K5 Use in Snow

soppy · 11-29-2010, 11:31 PM

I will be taking a ski trip this holiday season and, while I won't take the camera on the slopes, I will likely take it outdoors. Is there anything I should be aware of? I plan on using the 18-55 WR kit lens, but I may change it while out in the snow. Is this a bad idea? My other lenses will include the DA 40mm Ltd. and a Tamron Telephoto, neither are WR. Any other general tips about snow shooting are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

**jbinpg** · 11-30-2010, 12:16 AM

First of all, the Pentax K bodies can take a lot of cold and still perform. Snow itself isn't a problem unless it has a high water content. Powder snow is not a concern at all. However, I wouldn't change lenses if the snow is going to fall inside onto the sensor area. Best to protect things under your coat or some such shelter. Remember that when the camera warms up above the melting point, any snow will turn to water. Golden Rule when bringing anything in from the cold: wrap it up in a towel/freezer bag or some such to make sure the temperature rise is slow enough to avoid rapid condensation of room water vapor on and in the camera and lens.

Jack

shnikus · 11-30-2010, 12:17 AM

As long as your camera is not a "stormtrooper white" K-r you should be OK in snow

But seriously, just use common sense and keep the non-WR lenses relatively dry. The only annoying problem that I can think of is condensation which may form inside the camera or lenses when bringing the cold equipment from the outside into the warm (and moist) room/building. To avoid it, some suggest putting the camera into a zip-lock bag before coming inside and allowing it to gradually warm up until the temperature equalizes. Instead of doing that, I usually just try to remember to keep the euipment inside my photo bag for 15-20min before using it inside.

digitalCG · 11-30-2010, 01:04 AM

Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well.

blende8 · 11-30-2010, 02:02 AM

Keep an eye on the white balance.
Perform a manual white calibration and shoot RAW.
Sometimes you also have to dial in +1 EV or so to not getting gray snow.

Erik · 11-30-2010, 02:46 AM

Originally posted by digitalCG

Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well.

Liking this picture, very nice subtle colours. What kind of car is that?

Horst-Helmut · 11-30-2010, 04:19 AM

Just spent 3hrs wandering outside and shooting for a school project w/ k-5 & DA* 50-135, when I left from home it was -17C, now it's -10C. Took about 100 pictures and didn't have any problems, other than me starting to freeze.

**Schraubstock** · 11-30-2010, 04:21 AM

Originally posted by soppy

I will be taking a ski trip this holiday season and, while I won't take the camera on the slopes, I will likely take it outdoors. Is there anything I should be aware of? I plan on using the 18-55 WR kit lens, but I may change it while out in the snow. Is this a bad idea? My other lenses will include the DA 40mm Ltd. and a Tamron Telephoto, neither are WR. Any other general tips about snow shooting are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

If my camera is wet or I have been out in freezing snowy conditions
I dab off any excess water with a tissue (they are very absorbent). I remove the lens and place the body in a clean ziplock plastic bag and place the lens in another. Then I put half a dozen silica gel desiccant satchels within the bags. I collected those from certain rice cracker packets, the satchels say "Do Not eat". They are usually in a clear plastic bag which allow inspection of the crystals therein and when they turn pink you know they have done their job. You can re-use them over and over again by gently heating them (low heat hairdryer) that will get rid of the moisture. I have to stress to put the open camera body into the ziplock bag carefully and that the bag is clean inside, after all the camera body is open. You will be amazed how quickly the silica gel will work. I also always chuck a number of those desiccant satchels routinely into my camera bag as well as places where I store my equipment. I have been doing this for many years now with outstanding success.
Greetings

digitalCG · 11-30-2010, 06:19 AM

Originally posted by Erik

Liking this picture, very nice subtle colours. What kind of car is that?

Thanks Erik - it's a Mk1 Ford Escort, circa 1968 if the registration is genuine. This was a historic rally so lots of interesting 60's-80's machinery ploughing through the snow - Lancias, Fords, Opels, Saabs, a Mini Cooper, some Porsche 911's etc.

The K5 passed this test with flying colours (including AF-C) in conditions where my previous Pentax bodies would have made me work a lot harder for fewer keepers. Better outside shooting than inside pixel peeping

soppy · 11-30-2010, 06:50 AM

Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea.

Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera?

eddie1960 · 11-30-2010, 06:56 AM

Originally posted by soppy

Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea.

Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera?

every one seems to have covered it (silica packets are pretty easy to come by)
I have a pair of gloves where the fingers fold back that allow me to shoot with bare fingers (except the thumb) that are ok in moderate temps (say above 20 F)
I also have some metal gloves for wearing inside mitts for colder temps take the mitt off shoot put it back on

Gimbal · 11-30-2010, 07:09 AM

Originally posted by soppy

Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea.

Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera?

If the camera isn't soaked in snow I only leave it (with lens attached) in the closed camera bag for an hour when going inside.

snofox · 12-02-2010, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by soppy

Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera?

Silk gloves. But silk underwear is overrated.

JohnBee · 12-02-2010, 11:51 PM

Originally posted by digitalCG

Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well.

I like it!
Was the camera tracking this shot, or was it a catch-in focus type of thing?

digitalCG · 12-03-2010, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by JohnBee

I like it!
Was the camera tracking this shot, or was it a catch-in focus type of thing?

Cheers John! This was the first time I've ever been able to use a Pentax camera in AF-C with any degree of confidence. Just need to confirm the bulb mode is fine for my purposes and that's every photographic box ticked by the K-5

11-29-2010, 11:31 PM	#1
soppy Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gainesville Posts: 347	K5 Use in Snow I will be taking a ski trip this holiday season and, while I won't take the camera on the slopes, I will likely take it outdoors. Is there anything I should be aware of? I plan on using the 18-55 WR kit lens, but I may change it while out in the snow. Is this a bad idea? My other lenses will include the DA 40mm Ltd. and a Tamron Telephoto, neither are WR. Any other general tips about snow shooting are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

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11-30-2010, 12:16 AM	#2
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	First of all, the Pentax K bodies can take a lot of cold and still perform. Snow itself isn't a problem unless it has a high water content. Powder snow is not a concern at all. However, I wouldn't change lenses if the snow is going to fall inside onto the sensor area. Best to protect things under your coat or some such shelter. Remember that when the camera warms up above the melting point, any snow will turn to water. Golden Rule when bringing anything in from the cold: wrap it up in a towel/freezer bag or some such to make sure the temperature rise is slow enough to avoid rapid condensation of room water vapor on and in the camera and lens. Jack

11-30-2010, 12:17 AM	#3
shnikus Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Denver, Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 32	As long as your camera is not a "stormtrooper white" K-r you should be OK in snow But seriously, just use common sense and keep the non-WR lenses relatively dry. The only annoying problem that I can think of is condensation which may form inside the camera or lenses when bringing the cold equipment from the outside into the warm (and moist) room/building. To avoid it, some suggest putting the camera into a zip-lock bag before coming inside and allowing it to gradually warm up until the temperature equalizes. Instead of doing that, I usually just try to remember to keep the euipment inside my photo bag for 15-20min before using it inside.

11-30-2010, 01:04 AM	#4
digitalCG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 249	Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well.

11-30-2010, 02:02 AM	#5
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	Keep an eye on the white balance. Perform a manual white calibration and shoot RAW. Sometimes you also have to dial in +1 EV or so to not getting gray snow.

11-30-2010, 02:46 AM	#6
Erik Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Umeå, Sweden Posts: 755	Originally posted by digitalCG Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well. Liking this picture, very nice subtle colours. What kind of car is that?

11-30-2010, 04:19 AM	#7
Horst-Helmut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 138	Just spent 3hrs wandering outside and shooting for a school project w/ k-5 & DA* 50-135, when I left from home it was -17C, now it's -10C. Took about 100 pictures and didn't have any problems, other than me starting to freeze.

11-30-2010, 04:21 AM	#8
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by soppy I will be taking a ski trip this holiday season and, while I won't take the camera on the slopes, I will likely take it outdoors. Is there anything I should be aware of? I plan on using the 18-55 WR kit lens, but I may change it while out in the snow. Is this a bad idea? My other lenses will include the DA 40mm Ltd. and a Tamron Telephoto, neither are WR. Any other general tips about snow shooting are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! If my camera is wet or I have been out in freezing snowy conditions I dab off any excess water with a tissue (they are very absorbent). I remove the lens and place the body in a clean ziplock plastic bag and place the lens in another. Then I put half a dozen silica gel desiccant satchels within the bags. I collected those from certain rice cracker packets, the satchels say "Do Not eat". They are usually in a clear plastic bag which allow inspection of the crystals therein and when they turn pink you know they have done their job. You can re-use them over and over again by gently heating them (low heat hairdryer) that will get rid of the moisture. I have to stress to put the open camera body into the ziplock bag carefully and that the bag is clean inside, after all the camera body is open. You will be amazed how quickly the silica gel will work. I also always chuck a number of those desiccant satchels routinely into my camera bag as well as places where I store my equipment. I have been doing this for many years now with outstanding success. Greetings

11-30-2010, 06:19 AM	#9
digitalCG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 249	Originally posted by Erik Liking this picture, very nice subtle colours. What kind of car is that? Thanks Erik - it's a Mk1 Ford Escort, circa 1968 if the registration is genuine. This was a historic rally so lots of interesting 60's-80's machinery ploughing through the snow - Lancias, Fords, Opels, Saabs, a Mini Cooper, some Porsche 911's etc. The K5 passed this test with flying colours (including AF-C) in conditions where my previous Pentax bodies would have made me work a lot harder for fewer keepers. Better outside shooting than inside pixel peeping

11-30-2010, 06:50 AM	#10
soppy Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gainesville Posts: 347 Original Poster	Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea. Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera?

11-30-2010, 06:56 AM	#11
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by soppy Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea. Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera? every one seems to have covered it (silica packets are pretty easy to come by) I have a pair of gloves where the fingers fold back that allow me to shoot with bare fingers (except the thumb) that are ok in moderate temps (say above 20 F) I also have some metal gloves for wearing inside mitts for colder temps take the mitt off shoot put it back on

11-30-2010, 07:09 AM	#12
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Originally posted by soppy Alright, I don't believe it will actually be snowing, simply cold and have snow on the ground (It's only North Carolina and the weather forecast id far from blizzards). So when I come in, I simply need to take the lens off and put both the open body and open lens in seperate zip-locks when they are still outside. Then bring the bags inside and let sit for a while? I have no silica packets though that is a great idea. Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera? If the camera isn't soaked in snow I only leave it (with lens attached) in the closed camera bag for an hour when going inside.

12-02-2010, 11:20 PM	#13
snofox Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fredericton New Brunswick Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 334	Originally posted by soppy Now for a more practical question... What do you guys wear on your hands that still allow operation of the camera? Silk gloves. But silk underwear is overrated.

12-02-2010, 11:51 PM	#14
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	Originally posted by digitalCG Spent most of Saturday out in the snow with K5 and Tamron 70-200/Sigma 18-50. Neither lens is weathersealed but with a bit of common sense all was well. I like it! Was the camera tracking this shot, or was it a catch-in focus type of thing?

12-03-2010, 05:51 AM	#15
digitalCG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 249	Originally posted by JohnBee I like it! Was the camera tracking this shot, or was it a catch-in focus type of thing? Cheers John! This was the first time I've ever been able to use a Pentax camera in AF-C with any degree of confidence. Just need to confirm the bulb mode is fine for my purposes and that's every photographic box ticked by the K-5