Compact Flash Memory Card Performance In Cold Weather

Hello,

 

How does compact flash memory card perform in cold weather? I'm especially

interested in those professional CF cards? I'm from Texas so I have not much

experienced really cold weather conditions to test my compact flash card - that

is whether they will stop working or not. Because in most CF card

manufactorer's website, they describe their CF card will only work above 0ﾺC

(32ﾺF), except the Sandisk Extreme III which will work above -25ﾺC (-12ﾺF).

 

I've written a letter to Lexar ask about their professional 133x card's

performance below 0ﾺC, they told me that the card will simply stop work. I'm

wondering if it's ture or they are been conservative about it. So those of you

nature photographers who works without a sandisk extreme iii in cold weather,

I'm wondering if your compact flash card will keep working or will the card

simply stop work.

 

I noticed that the SD card surprisingly performs better in cold weather than CF

card just from specifications from manufactorer's website, they will withstand

cold quite well.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

Li

What would happen in the (ant)arctic or Siberia on a cold winter day (-80F, say), if you transferred your images in the warmth of your hut/house and started the day with an empty camera memory, ready to be filled with a couple of hundred pics?

 

Would you run out of camera memory that quickly to even worry. Your LCD would go blank, no doubt very soon after being out "there", but who really cares, as long as the battery lasts and the camera does not ice over. I would just go for it and review later by the fire of the hearth. Toes be damned!

 

Or is this workflow too hard to keep up with in extreme climates ? Just wondering as to the why of your question? Can you explain a bit.

 

Is your question just academic, so to speak?

I use kingston pro cards, lexar pro cards, and sandisk extreem II's and i live in northern montana and shoot in glacier park, and alberta. I never have had a single cold weather problem with any of my cards. I shoot all the time when it's much below 32 degrees. I even shoot at at sub zero in the winter, and much to my surprise, never have I had any write errors with ANY three brands!

 

that's my experence. My batteries die before my cards do. . .

We've got a camera club full of people who complain about all sorts of things here, but I've never heard one of them complain about the cards stopping working in cold weather. One of our members spends a lot of time in the bush where it gets scary cold, and she's never said anything about the card taking a dive.

 

We're in Alaska, by the way.

I spent five days photographing eagles here in southeast Alaska last winter, sleeping in my car or in a tent. Both the camera and I only briefly experienced temperatures above freezing during the entire time. Lowest it got was about -15�F. For all the discomfort I encountered, I had absolutely no issues with the compact flash card.

I spent a week in Yellowstone this Feb. with temps as low as -40F and usually in the -15f range when working. I use Sandisk Ultra II CF cards and had no problems.

Thank you all for your kind response, reason I asked this question is because I want to check to see if the manufacturers are been honest about their specifications listed on their website, since I never had a chance to test them myself in cold weather, you guys input would help me greatly in future if I ever going to purchase a new card.

 

Thank you much.

 

Li