Cameras and the cold...

Amp34

Amp34

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I'm going to be going up to Dartmoor (and other cold places) in the next few weeks/months and at this time of year it's ****** cold. I know the camera will be fine but the two problems I can see are

1. Dewing up of the lens
2. Battery life

I'm hoping to take quite a few long exposures so both of the above issues will come to play.

I know for de-dewing a lens you can get some kind of heater for the front element, does anyone have one or could recommend me one? I haven't had this problem before when shooting at night or in the cold but know it can be a problem, what sort of timescales does it occur on (i.e. instant or after a ling time?) I'm a little intrigued as to why the lens dews up in the first place as that would imply the lens was colder than the surrounding air?:shrug:

For the battery problems i'm going to have a spare battery secreted on my person and swap them over when one dies, but is there any way I can keep the battery in the camera warmer?

Are there any other problems I might face that I have overlooked?

Thanks:)
 
might be worth getting the battery grip
so whatever power you've got is doubled (2 batteries)
and keep 2 in a warm (non-moist!!!) place
 
keeping your equipment cool is a sensible place to start for a cold Dartmoor. (edit, not that I've done it) I find its not usually a problem if the temperatures are not too far apart, I.e A cold camera taken out into even colder weather won't be a problem, but cold chilling rain on a room temperature lens will immediately cause condensation.
 
I had problems with dew when taking some star trail photos a few months ago. My experience, along with some helpful advice and suggestions from other forum members, is in this thread.
 
mmcp42 said:
might be worth getting the battery grip
so whatever power you've got is doubled (2 batteries)
and keep 2 in a warm (non-moist!!!) place
Click to expand...

I didn't think of that, thanks. I'll have a look into getting one.:)

Forbiddenbiker said:
keeping your equipment cool is a sensible place to start for a cold Dartmoor. (edit, not that I've done it) I find its not usually a problem if the temperatures are not too far apart, I.e A cold camera taken out into even colder weather won't be a problem, but cold chilling rain on a room temperature lens will immediately cause condensation.
Click to expand...

I did wonder that, as I'm cycling from Plymouth the temperature should equalise quite nicely by the time I actually get there. So this will more than likely stop the dewing up of the lens?
 
Amp34 said:
...as I'm cycling from Plymouth the temperature should equalise quite nicely by the time I actually get there. So this will more than likely stop the dewing up of the lens?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't bank on it. When I shot my star trails, things were fine for over an hour before the lens started dewing up.

As I understand the physics, the issue isn't whether or not the lens is at the same temperature as the air. The issue is whether or not the temperature of the lens is above the dew point. If it falls below the dew point, dew will form. This can normally happen in one of two ways. (1) The air is below the dew point, but the lens is initially warmer. The lens cools, and dew forms when it reaches the dew point. (2) The lens is at the same temperature as the air, but both are cooling as the night wears on. Eventually the temperature drops below the dew point and dew forms.

If you think about it, allowing plenty of time for the lens to equalise its temperature with the air before you start shooting will not protect you from either of these mechanisms. However, keeping the lens warm will protect you.
 
Dartmoor won't be too cold (hopefully). A friend of mine who did a stint with the British Antarctic Survey was advised to take a minimalistic fully manual, film camera. He went out with a second hand OM4Ti and took some wonderfull photos- the only battery being for the lightmeter/shutter. The camera was kept inside the coat to stop the film freezing and shattering!

Anyway- back to Dartmoor- a 12V car battery hair dryer (from camping shops) wafted across the lens now and again will stop dew (assuming you are near a 12V source). Some here on E-bay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12V-12-VOLT-H...ryZ28641QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Batteries- every camera is battery hungry these days and cold is the enemy. Take some fully charged spares- but remember to keep them warm and ready for action in your pocket. Warming up seemingly flat ones will give them some more life too.

EDIT 1- just read you'll be cycling up to Dartmoor- so no 12V car battery then!

EDIT 2- If you're just looking to do star trails with minimal light pollution why not head out to Rame Head and shoot south staright out into the English Channel? No street lights till Jersey 100 miles away! Not only that it's a lot closer. You'll also get 'ship trails':
Eddystone-1.jpg
 
StewartR- Thanks, that actually makes sense now, I have always been a bit confused about the dew point (both for photography and skiing) and that clears it up. :)

laser_jock99- Dartmoor won't be as cold as the Antarctic thats for sure!

laser_jock99 said:
just read you'll be cycling up to Dartmoor- so no 12V car battery then!
Click to expand...

Thats the problem I'm having with all this, it would be nice to take up a car battery and hairdryer but with just essentials my kit weighs in at around 15KG, not nice when you have to lug it 2 hours before you even get to Dartmoor. :D

Rame Head is another area I want to shoot too actually, so it is properly dark there at night then?

Because of the weather today I decided to have a go up on Dartmoor this afternoon/evening, cold (read -2 on my small thermometer) but no cloud. Luckily I didn't have any problems with dew even though the camera was out in the cold for a couple of hours. Battery wise also a bit strange, I didn't have any problems with charge even though it was out in the cold for a couple of hours shooting almost constantly (compare that to the shoot I did on tuesday where it died within half an hour of being out:shrug:). I did keep a spare in my pocket though just in case.

EDIT: Shots are here http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=39821 :)

With regard to dew strips they seem to come in different sizes, I assume the size is the diameter so for an 82mm filter size I would get a 3 or 4 inch sized one? And with regards to powering it is there any small (light) power source I could use?
 
Amp34 said:
Rame Head is another area I want to shoot too actually, so it is properly dark there at night then?
Click to expand...

It's dark enough at Rame Head looking south- the only 'problem' being the Eddystone light some 8 miles off- but you could include include it in your compostition!


Portable power- how about adapting one of those wind up LED torches into your lens warmer?
 
laser_jock99 said:
Anyway- back to Dartmoor- a 12V car battery hair dryer (from camping shops) wafted across the lens now and again will stop dew (assuming you are near a 12V source). Some here on E-bay
Click to expand...

I'll be heading to Sweden/Denmark over december (yes, pretty suicidal I know) so to clarify, all i need is a 12V hairdryer to keep my lens from dewing? is there any other way?

I guess for me spare batteries are out as I only have one and am running on a student budget so I won't be able to buy another any time soon :(

Thanks for the thread though, was very helpful!
 
A dew strip is another option http://www.modernastronomy.com/accessories.html#accDewNot with the added benefit of being smaller (I assume) than the hairdryer.

Spare battery wise you could buy a compatable. I got mine from Kerso (ebay) and it only cost me £10 for twice the power. I normally wouldn't go for compatables but I would wholey recommend one of them. 7dayshop(?) also do a pair of compatables for around a tenner to which quite a few members here recommend.

laser_jock99 said:
Portable power- how about adapting one of those wind up LED torches into your lens warmer?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have thought that they run at anywhere near 12v though. I'll have a look into it but I don't know if it could produce enough power.:thinking:
 
I spent 2 hours in the cold (about 8c with 20 to 30 knots of wind) waiting for two RAF Harriers (photos to be posted later). I shot the first one (>15 frames) and saw my battery flashing on my 40D! Quick battery swap before the second Harrier came into land. Just goes to show you how much they can be drained in the cold. I've also noticed my 40D is harder on batteries than my backup 30D.

As Amp34 says, gets some replica batteries from 7dayshop and keep 2-3 fully charged spares. I don't find they discharge that much in a camera bag but you could always keep them in a trouser pocket.
 
Amp, I've been to Antarctica with my camera gear. And nothing happened to it. Just be sensible and keep it inside your coat/jacket until you want to take a photo. Take it, then stick your cam back into your coat.

For the battery problems i'm going to have a spare battery secreted on my person
Click to expand...

"Secreted on [your] person?"
I hope you can still find it when you need it then.
You know it is illegal to evade import duties, don't you?

Have fun!
 
Kerioak said:
Keeping batteries warm - make yourself a pouch and hang it round your neck under your clothes, this does revive seemingly dead batteries as I found when I was out in the snow last winter.
Click to expand...

Now that's a good idea, thanks.:)

Better than sticking them in your armpit...:suspect:
 
I bought one of these, at the price I thought it was "worth the risk" takes my 400D with a 70-200 f/2.8 lens attached not used it "in anger" yet though. It has a "sleeve at the side to shove your arm up a bit cumbersome but appears functional
 
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