Manual lenses and cold (0º C to -20 º C) What to do?

[cilinderman]

Hi everyone!
I enjoy night photography and live in the mountains (Pyrenean Mountains). The other day I did my first "night" out with my manual lenses and I noticed the diaphargm ring was a bit hard... It's possible to froze the diaphragm blades action? Is it dangerous? When I came back (shutting down the camera (5D) and leaving her to rest until morning (for possible condensation issues)), the lens recovered the smooth action of the diaphragm ring.

So my question is, what do I have to take care about to not damage my lens (or the camera)?


Thanks to all.


P.S: Please forgive my English, it's not my native language .
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[Attila]

Metal blades covered with fine oil it can be stick in cold.
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[peterqd]

It's a good question. You were right to think about the condensation.

I've never tried shooting in extremely cold conditions, but if it helps at all, I have some tips I learnt from trying to play a brass musical instrument in -16°C!

I once "burnt" my lips on the heavy brass mouthpiece which had become well below 0°, so now I use two - one in my pocket keeping warm while I'm using the other. Also the piston valves on the instrument freeze solid and my wife made me a leather cover, padded with insulation quilt, which really is effective. Maybe you could keep one lens warm while using another and also make a similar lens or camera cover to retain as much heat as possible.
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[cilinderman]

Wow! Playing brass instrument under -16ºC = PAIN! (and cold!)

It's really a good idea to have two lenses and switch so they can get warm a little bit. And the cover for the camera, if done well, must be really cool .

Attila, you say oil can stick them... but this have any long term effect on the lens? I mean, you shoot under the cold, blades become sticky, you keep shooting, you finish shooting and go back home. Does the lens suffer any damage?
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5D & Fujica ST801|| Carl Zeiss Planar MM 50/1.7 (departed for resurrection) || Carl Zeiss Distagon 28/2.8 AEJ || Meyer Orestor "Pentacon" (relabeled) 135/2.8 || Carl Zeiss Jena 135/3.5 || Carl Zeiss Sonnar MM 85/2.8 || Carl Zeiss Flektogon MC "White" 35/2.4 || Olympus Zuiko OM MC 21/3.5 || Super Takumar 55/1.8 || Rollei Planar HFT 50/1.8 || "The three tenors" from Orio (Nikkor pre-AI 85/1.8, 135/3.5 & 105/2.5)

[Attila]

Yes , it can be damage. If blades can't move smoothly they can damage permanently if you push too much power with aperture ring in manual mode.
In auto mode camera body can't press them with too much power.
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[peterqd]

[cilinderman]

So as I get to understand is that freezing and defreezing the oil doesn't damage the lens, but one doesn't have to force the diaphragm ring. Is that right?

Thanks for all .
_________________
5D & Fujica ST801|| Carl Zeiss Planar MM 50/1.7 (departed for resurrection) || Carl Zeiss Distagon 28/2.8 AEJ || Meyer Orestor "Pentacon" (relabeled) 135/2.8 || Carl Zeiss Jena 135/3.5 || Carl Zeiss Sonnar MM 85/2.8 || Carl Zeiss Flektogon MC "White" 35/2.4 || Olympus Zuiko OM MC 21/3.5 || Super Takumar 55/1.8 || Rollei Planar HFT 50/1.8 || "The three tenors" from Orio (Nikkor pre-AI 85/1.8, 135/3.5 & 105/2.5)

[koji]

Shooting under -20ºC or so is not so difficult, there is normally no ill-effect
to the lenses and cameras AFAIK.

HOWEVER, coming back to your (warm where else) home the condensation
is PROBLEM for lenses, and more so to your cameras.

BUT, I managed so far without an incident. When you come home,
use soft towel and wrap the lens and camera, leave them at least
half an hour before exposing them to air in your room.

That's all. Forget to tell you, you should ware globes of course,
particularly for metal-camera such as Nikon-F, today's plasticas (plastic clad cameras)
are easier for hands.

But I have never used the cameras under lower than -20ºC, so
you have take a chance under this condition.
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[Attila]

Use a Zenit designed as a Kalasnyikov...
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35mm: Konica A4, Konica IIIA, Konica FC-1
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[Sevo]

The grease on old gear will often freeze solid even in mildly cold temperatures - it is very advisable to clean and relube the gear to very professional standards before you start out on such a assignment.

[Helios]

In winter 1972 , I was "free-lance" photographer for local newspapers and took pics of ski-jump in mountains with an outdoor temperature beetween -15°C and -18°c . I shoot once with a Canon QL-17 , frozen , once with a Yashica-Mat , frozen , and about a hundred pics with my Zorki-4 , turret finder, Jupiter-8 and Culminar 85mm.... To be honest , It was quite difficult to use the focusing ring of the both optics , especially the Steinheil.
I think a zenit can do the job too..., with preset helios ....

[Farside]

Yes, Zenits, Zorkis and Feds might be just the thing for really cold weather - It would seem sensible for the designers to take into account that millions of purchasers in the FSU might want to take pics in the winter, outdoors.
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[claudiu]

I use zip plastic bags and put the lenses and camera in each them prior to leaving home(I do it in the warm season as well for a better protection). I try to make smoother the transition from different humidities and temperatures. So far it turned to work quite well. No condensation.

However last winter(temeprature outside -7 deg celsius) I went out at some shooting and among my lens were 3 Oly Sonnars. One of them got some icy-looking area on the front lens close to the border(about 5 sq centimeters). I thought maybe some water vapours freezed. I went home got out of the plastic bag and it seemed to stay the same. I opened the front rim and took out first group. It seemed the problem was between first and second element of it. The cement probably had its structure affected because of the low temperature and long exposure(few hours). I solved the problem by heating the front group for 10-15 min at the heater(temperature 60 deg celsius) and the icy-looking surface disappeared. Tested the lens and works very well no problem anymore.

To prevent these kind of problems I use to take out esp when bad weather only lens that I have double copy and not too valuable or rare.

[Mal1905]

We're fortunate here in Ireland that extreme temperatures are rarely a problem, but I have noticed recently that some lenses, when they arrive by post, need a bit of time to 'loosen' up before first use. Perhaps being stuck in the cargo-hold of an aircraft for several hours, followed by more time in a postal depot is enough to cause blades, etc to tighten?

[thePiRaTE!!]

I've shot in these temperatures from time to time. The type of grease used in the helical will decide the limit of usefulness of focusing. Most newer lenses or newly CLA's lenses I've exposed to drastic cold have been stiff, but worked fine. I've had no trouble with an aperture so far, but any liquid (ie oil) will freeze eventually. If you have oily blades I'd test the aperture slowly to make sure it isn't going to stick.

As has been mentioned, buffering your gear from instant tempurature changes (ie from outside to inside) is advisable. If you have one, leaving your cold gear in a decent, padded camera bag should be sufficient to protect it from a warm room, allowing the temperature to slowly equalize.
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