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11/03/2004 08:26:52 PM · #1 |
I've read a few warnings in my owner's manual about condensation that could built in the camera (lens & memory cards)like not exposing the camera to differant temperatures too fast... Any other precautions or tips for shooting in really cold weather? I live in Quebec and winters up here are pretty fridgin' cold. Anything I should know before shooting some snow?
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11/03/2004 08:30:08 PM · #2 |
| Always good to keep some desiccant packs that you get when buying electronics and put them in a plastic bag with your camera. You know those little with packs that say "Do Not Eat". They are used to absorb moisture from condensation. |
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11/03/2004 09:13:54 PM · #3 |
| You should never go to a zoo on a cold day and decide to shoot in the very hot and humid jungle that they may have. I learnt the hard way about that one :( |
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11/03/2004 09:16:35 PM · #4 |
if you go from cold to hot you get problems. if you need to go between the 2, keep your camera in the bag. It will slowly warm up that way.
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11/03/2004 09:21:10 PM · #5 |
| Most electronics actually work better cold, you will get less noise. As stated the problem is condensation. |
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11/04/2004 01:53:23 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by RebAl:
Most electronics actually work better cold, you will get less noise. As stated the problem is condensation. |
My manual says to keep the camera warm or the batteries will deplete quickly. Is that with all cameras, or juet mine?
David
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11/04/2004 01:56:41 AM · #7 |
all rechargeable batteries will discharge more power at higher temps. You get them to hot and they will discharge all at once and ... EXPLODE! About 150º F is the max before you should let rechargeables cool off. In my D1 Mark II bag I keep a Chemical hand warmer that gets up to about 110ºF in my battery compartment. If the temp drops to 50 or below I crack the warmer bag. Now, CCDs hate heat. The more heat the more noise in the image. On cold nights, I have a heat pack strapped to my lens to fight off due, a heat pack on my next batt, and a ice pack on a heat sync i built for the CCD. I use the same setup for sports photography.
Message edited by author 2004-11-04 02:01:36. |
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11/04/2004 01:57:04 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by Britannica:
Originally posted by RebAl:
Most electronics actually work better cold, you will get less noise. As stated the problem is condensation. |
My manual says to keep the camera warm or the batteries will deplete quickly. Is that with all cameras, or juet mine?
David |
That's any battery. Keep any spare batteries warm as well. Those electrons get very tired very quickly when cold so the battery loses it's charge more quickly.
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11/04/2004 04:07:22 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Originally posted by Britannica:
Originally posted by RebAl:
Most electronics actually work better cold, you will get less noise. As stated the problem is condensation. |
My manual says to keep the camera warm or the batteries will deplete quickly. Is that with all cameras, or juet mine?
David |
That's any battery. Keep any spare batteries warm as well. Those electrons get very tired very quickly when cold so the battery loses it's charge more quickly. |
hehe. Tired electrons, eh?
I think more accurately, the battery's energy supply doesn't deplete quicker, but the cold reduces the output of the battery. If you warm the battery up again, you'll get more power out of it, until it gets cold again. |
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11/04/2004 04:11:42 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by skylen:
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Originally posted by Britannica:
Originally posted by RebAl:
Most electronics actually work better cold, you will get less noise. As stated the problem is condensation. |
My manual says to keep the camera warm or the batteries will deplete quickly. Is that with all cameras, or juet mine?
David |
That's any battery. Keep any spare batteries warm as well. Those electrons get very tired very quickly when cold so the battery loses it's charge more quickly. |
hehe. Tired electrons, eh?
I think more accurately, the battery's energy supply doesn't deplete quicker, but the cold reduces the output of the battery. If you warm the battery up again, you'll get more power out of it, until it gets cold again. |
Not entirely inaccurate -- the electrons would have less energy when cool, and having less energy sound like a good definition for 'tired' to me. :D
Thanks for the answers.
David
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11/04/2004 10:18:02 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by ajschmidt:
all rechargeable batteries will discharge more power at higher temps. You get them to hot and they will discharge all at once and ... EXPLODE! About 150º F is the max before you should let rechargeables cool off. In my D1 Mark II bag I keep a Chemical hand warmer that gets up to about 110ºF in my battery compartment. If the temp drops to 50 or below I crack the warmer bag. Now, CCDs hate heat. The more heat the more noise in the image. On cold nights, I have a heat pack strapped to my lens to fight off due, a heat pack on my next batt, and a ice pack on a heat sync i built for the CCD. I use the same setup for sports photography. |
Wow! What kind of conditions do you normally shoot under? |
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11/04/2004 01:13:48 PM · #12 |
One gallon ziplock bags are the bomb! Make sure you have enough of them for camera and all lenses. When coming in from out doors put camera and lenses in bags first. Leave 'em in the bag for an hour or so when ya get home and ya won't have probs. Also a good idea to put camera in bag when getting into warm car also! If you forget? Don't turn on camera until it gets up to room temp!!!
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11/04/2004 01:59:42 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by ajschmidt:
If the temp drops to 50 or below I crack the warmer bag. |
BELOW 50? that is still shorts weather in these parts! You need heat on the battery that low. I am doing some shingle replacement right now, shorts-Tshirt, lets see 41 degrees it says. I have been out shooting in the same temps (today after I left the camera in the truck on accident) and didn't have any noticeable problems/effects.
I am aware that batteries slow and noise decreases, but at what temperature do you think this happens? When you are firing your camera, the batery does start producing heat also (I haven't shot enough in one session to have to replace my battery-thing goes forever!). I wouldn't imagine enough to bring it to prime operation temperature though.
Where do you notice the decrease at? |
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11/04/2004 03:21:25 PM · #14 |
| The reason batteries fail to work is because cold temps will slow the chemical reaction in the batt cells causing a drop in voltage, once this drops below the devices threshold it will no longer work. All electronics work better when they are cold for the simple fact that everything has resistance and creates heat. In fact at absolute 0 you get a superconductor that has no resistance and is 100% efficent. Chips love to be cold. |
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11/04/2004 03:21:29 PM · #15 |
a trick for the batteeries-
most cams. have a DC port for a house voltage reception (i'm not sure why) but they do, so what you can do is look on ebay and at the local electronices store (for ppl. in the states radio shack) and try and find an adptor that only holds batteries w/a long enough cord to go from where you hold ur cam. into you inside jacket pocket. this keeps them worm and dry and you don't have to worry about the cold draining them.
i got this tip from an astrophotographer and so you might try some places like the "sky and telescope"mags. hardware section. i'll get a pic. of mine on here so you can see one.
Message edited by author 2004-11-04 15:29:50.
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