How hot is too hot for a DSLR (1 Viewer)

[KC Foggin]

Okay, we're having a massive heat wave down here in the south the last few days.

103 degrees in the shade where my camera is set up on a tripod. Am I taking too much of a chance leaving it on the back deck under a canopy in this kind of heat?

 

[iveljay]

For the Olympus E-3 the Operating environment is published as:

Temperature : 0°C - 40°C (32°F - 104°F) (operation)/ -20°C - 60°C (-4°F - 140°F) (storage)
Humidity : 30 - 90% (operation)/10 - 90% (storage)

I assume slrs are fairly similar which means that the 103 deg is getting a bit marginal - have you looked in the specs section of your manual to confirm?

 

[KC Foggin]

Well, it would look as though I am on the borderline with the temps this week. Thanks very much for that iveljay :t:

 

[njlarsen]

You might do worse if you bring it from AC to environs and back all the time, that might lead to a lot of condensation on the cold surfaces when it comes out.

Niels

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi Niels

I keep the camera in a camera bag in a closet when not in use so there isn't a big shock in temperatures for just that reason.

 

[Hanno]

I am guessing (hoping) that the camera manufactures factor in a safety margin. I have birded in pretty hot places and can only imagine what temperatures are reached when the sun beats down on the black camera body; surely a lot hotter than the 40 Celsius you have?

 

[iveljay]

Hanno,
I expect you are right, however, unlike film where the storage and operating temperatures at the high end seemed much the same; the electronics of a digital slr, including the sensor, in particular generates a fair amount of heat when in use, which is dissipated into the metal frame.
This possibly can't happen if it is to hot, anyway it sounds like the temperature is probably OK in this instance - maybe safer than risking dropping it while carrying it in and out?
The other thing is that I know that several of my cameras have an overheat sensor which flashes an icon if the camera is unhappy with its internal temperature this is not always clear in the instructions.
To be honest I have only suffered the opposite problem - with mechanical shutters freezing (probably the lubricant).

J

 

[Jos Stratford]

Temperature : 0°C - 40°C (32°F - 104°F) (operation)

My cameras get used day in, day out throughout the winter when temperatures drop to minus 30 C, sometimes go a little sluggish (as do my figures), but return to normal when warmed (as do my fingers as well). At the other end, my camers have regularly been used in extremes higher than the permitted levels, up to 45-50 C in various parts of the Middle East and Africa. Again, never had any problem.

If you want to use it, use it. But I guess you're screwed if something warps or goes haywire from the heat, the guarantee woon't cover it.

 

[JPAC]

Nikon used to say "if you can stand it, so can your camera". However - If you move the camera from a chilled air conditioned place (the footwell of a car), out into the open (the Everglades), condensation may be a problem. Mine worked fine at 122F in Arizona btw.

 

[Jaff]

I'd say it's the lens you may have to be slightly more concerned about in hot conditions but could be mistaken. The biggest problem with rapid changes between extremes I believe is because of possible expanding and contracting problems with critical parts. You are supposed to always warm up a cold camera gradually and vice versa with a hot one.

 

[KC Foggin]

Thanks one and all. Looks like I'm doing what I should do so I won't worry about it. Too much anyway

 

[tjsimonsen]

I would imagine that hot and humid could be worse than hot and dry (but it may be bacause I feel that way ). Anyways, I too have used various digital cameras in hot high summer in FL, MS, AK, LA, CA, AZ, NV, TX, UT and Alberta (which can get surprisingly hot), and in the deepest Canadian winter without any problem. I've actually had more problems in the film days in that respect.

Thomas

 

[Dave Williams]

I have found the biggest problem of heat is that the rubber grip comes away from the camera body as the glue melts. You only have to be in temperatures of around 35 degrees for that to start happening. Both my Nikon D200 and 300s have suffered and had to be repaired.
cheers Dave

 

[Zackiedawg]

No problems for me so far, living in Florida and traveling through the tropics of Central & South America and the Caribbean frequently...100 degrees is the norm, humidity at or near 100% at times. I've shot in the desert in California when it was 120 (but it was a dry heat)...no issues to date with camera functioning.

About the only thing you'll typically notice is that sensors will stay hotter than normal, and heat on a sensor means more noise in the photo - so you often find that you can even get some noise down to ISO100, and get noisier results at high ISOs, then you would in normal temperatures. And if you try shooting video, you could see sensor overheat warnings sooner.