I recalled some problems I had a couple months ago with the camera and thought the experience could help other XL2 users. Covering a parade in June, I was working handheld and it was ~100F outside. Things were going ok until I had to reload tape. I always do a quick record/playback test after loading a tape, and during the playback part I'd get the descriptively lacking "REMOVE CASSETTE" error. I tried another tape, it did the same thing, but throughout the struggle I could still record. So I just recorded without doing my little test, and things worked out ok (I didn't tape for much longer anyway).

Also notable was that we had record humidity that week, so the heat index was pretty jacked up. Sorry I don't have concrete numbers, I just remember it being soggy and hot. I think humidity can mess up the camera faster then temperature. My GL2 had the same problem in a humid cave that wasn't "that hot".
I guess the lesson is that the 104F limit in the book might be lowered a bit in humid environs. And, playback is the first thing to go. My personal rule of thumb is now that if I have physical difficulty handling an environment under all the stress of shooting, the camera will not fare much better.

***Additionally, along with dealing with an overheating camera and almost collapsing from exhaustion, I had to accidentally ruin someone else's nice photo :P
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/jefm/lj%20stuff/dsc_0135.jpg

Additionally, along with dealing with an overheating camera and almost collapsing from exhaustion, I had to accidentally ruin someone else's nice photo.
Quite the contrary, Jeff. Having a videographer in the shot lends an air of importance to the event!

Jay

Oh man. You look like you've had a rough day (and possibly a rought night before) in that picture. I hate hot weather...and I live in Texas!

Good info, though. Especially considering my area of the country.