happy sailor Loc: Ontario, Canada

I have seen a number of posts over the last month about people wanting to know if their cameras can be operated in the freezing winter temperatures. For the past five days I was at a ski resort here in Ontario, Canada with a couple of our kids and grandchildren. The temperatures all week in the daytime ranged from -15 to -24 C and with wind chill it felt like -22 to -35C. For quick reference 0 F is -18 C and at -40 both temperature scales are the same VFC (very freakin cold).

I used my Canon 6d with either a Canon 24-105 or a Sigma 150-500 on different occasions throughout the week. Yesterday was the worst of the weather and the ski runs were shut down at 4pm as the wind chills at that time were hitting -40 to -45C. Luckily we had left two hours before that. It was snowing and blowing all day, my camera ended up covered in snow and frost on the LCD screen from me exhaling while using the viewfinder. I stayed out there for about an hour, shot stills and a few minutes of video.

The camera worked flawlessly, the lenses had no trouble with auto focus. The pictures were good (of course!!! they had my grandchildren in them, lol). I did not take a plastic bag out with me to put the camera in before coming back inside so I did have a lot of condensation form on the camera and lens coming back in to the warm chalet. I wiped off the excess and then just let the camera come to room temperature. All is good.

Canon website says the operating range for the camera is 32-104°F/0-40°C. I think that is being really conservative.

I think one time on the hog here MT Shooter posted a picture of a camera with ice hanging off of it in the real cold but can't remember for sure.

Anyway the point of this is go a head put some warm clothes on and go out and shoot.

Home today and it is -29 this morning, March and Florida can't come soon enough.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Read the manual(s)

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

A camera's manual will have temperature advisories. Aside frim that there are a few generalities. A camera or lens that has moving parts with have some lubrication means. Molybdenum sulfide is common but it requires a medium of some kind as it is a powder that doesn't stick to anything. Every medium will have a viscosity that is tenperature dependent. That is where the advisories come from.

BebuLamar

My standard is if it's not cold enough to kill me, it's not cold enough to kill my camera.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

You'll be surprised.

Swede Loc: Trail, BC Canada

Yeeeaaaaarrrrs back I remember working at a place called Swimming Point NWT Canada it was -50f and my 801s worked fine, the heavy equipment I was running not so, everything gets real brittle.

Swede

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

My camera operates at a temperature below where I care to operate.

Bill_de Loc: US

If folks actually read your post before responding (listen first before you speak) they may have come away with some useful information.

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Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Fortunately I live in Florida so I don't have to deal with those temperatures. Though to be honest I would probably cease to function before my camera would.

BebuLamar

I would be more worry if I live in Florida. Once again if it not hot enough to kill me it's not hot enough to kill my camera but I might leave a camera in a parked car and it's hot enough in there to kill me.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

When I first moved here (from Pa.) I did leave my camera in the car a couple of times. Fortunately there was no damage, but it concerned me enough to stop doing that.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Bill's right, sailor. Very useful info. Thank-you for sharing.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I was never worried about my camera - I was concerned about the film in the camera - so I kept a cooler in the trunk.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I don't give a flying rodent's rump what extreme cold does to my camera, as the camera can be replaced. But I do care what extreme cold will do to me. It is supposed to be - 8 tonight. The only way I will go outside is in a pre warmed up car.