Question, electronic shutters? How cold is too cold to use them

Uncle Bill · Nov 5, 2006

Yesterday, I was out shooting with some Fortepan400 in my Olympus OM-4 downtown Toronto. Outside tempreture was around +5c or very low '40s F with a bit of a breeze. I lost a roll due the camera having what amounted to a seizure with the classic dead battery warning of locked shutter and mirror.

Today I ran a roll of expired Agfa APX 100 with same batteries on board and I got a full roll through no hassle. The roll looks nice hanging up. I replaced the batteries as OM-2/4's are notorious battery eaters.

So, at what point I put this body away for the winter and use the OM-1 the rest of the way?

Bill

Claire Senft · Nov 5, 2006

I would think that as long as the batteries are fairly warm that your camera can be used in very cold temp. Does your camera allow for a remote battery pack? Can you keep the camera inside your jacket next to your body or in a pocket with a hand warmer?

Uncle Bill · Nov 5, 2006

No, there is no external battery pack the OM-4 is the penultament varient of their top range SLR series, its manual focus AE camera. I am doing more research and I am not finding any answers. The batteries are in the base of the camera and are a pair of silver oxides. Tricky to pull out and warm up.
Bill

PeterB · Nov 5, 2006

Uncle Bill said:
So, at what point I put this body away for the winter and use the OM-1 the rest of the way? Bill

Bill,
I came across this useful publication from Kodak titled "Photography Under Arctic Conditions"

regards
Peter

MattKing · Nov 5, 2006

Bill:

Two suggestions:

1) Move to Vancouver ;
2) Hold the OM4 with your left hand cupped around the base of the camera, with lens between thumb and forefinger (when it is not inside your jacket).

Matt

Christopher Walrath · Nov 8, 2006

I live in Delaware and I have a Minolta XG-M. I have heard that shutters can fail at either 10 above or 10 below. Not sure which. But we seldom get into the teens here and I have never had my electronic shutter fail. I have had it out in 15 degrees whether. The coldest I can remember. I haven't read anything on this in a while so I might well be mistaken. Not like it's never happened before.

PhotoJim · Nov 8, 2006

That isn't that cold unless your batteries are weak. I've shot in the -20s and -30s C with electronic shutters, although getting more than a roll or two on a battery is tough.

Nikon Bob · Nov 21, 2006

Bill

If you can get lithium batteries for your camera they maybe a little better in the cold. I have also heard, but never tried it myself, of photographers taping chemical hand warmers to the bottom of their cameras to keep the battery warm. Switching to the OM1 maybe your best bet coupled with a non battery dependant handheld light meter. For very cold weather I use an FM2n and an old Sekonic 398 for that purpose and never a problem.

Bob

bjorke · Nov 21, 2006

Yes handwarmers are the bomb and cheap. Get the re--usable ones, ask at a hiking store or even some hardware stores.

I toss them inside my wetsuit this time of year too (carefully -- I've had some mild but 'interestingly-placed' burns).

The two things that are likely to freeze up are the batteries and the lubricants. +5C is nowhere near lube-freezing temp.

The other thing to watch is condensation on your lens AND FILM when moving from outdoors to indoors.

Xmas · Nov 21, 2006

Bill

It will be 5 or so daytime until spring here and OM-4s should be ok for anything but one minute time shots, the battery has to hold an electromaget the whole exposure.

If you replace the Ag2O's every 6m the camera should be ok - only the very late OM-4s (or reworked ones) have the same dark current as the OM-4Ti's. It is best to pull batteries at the end of day with an OM-4, the dark current is their only problem.

You can measure the dark current with a multimeter, it can be high for a SR44, I forgotten what mine had it was too horrible.

Noel

Question, electronic shutters? How cold is too cold to use them

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