overheating during timelapse

paranoia23 · 11-10-2014, 12:50 PM

wanted to make a timelapse in the night and found my original Q stopping after a few shots during the night with 10-30 seconds exposure....because of overheating ?

whats the longest exposure you did a timelapse with ?

Steve.Ledger · 11-10-2014, 03:01 PM

I found my Q did the same with 5 min intervals between shots during day time. It would just shut off without completing the schedule. Not sure if it was heat related though. I had the Pentax AC adapter hooked up, so it wasn't the battery dying.
I gave up and use the K-01 for TL.

LensBeginner · 11-10-2014, 04:46 PM

I think that cameras with a shutter are really not suited to TL... you just speed through its MTBF...

**crewl1** · 11-10-2014, 04:49 PM

I haven't done long exposure time lapse but I can see how it might overheat. I have had overheat warnings on video on warm days.
Most of my timelapse is during the day so exposures are short.

**Mikesul** · 11-10-2014, 05:04 PM

In Arizona the camera heats up (pink thermometer) rather quickly in the summer just shooting stills. Other cameras K3, K5, Sony A6000 and NEX used at the same time do not overheat for me.

Steve.Ledger · 11-11-2014, 02:47 AM

Originally posted by LensBeginner

I think that cameras with a shutter are really not suited to TL... you just speed through its MTBF...

Que!?

LensBeginner · 11-11-2014, 02:55 AM

Originally posted by Steve.Ledger

Que!?

Sorry, "mean time between failures"...
I mean... a shutter life expectancy is about 100k shots, on the K-01 you even have two cycles per activation (close, open, close, open to restore live view), and then a single time lapse can very easily run into the thousands (let's say a 2' video: 25f/s * 60s/min * 2min = 3000 shots...)
If you also factor in double activations you get 6000, which is about 16% of the expected operative life of the camera...
...better use a shutter-less mirrorless or a cellphone for that, IMHO...

**crewl1** · 11-11-2014, 02:59 AM

The Q is mirrorless and shutterless. The shutters are in the lenses or the adapter K.

LensBeginner · 11-11-2014, 03:13 AM

Originally posted by crewl1

The Q is mirrorless and shutterless. The shutters are in the lenses or the adapter K.

Yeah, was answering to Steve here (he said he used his K-01)...

**crewl1** · 11-11-2014, 03:16 AM

Originally posted by LensBeginner

Yeah, was answering to Steve here (he said he used his K-01)...

Oh sorry I just saw this thread was about the Q.

Steve.Ledger · 11-11-2014, 04:08 AM

Originally posted by LensBeginner

Sorry, "mean time between failures"...
I mean... a shutter life expectancy is about 100k shots, on the K-01 you even have two cycles per activation (close, open, close, open to restore live view), and then a single time lapse can very easily run into the thousands (let's say a 2' video: 25f/s * 60s/min * 2min = 3000 shots...)
If you also factor in double activations you get 6000, which is about 16% of the expected operative life of the camera...
...better use a shutter-less mirrorless or a cellphone for that, IMHO...

I'm very confused by your maths.

paranoia23 · 11-11-2014, 04:13 AM

nobody will know how long the shutter in the lens survives because it doesnt count the shots ... doh

LensBeginner · 11-11-2014, 04:27 AM

Originally posted by Steve.Ledger

I'm very confused by your maths.

25 frames per second, 60 seconds in a minute, two minutes.
You can treat units of measurements just like numbers, so you simplify min/min and s/s and the final result is expressed in frames (shots).

---------- Post added 11-11-14 at 12:28 PM ----------

Originally posted by paranoia23

nobody will know how long the shutter in the lens survives because it doesnt count the shots ... doh

was talking about the K-01, there's no shutter in the lenses.
Were you refering to the aperture mechanism (the iris diaphragm)? or to the shutter in the Q lenses?

Steve.Ledger · 11-11-2014, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by LensBeginner

25 frames per second, 60 seconds in a minute, two minutes.
You can treat units of measurements just like numbers, so you simplify min/min and s/s and the final result is expressed in frames (shots).[COLOR="Silver"]

This is very wrong thinking, LB. Time Lapse photography does not shoot @ 25fps. It is usually compiled at 15fps in post, but time intervals between shots can be anything you like, usually more than one minute. Most of my TL's have had 3-5 minute intervals. You can should an entire day without placing any unusual wear on the shutter. 5min intervals = 12 shots per hour which is nothing at all. You can shoot many more photos than this in normal use.

In any case, this thread is about the Q. Apologies to the OP.,

LensBeginner · 11-11-2014, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by Steve.Ledger

This is very wrong thinking, LB. Time Lapse photography does not shoot @ 25fps. It is usually compiled at 15fps in post, but time intervals between shots can be anything you like, usually more than one minute. Most of my TL's have had 3-5 minute intervals. You can should an entire day without placing any unusual wear on the shutter. 5min intervals = 12 shots per hour which is nothing at all. You can shoot many more photos than this in normal use.

I was talking about 25fps in the final product because it's a fairly common framerate in PAL (what we use here in Europe).
A 2 minute video (not a 2' timelapse) - irrespective of the original time lapse interval - will have fps*60 frames per minute.

Taking a few examples from the forum:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/75-video-pentax-hdslrs/269770-night-time-...ka-k-01-a.html
1800pictures, 1'08"

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/38-photographic-technique/275628-boston-l...-approach.html
This one I don't know, but it's about 2'37" long and is very smooth (it's professional made I believe).

Granted, you can go as low as 1fps, but I wouldn't like the result.

11-10-2014, 12:50 PM	#1
paranoia23 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 188	overheating during timelapse wanted to make a timelapse in the night and found my original Q stopping after a few shots during the night with 10-30 seconds exposure....because of overheating ? whats the longest exposure you did a timelapse with ?

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11-10-2014, 03:01 PM	#2
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	I found my Q did the same with 5 min intervals between shots during day time. It would just shut off without completing the schedule. Not sure if it was heat related though. I had the Pentax AC adapter hooked up, so it wasn't the battery dying. I gave up and use the K-01 for TL.

11-10-2014, 04:46 PM	#3
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	I think that cameras with a shutter are really not suited to TL... you just speed through its MTBF...

11-10-2014, 04:49 PM	#4
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	I haven't done long exposure time lapse but I can see how it might overheat. I have had overheat warnings on video on warm days. Most of my timelapse is during the day so exposures are short.

11-10-2014, 05:04 PM	#5
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	In Arizona the camera heats up (pink thermometer) rather quickly in the summer just shooting stills. Other cameras K3, K5, Sony A6000 and NEX used at the same time do not overheat for me.

11-11-2014, 02:47 AM	#6
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Originally posted by LensBeginner I think that cameras with a shutter are really not suited to TL... you just speed through its MTBF... Que!?

11-11-2014, 02:55 AM	#7
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by Steve.Ledger Que!? Sorry, "mean time between failures"... I mean... a shutter life expectancy is about 100k shots, on the K-01 you even have two cycles per activation (close, open, close, open to restore live view), and then a single time lapse can very easily run into the thousands (let's say a 2' video: 25f/s * 60s/min * 2min = 3000 shots...) If you also factor in double activations you get 6000, which is about 16% of the expected operative life of the camera... ...better use a shutter-less mirrorless or a cellphone for that, IMHO...

11-11-2014, 02:59 AM	#8
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	The Q is mirrorless and shutterless. The shutters are in the lenses or the adapter K.

11-11-2014, 03:13 AM	#9
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by crewl1 The Q is mirrorless and shutterless. The shutters are in the lenses or the adapter K. Yeah, was answering to Steve here (he said he used his K-01)...

11-11-2014, 03:16 AM	#10
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Originally posted by LensBeginner Yeah, was answering to Steve here (he said he used his K-01)... Oh sorry I just saw this thread was about the Q.

11-11-2014, 04:08 AM	#11
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Originally posted by LensBeginner Sorry, "mean time between failures"... I mean... a shutter life expectancy is about 100k shots, on the K-01 you even have two cycles per activation (close, open, close, open to restore live view), and then *a single time lapse can very easily* run into the thousands (let's say a 2' video: 25f/s * 60s/min * 2min = 3000 shots...)** If you also factor in double activations you get 6000, which is about 16% of the expected operative life of the camera... ...better use a shutter-less mirrorless or a cellphone for that, IMHO... I'm very confused by your maths.

11-11-2014, 04:13 AM	#12
paranoia23 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 188 Original Poster	nobody will know how long the shutter in the lens survives because it doesnt count the shots ... doh

11-11-2014, 04:27 AM	#13
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by Steve.Ledger I'm very confused by your maths. 25 frames per second, 60 seconds in a minute, two minutes. You can treat units of measurements just like numbers, so you simplify min/min and s/s and the final result is expressed in frames (shots). ---------- Post added 11-11-14 at 12:28 PM ---------- Originally posted by paranoia23 nobody will know how long the shutter in the lens survives because it doesnt count the shots ... doh was talking about the K-01, there's no shutter in the lenses. Were you refering to the aperture mechanism (the iris diaphragm)? or to the shutter in the Q lenses?

11-11-2014, 02:58 PM	#14
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Originally posted by LensBeginner 25 frames per second, 60 seconds in a minute, two minutes. You can treat units of measurements just like numbers, so you simplify min/min and s/s and the final result is expressed in frames (shots).[COLOR="Silver"] This is very wrong thinking, LB. Time Lapse photography does not shoot @ 25fps. It is usually compiled at 15fps in post, but time intervals between shots can be anything you like, usually more than one minute. Most of my TL's have had 3-5 minute intervals. You can should an entire day without placing any unusual wear on the shutter. 5min intervals = 12 shots per hour which is nothing at all. You can shoot many more photos than this in normal use. In any case, this thread is about the Q. Apologies to the OP.,

11-11-2014, 03:05 PM	#15
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by Steve.Ledger This is very wrong thinking, LB. Time Lapse photography does not shoot @ 25fps. It is usually compiled at 15fps in post, but time intervals between shots can be anything you like, usually more than one minute. Most of my TL's have had 3-5 minute intervals. You can should an entire day without placing any unusual wear on the shutter. 5min intervals = 12 shots per hour which is nothing at all. You can shoot many more photos than this in normal use. I was talking about 25fps in the final product because it's a fairly common framerate in PAL (what we use here in Europe). A 2 minute video (not a 2' timelapse) - irrespective of the original time lapse interval - will have fps*60 frames per minute. Taking a few examples from the forum: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/75-video-pentax-hdslrs/269770-night-time-...ka-k-01-a.html 1800pictures, 1'08" https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/38-photographic-technique/275628-boston-l...-approach.html This one I don't know, but it's about 2'37" long and is very smooth (it's professional made I believe). Granted, you can go as low as 1fps, but I wouldn't like the result.