Steve'sDigicams

marcin · Feb 27, 2004, 12:10 PM

Hi
As everybody knows- we still have winter in Canada.
I just got my new 7hi 3 weeks ago.
Does anybody have experience with 7hi in cold enviroument-
below 0 Celsius degrees?
Any risk to damage camera?
Any advices?

Marcin

voxmagna · Feb 27, 2004, 2:28 PM

The same advice could be given for all digicams. Keep it 'under wraps' i.e next to your body under clothing, only expose it (the camera that is!) when you want to use it. Even though it might be sub zero in air, it would take quite a while for the entire camera and components to stabilise to that temp if left outside. Your body is a good heat generator at 98.4 deg F. If you're alive, your camera will be too!. Whilst the camera is powered, heat is generated internally from the batteries. Handwarmers you put in the microwave, can help if your camera is in a coat pocket.

The bigest problem is battery efficiency, so keep both camera AND spare batts close to you. The other biggy is condensation moving from under your jacket or a warm room to cold air - so don't forget to look at the lens before you start shooting. Soft pictures may not be caused by bad auto focus lock! Avoid leaving a camera in sub zero temps in the car trunk over night. If you start to notice an EVF or lcd display doing unpredictable things, it's time to get the camera into a warmer environment. If your camera can accept non -rechargeable lithium packs, some users recommend these as emergency backup, as they give more power at lower temps.VOX

videobruce · Mar 2, 2004, 10:40 AM

Good reply.
I have the 7hi and used it well below 25 degrees (I'm in the USA) with no problem. The LCD display is usually the first to 'bark' at you by either a poor image or non at all. I have a padded camera case that helps.

slipe · Mar 2, 2004, 12:01 PM

I have always left my cameras where they could stabilize at or near the outside temperature when skiing. You have fogging problems if you have it near body temperature. Probably wouldn’t be a problem in very low humidity, but I had enough problems that I just leave it cold.

I keep one of my cameras at outside temperature during the summer so I can grab a shot if something interesting shows up on the water behind my house. The opportunity is usually lost if I have to defog after bringing it out of an air-conditioned room.

Let the camera cold soak and try it. Noise should be a little better for continuous shooting if the exposure works OK. I have read it doesn’t hurt the camera – never hurt any of mine. And I never had exposure problems even at –20F. A spare set of batteries next to your body might not be a bad idea if you plan to shoot a lot. I never had any problem with that either but never pushed the envelope to check the degradation in battery life. The EVF seemed to do fine with my limited cold weather experience with my D7i. I don’t use the LCD much so I have no idea whether it was affected.

Feb 27, 2004, 12:10 PM	#1
marcin Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1	7hi below 0 Celsius degrees Hi As everybody knows- we still have winter in Canada. I just got my new 7hi 3 weeks ago. Does anybody have experience with 7hi in cold enviroument- below 0 Celsius degrees? Any risk to damage camera? Any advices? Marcin

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Feb 27, 2004, 2:28 PM	#2
voxmagna Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,162	The same advice could be given for all digicams. Keep it 'under wraps' i.e next to your body under clothing, only expose it (the camera that is!) when you want to use it. Even though it might be sub zero in air, it would take quite a while for the entire camera and components to stabilise to that temp if left outside. Your body is a good heat generator at 98.4 deg F. If you're alive, your camera will be too!. Whilst the camera is powered, heat is generated internally from the batteries. Handwarmers you put in the microwave, can help if your camera is in a coat pocket. The bigest problem is battery efficiency, so keep both camera AND spare batts close to you. The other biggy is condensation moving from under your jacket or a warm room to cold air - so don't forget to look at the lens before you start shooting. Soft pictures may not be caused by bad auto focus lock! Avoid leaving a camera in sub zero temps in the car trunk over night. If you start to notice an EVF or lcd display doing unpredictable things, it's time to get the camera into a warmer environment. If your camera can accept non -rechargeable lithium packs, some users recommend these as emergency backup, as they give more power at lower temps.VOX

Mar 2, 2004, 10:40 AM	#3
videobruce Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 178	Good reply. I have the 7hi and used it well below 25 degrees (I'm in the USA) with no problem. The LCD display is usually the first to 'bark' at you by either a poor image or non at all. I have a padded camera case that helps.

Mar 2, 2004, 12:01 PM	#4
slipe Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Indian Rocks Beach, FL Posts: 4,036	I have always left my cameras where they could stabilize at or near the outside temperature when skiing. You have fogging problems if you have it near body temperature. Probably wouldn’t be a problem in very low humidity, but I had enough problems that I just leave it cold. I keep one of my cameras at outside temperature during the summer so I can grab a shot if something interesting shows up on the water behind my house. The opportunity is usually lost if I have to defog after bringing it out of an air-conditioned room. Let the camera cold soak and try it. Noise should be a little better for continuous shooting if the exposure works OK. I have read it doesn’t hurt the camera – never hurt any of mine. And I never had exposure problems even at –20F. A spare set of batteries next to your body might not be a bad idea if you plan to shoot a lot. I never had any problem with that either but never pushed the envelope to check the degradation in battery life. The EVF seemed to do fine with my limited cold weather experience with my D7i. I don’t use the LCD much so I have no idea whether it was affected.