cameras in cold weather.

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Hello.

Im going to lapland in december where its quite cold between -12 and -40 (i think) I want to take my camera with me, will it work properly? im sure it says min operating temperature 0 degrees in the destructions. Do I need to do anything? do I need to buy anything?

Jim.
 
Helps top know the camera, keep the battery in a pocket until needed, take spare battery, take a SPARE camera, pref FILM, manual like an OM1 Olympus for £60.
 
Keep batteries warm, equalize the internal and external temperatures gradually so you don't get condensation when coming back in from the cold. If the temps do drop to the figures you posted try keep the camera covered at all times when you're not using it.
 
Put your camera in a sealed plastic bag before you take it into the warm then any condensation will be on the outside of the bag, -12 C and below the air is very dry.
 
Thanks for the advice, I'm sure if my camera does break father Christmas will replace it since he's on hand ;)
 
What about trying to stop the lens from getting smeared up from the cold for long exposures?
 
I think it should be ok with grip - I used it with canon 1D mkiii + 70-200 f2.8L. hotshot flash could be a problem though. Although can use the viewfinder window to pass through the flash, but still the battery life is not going to hold in severely cold weather.
 
:cool:
squarepeas said:
I think it should be ok with grip - I used it with canon 1D mkiii + 70-200 f2.8L. hotshot flash could be a problem though. Although can use the viewfinder window to pass through the flash, but still the battery life is not going to hold in severely cold weather.
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I did try this sort of thing, BUT and a big but, the kit I am trying now to cover for winter is

setup-1.jpg


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At the moment I am using clingfilm on all but the "flash window", ANY other suggestions would be appreciated.

By the way people still wrongly believe that they need a Nikon flash for Nikon and Canon for Canon etc, I know of two people who use static setups in the studio and neither have anything other than camera specific, when shooting "manual" as I do it doesn't matter what make you have, when shooting wireless it does NOT matter the make of flash. This can be good in situations where someone wants to get into wildlife on a limited budget, you can get a 300D for example and three really "cheep ;)" guns and have a basic setup like this for under £300.

Left to right Metz Canon dedicated, Metz hammerhead can be dedicated to anything, Sunpak a superb new gun but Nikon on my Canon setup.
 
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JSER said:
:cool:


setup-1.jpg
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An eye opener!
Are you shooting snowboarding on this? I would image it does a fab job to overpower the Sun or snow. You can try sacrifice a fleece to wrap around the camera. Not sure about the flashes though, maybe as long as you can keep the battery boxes warm?
 
Hi,

I took the family to Lapland last year over Xmas. I took a Canon S3 bridge as I hadn't bought a DLSR then.

Some tips:

Average daytime temperature was about -15 and there are only about 4 hours of daylight (and it's weak daylight). The inside temperatures were around +25 - which is somewhat warmer than brits are used to (hotels/shops). Can be quite uncomfortable at times. However the temp difference didn't seem to bother my camera. I had no problems with condensation or misting. I kept the camera inside a snowsuit when outside next to my body to keep it warm until I needed it. Battery life didn't seem a problem. Might be difficult to keep a big camera inside a suit though?

If you go for a sleigh ride/husky ride/snowmobile you will go into the fields and it can be noticably colder there (like -30) and with the wind it feels even colder. I was still able to use my camera with no ill effects. Even when it was snowing it wasn't too bad as the snow is quite dry not big wet flakes.

Think about light. It will be gloomy with snow on the floor. Can make for interesting colours. I wish I'd had a better camera when I was there to take advantage.

Lastly, it is easy to slip and fall over so make sure your equipment is protected.

Oh and enjoy it. Its brilliant. :thumbs:
 
paulminus273 said:
Put your camera in a sealed plastic bag before you take it into the warm then any condensation will be on the outside of the bag, -12 C and below the air is very dry.
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That's weird i took my camera to Harbin north east China -25 very cold never had a to put it in a plastic bag before going inside;)
 
squarepeas said:
An eye opener!
Are you shooting snowboarding on this? I would image it does a fab job to overpower the Sun or snow. You can try sacrifice a fleece to wrap around the camera. Not sure about the flashes though, maybe as long as you can keep the battery boxes warm?
Click to expand...


The reason for the setup is obvious, with three guns set to 1/8th power, you have constant flash available, no downtime for recharge, and able to shoot at a constant 7 frames per second, at twenty feet, 400 asa, f8 one gun could not recharge fast enough.

Handwarmers and a small wrap covering the batteries does that, my only concern is wet, as in snow etc, which was bad last year.
 
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CanonEOS said:
That's weird i took my camera to Harbin north east China -25 very cold never had a to put it in a plastic bag before going inside;)
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He's not saying it will kill it instantly, but anything to reduce moisture is a good thing.
 
jimmyriddle said:
He's not saying it will kill it instantly, but anything to reduce moisture is a good thing.
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Indeed. Generally taking a cold camera into a warm area is going to cause moisture. Whatever you can do to slow the process of warming the camera (sealed bag with cool air which will slowly equalise when indoors) will be a good thing.

Going back to the op, we used our 20d and 1d outdoors last winter when it was -7c or thereabouts. Suspiciously close after that one of the aperture mechs in one of the lenses started playing up.
 
also don't forget if its windy the temperature will be even lower with the windchill factor.
only had the 50D down to about -15 but had film cameras to -65 with windchill and no major problems with lens or camera if you take care.
 
I took my 5D II,7D and lenses to Sweden in February for the WRC,and the temperature got to around -34 at one point and mine had no problems.

I did take advice from others and leave my bag slightly unzipped to allow some breathing though,so maybe that helped?
 
this looks like a bargain someone has got. found it on the bay 280743356583
 
James Thomas 75 said:
I took my 5D II,7D and lenses to Sweden in February for the WRC,and the temperature got to around -34 at one point and mine had no problems.

I did take advice from others and leave my bag slightly unzipped to allow some breathing though,so maybe that helped?
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What does amaze me is that no matter how much people take, I have yet to hear anyone carry Silica gell as I do.

Five large packs, in my Lowepro backpack OR one in each CCS case and lens case.
 
JSER said:
What does amaze me is that no matter how much people take, I have yet to hear anyone carry Silica gell as I do.

Five large packs, in my Lowepro backpack OR one in each CCS case and lens case.
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Great idea and so simple! I'll get some silica gel packs to take skiing this January. Can't wait to try out the panorama setting on the A33 in the Alps :)
 
xanaduflipper said:
Great idea and so simple! I'll get some silica gel packs to take skiing this January. Can't wait to try out the panorama setting on the A33 in the Alps :)
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I use them, but change them as often as you can, it helps if your wife/girlfirend is always buying new shoes! Shoeboxes always seem to have them.
 
JSER said:
What does amaze me is that no matter how much people take, I have yet to hear anyone carry Silica gell as I do.

Five large packs, in my Lowepro backpack OR one in each CCS case and lens case.
Click to expand...

Had plenty of that in there too,just forgot to mention it.:)
 
FREE ADVICE

The bags can split being paperlike.

As an am astronomer too, we all buy (or if you have a partner) ask for stockings, tights, cut the leg off and put bag inside and tie shut, keeps the dust inside or stops damage to items if the bag splits.
 
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