I often use my m6 ttl with flash in very cold weather. Problem is, when batteries freeze, the flash stops working. Aside from replacing the batteries a new "warm" set, is there any way of forcing the flash to fire? Can I use a cheapo flash with synco cable and connect to PC socket on camera? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanking you in advance,

Mario

-- mario dilembo (mario.dilembo@snclavalin.com), December 11, 2001

Answers

I have the same problem with my M6 TTL. The batteries die in cold weather and then the flash mechanism stops working. BAD DESIGN!

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), December 11, 2001.

A year ago I bough an M6ttl to accompany my other cameras. I shot with it outside all last winter and now this winter. I must say that I have not had the same trouble. I shoot with both a pc connected Vivitar 283 and a Metz 32 series with the right SCA adapter...both in sub-zero conditions for 9 to 12 hours at a time and have had no troubles. Most of the time I use the single lithium cells rather than the twin s76's which may account for something...but even the s76's don't seem to suffer provided they are not on their way out. If your batteries die then the flash circuit will shut down, that is to say, when the batteries die even a hotshoe or pc connected manual strobe will not work...unlike the M6 classic. With the M6ttl here is NO way to force the flash to fire with dead batteries...it makes no difference where or how the flash is connected.

So the moral? Use fresh lithiums and you shouldn't have trouble.

I think I answered the second part of your post...yes, you can use a cheapo or not-so-cheapo flash connected to the pc socket and it will work (provided the batteries are not dead). In fact it works really well.

Michael Hintlian

http://www.hintlian.com

-- Michael Hintlian (michael@hintlian.com), December 11, 2001.

Which batteries is each of you referring to? The flash's or the camera's?

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), December 11, 2001.

If you must shoot at -20C for long periods without any chance to warm up, then order a spare battery compment cover and a cold weather battery pack for an F3. Modify the end of the battery pack so that it fits into the M camera's battery compartment and is secured by the M battery cover (very simple to do). Now you have a pair of AAs in your pocket powering your TTL . They should last for a good ten years or so!

A less extreme solution is use layers of clothing and keep the camera under the outer layer. It should be warm enough to keep the batteries working.

People also use to have several sets of batteries in their pockets. As one set gets too cold you put in a warm set and put the cold set into your pocket to warm up. Again multiple battery covers would be handy.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), December 11, 2001.

Lutz...the batteries I refer to are the camera batteries. I use an external battery for the flash (an Underdog or a Jackrabbit) in all weather.

MH

http://www.hintlian.com

-- Michael Hintlian (michael@hintlian.com), December 11, 2001.