sticky focus ring in cold weather

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DM_rider

Veteran
Well, I was shooting in 30 degree weather today and the focus ring on the 170 gunks up. It wasn't even that cold! I don't even want to guess what happens when I shoot in 10 degree weather... It was almost impossible to get a smooth pull because the ring sticks when it gets cold and takes a good twist to unstick it and get it turning. Even with a follow focus, I still think it's going to be a problem... I'm not happy right now. It reminded me of a cheap fluid head in cold weather.

This never happened to me with the hvx200 either.

Edit:
Just tested it at 28 degrees outside, the colder it is, the worse it gets.

If it's cold enough outside, other 170 owners need to try this, I can't be the only one.
 
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Whaaaaat? You should record some video and throw it up on Vimeo. I've been outside in some seriously cold weather with the 200 and 200A and never ever had an issue with cold weather sticking.

Anyone else experiencing this?
 
It's supposed to be cold again tomorrow so I'll try to get out and get some examples. I'm feeling very discouraged right now and I am tempted to abandon the 170 and try to get a 200a.

put your hpx in the freezer for about 10 minutes and you'll see what I mean, haha.
 
Hi DM Rider,

Please contact me via PM, I want to see your camera. There is no reason for this experience. So the engineers want to see your camera. I will pay for shipping both ways

Thanks,

Jan
 
I was shooting the other day where the temps were only about 50 degrees F and I was getting a sticky focus ring. The ring was still very useable, but it was annoying to have to lightly force the ring from a stuck position each time I checked focus. What is the reason for this as I never experienced this with an HVX and a DVX?
 
my HPX-170 does it also...luckily i rarely use it without and adapter so it's not been an issue.

...yet...
 
I never had any problem with a sticky focus ring with my 170 and I shot a couple of time at -20 and -25 Celsius (dunno how much this is in fahrenheits). I live in Quebec City in Canada and temperature gets quite cold with lots of humidity, especially in January, so I think if all 170s did this, mine would probably have done it too.
 
I experienced it, but only had one cold weather shoot with it and yes, it wasn't sticky, it was still fluid, just a lot "thicker" of a turn in the ring.
 
I have two HVX's and I've shot in extreme cold (-25ºC and colder) even shot at Everest Base Camp in snowstorm... Never experienced this.

G.
 
heavyG said:
I have two HVX's and I've shot in extreme cold (-25ºC and colder) even shot at Everest Base Camp in snowstorm... Never experienced this.

G.
Click to expand...

I was told that it should behave the same as the HVX focus ring, but it obviously doesn't. This is something Panasonic needs to address when the 170 upgrade comes out.
 
Mine does this too. Shot out in about 25 degree weather with a wind. Some sticking
I hate the cold so hopefully I won't experience this again.
 
I just filmed a bit in Chicago this weekend with snow blowing sideways and 25-30 degree temps and focus ring was, in fact, sticky. Had to twist it out of hibernation and then worked fine.
 
I just got my HMC.. took it outside on the drive way today to film some nice rim lighting from the morning sun. It was about 32 deg out - In fact, the frost on my car's windshield melted away in the short time while I was outside.. The cam was out on the tripod for less than 5 min when I started to experience the gumming up of the focus ring. I had originally thought something got stuck in the ring but then realized that it only took extra effort to engage the ring and when it comes to an aburbd stop when slowing down to approach my focus point..

Jan, this is horrible.. and impedes a lot of us shooters who anticipates to shoot in cool weather. Please follow up with your folks because this issue needs to be addressed. EDIT: I saw that your reponse on this issue was from last Nov.. so Any developments since then? Obviously we are still experiencing this issue.. Is Panasonic wiping it's hand clean?
Is anyone else NOT experiencing this issue? If not, makes you wonder if Panasonic did any cold weather testing?

BTW, never had this issue with my DVX...
 
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I'm guessing this will go un-addressed. I was told that it shouldn't operate any differently than the HVX and DVX, yet I have never had this problem with either of those cameras, only the 170. The fix would be redesigning the focus ring so this doesn't happen, which wont help us 170/150 owners.

This was a huge oversight by Panasonic in my opinion, but I get the feeling that they don't believe it is. I was told by Jan that the cameras focus ring functions no different than any other camera, which is absurb. I let it go, nothing we or Panasonic can do about it now, it sucks. I understand that cold weather is tough on a camera, and I am ok with the focus ring feeling a bit thicker, but the stickiness and extra nudge it takes to unstick it should not have to happen, it should be free moving.

I even sent it to Panasonic and was told that it behaves just like any other cameras focus ring behaves, which I feel was a blatant lie.

Video proof that this is happening. I have never had an HVX focus ring behave like this... This is a bigger disappointment to me than the lens wobble was.
http://blip.tv/file/1527481?filename=Horner218-stickyFocusRing435.mov
 
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DM: Did you ever send your camera in to Panasonic like Jan suggested?

Infuriating to me that they would just whip out a bs corporate line like that..

I mean we're not even talking about extreme arctic shooting here! Some guy mentioned noticeable stickiness in the low 50s! Not very hard to reproduce.

I mean the HMC is a great camera, and Panny should get props for putting good features and image quality in a sensibly priced package. However, they should get huge criticism for failing to deliver such a fundamental feature... especially if the marketed appeal of the solid-state cam being that it can be used in extreme conditions not suitable for tape-based cams.. arghh.
 
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