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02/05/2004 11:16:44 AM · #1 |
I am a newcomer to digital photography (got my camera about 3 weeks ago)so I don't quite know where I can bend the rules as far as what the manufacterers specs are. According to Minolta I should not use my camera outdoors when the temperature is below 32F/0C. So my photography has been limited to indoor use. Anyone know if there is any leeway to this or should I abide by the specs and keep it out of the cold?
Message edited by author 2004-02-05 11:17:14.
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02/05/2004 11:25:03 AM · #2 |
| I used my canon 300D in -20 weather the other day and the lens didn't even get foggy. But I was only out for about 15 minutes.. |
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02/05/2004 11:38:35 AM · #3 |
For me My SONY F717 is all metal and gets way too cold in my hands...Tryed to use gloves but it just does not work....So I try to keep out of the cold with me camera.
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02/05/2004 11:50:00 AM · #4 |
| What about leaving it is the car in this sub zero weather? Is that a no no? Is anything going to freeze besides the batteries. I know condensation upon bringing it is could be a problem. |
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02/05/2004 11:53:56 AM · #5 |
I have used my 717 at about -5º C for hours at a time, occasionaly at around -10º. Mind you, I either keep it in my bag as long as possible or under a zipped and insulated jacket until ready to shoot.
Felt gloves, with the fingers cut off and velcroed to the back keep my hands warm enough to operate the controls, well, at least for a few minutes. :-)
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02/05/2004 11:55:18 AM · #6 |
| I live in Colorado and love outdoor activities any time of the year. I have the Nikon D100 and have found it does pretty well in the cold as long as it's not out too long at any given time. I keep the strap around my neck, lens cap on, and stuffed in the front of my snow suit. When I get it out to shoot, I'm careful not to breathe near the front of the lens so it doesn't fog up. Be careful of the LCD. Don't use it in the cold...it can seriously damage or ruin it. And make sure the file has written to the memory card before turning the camera off again. In the cold, it takes longer to save and I lost several good images before I realized it wasn't done saving before I turned it off. SanDisk has come out with some Extreem CF cards that do much better in the cold (12 degrees below 0, I believe, is their limit.) So go outside and shoot to your heart's content! |
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02/05/2004 12:00:32 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by emorgan49:
What about leaving it is the car in this sub zero weather? Is that a no no? Is anything going to freeze besides the batteries. I know condensation upon bringing it is could be a problem. |
Minolta cautions about ice crystals forming on the CCD
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02/05/2004 12:08:36 PM · #8 |
| Also, the colder it is the quicker the batteries drain. I shot a dog sled race Saturday for about an hour and when through two sets of batteries. |
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02/05/2004 12:18:50 PM · #9 |
Using a CCD or CMOS sensor in low temperature are good for the overall image. It blocks the eletrons to carry out of the photocell and makes your picture free of noise. Try to compare the SNR of an image taken below 0ºC at high ISO. Professional medium format digital backs are cooled to make the same.
But is not all good news. Some things you may have in mind. In cold weather solid material molecules tend to constrain. While liquid tend to expand. This behavion turns your camera very fragile. An impact may damage lens, controls can break with pressure and as I say, LCD material tend to expand inside a glass plate that tends to constrain. It can demage the LCD panel or EVF.
These things are no covered by waranty but be sure that the real limit of freezind your camera is higher than that especified on manuals. |
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02/05/2004 01:14:04 PM · #10 |
| My LCD display had a black line across it that resembled half of an open zipper after I left the camera in my car overnight one time... The spots grew and dissappeared over the next two weeks depending on how warm or cold the camera got. All of the sudden (after it's been too damn cold for ME to be outside taking pictures for a month) I realized that the LCD seems to have healed itself. Needless to say this camera stays in the warm with me now and when I get my new camera I will be much more caustious! |
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02/05/2004 02:16:52 PM · #11 |
I think digital cameras can take sub-freezing temperatures well if in small doses, like not more than an hour or two. Moisture is a bigger enemy than cold. I use a large size Ziploc baggie and seal my cam in it outside in the cold temp before I come back into the warmth of house or car. Then let it adjust slowly, a half hour should be long enough, before you take it out of the baggie. This will prevent condensation inside the camera and on external surfaces like lenses. Also when I'm out in the cold I make sure that the spare battery I'm carrying is in an inside pocket to be kept as warm as possible from body heat.
I have had the same problem in reverse in the summer when taking the camera out of an air conditioned car on a hot and humid day. If your camera is cool to the touch and it's real humid, the lens can fog over very quickly. Glasses wearers know about this. |
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02/05/2004 02:21:49 PM · #12 |
i've had good luck so far with mine in the cold. and we have had some COLD weather - been outside in about -5 F with no probs, but not for very long - as my hands freeze - then i dont use the camera after going inside for a while..
expect about 1/4 battery life. and it takes much longer to write to the card, and be ready to shoot again even in burst mode.
i also mentioned it getting soaked with freezing water in another thread, and that resulted in no damage, and i contunued to shoot the rest of the day with it...
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02/05/2004 02:42:14 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by Brooklyn513:
According to Minolta I should not use my camera outdoors when the temperature is below 32F/0C. |
I can't speak for Minolta cameras, but I used my 300D down to circa -17ºC and it operated flawlessly. I'd start worrying when you get below 0ºF, not 0ºC. :-)
EDIT: What do you know, you're not supposed to operate the 300D below 0ºC either.. That'll teach me to read the manual. :-)
Message edited by author 2004-02-05 14:43:32. |
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02/05/2004 02:45:35 PM · #14 |
I had my F707 out for about an hour and a half on tripod, shooting in 25 degree weather once. No problems with it at all.
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02/05/2004 06:40:28 PM · #15 |
My camera (Sony DSC-S70) has been put through the test when it comes to cold weather.
I took some portraits of my family in 47 degree F. and it did fine for the first hour and then started acting up. It wouldn't focus at all. I did get some great shots though.
I also went to take some photographs yesterday morning and it was 27 F. It did pretty good. I would shoot like 10 shots then go back to the van and warm the camera back up and myself :-) and then go back out and shoot some more. It didn't act up once. BTW~ I got some great shots. I guess you'll just have to test it and see what your cameras limits are.
Good luck and remember stay warm. :-)
Soni
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02/05/2004 06:44:07 PM · #16 |
For the most part you will be okay going outside with a dcam but you have to be careful bringing it back into a warm/hot place after being out in the cold bc you can get condensation which is REALLY bad for your cam.
Someone in another thread suggested putting it in a cooler to the temperature change is gradual & prevents condensation. I keep my Precious in it's case, tucked inside my jacket & keep in buttoned for a while when I go from cold to hot. Someone suggested this as well & seems to work well for me.
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02/08/2004 11:29:10 AM · #17 |
Took me a while to find this but check out Glaicierwolf's second post in this thread Anyone else interested in Aurora Pictures?.
Message edited by author 2004-02-08 12:30:42. |
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02/08/2004 11:41:23 AM · #18 |
Speaking of Kevin, where the heck did he go? Did he freeze to death up there? Or just in hibernation?
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06/05/2004 04:22:57 PM · #19 |
Sorry.... dont mean to drag this up from the dead....
but also, camera utilize the speed of sound in order to autofocus. Sound travels differently in different conditions, so this will throw off your camera autofocus. Dont quote me on this, but I think national geographic cameras have a setting for outside in order to give the correct value for the speed of sound to the camera.
:o) |
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06/05/2004 06:37:40 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by sas0661:
Sorry.... dont mean to drag this up from the dead....
but also, camera utilize the speed of sound in order to autofocus. Sound travels differently in different conditions, so this will throw off your camera autofocus. Dont quote me on this, but I think national geographic cameras have a setting for outside in order to give the correct value for the speed of sound to the camera.
:o) |
The last camera that I am aware of that used sound to focus was the Polaroid SX-70. The focusing systems today use an optical method.
The speed of sound varies with the density of the medium it is travelling in. The denser the medium, the faster the sound travels.
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06/05/2004 06:57:38 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
The speed of sound varies with the density of the medium it is travelling in. The denser the medium, the faster the sound travels. |
In the Rant forum, it approaches the speed of light.
-Terry
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06/05/2004 07:26:37 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by ClubJuggle:
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
The speed of sound varies with the density of the medium it is travelling in. The denser the medium, the faster the sound travels. |
In the Rant forum, it approaches the speed of light.
-Terry |
LOL...good one
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06/05/2004 07:28:39 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by Brooklyn513:
I am a newcomer to digital photography (got my camera about 3 weeks ago)so I don't quite know where I can bend the rules as far as what the manufacterers specs are. According to Minolta I should not use my camera outdoors when the temperature is below 32F/0C. So my photography has been limited to indoor use. Anyone know if there is any leeway to this or should I abide by the specs and keep it out of the cold? |
Those are just formalities. I just take my camera wherever (except obvious places like boiling lava and water) and it is totally fine. Don't be afraid to use it, just don't drop it then you should be fine.
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