Too cold?

[Gregster113]

Hello,

I am new to the forum and just recently got my Zeiss Ikon and love it 🙂

But on a really cold winter day in the snow the camera displayed somethings that I did not quite understand. Both numbers on top and bottom (2000 and 1) were blinking and another exposure time too. The one the camera supposedly choose was constant. I could shoot, but am not sure if the pics will turn out well, film not yet developed.

I have absolutely now clue what this means. Nor did the manual give me any idea. Did you ever experience something similar? Was it too cold for the electronics? i was out for hours walking in the snow. The camera is now just working fine again, and also as soon as i stuck it under my jacket, so probably it was really the cold.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Lund]

Don't know for sure about the Ikon. But I do know the bessa cameras display the exact same behavior in cold weather. The cold is hard on the batteries so the camera simply tells you to get fresh ones.

 

[joeswe]

In the Bessa R2A/R3A this behavior simply is the low battery signal. As the overall design and readout of the light meter in the ZM is very similar, I assume that it has the same meaning in the ZM. It is normal that battery voltage drops in cold weather, the voltage will return when the battery gets warmer again.
The camera will be dead without batteries, so always take a spare pair of batteries with you. I also recommend to use the better silver oxide cells (SR44) instead of the cheaper alkaline cells (LR44).

 

[andy_v]

Yes, ZI is not a camera for really cold weather.

 

[adeir]

In the Bessa R2A/R3A this behavior simply is the low battery signal. As the overall design and readout of the light meter in the ZM is very similar, I assume that it has the same meaning in the ZM. It is normal that battery voltage drops in cold weather, the voltage will return when the battery gets warmer again.
The camera will be dead without batteries, so always take a spare pair of batteries with you. I also recommend to use the better silver oxide cells (SR44) instead of the cheaper alkaline cells (LR44).

Yup, means the batteries are low.