I'm going to be in Russia in a couple of weeks, and I'm worried about the cold weather affecting my camera. I'm talking VERY cold, too. Possibly sub-zero depending on which way the wind blows. Anyway, I know to keep the camera cold, take extra batteries, and keep the batteries close to my body when I can. I have also heard that I should get the lubrication changed to a less-viscous type or even taken out completely by a camera tech so that it won't freeze in the harsh conditions.

I do a lot of street work, and the camera will be exposed for long periods of time, so this is of particular interest to me. My question is, when I bring my film inside for processing, won't moisture condense of that, too? Can I use the plastic bag approach on the film as well? I also thought about putting it in the fridge to being it up from below freezing more slowly. How long shouls I wait before processing it in a hand-held tank at 75 degrees to avoid reticulation? Any and all advice is welcome.

Also, at what temperature is the average camera oil going to become sluggish? Am I doomed to a frozen camera if I use it for several hours at a time at say, 10 below 0 F? I don't like the idea of putting solvent in my camera. I'm so 'po I can't even afford the other "or" in poor. Thanks in advance.

-- Matthew Williams (william@westat.com), December 14, 1999

Answers

When you change the film in the street, put the exposed film in a cannister, and put that in a platic bag. When you get somewhere warm, let it thaw to room temperature before opening the bag and processing. A few hours should do it, or overnight to be safe.

For the camera, you should look at the specs -- ask the manufacturer. I personally wouldn't want to use anything that depended on batteries.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), December 14, 1999.

Thanks Alan. I suppose I may just have to bite the bullet and pick up a cheap, old manual Nikon body to slap my lenses onto. I hate these all-to-auto cameras anyway. Perhaps tonight I'll dream of Leicas jumping over a fence and I'll wake up with one under my pillow. Thanks for responding.

Matt

-- Matthew Williams (william@westat.com), December 14, 1999.

It depends on your camera. Most new plastic bodied, do-it-all, electronic wonders work great in the cold, providing you can keep your batteries warm. It's the old mechanical ones that get sluggish. I have a friend here in Alaska that re-lubed one of his top-of-the-line Canon's for cold weather and kept it in the freezer until needed, but I don't think he does that now with his EOS 1N's. A battery pack under your coat with a cord running to your camera is what is needed.

I don't consider below zero as all that cold and neither do the Russians. Just unpleasant. Lithium batteries are best in the cold, but even they will need help.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), December 15, 1999.

Very cold weather does favour the electronics in new cameras. I have through the years tried different mechanical Nikons with mixed results, and i have for a long period of time used my F90X - it has never failed so far! Electronics=no moving parts=advantage F90X. Typical winter temperatures here in Norway can easily be minus 30-35 Celsius. It is not only the temperature itself that matters, also the humidity does play a role. (To convert Celsius temperatures into Fahrenheit: Begin by multiplying the Celsius temperature by 9, then divide the answer by 5. Now add 32, and your there!) Example: -20C should be something like -4F, 40F is about 40C, and as you (Matthew) asked, 10 below 0F should be about -25C.

Happy shooting in Russia!

-- norman (norman.kjarvik@statkraft.no), December 16, 1999.

Matthew - if your camera allows easy battery replacement using a battery holder (slide-in type) buy another and keep one set in your inside pocket, and exchange with the camera one every 30 minutes - then you always have reasonably warm batteries. Most modern cameras dont need special lubrication unless going into seriously dangerously cold conditions in which YOU are more likely to suffer! Having the cameras relubed is not a one-way street - you need to have the thinner lube removed when you go back to warmer tempratures or it get very thin and runny. Yu

-- (John.MacPherson@btinternet.com), December 17, 1999.