor would be sluggish to react. A lot of transistor equipment seriously dislikes extreme cold. If it were a killer shoot at -30 C or -40 (F or C) the SF-1 would be the camera of choice with the cold pack in use. At times, film is still the best alternative.

There's a forum member who sent a K10d up into space (or near enough!) where the temps drop down to -60F.. check out this thread:

Pentax k10d in space

So the gear is probably tougher than the photographer..

*Canada_Rockies* · 11-09-2009, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by twilight_samurai

There's a forum member who sent a K10d up into space (or near enough!) where the temps drop down to -60F.. check out this thread:

Pentax k10d in space

So the gear is probably tougher than the photographer..

Oh, yeah. As I become more and more "calendar challenged" the gear gets more and more tougher than I am.

nanok · 11-12-2009, 07:18 PM

with the k-7, i think it's time for pentax to bring out a "cold pack" accessory (a battery pack you can keep in your coat, connected instead of the battery, complete with weather sealing). it just makes sense. make it work with the k20/k10 series as well, and with the grip. or some chinese company is going to do it first

ProAudio · 11-12-2009, 07:36 PM

I am looking forward to using the K-7 most all of the year. The Wisconsin weather is just one of the many reasons that I opted for the K-7 weather resistance.

There is a lot of photographic opportunity between the gray of winter here! I would hate to be stopped just because of LCD or batteries etc.

Used to shoot my K1000 at sub zero temps. Not a good idea but I got away with it many times.

Get the snow shoes out bucko!

*Canada_Rockies* · 11-12-2009, 09:52 PM

Pentax made a pack for the SF-1. It would be great for the K whatever D-SLR cameras.

Glenn M · 11-15-2009, 04:46 AM

Very useful article. We don't get much snow here in the u.k. but I will be in Germany this christmas and hopefuly will get the opportunity to try some of these tips. Thanks for the link.