3 times now I’ve checked my WP before leaving the house, found the battery indicator to be “full green”, and on the water had the low batt warning come on after 1 picture. The camera craps out altogether after a couple more, but will recover somewhat if I tuck it under my balaclava for a half hour or so.
Is the WP warm blooded, or do I have a bad battery pack? The batteries are proprietary, so I can’t just snap in a fresh set like I used to with my Canon A40.
Pentax Optio WP in cold weather
What was the air temperature when you experienced problems with your Pentax Optio?
I haven’t had occasion to test my Pentax in low temperatures yet (nothing below 32-35F). A spare battery is always a good idea. It’s possible to find cheaper battery with higher capacity (900mAh) than the original one (I will need to check my home computer to provide details).
Tips for paddling & shooting with Pentax Optio WP(i):
http://users.frii.com/uliasz/weblog/C2003804840/E20051127160808/index.html
Happened yesterday.
Took one picture while paddling and the battery was dead. Air temperature around 32 degrees F. In warm weather the batteries seemed to go on forever so it has to be an aversion to the cold.
Digital camera batteries
An FYI here. I have found with digital cameras that if you have a low battery and only turn the camera on, it will show a full battery then after you take a picture the battery is dead. So to test if you have enough battery before you go out, take a picture first then check the battery meter.
If you take a look …
… in your Owner’s Manual or here http://www.pentaximaging.com/products/product_specs/digital_camera–OptioWP/reqID–6442215/subsection–optio you will see that the Optio WP’s “Operating Temperatures - 32 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius)”
So perhaps this camera isn’t to be used much below freezing temperatures. Might want to keep it in your jacket pocket, etc. in between uses, to keep both the camera and its batteries warm.
And here’s an excellent source for affordable, hi-quality aftermarket replacement batteries for digital cameras http://www.sterlingtek.com/ . I’ve bought several for a few different camera models, and they last at least as long as the stock batteries.
Won’t See Me With Another Pentax
I Had a K1000 that was a workhorse. Loved it.
Recently my daughter received some Optio model as a gift. I picked it up to take a picture and got some ‘low battery’ warning. I tested the batteries and they were fine. (not proprietary, just AAs). I put brand new batteries in and got the same warning. This is not out in the cold. This is in my kitchen.
Won’t see me with another Pentax product.
Great advice.
I’ll look for a more powerful battery to keep as a spare. Air temp was -2 to -5c on all occasions (28 American?).
Can’t keep it in a jacket pocket, as I wear a dry suit at those temps. Water is around -2c.
I wonder if a chemical heat pack in my pfd pocket would work?
Thanks everyone!
OEM batteries
check out this link:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1028&thread=16473974
I love the 900mAh replacements. I have the original and the two spares I got off ebay.
I have a long lanyard for my WP around my neck and cinched up so that it stays if I go inverted. However my point is that the camers stores nicely between my PFD and whatever I am wearing underneath it. Plenty of body heat and insulation from the pfd foam. No problems. And I always carry a spare battery.
Hey! I like your idea.
I’ve been keeping the Optio in my pfd pocket over my drysuit but it doesn’st stay very warm. I have a lot of small chemical heat paks around. I’ll put one of those in the same pfd pocket as the camera.
I’ll be paddling in temps below freezing (except for a paddling trip to Costa Rica next week, woo-hoo!) until Spring and I don’t want to stop taking pictures.
I’m confused by the model
numbers.
Does this battery:
http://www.buynshop.com/productinfophp3/DC-PENDL12
fit the newest Optio WPi?
Thanks,
Sanjay
experiment: photographer got cold!
I fully charged a battery (original) in my Pentax Optio WP and left the camera outside between midnight and 6 am with an air temperature dropping from ~30F to ~22F. At 6am I went outside for a photo session which I expected to be short. A thick ice was formed on my dog water bowl.
I will describe my findings later, but I will reveal one thing right now: the photograper got cold!
battery for Pentax Optio WP(i)
On dpreview.com forum
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1028&thread=16473974
NP 40 battery was mentioned as a replacement for Pentax D-LI8 battery.
cold weather experiment with Optio WP
http://users.frii.com/uliasz/weblog/C2003804840/E20060104075100/index.html
Maybe, I am lucky, but I don’t see reasons to complain …
Humidity level?
Just a thought…maybe the batteries have trouble with cold, damp conditions but are OK with cold, dry ones.
it’s a waterproof camera!
Yes…
– Last Updated: Jan-04-06 4:24 PM EST –
assuming that the battery compartment actually is watertight.
I have a Pelican 1010 and 1020 case. They float and don't let water in immediately when held underwater. But after removal from the water, there sometimes is condensation inside (evident because these cases have see-through tops). It happens when I have not opened the cases on the water. If something like this happens to the Optio WPi, it could be enough moisture to mess up the batteries.
Have you tried again ?
Have you tried again your Pentax Optio in cold weather being sure that the battery is fully charged (not just relying on the battery indicator display)?
Not yet.
Btw, I wasn’t complaining, just asking about the batteries. I love my Optio WP!
I hope to get out this weekend, I’ll definitely try again, this time charging the battery fully first. I’ll also pick up a chemical hand warmer and give that a try if the battery dies. Stay tuned.
My 43 wr does the same thing.
I have a 43 WR and have the same problem. It says full green, then 5-minutes later the battery is gone. Sometimes it seems to go from green, orange, to red, in any order, at any time. It is very frustrating.
Pentax Optio WP/i in winter
I am still waiting to see more comments from shooting with Pentax Optio WP/i in winter conditions. I am paddling with my Optio, but days in Colorado are rather warm recently (just cold nights keep all local lakes solid).
http://users.frii.com/uliasz/weblog/C1100338327/E20060114222536/index.html