Digital camera not operating in cold weather ?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 20:12:48 GMT, Socrates wrote:

> I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
> 32F to capture some nice winter scenes.

What kind of problems? Exposure? (pun not intended). Does the
camera simply power off? I used a similar Fuji (also used 4 AAs) at
temperatures slightly colder than that using freshly charged NiMH
batteries and when I stopped taking pictures several hours later the
batteries still had life left in them. But in cold weather such as
this, both NiMH and alkaline batteries will not last nearly as long
as they normally do. If you have to take pictures at that
temperature (or even in much colder weather), a set of lithium AAs,
while fairly expensive, are what you want to use. Their capacity is
hardly effected by cold weather. As a rough guide, if in mild
weather a camera can get 150 shots from alkalines, 300 shots from
NiMH batteries, it might get 700 shots from lithium. At
temperatures well below 32F these battery capacities might drop to
20, 30 and 600 shots, respectively. These numbers aren't very
precise, but looking at battery data sheets you can see that
alkalines and NiMH battery capacities drop of markedly at low
temperatures, and keeps dropping rapidly as the weather gets colder.
Lithiums only start to lose significant amounts of capacity when the
temperature drops well below zero (Farenheit). With all of these
batteries, if they're allowed to warm up again, they'll appear to
have magically revived, so the cold weather doesn't "use up" battery
power, it just makes it harder for the batteries to deliver their
power since cold weather slows that rate of chemical processes
within the batteries. Now after all that, I hope you don't tell us
that your problem was really about slow or inexact focusing where
the subjects were snowmen against a background of more snow.  

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Socrates wrote:
> I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
> 32F to capture some nice winter scenes.
>
> Anyone else having this problem ?
> If the phone doesn't ring, you'll know it's me....
>
> HalKin@SFSys.com

Make sure you have good well charged batteries. You may need a
different kind of battery than what you are now using.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 20:12:48 GMT, Socrates <hkinney@adelphia.net> wrote:

>I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
>32F to capture some nice winter scenes.
>
>Anyone else having this problem ?
>If the phone doesn't ring, you'll know it's me....

Try using Alkaline batteries.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <o9m461hhguh4t69ghvh5euk7tf1o81f4be@4ax.com>,
Dave <dwilson@mailinator.com> wrote:
>On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 20:12:48 GMT, Socrates <hkinney@adelphia.net> wrote:
>
>>I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
>>32F to capture some nice winter scenes.
>>
>>Anyone else having this problem ?
>>If the phone doesn't ring, you'll know it's me....
>
>Try using Alkaline batteries.
>

Check your camera's specs. There may be a limitation unrelated to
battery type.

Try Lithium batteries if they work in your camera. Depending on the
type they work at a lower temp than you do. (as low as -40F ISTR)

If yoiu google for the manufacturer and part code for your batteries
you will probably find a PDF spec sheet that shows temp limitations.

FWIW, one night when I knew the temps were going into the single
digits (Def F) I put my dRebel on the back porch and left it for the
morning. Before dawn I got up and shot a few flash shots. It worked
fine. If I was going to spend the day in those temps I'd bring two or
three batteries and keep them warm in the jacket, but I know the
camera would work.




--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Thank you for the input, lithium sounds like the solution to my
non-operational problem at lower temps.


On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 18:45:59 -0400, ASAAR <caught@22.com> wrotf:

>On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 20:12:48 GMT, Socrates wrote:
>
>> I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
>> 32F to capture some nice winter scenes.
>
> What kind of problems? Exposure? (pun not intended). Does the
>camera simply power off? I used a similar Fuji (also used 4 AAs) at
>temperatures slightly colder than that using freshly charged NiMH
>batteries and when I stopped taking pictures several hours later the
>batteries still had life left in them. But in cold weather such as
>this, both NiMH and alkaline batteries will not last nearly as long
>as they normally do. If you have to take pictures at that
>temperature (or even in much colder weather), a set of lithium AAs,
>while fairly expensive, are what you want to use. Their capacity is
>hardly effected by cold weather. As a rough guide, if in mild
>weather a camera can get 150 shots from alkalines, 300 shots from
>NiMH batteries, it might get 700 shots from lithium. At
>temperatures well below 32F these battery capacities might drop to
>20, 30 and 600 shots, respectively. These numbers aren't very
>precise, but looking at battery data sheets you can see that
>alkalines and NiMH battery capacities drop of markedly at low
>temperatures, and keeps dropping rapidly as the weather gets colder.
>Lithiums only start to lose significant amounts of capacity when the
>temperature drops well below zero (Farenheit). With all of these
>batteries, if they're allowed to warm up again, they'll appear to
>have magically revived, so the cold weather doesn't "use up" battery
>power, it just makes it harder for the batteries to deliver their
>power since cold weather slows that rate of chemical processes
>within the batteries. Now after all that, I hope you don't tell us
>that your problem was really about slow or inexact focusing where
>the subjects were snowmen against a background of more snow.  



If the phone doesn't ring, you'll know it's me....

HalKin@SFSys.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Socrates wrote:

> I am having problems with my Fuji 3800 operating at tempartures below
> 32F to capture some nice winter scenes.

When shooting in cold weather, I always keep my camera
inside my coat, pull it out to shoot, and put it right
back in again. That should eliminate the problem.

If you do that though, be careful not to keep it
outside the coat for a long time. It might be possible
for moisture to be in the warm air inside the camera
that would condense to water droplets in the cold air.

I'm not sure that would happen. The camera might be
well sealed with only dry air inside. Even if it's not
well sealed, the air inside your coat may be quite dry.
But it's something to consider, especially if you may
be sweating inside the coat.

Alan

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 08:41:40 -0400, Socrates wrote:

> Thank you for the input, lithium sounds like the solution to my
> non-operational problem at lower temps.

You're welcome. If you still have problems it will be due to a
problem with the camera, not the batteries. The Energizer package
states that their E2 lithium batteries are suitable for operation
within the range of minus 40 to plus 140 degress Fahrenheit.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

ASAAR wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 08:41:40 -0400, Socrates wrote:
>
>
>>Thank you for the input, lithium sounds like the solution to my
>>non-operational problem at lower temps.
>
>
> You're welcome. If you still have problems it will be due to a
> problem with the camera, not the batteries. The Energizer package
> states that their E2 lithium batteries are suitable for operation
> within the range of minus 40 to plus 140 degress Fahrenheit.
>
If it gets colder or hotter than that, you won't find ME out in it!


--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net