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12-23-2012, 04:32 PM   #1
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How does the K-01 work in the cold?

I was out for most of the afternoon today shooting a Sony A65 in 12F temps and had my shutter button stop functioning. Three times I had to jump back into the Jeep to warm the camera up and it did start working again after a short warm up. I've never had this problem with my Pentax K-x or any of the Pentax film cameras that I have. So at $316.00 US I've been thinking about a K-01 if it makes a good winter-low temps camera. Thanks for your time.

12-23-2012, 04:47 PM   #2
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Um.. I haven't used my K-01 in sub zero temperatures yet.. The cold affects the camera screen, so that might be a problem with a K-01 (because you have to rely on the screen). Maybe a K-30 would be a better choice for cold photography, but I don't really think a K-01 will have any problems down to -20C or so, as long as you take the proper precautions against fogging up and stuff.
12-23-2012, 06:59 PM   #3
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Leopold can tell you more over at dpr - Another cold nights, some river shots
He's been doing a lot of cold-weather shooting with his k-01, look elsewhere in that forum for more of his icy images.
12-23-2012, 07:41 PM   #4
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Had mine out in -20 to -30 C today for a few hours and it worked fine. Didn't take tons of shots, but no issues even at the end of the hike. I was surprised that the battery held up and the spare wasn't needed. Fired into a ziploc with lenses and a silica packet to warm up and everything looks great.

12-24-2012, 04:08 AM   #5
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Just think of the live view screen as electric heating.
12-24-2012, 08:10 AM   #6
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Thanks for the replies everbody.
12-25-2012, 04:43 PM   #7
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... and as an update... out in -30 to -40C for a while today. about an hour in the LCD got stuck "on" but wouldn't react to any buttons or on/off. Warmed it and had to take the battery out to reset it. So, below around -30 it may be best not to have it out longer than you need to actually take the pictures.

12-25-2012, 06:01 PM   #8
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Hopefully everyone will be able to read into this one correctly...

The K-01 will actually work better in the cold than any Pentax digital slr without the optional battery grip. Especially considering that; I know of two people whom have used both a K-01 and other Pentax digital slr products in places where the weather does get that extreme. Cases in point; I've seen what the extreme temps actually do to various slr's in extreme cold; as in how it effects the mirror assemblies and such. I've even seen K-5 (also even fullframes) where the mirror assembly is either temporarily effected or even permenantly damaged by such temps.

Whereas the K-01 doesn't have such a mirror assenbly; and has much less in the way of parts that can fail.

Yet I wish that it still did have the Pentax label option for adding a secondary griip for two reasons... To add the extra battery power and also for those people that hate the lack of an effective grip on the K-01 - it could actually add one in. Plus it would even be better if Pentax offered a type of remote battery pack option
12-26-2012, 10:15 PM   #9
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Thanks Mills and MediumFormatPro for your additional comments!!
12-27-2012, 08:21 PM - 1 Like   #10
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Three days of cold northern Minnesota shooting

The last day was right around 0F (about -18C). I went out with the same battery down one bar at room temp as a little test to see how quickly it would deplete itself. After an hour+ of shooting in that cold, no malfunctions and the meter was still down only one bar. The spare never was needed. For my purposes, this makes the K-01 an all-weather device - perhaps more so than my very well-sealed K20D which has a less robust battery, and the mirror mechanism. I have shot 20x more often in below zero F weather than in rain. Rain is not conducive to taking great photos - not nearly as inviting as cold, crisp weather. Here's a small album of three days of cold-weather shooting (15 shots):

Northland Holidays - James Robins - Powered by Phanfare
12-30-2012, 11:28 AM   #11
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I would have to agree with you ScooterMaxi (like your images), cold crisp weather provides some of the best images of the four seasons. I also shoot 20x more insub zero than in the rain. Glad to hear the K-01 handles it fine. Fedx should have mine hear by January 3rd.
12-30-2012, 02:31 PM   #12
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While we are discussing this... Are there any special precautions one should take when heading out in cold (below zero celcius) conditions, or when coming back indoors afterwards? I will be doing this often, I hope, before the end of the winter here in Montreal, and I wouldn't want to damage the camera or lenses. I'm worried about condensation, especially when coming back indoors with a very cold camera. Any thoughts?
12-30-2012, 07:35 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Doundounba Quote
I'm worried about condensation, especially when coming back indoors with a very cold camera. Any thoughts?
I think this is the main thing. Put the camera (and lenses) in an airtight plastic bag when coming into a warmer place and leave it until it becomes room temperature on its own. Usually the plastic bag will change size when this happens, which is normal. Prepare the bag ahead of time and make sure your camera and lens(es) will fit. If you are using filters, don't screw them on too tight, since the temperature change is also a pressure change and it make the filter get stuck. This is nothing major, just an inconvenience, especially if you are using a thin filter (or rotating CPL).
When you are outside, you might want to shield the camera a little. I've been to Montreal, and I remember it as windy and cold
12-30-2012, 07:39 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Doundounba Quote
While we are discussing this... Are there any special precautions one should take when heading out in cold (below zero celcius) conditions, or when coming back indoors afterwards? I will be doing this often, I hope, before the end of the winter here in Montreal, and I wouldn't want to damage the camera or lenses. I'm worried about condensation, especially when coming back indoors with a very cold camera. Any thoughts?
Purchase any good fabric gadget bag and also place a small amount of silica-gel in the bag. The bag will serve as a type of buffer to protect the camera between changing environments.
12-31-2012, 07:39 AM   #15
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Interesting....

I've used my k-7 in temps down to 0F. My k-5 is just getting its first taste of winter and has been fine in at least the 20s out here. I never use a bag or anything when coming inside. I usually just turn the camera off and let it defrost. This hasn't caused me one problem yet, and yeah, I get a bit nervous seeing my lens and camera covered in condensation. After a good warming up, the front element of the lens usually defogs and I'm good to go. I don't know if I'd try that with a k-01 without the sealing and all, but really as long as its off, once it warms up all that surface condensation pretty much evaporates so probably no harm done. I used to take my panny bridge cameras in and out of the cold all the time and the condensation from warming never killed them either and their controls are about as unsealed as it gets. Heck, sensor dust was a problem eventually. No sealing there.
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