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Leica M cold weather hand protection?


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Are there any new "space age" type gloves/mittens that would permit convenient and comfortable use of the camera in below freezing temperatures? Providing some protection from the cold yet maintaining flexibility and tactile sensing of focus ring and shutter release. Camera itself inside my jacket until being used.

 

Thanks, Harry

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I don't know about space age, but fingerless gloves or foldback mittens work pretty well for this sort of thing.

 

I've also used fingerless gloves inside down over-mitts (I use Black Rock down mittens that pack into a tiny space but are very warm). I take the mitten off when I need the dexterity, or for simple tasks you can work through the material as it's very thin and compressible so easy enough to feel what you're doing.

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Being from Michigan also, my answer was to move 1200 miles south :D

 

Probably the best suggestion, i don't live in Michigan but few degrees south would be nice.

 

For those stubborn enough not to move may I suggest glove liners, essentially very thin glove made of silk or synthetic, designed to be worn under regular gloves, I found pair in a shop catering for outdoor activities.

 

I used these for prolonged periods in temperatures well below freezing with nothing to complain about, even M9 battery performed well - cynic may say it wasn't that cold otherwise how come M9 worked.

 

Edit; just checked, my pair is made of silk and very nice dark blue in colour, on the label it states http://www.trakmates.co.uk or try amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trekmates-Silk-Glove-Black-Medium/dp/B000WHBY9M/ref=sr_1_4?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1417361483&sr=1-4&keywords=trekmates+glove+liners

Edited by mmradman
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Y'all from Southern Michigan should have no issues. In 4 years at Houghton, out all some nights in -30F my M4 (and even Pentax H1a) never missed a beat. Left the cameras outside the coat, used deerskin gloves (hands in pockets except to shot). 2 cameras avoided changing lenses. Covered the cameras coming inside, where they would frost up. Paced shooting to wait to change film until cameras were warm.

After 4 years of that, also moved over 1200 miles south - to Texas.

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Y'all from Southern Michigan should have no issues. In 4 years at Houghton, out all some nights in -30F my M4 (and even Pentax H1a) never missed a beat. Left the cameras outside the coat, used deerskin gloves (hands in pockets except to shot). 2 cameras avoided changing lenses. Covered the cameras coming inside, where they would frost up. Paced shooting to wait to change film until cameras were warm.

After 4 years of that, also moved over 1200 miles south - to Texas.

 

And it was 77 degrees today. I didn't use gloves.

 

:D

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I have a pair of convertible mittens made for sea kayaking that I have used for years when photographing outdoors in cold weather. The pair I have were made by Chota, but are no longer made. Fortunately, Patagonia makes a pair of mittens that are very similar but look like a better mitten than the ones I have: Patagonia Shelled Insulator Mitten | Backcountry.com

 

In my experience, you can't beat these for all but bitter cold weather. For extreme cold, you would need a pair of fingerless fleece gloves, worn inside an expedition type gauntlet mitten such as The North Face for moderate cold or The North Face Himalayan Mittens for extreme cold.

 

The technique for photographing in extreme cold is this: You wear the fingerless fleece gloves inside the gauntlet mittens. When you are ready to photograph, you whip off the gauntlets, make your photographs and put them back on before the cold becomes too painful (jloden mentions this in #3 above).

 

This is what I had to do when photographing on the north shore of Lake Superior one fine January morning when the temperature was -25F (-31C). It worked as well as could be hoped for and kept frostbite at bay in the godawful cold that Superior's weather patterns were serving up that morning.

Edited by Carlos Danger
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I recommend silk glove liners that you can keep on after taking off your heavier outer gloves. The liners mean your fingers don't stick to cold metal and are good insulators in themselves, so you generally can get away with an outer glove a grade lighter than normal.

 

Steve

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Buy a good quality pair of peccary gloves.

Best ones are tailor-made.

Peccary gloves are grippy but soft, warm, thin, let you feel what you touch.

Mine are cashmere lined. I use on the alps.

You won't find any better.

Ciao

Fraco

Edited by Fgcm
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  • 1 month later...

I have gotten a pair of Leica Polartec gloves as a gift from a friend who visited the Tokyp leica store about a year ago. Not sure if they are still available from there. I have shot with this during last year trip to Norway shooting the Northern Lights where the temp was around -17 degrees celcius one night and wore over mittens they work quite well and was comfortable.

 

Recently, used them again in New York 2 weeks ago and they serve me well again. Here are some pic of how they look like.

 

15864266173_6ea94a7bab_c.jpg

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