Operating temperature range

[jmgourmaud]

Hi everyone.

I would like to know if you have already got the opportunity to use the Red in extreme low temperature like -40°C or -50°C.

I'm french, living at Kuujjuarapik-Whapmagoostui in Quebec. I would appreciate to read experiences about that, and also, how to take care of lenses with this kind of temperature.

Thank you.

Jean-Marc

 

[JanneJansson]

I think the spec just say 0°C as for lowest operating temp. The first thing that start to fail is the reddrive and the efv. Both must be heated/insulated not to drop below freezing. If you mount the drive close to the body and have the hole package insulated with a camera bag or a blanket, I'm sure the 60-80W from the camera will be good heating for very cold temp. ..just don't turn it off then you need to have the batt and drive inside your jacket.

 

[Rainer Fritz]

I was shooting in winter at about -10° celsius. It is a good thing when you start the camera early enough, that the body gets it operating temperature. As well you need to put the cam and all electronic stuff over night or longer pauses in an environment which is not that cold. no troubles so far with the drive or cards at this temp. But at these extreme temperatures where you want to shoot, you have to look for a heating anyway. No electronic camera will run at this extreme temps without special constructions.

regards
rainer

 

[Tom Wardrop]

I imagine contortion of the materials the camera is made out of, would be your biggest problem. Actual electronics don't really care about how cold it is (the colder the better for them). Moving parts (like in HDD's which have temperature sensitive lubricants) and materials which expand and contract with the temperature (such as plastics) are the only problem. I don't know how lenses cope, but I imagine they wouldn't have a problem.

 

[Mike Thorn]

I recently had the camera operating in a walk-in freezer for close to an hour with no ill side effects. The camera seemed to operate more smoothly than normal, actually. Temperature varied from -10 to 30 degrees F.

 

[jmgourmaud]

Hi All,

thanks a lot for your responses. I appreciate. Maybe it is an opportunity to create a special stuff for RED Camera and critical accessories (Battery, Hard Drive, ...) to keep them in operating temperature range ! :yesnod:

So, if you've got talent of designer (unfortunately not me !), ...

We keep in touch.

Forgive my english, I'm french :closedeyes:

Regards

Jean-Marc

 

[olav1]

i wouldnt go above 40C just to be safe.

 

[Anson Fogel]

Yep

Yep

we shot a some mountaineering and backcountry skiing last winter at high altitudes and low temps in high winds. Often in the -10C to -20C range with windchill somewhere worse. Camera is rock solid BUT the EVF will freeze up after continual exposure. Needed hand warmers for the EVF and had to keep EVF in our backpacks close to our backs but with those tricks it was fine.