Working in cold temperatures

Just noticed that both the KM 7D and the a700 has a operating temperature span of 0-40sC (32-104sF)

I'm not sure but as far as I remember the old non digital ones worked at a lot lower temp.
I also know the Minolta lenses had a special grease to be able to funktion at very low temp. as well.

I know I was out a lot at -20sC for many hours and still could shoot in my early years.

So in practice, what will happend more than that the battery life will fade out quickly? Any risk of damage something like AS/SSS or shutter etc if used when cold.
Not always possible to keep them warm when out far away and they are a bit big to have inside the clothing :)

I have used my KM D7 for hours in minus 20 degrees Celsius many times (colder than in a deep feezer), and my Sony A100 unsheltered for hours in even colder climate, minus 26 degrees. No problems, except short battery life (and that it was almost too cold for the potographer). I don't hesitate to bring my A700 out into really cold weather.

This is a picture from a trip to the arctic destination Longyear-byen in Svalbard last winter. The temperature was minus 26 degrees Celsius, but my A100 did not complaint:

very nive pic indeed...
Besides.. the lower temperature should reduce sensor noise from heat right
Most of the time the grease in the moving parts will become problematic in lower temperatures (there still are some, like a shutter and AF gears in a DSLR) and batteries don't respond well to low temperatures, so keep a spare one underneath your clothing or something. Now where would one put the frozen one?

Michael USA wrote: Oh my....why would you WANT to be in those conditions?!?! Ooooo...too cold for me folks! Nice picture though....

I live in those conditions... at least sometimes but usually later years it isn't many days in a row that it gets down to -20, but -5 - -10 is still quite common...
Some of us here in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Island, northern parts of USA, Canada or other side of the world (South) etc etc... do have even lower temps. for many months... :)

I took my A100 to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and other than weak battery life, it worked like a charm.

A 400D of a fellow climber froze though.

When going outside to take pictures under cold conditions, always bring a plasticbag. Before going inside again put the camera and lens in the bag and seal it as good as possible. When you are back inside let the camera warm up before removing it out of the bag. This will prevent condensation in the camera and lens.

/Mika

Yup, good advice Mika...

Good point bharnois... most LCDs do fade of quickly when getting cold...