Digital cameras in the cold

[JasonMX]

I am going to be taking a lot of winter shots with my Canon Digital Rebel and am worried about taking into the cold. I know laptops, with lcd screens and electronic parts, are not supposed to be left in the freezing cold and wonder if the same thing applies to these.

So can I take my camera out for 30-45 min without a problem? What is the best way to shield the lens from snow too?

[Steven M. Anthony]

You are right--freezing temps are not good for electronics. One big issue is that cold temps is that batteries don't work well. I would think issues with the DReb, being plastic, would also include contraction and increased brittleness.

Now, I'm in Minnesota--so freezing cold to me can mean -20 F (without the wind chill factor)...

[CoolToolGuy]

While cold may be an issue - but I don't think normal, habitable temperatures are - you should not consider taking room-temperature gear out and immediately using it. Condensation could occur and corrupt your images. And if it occurs on interior elements of a lens you may be left with water spots that cannot be removed without disassembly. That would be an extreme case, but something to consider. Let your equipment acclimate itself to the environment before you use it.

Have Fun,

[JasonMX]

Would it be better to leave the camera in a heated car and just jump out and take short spurts of pictures?

[robertwgross]

Leaving a camera battery very cold for a long time decreases its power right then. If you try to leave the whole camera warm and then rush it out into the cold, the temperature change shock is not really good for electronics or for optics.

If I had my camera stored at room temperature, and then I wanted to use it in 0 degrees F for a period, I would take it to some intermediate place at temperature +30 or so and leave it there to adjust before I take it on out into the cold. Further, you can keep the battery in your warm pocket until the last minute before shooting. When I shoot out in the cold, I have a minimum of two batteries with me. One is in the camera and one is in a warm pocket, and they get exchanged at least once per hour.

---Bob Gross---

[Pekka]

Cameras are normally certified for 0-40 Celcius. I have shot in -25C with G1.

As said, temperature changes hurt cameras, not temperatures. When you move from cold to warm and vice versa, let the camera adjust to the temperature (i.e get warm or colder, not air temperature :)) before you power it on. Keep it in bag, as they are not airtight. This is especially important when going from cold to warm as else you get water condensation inside the camera which may fry the electronics as soon as you power on. If you suspect condensation DO NOT POWER ON the camera. Even with Mark II's weather sealing condensation can do harm (been there).

I would not use any tight enclosures to cover the camera when out - just wipe it out of water or snow and keep it in bag when it gets too cold.

Other side effects of cold are LCD color problems (I remember when G1's LCD turned blue at -20C) and reduced battery life.

[MilesG]

just make sure you have a decent stock up of batteries as the cold zapps them!

[MichaelE]

I shoot with both the DReb and a D10 and even from last winter I never really found a problem. When the wind whips up and wind chills become a factor I normally tuck the camera under my coat. Sometimes I'll take it out of the normal LowePro TLZ-1 (http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Toploading/classic/Topload_Zoom_1.aspx) I use and sling it around my neck and carry it that way.

I've yet to take it on an extended (over an hour) outside excursion but if I did then I'd probably use a backpack and then I'd place the camera and the batteries closest to the rear of the pack so that it's as close to the body as possible. Thatway any residual heat from the body can help keep it somewhat warmer.

As the others have opined, it's the batteries and not so much the gear that takes a whacking from the cold... Although I can't honestly say that I've felt any 'brutally' cold weather down here yet... At least not compared to the weather I was used to in Calgary... :wink:

[chris.bailey]

I tend not to take the SLR's in the cold as you get a lot of problems with condensation. I am taking the kids to Lapland in a couple of weeks time (-30 expected) and I have bought a warming pocket. They contain a gel and you can either put them in the microwave or drop them into hot water. They retain heat for ages and my S50 fits a treat.

[Claire]

I've read about condensation and that one should be careful with the temperature changes. The last couple of weeks the temperature was down to -6/-12 Celsius in Gothenburg. I have a small tamrac bag to keep my camera and normally I keep that bag in my small backpack when out. Did it this time too.

Mainly I just kept taking the camera out for bursts of 10mins or so, then putting it back into the tamrac. Pretty much like normal. The most I had it out for was probably 30-45mins. Didn't notice anything different with the battery.

Steven, you're in Minnesota? Cool, I'm going there in April. :) How much is -20F in Celsius?

Chris, Lappland, eh? Brrrr! Can't understand how people can live up there! :p

/Claire

[JasonMX]

After reading all of these, I am taking my backup camera out in the cold. (Fuji FinePix 3800 6x opt zoom point and shoot, 3.2mpx). I am not risking my Rebel.

:)

[jads]

I'm gonna be in Iceland mid Feb with my 300d, so I'll have to take heed of all this advice. I had read previously that the batteries take a hit in hot\cold conditions....

I figure by that time, it should at least be in the early single digits - you can only hope.

[MichaelE]

I'm gonna be in Iceland mid Feb with my 300d, so I'll have to take heed of all this advice. I had read previously that the batteries take a hit in hot\cold conditions....

I figure by that time, it should at least be in the early single digits - you can only hope.

Yeesh... From Melbourne to Iceland... Talk about a temperature shift.... My Aunts from NSW never visit here unless it's summer... :lol:

[DocFrankenstein]

When you bring your camera out of a warm place in a cold place, the condensation can occur on the inside elements of the lens. Because there was warm air in there, and warm air holds more moisture than the cold one. The condensed moisture can then even freeze on the inside elements. Not good.

The only way to completely get rid of it, would be to put the cam in a bag with Silica gel... so that the air is warm, but completely dry...

When you bring in the camera from outside in... In other words - from cold to hot... the camera is cold and the moisture will condensate on the outside of the camera. Just like a cold coke gets condensation on it.

Just place the bag into a ziplock bag and let it slowly come to the room temperature.

Cheers.

[jads]

When you bring your camera out of a warm place in a cold place, the condensation can occur on the inside elements of the lens. Because there was warm air in there, and warm air holds more moisture than the cold one. The condensed moisture can then even freeze on the inside elements. Not good.

The only way to completely get rid of it, would be to put the cam in a bag with Silica gel... so that the air is warm, but completely dry...

When you bring in the camera from outside in... In other words - from cold to hot... the camera is cold and the moisture will condensate on the outside of the camera. Just like a cold coke gets condensation on it.

Just place the bag into a ziplock bag and let it slowly come to the room temperature.

Doc, I reckon being from Toronto, you'd know a lot about cold weather!

just to clarify, do you mean place your camera bag inside another bag? I've got the silica part covered... down here we've got the other problem right now: 35c somedays and not a breath of wind....phew!

Cheers

[DocFrankenstein]

DOH...

No. What I meant is that the camera should not be directly exposed to the air. If it's in a decent bag like a Lowepro, it's ok... leave it there.

If not... or it you want it to get to room temp faster, put it into a ziplock bag.

[MichaelE]

DOH...

No. What I meant is that the camera should not be directly exposed to the air. If it's in a decent bag like a Lowepro, it's ok... leave it there.

If not... or it you want it to get to room temp faster, put it into a ziplock bag.

Ok, so for instance:

You go out to shoot in cold conditions (let's say -10 to -15 deg C) for roughly about an hour. This means that you and your gadget bag are exposed to this ambient temperature for atleast that long.

You then come indoors and have a need to shoot some photos right away. If you know this in advance, based on your advice, one should place the equipment that was exposed to the cold temperatures into a ziplock bag prior to coming indoors and then allow it to 'heat up' while inside the bag.

The rationale being the humidity in the warm air will be greater that in the cold air :?: so when the equipment goes from cold to warm the condensation will occur on the surfaces transitioning from cold to warm (ie. the cold can of soda example). Makes sense. Would putting a slicia gel packet inside the ziplock bag also be useful or would the amount of time not be long enough for any noticeable effect?

I normally keep a few large ziplock freezer bags in my camera bag incase I get into 'very wet' conditions.

Great advice! :D

[Bruce Watson]

I use my 10D and 300D in the winter all the time and since I live in Ottawa which I read somewhere is the second coldest world capital next to Moscow, YES you can use your DSLR in the cold.

Some great advice has already been covered by other posters, most important is to keep in mind that batteries don't like cold, so always keep an extra in a warm pocket.

At -30 (C or F, doesn't matter at that point), they can appear flat in minutes, but once warmed up, they still have charge.

The other important tip mentioned is to use a plastic bag or some other form of sealed container to bring your camera in and out of extreme temperatures.

This will save a lot of condensation; although I have never had a failure because of it, it is a pain and probably not good for the camera and lens.

The Luminous Landscape Video Journal a few issues back had a great segment on cold weather shooting in Yellowstone Park along with general winter outdoor tips.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Polar Bob]

When you bring your camera out of a warm place in a cold place, the condensation can occur on the inside elements of the lens. Because there was warm air in there, and warm air holds more moisture than the cold one. The condensed moisture can then even freeze on the inside elements. Not good.

The only way to completely get rid of it, would be to put the cam in a bag with Silica gel... so that the air is warm, but completely dry...

When you bring in the camera from outside in... In other words - from cold to hot... the camera is cold and the moisture will condensate on the outside of the camera. Just like a cold coke gets condensation on it.

Just place the bag into a ziplock bag and let it slowly come to the room temperature.

Cheers.

The ziplock bag works because it limits the amount of air the camera physically comes into contact with, and consequently the amount of moisture. So one more thing you can do, which is probably obvious, is to squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can before you close it.
The silica gel is a great idea, and one I hadn't tried before. (I will now).

[robertwgross]

I go cross country skiing with my digital camera. If I am in some really bad place on snow, then I keep the camera in its padded holster inside a backpack. However, if I am in some nice place with good scenes, then I'll have the camera on the normal neck strap. I'll hang it outside my insulating layers, but inside my outer shell garment. That way, it stays roughly at a constant cool temperature, yet it is not subjected to lots of wet snow or rain.

No problem.

---Bob Gross---

[stoneylonesome]

Steven, you're in Minnesota? Cool, I'm going there in April. :) How much is -20F in Celsius?

Chris, Lappland, eh? Brrrr! Can't understand how people can live up there! :p

/Claire

Check this site: About -29 degree Celsius
http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm

http://www.onlineconversion.com/

[D4VE]

Just as a quick note, the operating temps of electrical equipement such as cameras should be in the manual aswell. :)