Leica M and lenses in high altitude & snow

[rirakuma]

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Hi guys I am going climbing later this year and I was wondering if it would be safe to use this camera (and Leica lenses) in a high altitude (3500m+) cold environment. I'm expecting the temperature to be somewhere around 0 to -4C celcius with humidity as high as 80%. I'll be very careful with the cam but should I be worried about the internal section of the rangefinder fogging up?

[jaapv]

Why not? If you go to the photoforum there are plenty of images taken at high altitude and low temperature. The highest I have taken a Leica was an M6 to 3800 m. on the Matterhorn, the top of the cablecar,, not all that high really, the coldest an M3 with goggled Summicron 35 at minus 45 Centigrade in Finland in winter. Your battery may give up at low temperatures, but you yourself will be less resistant than your gear. I take my cameras skiing each year and I never had a problem.

With digital gear in general, weathersealed or not, you need to be careful with internal condensation, so when you take it inside from the cold use a plastic bag until the temperature has equalized. A Pelican case with Silicagel is a good storage place if you are in a tent..

[rirakuma]

Awesome, thanks jaapv!

[luigi bertolotti]

My M8 supported with no hassle Allalinhorn (4027mt) in May... don't know the temperature, but when we started (on skis) from Britanniahutte it was surely under - 15°. I did experience (in another climbing) an abrupt battery death surely due to cold... but it was my fault: I kept the M8 "naked" at my neck for too long; in general, when I go on mountains in cold envrionment, my rule is that is better to keep the camera in the rucksack - unless you are dressed in a way that allows to keep it with one more protection (apart the case : this happens, for instance, with some mountain's "ponchos") : it's a bit complicate to have to take it out from the rucksack... but is a very good temperature stabilizer.

 

I must add...that at the times in which a Barnack+Elmar was sufficient... ...it was the PERFECT pocketable kit for mountain, at any temperature, and with 90+28 (Elmar+Summaron:superlight) in the other pocket... : I climbed Mont Blanc Mont Rose Rimpfischorn with that set...)

[Stealth3kpl]

If not kept in the sack, I have the strap around my neck but with the camera itself in an Exped bag. That way any sun and my body heat keeps it in a milder microclimate, my sweat doesn't get onto the camera and freeze, steam from my body doesn't frost up the viewfinder/lens etc, and my dripping sweat is no issue.

Pete

[MarkP]

I have a black Zing neoprene camera cover which is good for such work.

Doesn't give adequate protection for hard impacts but OK for light knocks, preventing abrasions, easy access, weather protection and offers reasonable insulation from the cold.

 

Zing Designs