Bessa R - snowboarding?

[mistat0m]

I was wondering, how do you think the bessa would hold up while snowboarding? Is it possible for the rangefinder to be knocked out of alignment from any kind of falls? Also, I've heard that film can get brittle in cold conditions, has anyone ever experienced this?

Also it's going to be green, blue, and blue/black slopes, but it won't be until this upcoming Christmas since my bessa is coming in tomorrow, the day I get back from Colorado. Just anticipating for the next time.

 

[FrankS]

I've taken many different RF cameras skiing. Last time, I got wiped out from behind by some punk kid on a snowboard while I had my Leica M2 on a strap over a shoulder and underneath my coat. (I fell on top of him to teach him a lesson.) Wear your camera under your coat to keep it from freezing and to protect it against out of control snowboarders.

 

[chug]

I cant really comment about this since I live where it dosnt snow 😛 But I would have thought it would be a bad idea to take a camera where you know you will be falling and stuff? You just never know what might happen 🙂

 

[FrankS]

You could fall anywhere. Be fearless with your camera.

 

[chug]

This is true.. but its so new and shiny! 😉

 

[mistat0m]

I think when skiing/snowboarding, you get some of the most spectacular views if you're a tourist (me) and don't know the surrounding area too well to drive there. I've done it before with a D70, but it's kind of chunky and makes everything feel kind of awkward.

 

[FrankS]

"...its so new and shiny!"

You'd better do something about that. One should use one's camera as a tool to create pictures, not as un object d'fetish. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (a la Jerry Seinfeld)

 

[chug]

This is true. But I do like to look after my tools 😉 but I must admit.. the amount of greasy stuff that comes off of my nose onto the camera makes it less and less shiny.. 😛

 

[sockeyed]

I'm going snowboarding tomorrow (Whitewater, in Nelson, BC), but I'm going to take my digicam and my Olympus Stylus Epic instead of my Bessa. I don't think that it's worth risking my Bessa, and the Epic takes great pictures.

 

[einolu]

Now if you had a contax/kiev you could use the camera with one hand and take pictures AS your snowboarding... wait thats just me justifying me buy a kiev 4...

take it but be careful...

 

[dasani]

the amount of greasy stuff that comes off of my nose onto the camera makes it less and less shiny.. 😛

Same with my black Bessa R...😛 Even some of the painting on the tip near the viewfinder was gone because of that reason. Anyhow, I get used to this. It still looks shiny like new from a distance 😉



Well, back to the topic. My little Bessa R has been working perseveringly over last winter (its officially spring, eh?) in frozen Ontario. The body was Ok, as well as the films. They didn't let me down in some most formidable cold as low as -20 degree celsius. So couldn't expect more than this. I have to admit, it ate up my batteries like a piece of cake, though.

 

[daveozzz]

What I'd be worried about - and admittedly probably only because I'm a rubbish snowboarder - is not the camera itself but the camera taking out a few ribs when I face plant on it! youch.
As far as the film goes I was using my Olympus XA in Val D'Isere in down to -20 also and didn't have any problems with it or the film - any problem was with me freezing up rather than the camera equipment.

 

[dostacos]

I would agree with the other poster to keep the camera under your jacket. another suggestion is to get a neoprene cover like a DOMKE wrap to add additional insulation AND padding.

Back in the day I skied with a little canon rangfinder, and watch out for those snowboarders hehehed