is the pentax 67ii NOT a cold weather camera?

destroya · 01-04-2016, 09:59 AM

I have used my 67ii for many years taking great photos in lots of places. But I am really having issues in cold weather. last week I did a day trip to yosemite as the weather was perfect for the day. cold but clear with spotty white fulffy clouds that gave way to overcast grey and white awesome clouds. anyway....

just like the other times I have taken the camera out in cold/cool conditions (its was 38 degrees outside but dry. no snow or rain) and got the dreaded e-20 code. while its not listed in the manual what it actually means, I think its either dead battery or static electricity. so like I always do, I replaced the batteries with new ones. I always bring 5 sets of batteries when i use this camera in the cold. that of course, does not do the trick. you also need to open the camera back to, what I assume is to get rid of the static charge, otherwise the camera does not work. Again, this is just my view of the problem. I wish I could figure out what the issue really is. I had 3 other cameras with me as I have come to expect this issue with this camera and none of them had any issues at all. they were a mamiya 6, nikon f5 and a nikon fm3a

Its a great camera to use, but really sucks getting 1 or 2 shots on a roll and then having the camera die. I have cracked the camera back enough to reset it then tried finishing the roll, but the rest of the shots on the roll are severely under exposed, like nothing is on the neg. I would hate to have to limit this camera to a warm climate camera but I am done shooting it and wasting the film. otherwise the camera works great.

any thoughts or ideas?

thanks
john

**gofour3** · 01-04-2016, 10:15 AM

Originally posted by destroya

its was 38 degrees outside but dry. no snow or rain)

The P67II is rate for use between +50C and -10C (122F to 14F) so it should be OK using it at 38F. Not sure what the problem could be.

Phil.

tuco · 01-04-2016, 11:42 AM

Perhaps also get a manual camera that takes no batteries.

I haven't used my Pentax 6x7 in extreme cold but have used it many, many times in conditions like the following with no problem. If it is really cold I take the battery cage out and and put it in my pocket. And I use the folding hood so I don't have to worry about the light meter needing "juice".

Duplo · 01-04-2016, 01:03 PM

I used to live in greenland and my 67ii have never had a winter problem up there, thus my guess would be that it is an issue with your specific camera.

Have you tried having it serviced?

**mattb123** · 01-04-2016, 01:53 PM - **1 Like**

38 F is not very cold and should fall well within the operating range of most cameras. I bet your camera has another problem. It's possible cold makes it worse but if it was working properly 38 should be no problem.

destroya · 01-04-2016, 10:12 PM

I thought it was just me but hoping otherwise. Guess its time to get it serviced. any places to recommend?

**gofour3** · 01-05-2016, 03:37 PM

Originally posted by destroya

I thought it was just me but hoping otherwise. Guess its time to get it serviced. any places to recommend?

I think Ricoh will still fix the 67ii bodies, best check with them. I don't think Eric does any longer.

Phil.

**Ed Hurst** · 01-05-2016, 05:14 PM - **1 Like**

I used two 67ii's on three winter trips to Inner Mongolia, where it was frequently in the -20 to -30 (Celsius) range and had no problems whatever with the camera. And, despite having spares, never even had batteries run low! (Lithium is amazing). The only problems I had were with the lenses (aperture blades buckling in the cold!). But the bodies just kept on going.

So I am sorry to say that it's probably your specific body.

destroya · 10-08-2018, 01:22 PM

update,

I used the camera for a long time before the same issue came up again. but I think I narrowed it down. it only happens with slow shutter speeds of 1/30 or slower. by guess is its a mirror issue, that holding it up for the entire curtain to open is the cause. this is only a guess as the sync speed is 1/30 and it only happens with this speed or slower. wasted 2 rolls of APX 25 on location to figure it out, but hopefully it was worth it

I contacted pentax and they no longer support or work on any film cameras and Eric does not work on the 67ii as well. so I gotta find either a way to fix the issue myself or find a repair location that knows the issue and can fix it.

any thoughts?

desertscape · 10-13-2018, 10:36 AM

It is possible that your second curtain is not following correctly at slower speeds due to cold weather.

stevebrot · 10-13-2018, 01:21 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by destroya

any thoughts?

Advance Camera near Portland, Oregon might be able to help.

Advance Camera Repair

Steve

Silent Street · 10-14-2018, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by destroya

and Eric does not work on the 67ii as well

That's interesting...

I have used my Pentax 67 in minus 6°c temps at the snow this September without any problem — if anything, it was me who complained about the cold!!
I do not know about the 67II, but a separate cold-weather battery attachment is available for the 6x7 / 67 which allows for a battery to be kept in your pocket, tethered to the 6x7 / 67 by a cord. You might also want to try a lithium battery to get some leeway over cold weather performance.

destroya · 10-15-2018, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by Silent Street

That's interesting...

I have used my Pentax 67 in minus 6°c temps at the snow this September without any problem — if anything, it was me who complained about the cold!!
I do not know about the 67II, but a separate cold-weather battery attachment is available for the 6x7 / 67 which allows for a battery to be kept in your pocket, tethered to the 6x7 / 67 by a cord. You might also want to try a lithium battery to get some leeway over cold weather performance.

its not the cold weather that is the issue. I ran an empty roll of backing paper thru at all shutter speeds. was 80+ yesterday. at all speeds slower than 1/30 i got the error code. so for now if i need to use the camera, its color film for me as my shutter speeds are usually over 1/60 a second or faster. gonna wait a month before I send it out for repair as we are getting into the tree color changing season.

just wish I could find a way to fix/repair it myself

---------- Post added 10-15-18 at 10:40 AM ----------

interesting........

I took out the camera to play with it a little more, trying to trouble shoot it. same issues with slow speeds. Tried bulb, and it does not lock up, returning the mirror right away. so thought, maybe its a magnet issue with the mirror or some other "charge" issue with the magnets. So tried using the ps time switch to see if maybe the magnets are dead. mirror stayed up. huh. closed the switch and did it again, this time letting it stay open for 5 minutes. closed the mirror, took out the batteries and let the camera sit for 5 minutes. put batteries back in, reloaded some backing paper and....

it seems to be working now. huh. maybe there was a charge or some other thing messing up the magnet thats used to hold open the mirror, or some other issue. but the Timed mirro up seems to maybe have reset the magnet (at least thats what Im hoping). any thoughts on what happened??

johnha · 10-15-2018, 01:16 PM

Sounds like it could be similar to the reset button operation of the 6x7 & 67 perhaps?

ekaphoto · 11-12-2018, 12:49 AM

Try a different brand/ type of battrie
Clean all contacts in battrie compartment

01-04-2016, 09:59 AM	#1
destroya Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Los Altos CA Posts: 44	is the pentax 67ii NOT a cold weather camera? I have used my 67ii for many years taking great photos in lots of places. But I am really having issues in cold weather. last week I did a day trip to yosemite as the weather was perfect for the day. cold but clear with spotty white fulffy clouds that gave way to overcast grey and white awesome clouds. anyway.... just like the other times I have taken the camera out in cold/cool conditions (its was 38 degrees outside but dry. no snow or rain) and got the dreaded e-20 code. while its not listed in the manual what it actually means, I think its either dead battery or static electricity. so like I always do, I replaced the batteries with new ones. I always bring 5 sets of batteries when i use this camera in the cold. that of course, does not do the trick. you also need to open the camera back to, what I assume is to get rid of the static charge, otherwise the camera does not work. Again, this is just my view of the problem. I wish I could figure out what the issue really is. I had 3 other cameras with me as I have come to expect this issue with this camera and none of them had any issues at all. they were a mamiya 6, nikon f5 and a nikon fm3a Its a great camera to use, but really sucks getting 1 or 2 shots on a roll and then having the camera die. I have cracked the camera back enough to reset it then tried finishing the roll, but the rest of the shots on the roll are severely under exposed, like nothing is on the neg. I would hate to have to limit this camera to a warm climate camera but I am done shooting it and wasting the film. otherwise the camera works great. any thoughts or ideas? thanks john

11-12-2018, 12:49 AM	#15
ekaphoto New Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Photos: Albums Posts: 17	Couple of ideas Try a different brand/ type of battrie Clean all contacts in battrie compartment

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01-04-2016, 10:15 AM	#2
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,090	Originally posted by destroya its was 38 degrees outside but dry. no snow or rain) The P67II is rate for use between +50C and -10C (122F to 14F) so it should be OK using it at 38F. Not sure what the problem could be. Phil.

01-04-2016, 11:42 AM	#3
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	Perhaps also get a manual camera that takes no batteries. I haven't used my Pentax 6x7 in extreme cold but have used it many, many times in conditions like the following with no problem. If it is really cold I take the battery cage out and and put it in my pocket. And I use the folding hood so I don't have to worry about the light meter needing "juice".

01-04-2016, 01:03 PM	#4
Duplo Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Copenhagen Photos: Gallery Posts: 924	I used to live in greenland and my 67ii have never had a winter problem up there, thus my guess would be that it is an issue with your specific camera. Have you tried having it serviced?

01-04-2016, 01:53 PM - 1 Like	#5
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	38 F is not very cold and should fall well within the operating range of most cameras. I bet your camera has another problem. It's possible cold makes it worse but if it was working properly 38 should be no problem.

01-04-2016, 10:12 PM	#6
destroya Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Los Altos CA Posts: 44 Original Poster	I thought it was just me but hoping otherwise. Guess its time to get it serviced. any places to recommend?

01-05-2016, 03:37 PM	#7
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,090	Originally posted by destroya I thought it was just me but hoping otherwise. Guess its time to get it serviced. any places to recommend? I think Ricoh will still fix the 67ii bodies, best check with them. I don't think Eric does any longer. Phil.

01-05-2016, 05:14 PM - 1 Like	#8
Ed Hurst Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 1,657	I used two 67ii's on three winter trips to Inner Mongolia, where it was frequently in the -20 to -30 (Celsius) range and had no problems whatever with the camera. And, despite having spares, never even had batteries run low! (Lithium is amazing). The only problems I had were with the lenses (aperture blades buckling in the cold!). But the bodies just kept on going. So I am sorry to say that it's probably your specific body.

10-08-2018, 01:22 PM	#9
destroya Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Los Altos CA Posts: 44 Original Poster	update, I used the camera for a long time before the same issue came up again. but I think I narrowed it down. it only happens with slow shutter speeds of 1/30 or slower. by guess is its a mirror issue, that holding it up for the entire curtain to open is the cause. this is only a guess as the sync speed is 1/30 and it only happens with this speed or slower. wasted 2 rolls of APX 25 on location to figure it out, but hopefully it was worth it I contacted pentax and they no longer support or work on any film cameras and Eric does not work on the 67ii as well. so I gotta find either a way to fix the issue myself or find a repair location that knows the issue and can fix it. any thoughts?

10-13-2018, 10:36 AM	#10
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272	It is possible that your second curtain is not following correctly at slower speeds due to cold weather.

10-13-2018, 01:21 PM - 1 Like	#11
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by destroya any thoughts? Advance Camera near Portland, Oregon might be able to help. Advance Camera Repair Steve

10-14-2018, 04:50 PM	#12
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	Originally posted by destroya and Eric does not work on the 67ii as well That's interesting... I have used my Pentax 67 in minus 6°c temps at the snow this September without any problem — if anything, it was me who complained about the cold!! I do not know about the 67II, but a separate cold-weather battery attachment is available for the 6x7 / 67 which allows for a battery to be kept in your pocket, tethered to the 6x7 / 67 by a cord. You might also want to try a lithium battery to get some leeway over cold weather performance.

10-15-2018, 10:08 AM	#13
destroya Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Los Altos CA Posts: 44 Original Poster	Originally posted by Silent Street That's interesting... I have used my Pentax 67 in minus 6°c temps at the snow this September without any problem — if anything, it was me who complained about the cold!! I do not know about the 67II, but a separate cold-weather battery attachment is available for the 6x7 / 67 which allows for a battery to be kept in your pocket, tethered to the 6x7 / 67 by a cord. You might also want to try a lithium battery to get some leeway over cold weather performance. its not the cold weather that is the issue. I ran an empty roll of backing paper thru at all shutter speeds. was 80+ yesterday. at all speeds slower than 1/30 i got the error code. so for now if i need to use the camera, its color film for me as my shutter speeds are usually over 1/60 a second or faster. gonna wait a month before I send it out for repair as we are getting into the tree color changing season. just wish I could find a way to fix/repair it myself ---------- Post added 10-15-18 at 10:40 AM ---------- interesting........ I took out the camera to play with it a little more, trying to trouble shoot it. same issues with slow speeds. Tried bulb, and it does not lock up, returning the mirror right away. so thought, maybe its a magnet issue with the mirror or some other "charge" issue with the magnets. So tried using the ps time switch to see if maybe the magnets are dead. mirror stayed up. huh. closed the switch and did it again, this time letting it stay open for 5 minutes. closed the mirror, took out the batteries and let the camera sit for 5 minutes. put batteries back in, reloaded some backing paper and.... it seems to be working now. huh. maybe there was a charge or some other thing messing up the magnet thats used to hold open the mirror, or some other issue. but the Timed mirro up seems to maybe have reset the magnet (at least thats what Im hoping). any thoughts on what happened??

10-15-2018, 01:16 PM	#14
johnha Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Lancashire, UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,155	Sounds like it could be similar to the reset button operation of the 6x7 & 67 perhaps?