Film cameras and the cold

srichards

srichards

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I don't normally go out anywhere with a camera when it's under about 14C so not really considered what happens in much colder weather. Went out today and it was about 9C but camera body was quite cold when I got back in and that was from only about 30 minutes of being outside. Had a roll to finish so got on with it as it was a bit parky.

Is it better to get the camera back out of the camera bag straight away or leave it in the bag for a slower warm up?

Home is fairly dry so I'm assuming any condensation will dry out quickly and it's better to not turn the camera back on until the day after just to make sure? Or is that over kill?

With a lot of film cameras being at least 30 years old I'm more mindful of how they will behave in changing temperatures.
 
I would leave it in the bag to acclimatise for a few days .
 
Well you could keep your camera under your jacket take it out for say your snow shots and put it back, I did this with my RB67 and it looked like I was pregnant :D. The worst thing would be to take your camera for continuous use in cold weather and bring it back into a hot room, best to leave it in a cold room or even a garage for a while.
 
To be honest, I don't think it matters how you carry a film camera, provided the ambient temperature is between 0°C and 32°C. You might have to take special care if it's colder or hotter, in my experience.

I recorded this image several decades ago, probably with a Nikon F. I stepped out of the warm cottage into deep snow after I spotted my daughter peering out of the window. The change of temperature seems to have made little or no difference to the camera or the film...

Kirsten Window and snow.jpg
 
I think the more mechanical film cameras are less of a problem. It's the lenses that might be the issue, and then probably a great deal better than a more sophisticated modern lens.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
To be honest, I don't think it matters how you carry a film camera, provided the ambient temperature is between 0°C and 32°C. You might have to take special care if it's colder or hotter, in my experience.

I recorded this image several decades ago, probably with a Nikon F. I stepped out of the warm cottage into deep snow after I spotted my daughter peering out of the window. The change of temperature seems to have made little or no difference to the camera or the film...

View attachment 469106
Click to expand...

That's one to treasure. Beautiful shot.
 
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