What was the lowest temperature have you brought your gears into?

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Being Norwegian, there are plenty of opportunities to test low temp performance during our winters. All of my current and also my previous bodies have been out at temperatures below -25C (-13F). Some also below -30C (-22F). That includes 5D, 5DII, 5DIII, 1DIII, 1DsIII, 1DX and probably also the 7D (don´t really remember). I have only used L-lenses. The only precaution is to pack the camera and lens in an airtight plastic bag when I go back in, which is something I learned back in the seventies and just continue to do. I´m not sure that it´s necessary for a pro body/L-lens combo, but I am not going to test the alternative.

The only problem I have had was with my AE-1 Program, probably around 1980. The shutter curtain froze. Apart from that, I have not had any issues with neither bodies or lenses.

Attached is an early January image from the mountain area where I have my cabin. It was -32C (-26F). 5DIII w. 24-70 f2.8L II.
 

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Marsu42

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Feb 7, 2012
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Eldar said:
Attached is an early January image from the mountain area where I have my cabin. It was -32C (-26F).

Yuck! Taken from a comfy armchair next to the stove through the window :p ? If not, how do you operate your gear at all @these temperatures? All the gloves I own are either too thin/cold or too thick to properly hit the buttons, but then again there might be some pro-style mt. everest gear that I've never seen.
 
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Marsu42 said:
Eldar said:
Attached is an early January image from the mountain area where I have my cabin. It was -32C (-26F).

Yuck! Taken from a comfy armchair next to the stove through the window :p ? If not, how do you operate your gear at all @these temperatures? All the gloves I own are either too thin/cold or too thick to properly hit the buttons, but then again there might be some pro-style mt. everest gear that I've never seen.
He, he; The picture was taken about 3 miles on skis from my cabin, so not through a window ;) . The temperature sounds worse than it is. When it gets this cold, there is normally no wind and the air is very dry, so compared to coastal temperatures, where you have much higher humidity, you´re comfortable at much lower temperatures. It´s still quite cold though, so proper clothing is important. Warm hunting gloves and some practice gives you proper control over the buttons.
 
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Don Haines

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Jun 4, 2012
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I have had my 60D out for 3 days on a canoe trip with the night time temperatures dropping down to -8C and daily highs of 5C... the camera was kept in a Pelican case and everything worked perfectly for the trip.

I have had it out for several hours at -15C to -20, carrying it in a toploader bag with one of those re-usable hand warmers inside the bag to give a bit of heat, once again, no problems....

I have had it outside at -35C for a few quick pictures and after a couple of minutes the LCD shoulder display started to get real slow... I brought it inside quickly with no damage. (slipped it into a plastic bag before coming in so there were no condensation issues)

The best camera I have used in the cold was my trusty Olympus OM-1.... completely manual and all the battery did was to operate the light meter, so when the battery died from the cold you just guessed the exposure. I had it out for hours at -65C and other than the film being a lot harder than normal to wind, it worked fine.
 
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I have been down to -30degC in Alaska shooting the Northern Lights with a 5D3 and 6D. I was out in these conditions for about 4 hours.

I did not have many issues, the main one was that the LCD screen started to have slow response as I think the liquid crystal started to freeze. It continued working though. 6D slowed down more than the 5D3.

Had really good high ISO noise performance at that temperature as well ;D

Hope this helps.
 
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Minus 30 degrees Celsius with my 600D and EF-S 18-55 lens. Worked flawlessy. Also from Norway.

The only concern is when you bring the camera in. Like Eldar suggested remove the batteries, wrap the camera in a airtght plastic bag when you are outside, BEFORE you bring it in. Then wait until the gear is climatized before you use it again.

The reason for this is how condensation is generated when cold objects are brought into hot enviroments and not to risk waterdroplets forming on inside of the camera.

I did some timelapses this weekend at +3-4 C and even then dew formed at the front element of my 24-105 lens and my eyefinder of Canon 6D.
 
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