Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/12

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Using Leica at -15F or -25C
From: lowiemanuel at yahoo.ca (Emanuel Lowi)
Date: Fri Nov 12 17:09:22 2004

Definitely go with your old M2 and old M3, rather than
more recent Leicas. 

I have found through much experience that a
well-adjusted Wetzlar M shutter withstands the cold
better than the more recent cameras. I have no theory
to explain this

The LEDs on your M6 or later camera meter will fade
out as the circuitry gets colder. Instead, bring a
hand-held meter. A selenium incident meter should be
ideal outdoors in the cold on snowy days.

Lens focussing mechanisms freeze up in the cold. When
you notice them starting to bind, switch to the
hyperfocal distance method before you can no longer
focus properly.

Bring two loaded bodies and be very careful when
re-loading. Don't breath inside the camera when doing
this.

Don't breath on the camera eyepiece or rf windows.
They'll ice up fast and they're a hassle to clean off.

Wear very thin close-fitting gloves (silk,
polypropylene, or gun shooters gloves) underneath
roomy extra-warm mittens. Your gloved hands will get
cold when operating the camera, but you'll be able to
warm them up in your mitts afterwards.

Where a warm hat rather than a hood. A hood directs
your breath toward sthe camera -- a bad scene.

If you are shooting on snow, and want slides, consider
shooting E100SW as a way to compensate for the
notorious blue snow.

Emanuel Lowi
Montreal

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Replies: Reply from grduprey at rockwellcollins.com (grduprey@rockwellcollins.com) ([Leica] Re: Using Leica at -15F or -25C)