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Author Topic: MDFB in cold weather  (Read 4684 times)

LasseDPF

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MDFB in cold weather
« on: November 02, 2006, 01:24:30 pm »

Anyone have any experience using a mfdb in cold/winter conditions ?

I  am shooting a "winter safari" in February, and I am considering using my Aptus.
I have used a Canon 1d2 in the same conditions previous years without any issues other than low battery life and freezing fingertips..

Any winter db experiences appreciated..

http://kundeweb.morkhagen.net/scanpix/sour...roppet-mini.jpg

tnx,

Lasse

Ups.. Hope you didnt notice the obvious typo in the thread topic  
« Last Edit: November 02, 2006, 01:26:12 pm by LMO »
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Lasse Morkhagen

michael

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2006, 01:44:31 pm »

I've used Phase backs in Antarctica and the Canadian far north. No problems down to -20C.

Just keep spare batteries in an inside pocket and be prepared to swap them when needed.

Have some large Ziplock bags, and when you bring the back and camera indoors put it in the bag first. This will allow the condensation to form on the bag rather than in or on the back and camera. Not an issue though unless the temperatures are -10C or lower.

Michael
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Dustbak

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2006, 03:25:25 am »

The Phase has a somewhat different design that does not have moving parts in it. Your Aptus does and although the fan appears to be deeper and better protected in the Aptus than in the Valeo it is still rotating.

I have never taken either my Aptus or Valeo in circumstances under minus 5 degrees celcius, until that point it was no problem.

I can imagine a problem with working in snow/rain and low temperatures but have never dared to try it.

Please let us know how it went  
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eleanorbrown

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2006, 09:47:04 am »

I have worked in rain, cold, snow, high altitude, etc. with my Phase back with no problems but i'm not familiar with the aptus. both my back and my camera got pretty soaked in the Olympic Rain Forest last May even tho I was using a Kata rain cover.  eleanor

Quote
The Phase has a somewhat different design that does not have moving parts in it. Your Aptus does and although the fan appears to be deeper and better protected in the Aptus than in the Valeo it is still rotating.

I have never taken either my Aptus or Valeo in circumstances under minus 5 degrees celcius, until that point it was no problem.

I can imagine a problem with working in snow/rain and low temperatures but have never dared to try it.

Please let us know how it went   
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83480\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
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Eleanor Brown
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pixpop

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2006, 12:42:49 pm »

Quote
Anyone have any experience using a mfdb in cold/winter conditions ?

I  am shooting a "winter safari" in February, and I am considering using my Aptus.
I have used a Canon 1d2 in the same conditions previous years without any issues other than low battery life and freezing fingertips..

Any winter db experiences appreciated..

http://kundeweb.morkhagen.net/scanpix/sour...roppet-mini.jpg

tnx,

Lasse

Ups.. Hope you didnt notice the obvious typo in the thread topic 
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83402\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

i don't know how aptus backs respond in cold weather, but i've used my phase ones in minus degree fahrenheit temperatures and in triple-digit degree temperatures without a single problem. in cold weather just make sure that you take extra batteries. reliability is a very big reason why i decided to go with phases.

pp
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ericstaud

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2006, 01:38:23 pm »

Hi Pixpop

"reliability is a very big reason why i decided to go with phases."

Are you assuming that the Phase has greater reliability or has this been documented somewhere?  

It is obvious that the fan is a week point with the Aptus backs.  Aside from this, I have not heard of a Leaf back failing.  I have no idea what else there is to go wrong with them.

I have had two Phase backs fail on me.  I don't know the technical term, but in both of them a pixel went bad, taking out a whole row of pixels with it.

This is something that could affect the Phase and Leaf backs equally.  Or it could happen five times more often to the Kodak sensors than the Dalsa sensors.  Or vise versa.

To have any meaningful answer we would need the total number of each barnd in operation and the number of failures for each brand.
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pixpop

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2006, 03:50:19 pm »

Quote
Hi Pixpop

"reliability is a very big reason why i decided to go with phases."

Are you assuming that the Phase has greater reliability or has this been documented somewhere? 

[snip]

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83526\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

hi eric, notice i prefaced my post by saying "i don't know how aptus backs respond in cold weather. . . ."  my comment is not meant to be fact. it's only my humble opinion. the only back i can vouch for - the backs with which i am most familiar - phase backs. before i decided to go with phase i did a lot of "asking around". i asked a lot of questions of people who use leaf backs and phase backs. i tested leaf and phase backs. i personally like the heft and feel of the phase back. i like that the phase back is not plastic. i personally think that the fan design of the leaf back is a huge flaw, particularly if you shoot in dusty environments. i looked at the software associated with the back. the big deal maker for me is the software - the intelligence - of the back - c1 pro.

you say "that to have any meaningful answer we would need the total number of each brand in operation and the number of failures for each brand". even this would be incomplete information. in order to formulate something meaningful, you would have to know the circumstances under which each back was used. for example, some people are really rough on their equipment. you would have to know if the back was used for studio work or in the field. and if in the field, what kind of circumstances. . . .etc., etc., etc. so as you can see, it's not as easy as it might seem at first blush.

to a very large degree, a decision to buy one back over the other is a very personal "equation". some of the variables which are important to me i indicated above.

pp
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LasseDPF

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2006, 05:51:47 am »

Tnx for all the replies.
 Just thought Id add an idea I got from my dealer. There is supposedly a way to detatch the battery from the back, so that the  battery can be in my warm inner pocket, with just a cable to the back. Maybe the digital magazine, or some other adapter?


Lasse
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Lasse Morkhagen

Photomangreg

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MDFB in cold weather
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2006, 08:33:55 pm »

Quote
Tnx for all the replies.
 Just thought Id add an idea I got from my dealer. There is supposedly a way to detatch the battery from the back, so that the  battery can be in my warm inner pocket, with just a cable to the back. Maybe the digital magazine, or some other adapter?
Lasse
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=85103\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

LMO,

The one greaest concern is to go slowly from one temperature to another, the silicone can weaken during extreme climate changes, so don't rush outside from a warm place or rush back inside after shooting.
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