Minox B in Arctic Use?

First, a thanks to the keepers and contributors of this forum.

 

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Is the Minox B suitable for cold weather use? I am interested in using one on backcountry skiing trips because of their obvious small size and light weight. Also, they do not require battery power as batteries don't do to well in cold weather. Also, can their light meters be repaired for a reasonable amount of money?

David, I use Minox B during cold Canadian winter (wind chill temperature some times reached -30 degree C)

because of the reason you mentioned: it does not depend on battery. At winter out doors, my C sometimes behaved funny, I suspect due to its PX27 battery can not stand cold.

Minox B selenium exposure meter may be repaired, if parts can be cannibalized from other not working cameras.

Check with DAG, Donald Goldberg, and expert on Minox repairs, he may

have parts. For contact info, see "Where to repair Minox" thread.

As for Minox in Artic, I dunno, may be Tony can answer this, Alaska is closer to Artic then Toronto :)

I've used the LX in Fairbanks winters when it was seriously cold

(-50F without wind!) with no problems (not even with the battery), but

I haven't used the earlier models in such cold. Unless the Minox is

left out to freeze, I think they would all work just fine in sub-zero

temps.

A Canadian Mount Everest team used Leica SLR and M6 to doecument the expedition, at final stage, only M6 worked.

North Pole expeditioner Arved Fuchs carried eight Leicas. A British photographer reported using his Leicas at temperature down to -58 degree C.

I've used a Nikon F3 at -40C and more recently a Canon EOS-1n at

-45C in northern Sweden. No problems at all except for battery

life in the EOS. Camera and lenses worked perfectly. Most modern

professional grade cameras and lenses are fine at these temperatures.

I don't think Leicas are anything special in this respect.

Very cold in Southern Ontario to day, -45 C; I took out my Minox C and

took two snap shots of snow scenes. Army move in to help cleaning snow !

Adding to Tony's earlier comment about use in Fairbanks, I have used a IIIs here

during the winter. Best to keep it inside your coat and take it out when you need

it; left out it tends to stiffen up if kept out at below zero temperatures. If it is

warm enough to wear onlined gloves, holding the camera in your fist will keep it

warm enough.

I don't know about the Arctic, but last winter my brother and I

tested a number of cameras we own in very cold weather (-35F; we live

in Minnesota). Canon AE-1 wouldn't work except intermittently; Leica

M6 always functioned; Leica R4 no problem; Contax G1 froze up; Minox

TLX worked perfectly. It may have helped with the Minox to keep it

in an inside jacket pocket, where it was warmed, something you really

can't do except with a Leica rangefinder or Contax G camera (but

didn't help the Contax anyway). Speaking of Contax, it was

interesting that the G1 froze up but my new TVS II worked fine in the

bitter cold.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took Antarctic landscape and wild life pictures with a Minox subminiature camera.