Author Topic: Question of temperature (Read 1259 times)

Eureka · « **on:** December 20, 2011, 03:35:37 PM »

I've read on the swedish Olympus website, www.olympus.se that the suggested temperature to use the E-P3 is between 0-40 degrees Celcius.

What do you think would happen if I use it in, let us say, -10 degrees Celcius? Can the camera get out of commision?

I have an idea about photographing a nice building up here in northern Sweden now in the winter, but we just have cold temperatures below 0 degrees Celcius now.

Thanks in advance for your answer!

voyager · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2011, 05:11:55 PM »

Your battery will most likely die.

ralph · « **Reply #2 on:** December 21, 2011, 04:56:19 AM »

I wouldn't really worry - if you look a a canon 1D manual it'll tell you 0-40 degrees C, but if you were going to arctic to do some photography, a 1D would probably be near the top of your list.

I've used one on holiday in sweden in the winter in -20c (1D not e-p3) with no issues.

I'd be surprised if the pen would struggle below 0. I wouldn't take it to photo polar bears, but keep it in a bag as much as possible to keep it out of the worst of the weather and you should be fine.

Eureka · « **Reply #3 on:** December 21, 2011, 06:24:03 AM »

Quote from: voyager on December 20, 2011, 05:11:55 PM

Your battery will most likely die.

For a while 'till I reach the recommended temperature, or forever?

Ralph - thanks for your answer

ralph · « **Reply #4 on:** December 21, 2011, 09:42:40 AM »

Betteries perform worse when cold and recover again when warm.

It's somewhat insulated inside the camera, and if that's kept in a bag, even better, but if the battery itself gets very cold it will run flat quickly.

You won't damage it, you'll just get less shots out of it while it's cold.

(your phone will run out of juice faster too

)

Eureka · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2011, 02:17:46 PM »

Hehe, okay.

I just want to take some photos of a building, and hopefully I won't need more shots than 5-10

voyager · « **Reply #6 on:** December 21, 2011, 03:15:13 PM »

You should be fine then.

Eureka · « **Reply #7 on:** December 21, 2011, 07:03:18 PM »

Nice to hear. Keep your eyes on the architecture section of the forum the closest days then

Probably I'll do the shooting on friday.

I would have been very sad if my camera broke on less than a month of use.

Agent00soul · « **Reply #8 on:** December 22, 2011, 02:22:42 AM »

My E-P1 worked fine at -14 C last winter. Not even the E-1 or E-3 were specified at below 0 degrees. But mine always worked at any temerature that my fingers could take.

ralph · « **Reply #9 on:** December 22, 2011, 04:43:33 AM »

Quote from: Eureka on December 21, 2011, 07:03:18 PM

I would have been very sad if my camera broke on less than a month of use.

Honestly, cold will not break it.

What is not good for it tho is going back from very cold to room temperature - condensation will form on (an in) your camera when then warm wet air hits the cold camera just like it does on your glasses (if you wear them) or on windows (if you didn't have tripple glasing in sweden, hopefull you know what I mean!)

Put it in something like a plastic bag before you take it inside, and leave it in there till it gets warm - the condensation will then form on the bag, not your camera

Eureka · « **Reply #10 on:** December 22, 2011, 01:53:08 PM »

Okay.

I have the Olympus street case and maybe I put it in a plastic bag inside that bag tomorrow when I go to the city

ralph · « **Reply #11 on:** December 22, 2011, 02:45:51 PM »

when you come back, not when you go out!!

Eureka · « **Reply #12 on:** December 22, 2011, 02:58:53 PM »

Quote from: ralph on December 22, 2011, 02:45:51 PM

when you come back, not when you go out!!

So before I go inside when I'm back to the house, or in this case, train?

ralph · « **Reply #13 on:** December 22, 2011, 03:13:37 PM »

If it's warm in the train ya.

While the air is the same temperature as (or colder than) the camera all is well, but if you go into somewhere warm and the camera is cold water may condense on it.

voyager · « **Reply #14 on:** December 22, 2011, 05:11:16 PM »

And if condensation does form in your camera, you can always seal it with those little silica gel packets you find in shoe boxes.

Eureka · « **Reply #15 on:** December 22, 2011, 10:55:02 PM »

Thanks for your advice, voyager!

I had one of those packets last week but did throw it way... haha.

Eureka · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2012, 10:40:13 AM »

In a model like Olympus E-M5 OM-D, which is weather sealed, is there also a risk to get condensation inside the camera with that one?

adash · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2012, 11:05:45 AM »

The ACTA protest in Sofia, Bulgaria was shot with an E-P1 at about -7 degrees Celsius:

http://e-p1.net/portrait-street-and-journalism/thousands-protest-acta-in-sofia-bulgaria/

It didn't stop, and the battery died after more than 50 shots and two hours of continuous use, but its initial charge was not 100%. The camera's body temperature did not drop below zero, because I was holding it in my hand all the time.

If you need to use it in a really cold weather, do it quickly and keep it as long as possible in the bag, having also a few moisture absorbing packs in there as suggested above.

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2012, 11:46:12 AM »

Also, putting in your Winter Coat Pocket after each shooting spurt, that also will keep it warm. Extra Batteries are essential in cold temps. 2 or 3 at least, and a large SD card for over 800 RAW storage.

voyager · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2012, 02:48:10 PM »

Quote from: Eureka on February 12, 2012, 10:40:13 AM

In a model like Olympus E-M5 OM-D, which is weather sealed, is there also a risk to get condensation inside the camera with that one?

Not at all.

Author Topic: Question of temperature (Read 1259 times)

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