Using the camera in the winter

[ImRaptor]

Originally Posted by Jim_T

(-41C is 41.8 below F) .. (The windchill of -54C is the same as a windchill of 65 below F).

And in our neck of the woods a -40 day in winter is by no means an odd occurrence.

Originally Posted by ct1co2

Are you referring to the temp in terms of F or C? I'm assuming C if you are in Canada.

NH can get mighty cold in the winter. I've been skiing in the Mt Washington Valley and over towards Sunday River Maine when the thermometor has struggled to reach 0F (-17C) during the middle of the day.

Towards Jim_T and myself, -17C can be a mid day high in fall, let alone winter. -17 in winter is a really nice day.

[scas]

are we talking about moving a camera or tropical fish-jez

[hughes_57]

Yes mines colder than yours LOL

[ct1co2]

Originally Posted by ImRaptor

Towards Jim_T and myself, -17C can be a mid day high in fall, let alone winter. -17 in winter is a really nice day.

Thanks for clarifying. Don't get me wrong, not challenging how cold it can get where you are. I'm a bit of a weather nut, and I sometimes pull up the surface observations in Canada just for fun. Helps me feel warm on the days here in CO in winter.

[fdexclpl]

Originally Posted by ImRaptor

And in our neck of the woods a -40 day in winter is by no means an odd occurrence.



Towards Jim_T and myself, -17C can be a mid day high in fall, let alone winter. -17 in winter is a really nice day.

It looks like you're about 600 miles further north of where I am. I wouldn't expect it to be to warm!

[ImRaptor]

My end point was that where you are isn't cold enough to bother the camera.

[fdexclpl]

Originally Posted by ImRaptor

My end point was that where you are isn't cold enough to bother the camera.

Thanks for your input.

[lungdoc]

Originally Posted by ImRaptor

My end point was that where you are isn't cold enough to bother the camera.

Maybe not from a "so cold camera isn't working" viewpoint, but from a condensation viewpoint once you're below freezing and camera is significantly colder than indoor air you can and will get condensation.

I didn't think this was supposed to turn into a weather equivalent of a "mine is bigger than yours" argument . In defence of the lovely state of New Hampshire in that regard however I will point out that the highest windspeed ever recorded (231 mph!!) was recoreded on Mount Washington, I imagine there was a bit of wind chill!

[fdexclpl]

Originally Posted by lungdoc

Maybe not from a "so cold camera isn't working" viewpoint, but from a condensation viewpoint once you're below freezing and camera is significantly colder than indoor air you can and will get condensation.

I didn't think this was supposed to turn into a weather equivalent of a "mine is bigger than yours" argument . In defence of the lovely state of New Hampshire in that regard however I will point out that the highest windspeed ever recorded (231 mph!!) was recoreded on Mount Washington, I imagine there was a bit of wind chill!

I think I'm going to try the plastic bag when going from cold to warm. It can't hurt.

[Jethro790]

Originally Posted by ImRaptor

Just a different interpretation of cold. NH's coldest day in the last 10 years was warmer than a majority of our winter.

Anyway, I snowmobile all winter long with a DSLR in a Lowepro chest harness. It spent an entire week outside where the daytime highs never got above -10F. The cameras have always performed fine. I never put it in a bag when I come into a warm spot, I just leave it in my top load zoom case until the whole camera and bag warm up to room temp.

[fdexclpl]

Originally Posted by Jethro790

Anyway, I snowmobile all winter long with a DSLR in a Lowepro chest harness. It spent an entire week outside where the daytime highs never got above -10F. The cameras have always performed fine. I never put it in a bag when I come into a warm spot, I just leave it in my top load zoom case until the whole camera and bag warm up to room temp.

Nice to hear from a local!

[ToddR]

Does operating a lens in a very cold environment put any undue burden on the focus servo inside the lens due to stiffer lubricants, etc.?

[KenG]

Camera, lens mechanism etc. will all function without any problem in cold weather. Of course battery life will shorten.

I have never used a plastic bag or similar, but do leave the camera in my bag for a good 20 minutes when returning inside. Bag is usually a Lowepro Vertex, so it is well sealed.

My biggest issue is more about freezing fingers. I've used the neoprene gloves hand warmers etc. etc. But finally went back to large mitts and exposing my hands for shorter durations.

Maybe battery heated mitts, next...

[Mark II]

No worries mate....
http://www.canon5dtips.com/2009/10/a...canon-5dmrkii/

[ImRaptor]

Originally Posted by KenG

Camera, lens mechanism etc. will all function without any problem in cold weather. Of course battery life will shorten.

I have never used a plastic bag or similar, but do leave the camera in my bag for a good 20 minutes when returning inside. Bag is usually a Lowepro Vertex, so it is well sealed.

My biggest issue is more about freezing fingers. I've used the neoprene gloves hand warmers etc. etc. But finally went back to large mitts and exposing my hands for shorter durations.

Maybe battery heated mitts, next...

That's exactly what I do, except I have a Kata bag instead.

For gloves I have some leather wrangler mitts. They're just a mitt with a thin but very durable leather and a thin insulated glove on the inside. Not the warmest gloves, but I can spend a day out with them and not freeze my fingers off. I like them because I can feel the buttons through the leather and can shoot without taking them off.