How Cold Is Too Cold Outdoors To Re-Wind Film?

[John Koehrer]

Wind causes air friction which builds up static charge. Also do not spit or pee into the wind.

Or step onSuperman's cape

 

[redrockcoulee]

The camera I equipped my nephew with for all his extreme expedition needs was just a simple little Pentax MX. Something even more basic like an old Spotmatic might have been even better; but the MX is nice and petite, and that can be important. Accidentally having a bulky camera get between you and a precarious handhold is not the kind of memorable experience one wants.

I have shot lots of times in minus 40C with a Spotmatic F with no problems. Now i have a MX but live where is seldom gets below minus 38.

 

[benjiboy]

I don't, know what the answer is, if it gets to sub zero temperatures, I don't go out,

 

[Sirius Glass]

Just wind the film slowly and rewind slowly and you will not have any static discharge problems. I did that for years when I skied with a camera.

 

[Wallendo]

Is slow rewinding any more dangerous than advancing the film in a cold environment? I don't think anyone would worry about advancing the film and taking more than one shot. Rewinding should not be any different.

I don't climb Mount Everest or travel to Antartica, so I have no way of testing this. It rarely gets below +25F where I live.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Just wind the film slowly and rewind slowly and you will not have any static discharge problems. I did that for years when I skied with a camera.

Is slow rewinding any more dangerous than advancing the film in a cold environment? I don't think anyone would worry about advancing the film and taking more than one shot. Rewinding should not be any different.

I don't climb Mount Everest or travel to Antartica, so I have no way of testing this. It rarely gets below +25F where I live.

Rapid winding or rewinding in very dry cold weather can cause static discharge across the film, even advancing one photograph. Yes, it has happened to me. It does not occur when slowly winding, whether or not you personally, are on Mount Everest or Antarctica.

 

[benjiboy]

I've been in -30ºC and even changed a film, just don't wind on fast and keep your back.to the wind

My late father in-law was on the Russian front during WWII, he was a photographer and during at least one winter they were winding film on very slowly in -40ºC.

As for coming inside, you can put your camera inside a sealed plastic bag immediately prior to bringing it inside. Wait until it warms up and all of the condensation is gone from the plastic bag before getting into it.

I know the German army Mick had terrible problems in the winter of 1941 it was the coldest one in fifty years in Russia with temperatures going down to minus fifty degrees, Firing pins on firearms broke off and fires had to be lit under vehicles to unfreeze the sump oil to make them start.

 

[reddesert]

It may help to review Kodak publication C-9 "Photography Under Arctic Conditions," https://125px.com/docs/techpubs/kodak/c9.pdf

Note the most extreme measures discussed in this document (such as winterizing by de-lubricating) are for truly arctic conditions, not just I-live-in-a-place-where-it-gets-cold conditions.

 

[250swb]

Other than in ultra cold conditions where brittle film and static may be a problem, so wind it back slowly, there are no restrictions on unloading and loading film in the cold, other than a shortage of common sense. The National Geographic photographers never seemed to have a problem and it would have been the camera that was 'winterised' and not the film.

 

[Helge]

Will the film be slightly faster in such cold conditions (vis a vis the cold backs used in astro photography)?

 

[AgX]

Rapid winding or rewinding in very dry cold weather can cause static discharge across the film, even advancing one photograph. Yes, it has happened to me. It does not occur when slowly winding, whether or not you personally, are on Mount Everest or Antarctica.

How do motor-drive cameras handle this issue?
I live in a rather moderate climate, so I got no idea.

 

[Sirius Glass]

How do motor-drive cameras handle this issue?
I live in a rather moderate climate, so I got no idea.

Some of my cameras rewind automatically. I do not know if there is a manual override, but the manual for each camera should be able to tell you is manual rewind is possible.