5D3 playback won't work in cold

[MrFotoFool]

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this (specifically with a 5D3, but perhaps other models as well). When the weather is cold the playback will not play back. I am not talking extreme temperatures, but say just above freezing (in the 40's Farenheit).

The camera will still take pictures fine and I can review them later when the camera warms up, but when it is cold it sometimes will not play back. It seems like this did not happen until recently. I am going to contact Canon to see if it can be fixed (before I go to Austria next February), but I want to know if it is a common issue.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Australia in February will not be cold

I use my 5D MK III up here on Mt Spokane every winter, and it got to almost -20F last winter, so there is a flaw somewhere.

 

[Loswr]

My 1D X does fine in sub-freezing New England winters.

Mt. Spokane – Austria, not Australia. Mountainous country east of Switzerland and south of Germany. Birthplace of Joseph Pulitzer, Johann Strauss, and the former Governator of California, who told us he'd be back. Not terribly warm there in February..

 

[fentiger]

Australia in february will be the height of summer, how ever Austria will be depth of winter !!

 

[Random Orbits]

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this (specifically with a 5D3, but perhaps other models as well). When the weather is cold the playback will not play back. I am not talking extreme temperatures, but say just above freezing (in the 40's Farenheit).

The camera will still take pictures fine and I can review them later when the camera warms up, but when it is cold it sometimes will not play back. It seems like this did not happen until recently. I am going to contact Canon to see if it can be fixed (before I go to Austria next February), but I want to know if it is a common issue.

No, I've never had that issue with my 5D3, even when out in the snow (20s-30s) for an hour or two at a time.

 

[MrFotoFool]

Thanks for all the replies (and for clarifying to the first responder the difference between frigid Austria and toasty Australia ;D).

Now I know I need to contact Canon and check into service.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

My 1D X does fine in sub-freezing New England winters.

Mt. Spokane – Austria, not Australia. Mountainous country east of Switzerland and south of Germany. Birthplace of Joseph Pulitzer, Johann Strauss, and the former Governator of California, who told us he'd be back. Not terribly warm there in February.

Beautiful country, and indeed cold in February. I'd rather go to Australia though.

 

[Pookie]

Austria... throw another shrimp on the barbie.

 

[AJ]

I doubt if it's the cold. DSLRs work to -40C/-40F no problem. I've taken four different models to these temperatures (including drebels) without any issues. Maybe condensation or something else was to blame.

 

[MrFotoFool]

I used their web form to contact Canon and was told how to ship it for repair and sent it to the closest repair center in Costa Mesa, California. I received an email a few days later with repair estimate (just over two hundred bucks), paid online, and they went to work. This morning I get an email that work is done and it is being shipped back.

When I checked the FedEx tracking tonight I see it is being shipped from Newport News, Virginia. Does this mean they shipped it from the California repair center to the Virginia repair center themselves? Or does it mean they are sending me a different refurbished body? The repair notice has a clause which gives them the option to do the latter.

I guess I will know when I get it in two days and check the serial number. Just curious if anyone knows the answer now?

 

[drmikeinpdx]

It will be interesting to see what they send you!

Just out of curiosity, did you try a different battery?

 

[MrFotoFool]

It will be interesting to see what they send you!

Just out of curiosity, did you try a different battery?

I have two batteries that I change randomly. I have not tested specifically to see if it happens with one and not the other. I did send both batteries in. However, on their form the only boxes you can check for included accessories are memory card and something else (I forget), but no place to mark battery. So I wrote on the printout with a pen that I am including two batteries. My fear is they are sending a replacement from another facility and since the note is not entered electronically I will not get two batteries back. Hopefully they are on top of this?

 

[MrFotoFool]

Camera (with both batteries) just arrived. I have not tested it yet but it is in fact my camera. (I have the Canon above lens darkened so I could tell at a glance). So apparently it went for a wild ride, from my home in Arizona to the Canon center in California and then from their center in California to their center in Virginia. I know their main call and repair center is in Virginia, so my assumption is that it was beyond the capabilities of the techs at the smaller California center. Based on this experience, I would just send any future repairs directly to Virginia.

 

[Jopa]

Well, most of DSLRs are NOT supposed work below 0C / 32F. The 5dm3 specs: https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/dslr/eos-5d-mark-iii, scroll to Operating Environment. The new 1dx2 - same thing. I remember I had issues with my A99 SLT a while ago, it failed a few times under -3C or so. I guess it depends on humidity as well. Maybe Canons are tougher, but still I wouldn't expect much from it even if the manufacturer doesn't promise it to work... It's like those folks in the other thread trying to push 6 stops and seeing bands where there is no data captured by the sensor

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Jopa.
First of all the OP stated that he was working just (6F) above the official threshold quote "I am not talking extreme temperatures, but say just above freezing (in the 40's Farenheit)."
Not really like the stop pushing exercise as Canon have admitted there was a problem and fixed (until we are told otherwise) and returned the camera.

Cheers, Graham.

Well, most of DSLRs are NOT supposed work below 0C / 32F.
It's like those folks in the other thread trying to push 6 stops and seeing bands where there is no data captured by the sensor

 

[Don Haines]

Camera (with both batteries) just arrived. I have not tested it yet but it is in fact my camera. (I have the Canon above lens darkened so I could tell at a glance). So apparently it went for a wild ride, from my home in Arizona to the Canon center in California and then from their center in California to their center in Virginia. I know their main call and repair center is in Virginia, so my assumption is that it was beyond the capabilities of the techs at the smaller California center. Based on this experience, I would just send any future repairs directly to Virginia.

Out of curiosity, did they say what was wrong? My guess would have been something wrong with the button that manifested when it got cold and the rubber turned hard...

BTW, I regularly use my cameras down into the -20's C for short periods of time, and my 7D@ has spent several days at a time below freezing and has gone for several 8 hour hikes at around -10C with no problems.

 

[slclick]

I've had this issue for years, it's the battery/ This is why it's recommended you keep your spare close to your body in a pocket or whatnot.

 

[MrFotoFool]

They did not say anything, so I really don't know what they did. They just sent an invoice with my original description of the problem and the amount they charged my credit card. Just over two hundred for labor and a few bucks for express shipping. Also a charge of 1.13 tax which seems odd since labor and shipping are both tax exempt? (Or maybe only US Mail is tax exempt and FedEx charges tax?).

It is colder than usual right now in Arizona, so maybe I can go up a nearby mountain at night to test it. I can try both batteries just to make sure.

 

[MrFotoFool]

Just to follow up, the camera did not have this problem for the first couple years. I used it in 19F at Grand Canyon for two days with no issue whatsoever. I used it right at freezing in Feb-Mar 2015 in Europe, no problem. It seems to have started some time after that.

 

[Jopa]

Hi Jopa.
First of all the OP stated that he was working just (6F) above the official threshold quote "I am not talking extreme temperatures, but say just above freezing (in the 40's Farenheit)."
Not really like the stop pushing exercise as Canon have admitted there was a problem and fixed (until we are told otherwise) and returned the camera.

My bad. I read the original post and then the reply from Mt. Spokane that says "-20F" and got confused 40F is legit.