behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) (02/12/86)
I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. Pat Gallagher
tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen) (02/13/86)
In article <1113@vax2.fluke.UUCP> behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) writes: > >I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a >camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any >hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. You need a mechanical camera for this purpose (I assume you're looking at SLR's in any case). For example, my T-70 won't work for very long at those temperatures (-25 C) but my FTb will; only the metering battery will die but the camera itself will work (so you can meter once you get out there and be OK as long as conditions don't change). You can also carry a few batteries in an inside pocket. \tom haapanen watmath!watrose!haapanen I'm all lost in the Supermarket I can no longer shop happily I came in here for that special offer Guaranteed personality (c) The Clash, 1979
clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis) (02/17/86)
In article <1113@vax2.fluke.UUCP> behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) writes: >I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a >camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any >hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. My T-70 manual implies that Nicad batteries last much longer at lower temps than other batteries do. Something like: Type temp #rolls alkaline 25C 35 alkaline 0C 3-5 Nicad 25C 30 Nicad 0C 25 Mind you, I'm still on my first pair of alkalines after 70+ rolls and a year and a half - they still register "full" on battery test - I'll start using my Nicads once the alkalines give out. The manual also mentions keeping the batteries warm in your pocket until use. Perhaps more important is camera freezup and fogging - you'll have to acclimatize the camera before use. Rapid warmups and cooldowns will fog your lenses and probably short out the camera if it is heavily electronic (I was taking pictures in heavy fog when the newspaper photog nearby had both his A1's die on him). I've also had my AE1's slave flash connector (for the databack) short out in "normal" English weather - the camera was dead until I unplugged it. Take Tom's suggestion and use an SLR that is entirely mechanical except possibly for match-needle metering. Even if the electronics die, the camera will still fire. I've done a fair bit of cold weather shooting and don't think that film handling will be much of a problem - however, avoid auto[re]winders. Some rewinders will occasionally eat film even at normal temps, at low temps you're just asking for trouble. Make sure that the film has had a chance to get to the same temperature - eg: from freezer to outdoors without opening. Obviously, don't bury your camera in the snow... Use ziplocks to keep it dry but make sure that the air in the bag is the same temp as outside. Some silica gel in the bag wouldn't hurt either. Avoid breathing on the camera or handling with warm hands. Maybe one of the waterproof cameras would be good, but you'll still have to acclimatize the camera otherwise the lens will fog when you want to shoot. -- Chris Lewis, UUCP: {allegra, linus, ihnp4}!utzoo!mnetor!clewis BELL: (416)-475-8980 ext. 321
jorge@genat.UUCP (Jorge Olenewa) (02/18/86)
In article <1113@vax2.fluke.UUCP> behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) writes: >I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a >camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any >hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. > Nikon sells a cold weather battery pack that allows you to carry the batteries inside your jacket, if money is no object, otherwise as far as camera operation goes just carry a few extra sets of batteries in an inside pocket and change them at 10-15 minute intervals. The cold batteries will recover after warming up. Unless you are using a very old camera with very old lenses you don't have to worry about changing the lens and gear lubricants. Hints on film: - keep it in an outside jacket pocket, this should prevent it from freezing while at the same time keeping it cold. - blow on the leading edge of the film before loading it. This will soften and moisten the film just enough so that it won't crack as you wind the first turn. - rewind slowly to avoid static discharges from registering on top of the exposed image and spoiling your shots. Good shooting! Jorge L. Olenewa Genamation Inc. Markham, Ont Canada
verner@inuxh.UUCP (Matt Verner) (02/19/86)
> In article <1113@vax2.fluke.UUCP> behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) writes: > > > >I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a > >camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any > >hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. > > You need a mechanical camera for this purpose (I assume you're looking > at SLR's in any case). For example, my T-70 won't work for very long > at those temperatures (-25 C) but my FTb will; only the metering > battery will die but the camera itself will work (so you can meter > once you get out there and be OK as long as conditions don't change). > You can also carry a few batteries in an inside pocket. > > \tom haapanen > watmath!watrose!haapanen My Olympus OM2s program has a manual (meaning no batteries needed) mode. The shutter speed is fixed at 1/60 which seems to be a good compromise speed except for super bright sunlight on snow. Matt Verner UUCP: ...ihnp4!inuxc!verner AT&T Consumer Products Laboratories AT&T: (317) 845-3631 P. O. Box 1008 Indianapolis, IN 46206 "The whole point of this sentence is to clearly explain the point this sentence is making."
citrin@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Wayne Citrin) (02/20/86)
In article <1113@vax2.fluke.UUCP> behemoth@fluke.UUCP (Pat Gallagher) writes: > >I am planning a cold weather photography trip and I am looking for a >camera that will operate at about -10 F. I would also appreciate any >hints or warnings about camera and film operation at low temperatures. It's been a while, but here are some things I remember about cold weather photography: What Tom Hapaanen said about mechanical vs. electronic cameras is true; battery function deteriorates at low temperatures. In addition, don't use motor drives or autowinders, even windup ones. Film becomes brittle at low temperatures and can break. When winding film, be very careful and wind it very slowly. It's also important to wind and rewind the film slowly because in cold dry air, static electricity can form, and sparks that can ruin an image may be generated. You might consider having the lubrication in your camera removed and replaced with graphite. (When you get back to warm weather, have the graphite removed and replaced with the original type of lubricant.) For really cold weather (arctic and subarctic conditions), you might even have all the lubrication removed for the duration of the cold weather. This increases wear on the camera but assures that there's no lubricant to gum up at very cold temperatures. Gummy lubricants can slow down a shutter. One very important point for cold weather photography is to be very careful when taking the camera inside from the cold outdoors. Moisture from the warm air can condense on the film, the internal mechanism, and particularly on the cold lens elements. To avoid this, put the camera into a plastic bag and seal it with a twist tie before taking it inside. Moisture will now condense on the outside of the bag, but not inside the camera. (All the moisture has already condensed out of the cold air in the bag.) When the camera has had a chance to warm up, it can be removed from the bag. Use a rubber eye cup when shooting in cold weather. You don't want your eyelids or your eye freezing onto the eyepiece. Wear two layers of gloves: a thin inner glove and a thick outer mitten. That way, you can remove the outer glove to use the camera and your hands will stay reasonably warm and functional. Also, this will prevent your fingers from freezing onto the camera body. For other information, there was an article about this in American Photographer about a year ago that concentrated especially on clothing. Wayne Citrin (ucbvax!citrin)
mwf@mtgzz.UUCP (m.w.field) (03/08/86)
There was an article on a photographer who does most of his work in the Arctic. I cannot remember his name but there were some useful tips on low temperature photography. The article was in American Photographer.