Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/31

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Subject: [Leica] Decently Cold Weather
From: jbilin at axionet.com (Jacques Bilinski)
Date: Tue Aug 31 15:56:43 2004
References: <20040830222950.OTGV1580.simmts12-srv.bellnexxia.net@straylight>

>
> I wonder how the digis will hold up?
>
>
I expect the digis will hold up fine. For quite a few years now digis have
been sending back photos from the far reaches of the solar system where the
temperatures are far lower than any naturally occuring temperature on earth.
Most electronic components actually work better in cold temperatures.
Exceptions are LCDs and batteries. Electronic cameras got a really bad name
in the 70s and 80s for use in cold conditions, but the problems usually
originated from the mechanical components and the batteries. Those pissy
little mercury coin cells as used in the M5 and the Rollei 35, etc are
useless at cold temperatures. Lithium cells, specially ones of a decent size
like a lithium AA cell or a CR123 cell usually provide adequate power at
very low temps. It helps if they are relatively new. Photographers have gone
to Anarctica with proffessional SLRs like the EOS1 or F5s as well as manual
backups  and found that the automatic cameras worked perfectly (with the
exception of the LCDs) and were a lot reasier to use with gloves on. As has
been pointed out you still have to be careful of condensation from your
breath. Also some films get quite brittle at low temps.



In reply to: Message from locke at straylight.ca (Greg Locke) ([Leica] Decently Cold Weather)