Weather temperature and outside shooting

[thesirren]

Looks like I missed the section of the forum, please transfer the topic to where it is supposed to be.

Hello! I am from a country with a colder climate, so this is pretty important for me during winter.

What kind of temperatures is it safe to expose Rebel and 5D bodies respectively? How does performance scale down depending on how cold it is (aside from an obvious fact that the battery charge is going to run out faster)? Any info about this?

 

[Loswr]

The Canon specification is the same for both - 32-104°F/0-40°C (actually, it's the same for the 1-series, too).

Speaking from personal experience (New England winters), the camera does fine in sub-freezing temperatures. The first thing you'll notice is the reduced battery life you already mentioned, also the LCDs will stop functioning in extreme cold (including the transmissive LCD, although Chuck Westfall mentioned that the 1D X's transmissive LCD is built to withstand much colder temperatures than the 7D).

The bigger issue isn't functioning in cold temps, it's what happens when you bring the camera back inside and the cold results in condensation forming inside camera and lens. Here are some tips on that.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The Canon specification is the same for both - 32-104°F/0-40°C (actually, it's the same for the 1-series, too).

Speaking from personal experience (New England winters), the camera does fine in sub-freezing temperatures. The first thing you'll notice is the reduced battery life you already mentioned, also the LCDs will stop functioning in extreme cold (including the transmissive LCD, although Chuck Westfall mentioned that the 1D X's transmissive LCD is built to withstand much colder temperatures than the 7D).

The bigger issue isn't functioning in cold temps, it's what happens when you bring the camera back inside and the cold results in condensation forming inside camera and lens. Here are some tips on that.

+1

Fast and dramatic changes in temperature are very hard on mechanical and electronic things. Throw in humidity and its worse.

Just considering the mechanical issues, which is 99+ % of the problem ...

Almost all parts shrink in cold weather and expand when hot. However, different materials expand and contract at different rates, and composites can be weird since they may have components that shrink and others that expand.

The net result is internal stress which is accounted for in the design (hopefully). Exceeding the design temperatures, hot or cold, can cause metal fatigue it it happens frequently, or the stress will loosen or damage (crack) joints, etc.

There is a safety margin, but heat and cold do take their toll.

 

[awinphoto]

The Canon specification is the same for both - 32-104°F/0-40°C (actually, it's the same for the 1-series, too).

Speaking from personal experience (New England winters), the camera does fine in sub-freezing temperatures. The first thing you'll notice is the reduced battery life you already mentioned, also the LCDs will stop functioning in extreme cold (including the transmissive LCD, although Chuck Westfall mentioned that the 1D X's transmissive LCD is built to withstand much colder temperatures than the 7D).

The bigger issue isn't functioning in cold temps, it's what happens when you bring the camera back inside and the cold results in condensation forming inside camera and lens. Here are some tips on that.

My 7d used to be awesome in extreme temps but it has been getting worse and worse in sub freezing... the camera will lock up... LCD will appear "on" for the top LCD but when I go to use the camera... eye to the VF, trying to activate AF, nothing.. turning on or off from the power switch does nothing... Have to take the battery out and reinsert and it starts working again. It gave me 2 solid years of abuse and service but 2 recent photoshoots where it was subfreezing it has done this... Any ideas? Weathersealing drying up/giving up?