My first winter - what do I need to know?

[kaitlyn2004]

This will be my first winter with an SLR! I'm sort of worried because it seems so much more exposed than a P&S, what with the detachable lenses...

So, what can you tell me about taking your SLR+lenses out in the cold?

Of the things I've heard...
- Battery will be much shorter
- Seal it in a plastic bag when u bring it inside (true?)
- What about shooting IN the snow, and snowflakes falling on the camera, etc?

What else do I need to know/be aware of? I have T1i and I do not believe it, or any of my lenses are "weather sealed".

[DStanic]

Don't worry too much, this stuff is built tougher then P&S cameras. Bringing it indoors from the dry cold can leave condensation on the lens (and possibly inside the lens, but more then likely not). I would just leave the gear in your bag warm up for half an hour after bringing it indoors and it should be fine.

[PhotosGuy]

can anyone give advice on how to take pictures with a 30D out in the snow? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=445626)

[shomat]

- Seal it in a plastic bag when u bring it inside (true?)

True. When you move between temperature extremes such as going from out in the cold to a warm building, or say you're at the zoo and you walk into the "rainforest building" where the heat and humidity is turned all the way up, your lenses will fog up like the window of a car.

[DreDaze]

try not to do this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=8528716&postcount=36

[DStanic]

try not to do this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=8528716&postcount=36

ha! That takes away any worries of me taking my 30D outdoors! :lol:

[Martin Dixon]

try not to do this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=8528716&postcount=36
It really should not have, but for some reason I found the pic very funny. Sorry!

[Martin Dixon]

True. When you move between temperature extremes such as going from out in the cold to a warm building, or say you're at the zoo and you walk into the "rainforest building" where the heat and humidity is turned all the way up, your lenses will fog up like the window of a car.
Apparently in Denmark (unlike Kew) they have something like a hand direr at the entrance to some public greenhouses so you can heat up your glasses (and camera I guess) to avoid condensation. You could use a hair drier to similar effect when returning home?

[neilwood32]

try not to do this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=8528716&postcount=36

That goes to show how well built Dslrs actually are. And yet we still baby them.:D

I have to say i wouldnt go out of my way to do that to a camera but so long as they are treated with a bit of respect, they will cope with most things.

[rral22]

Take extra batteries, keep the spare warm in your inside pocket and switch them when appropriate.

Let the camera get cold and leave it cold until you are completely finished the shooting. Do not try to keep it warm under your coat or whatever. The worst problems will occur if you are constantly warming and cooling it. When you are done, put it inside a plastic bag and then bring it inside to warm up without exposing it to condensation.

You will find it a lot harder to keep yourself functioning in real cold than the camera. The trick for me is gloves. You need to keep hands warm, but be able to work the controls too. I actually use (in real cold) curling gloves inside mitts. I remove the mitts whenever I need to, and the gloves provide good control but keep my hands from actually touching the cold camera.

[DreDaze]

It really should not have, but for some reason I found the pic very funny. Sorry!


don't say sorry to me...i find it hilarious myself..i know it's sick:twisted:

anyways it's not mine, it's the member KenjiS...if it was mine, i think i'd have a heart attack

[birdfromboat]

the guys that have to deal with extremely nasty humidity and condensation problems get a pelican case and load it full of silica gel. If the gel is all wet and there is no fire or sunny day to dry it, they use dry white rice. Put the cold/wet/already soaked and in danger of failure gear in the box with the gel and all will be well by morning.
seriously, if you are worried about it, put the gear in the bag when you come in from the cold, I think the instructions for this are in the manual that came with the camera. If thats not enough to make you feal better, do the dry box thing. About all you can do beyond that is buy the 1 series cameras and the weatherproof lenses. Or get an underwater P+S.

[tintinb]

A lot will depend on the outside temperature range that you will be taking photos, and also how long you (your camera) are going to be outside. I have used mine (xxD) series often between minus 5 to 10 degreeC, for about 1 to 2 hours at one go and a few times for a short while in minus 15 to 20 C.

#1
keep yourself (and your hands) warm enough to hold your gear securely, and operate the controls quickly. You won't like your gear end up as shown in one of the photos a few posts above mine.

There are some gloves in sporting goods outlets - which let you expose the thumb and index finger (and may be other fingers) separately. Try to get one slightly larger that you can use with another pair of thin lining gloves. Check before you buy that they are comfortable - specially when you curl your fingers (not just when they are stretched out).

This will let you operate the tiny controls of your small camera much quicker. Changing gloves repeatedly, or, operating with the gloves fully on is not that easy. On top, if you drop any small accesory (like filter, or remote control) in deep snow on the ground - you won't even know before long!
You could also get Mitts, but they are not as effective as gloves when you want to work your camera frequently.

#2
Keep spare batteries in a warm pocket (or close to your body). The number of shots you get, get decreased quite a bit.

#3
When bringing in gear from outside, put it in one or preferably two plastic bag/s while you are still outside. The simple grocery bags - if they are good quality will do, in fact much easier to put gear in, expel the air, and close it quickly than a small ziploc bag. Make sure to reduce the amount of air in the bag. Put it in your camera bag. .... After bringing it inside - try not to open the bags within first hour or so, and avoid operating the camera too soon. ... The condensation on the inside circuitry of camera may cause short circuit. Unless the lenses are too ordinary - condensation on the inside elements should not be too big an issue.

#4
If it is too cold outside - sometimes you may notice a slight dimness of your LCD readouts. I usually stop/reduce operating the camera when it is that cold.
Avoid breathing on your camera, lenses, or viewfinder. If you are not careful - you might make your viewfinder foggy. Sometimes difficult to remove without wiping it off.

#5
If it is snowing heavily - you most probably won't be taking photos - as all you will get is a photo of the snowfall itself (which can sometimes look very pretty with proper usage of flash/exposure). For the occasional snow flakes, I won't worry too much unless it is wet snow. Just clean it with your soft gloves.

#6
Get some insulating covers for the top leg-sections if your tripod is a metal one. You can get some pipe insulation in hardware store - a cheap and effective way.

#7
Have a good pair of snow boots to keep your feet warm. You may feel it colder and unpleasant if you need to stand longer than usual while on a photo outing specially in the woods/wilderness.

Hope that helps.

Tintin

This will be my first winter with an SLR! I'm sort of worried because it seems so much more exposed than a P&S, what with the detachable lenses...

So, what can you tell me about taking your SLR+lenses out in the cold?

Of the things I've heard...
- Battery will be much shorter
- Seal it in a plastic bag when u bring it inside (true?)
- What about shooting IN the snow, and snowflakes falling on the camera, etc?

What else do I need to know/be aware of? I have T1i and I do not believe it, or any of my lenses are "weather sealed".

[-OutofFocus-]

I HAVEN'T shot out doors in the winter but I guess getting out of a heated car into cold air would also require the same precautionS....so a zip baggy would be on at all times when transferring into warm to cold and vice versa.

I noticed if I have my eye glasses on outdoors and I take them off to inspect them they get fogged up just from my breath. I wonder if a cold camera against a face and hot breath for long periods divided over many outtings would do anything to non-weather protected gear?