My D90 doesn't like the cold?

meddyliol

Senior Member
I have a AF-S Nikkor 18-55 1:3.5 - 5.6G ED lens attached to my D90. Went out this morning to take some pics of the snow, sun and fog. The camera refused to work. It worked when I put the lens to manual focus but not auto. I noticed that in the viewfinder AE-L comes up. I put my nifty fifty on and the same thing happened. That suggests that the camera is at fault (or one of the settings if wrong). I reset the camera several times to no avail. Any help would be appreciated. I tried it again this morning (in Scotland) the temperature was -5 degrees, the camera would not work. Brought it back indoors and it worked. What's going on?

Thanks

Brian :confused:
 

J-see

Senior Member
AE-L is the auto-exposure lock. You might have accidentally pushed the button. Push it again to unlock and things might work again.

It happens to me when wearing gloves.
 
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Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I've done shots at -20˚ C with my D90. It might be the battery that doesn't last long outside. I used to keep the camera inside my coat until I wanted to take the shot OR keep the battery in my pant's pocket and put it in just before shooting. I also have a lens that gets lazy when cold. My Tamron 28-200 will always overexpose out in the cold. I found out that it's the diaphragm that gets slow and doesn't have time to get to the marked opening before the shutter opens. When used at full aperture, no problem. Some of these things have to be figured out in such cold climates. It was -22°C this morning outside. But my hands can freeze long before my camera.
 

meddyliol

Senior Member
The battery is probably a few years old now but it's showing full charge (and the spare one). They are 'proper' Nikon ones. What do you think about third party ones?
 
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J-see

Senior Member
The battery is probably a few years old now but it's showing full charge (and the spare one). They are 'proper' Nikon ones. What do you think about third party ones?

I'm using 3th party since some years and they all work as well as the original ones.
 

Kevin H

Senior Member
Of course, you know that Nikon's minimum temperature specification for the D90 is 32ºF, right ???

Yea if that was the case nobody in CANADA can use the camera from November to March I've been out in -40 BTW its the same in F or C at that temp :D Ill be out tomorrow as I was today in -30C
 
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