Weather Problems With Pentax K200D

Hi, for about 2 weeks I'm having problems with my camera. The first issue is condensation: is there any way to protect or minimize condensation when I go out side or back home ? The bigger problem of this is that the condensation of the inner glass of the lens. The second issue is frost: if i stay out side and take pictures long enough a thin line o frost forms over the lens exterior glass, that would be about 1 hours in the cold with the camera out. Even worse: it apears that after some time the AF Motor from the lens cannot lock to anything and spins like a crazy sun-of-a-gun.

I have'nt got the chance but soon i will be out on skying and if the camera can't handle the could for more then an oure that cuts my skying adventure short.

And i forgot to mention: the lens that I use is SMC Pentax 18-50mm f 3.5-5.6 WR.

Sorry for my bad english and thank you in advance for youre help.

Yes, there is a well known trick to avoid condensation when you get in from outside: use a ziplock plastic bag ( those used to stock frozen food in a refrigerator).

Put the camera+lens combo in it, try to leave as litlle air inside the bag as possible and let it heat/defreeze at the ambient temperature when you are in.

Voilà!
--
Younes ( Paris, FR)
K100D,K10D,D40 + lenses

Hi,

i've been shooting in very cold conditions (i'm from Quebec province in Canada),andall i do is keep my camera in my camera bag when i go from inside to outside and the same when i came from the cold outside to inside and i've never had any problem in the last 22 years with that method.

The problem is not when getting from an hot house to the cold , it's when you get from the cold outside to inside your home.

Remove all your SD cards from your bag and keep them in an inside pocket of your winter jacket (where i keep my spare battery), so when you're back home you can view your photos and let your camera warm up slowly in your camera bag.
--
Leopold
Pentax forever
http://smarcoux.zenfolio.com/

Thank you so much for youre replay, only one problem remains: why does the lens freez so much so fast outside and how could i prevent or at least slow down the process. The only camera bag i have ca only accomodate the DLSR Body, so i use a °standard° backpack (from high school)

Hi,

even then if you come from a hot house to a cold environment it shouldn't freeze on the lens elements ?

My only guess is by accident you happen to breathe on the front lens element and your breath frozed on the glass...it's the only explanation i see.

Do a test, take your camera clean and unfrosted from your house, get out and take it out of your bag,let it stay outside in the cold to see what happens, it shouldn't froze at all.

Good luck.
--
Leopold
Pentax forever
http://smarcoux.zenfolio.com/

Well that would explain it, but if it remeber right it was snowing quite heavy, could you recomend anything to keep the glass clean (its harder when its snowing then raining since snow is a lot more lighter and easyer to be caried by wind).

If I am understanding your post right the condensation is inside the lens, if so placing the lens in a plastic bag with some silica gel packets to draw the moisture out. You can reactivate the silica gel by drying it in a oven.

Hope this helps.

Henry

Using a lens hood helps and i regularly check the inside of the lens hood and blower the snow off with a blower brush.
Plastic bags can help protect your equipment when not using it.
--
Leopold
Pentax forever
http://smarcoux.zenfolio.com/

Thank you so much for youre help, from all of you. Looks like it's still a long road for me to get from n000b to professional

If you have water inside the lens, seal the lens inside a plastic bag with clean, dry rice or those silica gel pouches. Let it sit in the sun on a window sill or similar for a few days. The problem with silica gel pouches is that they will absorb a certain amount of water and then stop without you knowing if the silica is still working or not. I've read that the silica can be 'refreshed' by putting them in a 'slow' (220 -240 degrees F) oven for a few hours.
--
I'm thankful to still be able to * .

• • add your favorite activity here.

Try placing a UV filter on the lens, and then once everything has acclimatised and the filter has "frozen" simply remove it.
--
Chris.

A weather sealed ultra wide, is that too much to ask?

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/chriside

GMT +9.5

Pentax SLR talk FAQ
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23161072

One thing to remember and likely not what you want to hear but the camera and lens combination that you are using are only rated down to 0, anything less then that and you are using the gear outside of spec so you may have performance issues.

Then again I am still only just getting used to the concept of "cold" weather so what ever I say should be taken with that qualification in mind.
--
Chris.

A weather sealed ultra wide, is that too much to ask?

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/chriside

GMT +9.5

Pentax SLR talk FAQ
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23161072

I've found that even if cameras are not rated to work in very cold climate they work perfectly with a fresh battery... at least the Pentax SLR and DSLR

MX, Z1p, DS2 and K20D can get down to at least -35°C to -42°C ... fun !!!
--
Leopold
Pentax forever
http://smarcoux.zenfolio.com/

That is the biggest reason I went for the Pentax quality and this specific model (didn't hade money for K7 model ), at least i feel safer with some protection against moister, rain, dust, and snow. Better to be safe then sorry