norm_snyder Posted February 10, 2010 Share #1 Â Posted February 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) With the winter we are having here in the US midwest, and what has been a difficult winter elsewhere, I have noted a number of threads relating to failing batteries, cameras, in cold weather. Then I remembered an accessory that I had for a Pentax 6x7 years ago--a connector that filled the battery compartment, connected by a cable to a battery holder that I could keep inside my coat in very cold weather. If it were possible to do something like this for the M-digital cameras, I'd buy one immediately. It would be far easier for extended shooting than having to change batteries often, carry a number of spares, juggle baseplates with gloves on, etc. Â Of course, this would mean a modified baseplate, allowing for the connection to the remote battery compartment, so Tim Isaac [or others], are you out there? Then I could use my M9 [and the M9 I guess I've got to order] year 'round, without worries of the battery going flat in 20 min., as they have been for me.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Hi norm_snyder, Take a look here Possible cold weather options for M9, M8. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
likalar Posted February 10, 2010 Share #2 Â Posted February 10, 2010 Norm, Â I went snowshoing with my D-Lux 2 a couple weeks ago, and kept it in a medium soft case with a rechargable heat pack, the type found at sporting good stores. I had the pack separated from the camera by wrapping the heatpack with a heavy sock. Camera stayed warm enough, ready to shoot. Might be worth a try, unless the camera has to stay out and ready at all times. Â Larry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 10, 2010 Share #3 Â Posted February 10, 2010 I have stated several times here that a heavy duty, large capacity battery holder attached the same way as the regular baseplate, and connecting with the battery compartment, would be a good thing. The response has been tepid ... and from Leica, ice cold. Â The old man with the dripping nose Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberti Posted February 10, 2010 Share #4  Posted February 10, 2010 I have stated several times here that a heavy duty, large capacity battery holder attached the same way as the regular baseplate, and connecting with the battery compartment, would be a good thing. The response has been tepid ... and from Leica, ice cold. The old man with the dripping nose  Lars, agree, the battery going dead after 200 or arbitrarily 300 but sometimes 120 shots is not my thing. (It depends of course on the reviewing behavior we have). One Chinese company made a bottom plate with a little panel for the card; it would be easy to make a thicker plate with a battery stretched out inside (you must remember the Polaroid flat batteries that were twice as thick only as the carton of the holder). Innovation gets oh so complicated nowadays. Look, isn't it awful - we even don't have the capacity to mill it ourselves or have some people nearby with such capabilities.  The man who once stood behind a milling machine but went into consulting :-) alberti Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 10, 2010 Share #5 Â Posted February 10, 2010 Well, yes. I was out in the mountains last week with the M9 in a bum bag. At minus 15 to minus 20 Celsius the batteries lasted about ten shots. So I kept a couple of spares in my pocket and exchanged and revived the batteries. Inconvenient, but it works. It would be practical to have a remote battery pack to keep warm. That cannot be too hard to build for people like Luigi, Tim and others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekF Posted February 10, 2010 Share #6 Â Posted February 10, 2010 The short answer to this question is to bring along a mechanical camera, something that doesn't rely on batteries for critical functions. More often than not, when shooting in -30C weather, the batteries on my MP and my M8/M9 fail but the difference is that the MP keeps shooting regardless. The digital Ms then become deadweight. Â At -30C, the idea of opening up my coat to get a warmer battery pack is not enticing at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicaiste Posted February 10, 2010 Share #7 Â Posted February 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) At -30C, the idea of opening up my coat to get a warmer battery pack is not enticing at all. Â I keep it in my glove. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Robertson Posted February 10, 2010 Share #8 Â Posted February 10, 2010 While I do not yet have an M9, I do have experience backcountry skiing with an M6 near Fairbanks, AK when the temperature is hovering around -30F. Just keeping the camera on its neckstrap without a case under the outer shell seems to keep it warm enough to function reliably. Pull it out for a picture or two and then back in its safe harbor. At least in that climate and temperature, condensation has never been a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted February 10, 2010 Share #9 Â Posted February 10, 2010 I've not had a problem with the battery in minus temperatures this winter. It has often been minus 10 to 15 C in the windchill and I seem to get a reasonable number of shots (about 250 - 280) without nannying the battery or camera when out all day. I can't say I have any similar results to people who have had batteries quickly fail in the cold weather. Â Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 10, 2010 Share #10 Â Posted February 10, 2010 Windchill is not a factor in battery life. It depends on the real temperature inside the battery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
norm_snyder Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share #11 Â Posted February 10, 2010 It definitely seems that others are having an experience similar to my own. The other day, I only managed 10 or 20 exposures before having to switch batteries. The next time I went out, I took my and six, and of course then I only had to worry about static marks when everyone out. None of these options seems ideal to me, as, when keeping spare batteries in an inside pocket, I had to remove my gloves to get the base plate off, and switch batteries, by which time my hands were starting to get cold. A remote battery pack, or some sort of high power arrangement as Lars suggested which seemed to make more sense. I lack the technical skills to cobble something together, myself, but maybe others will. Hopefully, someone will eventually come up with something, as I enjoy using these cameras, and still like the results I get. (Maybe I just need to winter someplace else where it's warmer) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted February 11, 2010 Share #12 Â Posted February 11, 2010 My old Beaulieu movie camera had an accesory cable for a battery that had its place in my ski jacket....worked a treat! I see the USB port as being something that surely could facilitate the same thing without having to fiddle with the bottom plate of M8 or M9. Â I also agree that a M film camera is a very good alternative provided the camera has been serviced recently as in my experience I have had M4, and M6 shutter stick due to the oil gumming up. Leica used to recommend that people who wanted to use the cameras in the cold should have them winterized.......this was a process that gave the camera a thorough clean and removed the lubricants (They may have added just a little of a different lubricant...but I am not sure). Personally I found that a full normal service worked very well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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