[PoideAdelereX]

Pentax K100D. It's going to be around 0F (-15c) this weekend. Can I go outside for a prolonged period of time and take pictures or not?

[RadcliffXX]

I wouldn't think so. My Canon has difficulties operating in weather colder than -6 C. This is just one of those instances where shooting film has an advantage over digital.

[12ZHeWZa]

what are the hinderances that the temp brings?

i'd assume mechanical/moving parts?

[Vjwkvkoy]

I took my old 350D out in -10F and it worked for a while. The battery went from full to completely dead in 10 mins and the roller wheel near the shutter button stopped working till it warmed up again.

[rfceicizgm]

Cold weather shooting is fine, but there are a couple of very important things to keep in mind:

1. Batteries will die faster if they're cold, so make sure you have a couple fully-charged spares in your pocket. This will also keep them warm, so you can swap them back and forth between your camera and your pocket.
2. This is probably the most important: When you bring your camera inside after shooting in cold temperatures, water condensation will form on/inside the lens and your camera. This is bad...very bad. However, there is an old trick to eliminate this problem: Buy a couple gallon+ size ziplock resealable bags. When you're done shooting (and before you go into your house or car), put your lens and camera into the ziplock bags and seal them up. Then bring the bags inside and let them sit for a couple hours before putting your stuff away. This effectively creates an "airlock" that allows the temperatures of your equipment to slowly come up to room temperature and therefore eliminates any condensation.

I've shot for several hours in 15-20 degree F weather with no problem.

[CHyLmxDr]

Cold weather shooting is fine, but there are a couple of very important things to keep in mind:

1. Batteries will die faster if they're cold, so make sure you have a couple fully-charged spares in your pocket. This will also keep them warm, so you can swap them back and forth between your camera and your pocket.
2. This is probably the most important: When you bring your camera inside after shooting in cold temperatures, water condensation will form on/inside the lens and your camera. This is bad...very bad. However, there is an old trick to eliminate this problem: Buy a couple gallon+ size ziplock resealable bags. When you're done shooting (and before you go into your house or car), put your lens and camera into the ziplock bags and seal them up. Then bring the bags inside and let them sit for a couple hours before putting your stuff away. This effectively creates an "airlock" that allows the temperatures of your equipment to slowly come up to room temperature and therefore eliminates any condensation.

I've shot for several hours in 15-20 degree F weather with no problem.

For point 2 - note that once you put your camera in the bag, you should squeeze as much air out as possible before sealing it.

[fedelwfget]

Just a thought here, but couldn't you keep it warm with a few chemical handwarmers (I presume they still make them)

[nd90t3sf]

Lord_P, it is going to be pretty chilly this weekend, (maybe only a couple hours above 0* F) so I would say that the technical limitations of your camera may make it impossible for you to use it outside. I've taken my cameras out for extended periods of time in the -5* to 10* range, and at such temperatures I found that batteries died quickly and the electronic functions of the equipment were slower than usual (saving images took a long time, and viewing them was insufferably slow). Protect your camera against condensation, keep the battery in an inner coat pocket when you're not using it, and turn off image playback to save on battery and you may get some good use out of it, but its functions will be noticeably reduced.

Besides, your fingers will probably get cold before your camera dies.

[Solo3uc4]

Lord_P, it is going to be pretty chilly this weekend, (maybe only a couple hours above 0* F) so I would say that the technical limitations of your camera may make it impossible for you to use it outside. I've taken my cameras out for extended periods of time in the -5* to 10* range, and at such temperatures I found that batteries died quickly and the electronic functions of the equipment were slower than usual (saving images took a long time, and viewing them was insufferably slow). Protect your camera against condensation, keep the battery in an inner coat pocket when you're not using it, and turn off image playback to save on battery and you may get some good use out of it, but its functions will be noticeably reduced.

Besides, your fingers will probably get cold before your camera dies.

Yeah. I don't think I'm going to go, it's just going to be way to darn cold. It's unfortunate, I really wanted to see what it was all about. I guess there is always next year.

[JakilSong]

get a silicone crystal bag and wack it in the camera case it will absorb any moisture that may cause the camera to steam up when taken into different temp locations

[QualityReachOut]

get a silicone crystal bag and wack it in the camera case it will absorb any moisture that may cause the camera to steam up when taken into different temp locations

No it won't, unless the camera case/bag is airtight. If you place a silicon crystal bag in anything other than an airtight container, all it will do is soak up moisture from the atmosphere as a whole, not just the air inside the camera bag - thus making it pretty darn useless.

[Viafdrear]

I used my Pentax K10D for over 2.5 hours last year in -20C weather (-35ish with wind chill), on a frozen lake. Hanging around my neck, never put it in a bag. Every other camera there stopped functioning after 30 minutes or so. Mind you, the K10D has weather sealing which the K100D does not, so that may have helped.