Microdrives and Cold

[Ricardo]

Have any of you IBM Microdrive users had problems using them in cold weather? I want to use my G1 in cold/freezing weather and am trying to decide whether or not to buy a new CF card or a microdrive.

[Pekka]

I have had no problems with Microdrives in -10 degrees - but then again I never let the camera freeze _too_ much (keep it on all the time and shooting every minute or so).

Couple of things:
It's good to have a wellbuilt bag which keeps the temperature over zero. Electronic devices don't like freezing. When I shoot first time out, after that I leave the bag open just a little bit so that the warmth of the bag does not condensate water over the camera. In other words, after you have the camera out, keep it "chilled", but not frozen. Then when you return indoors, leave the bag alone for 20 minutes so the temperature balances.

There is a Microdrive data sheet PDF file at here (http://www-3.ibm.com/storage/hdd/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/F532791CA062C38F87256AC00060DD49) - it says zero is the limit when in operation.

Pekka

[vandevyver]

I have an IBM microdrive (340)
and never had any problems when used on ski-trips.

I just wonder about the lifetime since it is a mechanical device.

The number of pictures it stores is great !

Luc

[Ricardo]

Well I guess I've answered my own question now. I broke down and bought a 1 gig microdrive. I had it out Sunday morning for a couple hours trying to get pictures of the Leonids. The temperature was in the -10 deg C range and I had no problems at all.

Happy happy happy!