Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have been reading all the posts on the cold and decided to test my two Leica M cameras in the fairly cold weather we are experiencing right now. It is not that cold, only about -23 degrees C (-10 degrees F) but cold enough to see how the cameras would perform in extreme situations. The cameras are a 1960's M2 (moderately recent CLA) and a new this spring M6-TTL with fairly fresh batteries. The cameras were placed outside and checked at 15 minute intervals. 15 m: cameras cool to touch, all functions fine and TTL's meter works normally. 30m: cameras cold to touch, lenses getting stiff to turn, all functions fine and TTL's meter works normally. 45m: cameras very cold to touch, lenses stiff to turn, hurts to hold camera against forehead, all functions fine and TTL's meter works normally. 60m: cameras burn flesh on touch, lenses very stiff to turn, all functions fine and TTL's meter works normally. 75m: cameras burn flesh on touch, lenses very stiff to turn, all functions fine and TTL's meter barely working but still accurate (diodes pulse dim and bright and go out sooner than normal). 90m: cameras burn flesh on touch, lenses very stiff to turn, all functions fine and TTL's meter barely working but still accurate (diodes pulse on and off and go out quickly). Test suspended due to the feeling that the tester was beginning to look like a silly ass! Tough little cameras though. John Collier