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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> dSLR's and cold weather
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Showing posts 1 - 19 of 19, (reverse)
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 10/27/2005 01:10:09 AM · #1
I was looking at my manual and it said the temp rating for my camera was something like 32 degrees F-104 degrees F. What happens if I use it in the cold now that winter is coming? It stays below 32 most of the winter here. How long is to long out in the cold? Can I not take anymore photos til spring? What will I do with my time then? How will I enter all the challenges if I can't use it? Should I go and buy a cheap P&S to support my addictions? Can anybody help? Do you people use yours in the freezing cold? Do they make little camera coats I can put on it to keep it warm?

10/27/2005 01:18:26 AM · #2
When I had a rebel I took it into about 20-25 deg. F.

The only problen was battery life. The cold really sucks the battery down.

What I ended up doing was keeping the battery in my jacket until I needed it.

I know it's not much below the rating but the camera (and lens) worked perfectly.
 10/27/2005 01:26:40 AM · #3
I routinely take my 10D on my winter hikes/snowshoeing treks here in MI. If you let the batts get cold, they die faster, but the cam has always worked fine, even when my eyelids were frozen shut.

Be careful bringing a cold camera into a warm house after being cold, moisture in the air will condense all over it and can get inside.
10/27/2005 01:37:09 AM · #4
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Be careful bringing a cold camera into a warm house after being cold, moisture in the air will condense all over it and can get inside.


What do you do about that? I guess I mean to ask, How do you prevent the condensation?
 10/27/2005 02:23:48 AM · #5
Originally posted by dsmeth:
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Be careful bringing a cold camera into a warm house after being cold, moisture in the air will condense all over it and can get inside.


What do you do about that? I guess I mean to ask, How do you prevent the condensation?


Before you come into a warm environment with a cold camera either put it in an air tight plastic bag, or just keep it in its camera bag without taking it out for a few hours in order to let it gradually warm up to room temperature.
 10/27/2005 02:31:53 AM · #6
Originally posted by dsmeth:
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Be careful bringing a cold camera into a warm house after being cold, moisture in the air will condense all over it and can get inside.


What do you do about that? I guess I mean to ask, How do you prevent the condensation?


Desiccant also known as silica gel (those white packets you find in electronics boxes that says "Do not Eat") will suck up moisture.
 10/27/2005 03:01:27 AM · #7
Originally posted by dsmeth:
I was looking at my manual and it said the temp rating for my camera was something like 32 degrees F-104 degrees F. What happens if I use it in the cold now that winter is coming? It stays below 32 most of the winter here. How long is to long out in the cold? Can I not take anymore photos til spring? What will I do with my time then? How will I enter all the challenges if I can't use it? Should I go and buy a cheap P&S to support my addictions? Can anybody help? Do you people use yours in the freezing cold? Do they make little camera coats I can put on it to keep it warm?


I have taken my Dreb on numerous occasions in cold weather .
Is -40 F /-40C cold enough?
It works well. When I am not shooting I have the camera hanging from my neck and have my jacket over it.

Battery life is not as much a issue as is frost bite.

Don't worry about it . Just avoid bringing your camera from very hot to cold and vise versa.
I do get a chuckle when I see peeps from warm climates worry so much about the DReb performance in cold weather.
Chimping of course will drain your battery moreso in the cold .



I take a lot of winter shots and I have never suffered from poor battery performance.

Cheers
Tim

Message edited by author 2005-10-27 03:02:16.
 02/05/2006 11:14:07 PM · #8
Has anyone had an experience in the cold where many of your photos seem out of focus? I know I'm not a great photographer, but it seems like TONS of my photos from yesterday afternoon (I was outside several hours shooting) are fuzzy. I am quite disappointed. I am wondering if I could have gotten condensation in my camera (should have read this BEFORE the trip) or something else. Please help.
 02/05/2006 11:19:19 PM · #9
It is possible that extreme cold could alter the relationship of sensor to lens sufficiently to throw focus slightly off as components of different construction contract irregulalrly. I don't have any emprical data to support this, though.

I've shot with my 20D in temperatures in the teens without a problem so far. It's conceivable the Rebel could be more sensitive to this with its larger number of plastic components. I really have no idea, I'm just thinking out loud.

Robt.
 02/05/2006 11:27:35 PM · #10
Originally posted by m--E:
Has anyone had an experience in the cold where many of your photos seem out of focus? I know I'm not a great photographer, but it seems like TONS of my photos from yesterday afternoon (I was outside several hours shooting) are fuzzy. I am quite disappointed. I am wondering if I could have gotten condensation in my camera (should have read this BEFORE the trip) or something else. Please help.


Did you shoot in different areas? Did you get in and out of a warm car in between locations? Did you put a warm lens on a cold camera? Did you put a cold lens on a warm camera? There shouldn't be much issue taking warm equipment into a cold environment (I don't think) but it's bad to take cold equipment into a warm environment. I use 1 gallon ziplock bagies if I'm shooting on a cold day and driving from spot to spot. Take the baggie with you out into the cold. BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE WARM CAR (warm house warm shooting spot whatever) put the camera into the baggie and ziplock it. This will help prevent condensation! When you get to the next cold location, take the camera out of the baggie IN THE COLD! If you don't have baggies big enough for your camera make sure you turn it off and do NOT turn it on untill it is warm to the touch and there is no condensation noticible. You can fry the electronics of the camera if there is enough condensation...
 02/05/2006 11:32:30 PM · #11
I used my 300d IN temps below zero - no problem , just had to let it warm slowly to prevent condensation.
The 20D so far has been out in the teens and has also done fine.

The only cold weather issue I have had was with my Sigma lens - the focusing motor slowed down when it was below zero
 02/05/2006 11:33:04 PM · #12
I've been out when it's been below zero with the wind...and I know Jad Davenport is out in 30 below with his d1x and d100 -- the biggest problem is the batteries...just keep the spares in a pocket so your body heat keeps them warm.
 02/05/2006 11:35:36 PM · #13
Originally posted by m--E:
Has anyone had an experience in the cold where many of your photos seem out of focus?


Sure it wasn't camera shake from shivering?
I know I've messed up on lots of shots that would be easy to handhold for if it was warm.. can't help but shiver when it gets really cold.
Course, it's not really an issue with a tripod, but I usually am in a hurry to get in out of the cold so I don't take my time to get the shots as good as they could be, so they're not.
 02/05/2006 11:37:17 PM · #14
No, I didn't go in and out of a warm car a lot. We were camping, so went out in the cold for about 1.5 hours, warm cabin for 3 hours (lots of condesation there - BAD) back out for 2 hours, back in until the next day.

Great, now I am quite concerned about it. How stupid of me. It still seems to be working OK but I'm going to have to check it out more carefully.
 02/05/2006 11:46:20 PM · #15
I suspect it's just condensation. I got fuzzy shots after taking my camera out of an air-conditioned car into the hot humid air by the coast. When I took the lens off I could see the fog in the rear element. It took quite a while for it to evaporate. I imagine yours just needed time for the fog to clear and now it's fine.

Here's what it looked like, not quite the same as an out-of-focus shot:

Condensation Inside Lens
 02/05/2006 11:49:49 PM · #16
Yeah, several of mine looked that way too! Plus the ones that seemed out of focus. So it just evaporates over time? Should I take off my lens or something to help the process?

Originally posted by viajero:
I suspect it's just condensation. I got fuzzy shots after taking my camera out of an air-conditioned car into the hot humid air by the coast. When I took the lens off I could see the fog in the rear element. It took quite a while for it to evaporate. I imagine yours just needed time for the fog to clear and now it's fine.

Here's what it looked like, not quite the same as an out-of-focus shot:

Condensation Inside Lens

02/05/2006 11:52:30 PM · #17
Originally posted by m--E:
Yeah, several of mine looked that way too! Plus the ones that seemed out of focus. So it just evaporates over time? Should I take off my lens or something to help the process?

Originally posted by viajero:
I suspect it's just condensation. I got fuzzy shots after taking my camera out of an air-conditioned car into the hot humid air by the coast. When I took the lens off I could see the fog in the rear element. It took quite a while for it to evaporate. I imagine yours just needed time for the fog to clear and now it's fine.

niajero is talking about the opposite of what you should be experiencing. He was taking a camera out of a cool environment into a warm muggy one. Yes condinsation will dissipate over time. That's why I emphasize not turning on your camera till it is warm again...

Here's what it looked like, not quite the same as an out-of-focus shot:

Condensation Inside Lens
02/06/2006 12:13:01 AM · #18
I keep a package of pelican desiccant in the bottom of my camera bag, and it seems to help keep the moisture levels down. I got mine on eBay for +-$10USD including shipping. Huge bags of the stuff can also be found in craft stores (it's used for drying flowers). Whenever the indicator on mine turns pink I just set it above a desk lamp for an hour or two until the indicator turns blue again.

Before entrusting my camera to the gel, I sealed the desiccant in a zip-top bag with a water-saturated cotton ball. A few hours later the cotton was dry and the indicator was pink. I'm not entirely sure how much of a practical difference it makes, but for $10 I think that it was a worthwhile investment.
 02/06/2006 12:27:53 AM · #19
Originally posted by metoecus:
I keep a package of pelican desiccant in the bottom of my camera bag, and it seems to help keep the moisture levels down. I got mine on eBay for +-$10USD including shipping. Huge bags of the stuff can also be found in craft stores (it's used for drying flowers). Whenever the indicator on mine turns pink I just set it above a desk lamp for an hour or two until the indicator turns blue again.

Before entrusting my camera to the gel, I sealed the desiccant in a zip-top bag with a water-saturated cotton ball. A few hours later the cotton was dry and the indicator was pink. I'm not entirely sure how much of a practical difference it makes, but for $10 I think that it was a worthwhile investment.


I don't know if that is effective inna camera bag or not. But it can't hurt. Would work great in the baggie as I described before...
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