Batteries in Freezing Temps (1 Viewer)

How do Canon IS binoculars hold up in freezing temperatures?

I read at least 1 comment that the IS function did not perform below freezing. But that could have been a function of an old or only partially charged battery and not the electronics.

Hi Oscar56,

Energizer lithium AAs are good at minus 10C, maybe minus 20C.
However, some Canon IS models advise against using lithium batteries, so consult the instruction book.

Eneloop white and maybe black AAs should be O.K. at minus 10c, maybe colder.

I don't know how cold the electronics work at.

Usually fresh batteries helps.

Russian binos work at minus 40, and Leica binos usually at minus 30C, colder when winterised.

The Mounties use old Nikon FM2s at minus 40C.
My Minolta SRT 303b was good at minus 35C, although the Kodak film broke hopelessly. Konica film was fine.
My winterised Austin 1800 car was also fine below minus 30C although a fisheye converter in the back cracked as the metal cell contracted.

Happy New Year.

B.

Canon IS binoculars should work well in freezing temperatures, but like Binastro says, not all batteries do equally well.

My current 10x42 L IS, however, does not like temperatures below zero celsius, but I consider it a unit-specific flaw. I have previously owned a 15x50 which stabilised fine down to about - 20 C, and another 10x42 L IS which also worked perfectly down to about that. Colder temps I don't recall having used the binoculars in.

The current one is weird in that the vertical IS keeps working down to as cold as I've tried them, but at around +-0 C, the horizontal stabilisation begins to catch and make snapping sounds, and then will stop stabilising altogether. I took it in for warranty repair, but the repairman claimed unable to replicate any problems despite keeping the binocular in a freezer for some time, and I couldn't be bothered to argue with him about it since demonstrating a problem that does not manifest itself under most normal operating conditions is challenging. The tech blamed my problems on weak or faulty batteries.

This unit of mine is the only Canon I know of that does not operate reliably in cold weather. None of the other Canon users I know have told of similar issues. But I thought I'd bring this up as at least a one-time possibility.

Kimmo

The operation time of batteries is drastically reduced at say minus 10C.
So one may only get 10 minutes use before the power is insufficient for the stabilizer.
The Canon IS instruction books, I think, have listed times.

I think that the stabilized Fujinons used in helicopters take a power supply through a lead. Possibly 28 volts?
I suppose a battery pack could be under one's jacket with a lead to the Canon IS binocular, but I don't know if anyone has done this.

Incidentally, the large joint outside here exploded underground from the high voltage underground cable. We had a power cut for a couple of hours, and it took two weeks to almost finish the work. They worked on Sunday, but the pavement is still no go.

I have had eyepieces freeze to my eyebrows and watering eyes create a frozen fog.
Also I think my breath caused freezing, so I wrapped my scarf around my mouth.
I doubt that bird watchers experience this much, but I did observe astro objects at minus 25C and colder, sometimes for fairly long periods.