The "cold weather" backup plan (if necessary!)

[Normpixel]

It has already been "single digits" (degrees Fahrenheit) this winter... so IF it becomes "necessary" for me to shoot under such conditions here is my "backup" plan:

A "warm pocket" digital (our Z5fd) OR one of three "progressively colder temperature" Pentax FILM cameras (the more mechanical and the less electrical or electronic... "the colder they go!")

BTW, the Opteka auxilliary lenses shown (.45x wide, 2.2x tele, and 10x macro) all fit the 58mm (theta) filter threads on our S9000 & S9100(s) IN CASE it warms back up!!













Dear Fuji, PLEASE build a Pro S7 DSLR (FULL FRAME 4:3/36mm x 27mm "Super Duper" Fuji sensor) WITH a K mount (1000s and 1000s of U42, K, AND even Pentax medium format lenses would fit!)... AND don't forget the GOOD stuff (shake sensor stabilization, all weather body AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON!).

 

[Billx08]

. . .

BTW, the Opteka auxilliary lenses shown (.45x wide, 2.2x tele, and 10x macro) all fit the 58mm (theta) filter threads on our S9000 & S9100(s) IN CASE it warms back up!!

In case you're not aware, you can get batteries for the S9000 and S9100 that work in temperatures far lower than any of your other batteries are capable of working in. Energizer's lithium AA batteries are rated to work down to 40 degrees below zero. They also have greater capacity than alkalines and twice the shelf life (and weigh less), so if you buy a set and only use it infrequently for shooting in extremely low temperatures, they could remain usable until 2025 and beyond. The only question would be about whether you or the cameras could operate in such frigid temperatures.

 

[Normpixel]

Thanks , Billx08! Actually I've been using the Energizer Ultimate lithiums pretty much all the time lately (I don't shoot as much as I used to!) AND since I've become pretty much a "fair weather" photographer (and a "hobbyist" at that!) that means "reasonable" temperatures NOT extreme COLD!

Still (if you believe that sort of thing) the S9000/S9500 (and S9100/S9600) owner's manual says the low end of the CAMERA'S operating conditions temperature range is +32 degrees F. And I can go considerably below that (although I usually DON'T!). Also local PRICE of the lithiums went DOWN by 20% so i've been in "good shape" that way, too.

 

[Billx08]

Thanks , Billx08! Actually I've been using the Energizer Ultimate lithiums pretty much all the time lately (I don't shoot as much as I used to!) AND since I've become pretty much a "fair weather" photographer (and a "hobbyist" at that!) that means "reasonable" temperatures NOT extreme COLD!

Still (if you believe that sort of thing) the S9000/S9500 (and S9100/S9600) owner's manual says the low end of the CAMERA'S operating conditions temperature range is +32 degrees F. And I can go considerably below that (although I usually DON'T!). Also local PRICE of the lithiums went DOWN by 20% so i've been in "good shape" that way, too.

Just be careful that the lower priced Energizer lithiums aren't actually "Advanced" instead of "Ultimate" lithiums. They're priced slightly lower but only last 1/2 as long as the Ultimate lithiums under the heavy loads that cameras present. They also provide a smaller maximum current (1.5 vs 2.0 amps) which may cause longer flash recycle times. I think that the biggest problem with using cameras for extended periods in very cold weather is that the LCD and EVF can become so slow to update that taking pictures of moving subjects becomes difficult.

 

[Normpixel]

"Ultimate" they ALL are, Billx08! As for anything moving VERY FAST around here when it gets very COLD, I haven't noticed much of that "in these parts"! BTW, (unofficially just how COLD can an S9100 "safely" go??

 

[Lilianna]

Excellent setup Norm!
I adore Fuji Bridgecams
Gee I wonder how well my Dad's old Spotmatic will do in cold?
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colette_noir/

 

[Billx08]

"Ultimate" they ALL are, Billx08! As for anything moving VERY FAST around here when it gets very COLD, I haven't noticed much of that "in these parts"! BTW, (unofficially just how COLD can an S9100 "safely" go??

Although I have one of them (the S9600 version) the temperature outside right now in this region is varying from 5°F to 12°F degrees, and even if the S9600 is capable of operating at this temperature, I'm not!

 

[Normpixel]

And the answer is, Lilianna: the Spotmatics do VERY WELL in the cold (BETTER than I do nowadays!). I bought my first Pentax (a Spotmatic) at a combat zone PX in 1965 and my civilian address for years after that was in northern Illinois (I "survived" the "blizzard of '79" there and was outside on foot in -70 degree F. wind chill winds). Most of the "mechanicals" (as we called those early SLRs like the Spotmatic) did well in "extreme" conditions... and even without a battery the cameras were fully functional except for exposure metering (and most "everybody" had a hand held "non-battery" light meter for "back up").





My three (currently speaking) Pentax SLRs with Pentax lenses (the two metal body models, the "low end" K1000...in this case a K1000 SE and the "high end" K2 are "legends" in Pentax SLR history)...
Our Fuji Z5fd "captured" (from left to right): K1000 SE, Black K2, P30T;
(also left to right... f4.5 85mm~210mm, f1.2 50mm, f4.0 20mm).

P.S. I've never "tested" our Fuji bridge S9xxx series cameras much below the "Fuji book limit" of 32 degrees F.

 

[Yanko Kitanov]

Well the Fuji bridges do work at low temperature at least the S6500 and the S200EXR do. I used them continuously at -30C which is around -25F if I am not wrong.

I just love that Pentax and the Rikenon, gorgeous!
--
K.R.
Yanko Kitanov
Янко Китанов

 

[Billx08]

And the answer is, Lilianna: the Spotmatics do VERY WELL in the cold (BETTER than I do nowadays!). I bought my first Pentax (a Spotmatic) at a combat zone PX in 1965 and my civilian address for years after that was in northern Illinois (I "survived" the "blizzard of '79" there and was outside on foot in -70 degree F. wind chill winds).

Interesting. I bought my second Nikon in 1966 at a PX in the Cholon part of town. Could this have been the same PX?

 

[Es Mom]

Yikes - I've just got to say - that is cold!