Cold & Cameras

eyeball kid

Hi All,
Quick question..Is it ok to use a D70s in conditions of up to -20 degees Celsius or even lower? Going on a trip soon and am wondering if its safe to bring it.

Thanks...

Fajitas!

It'll sap the battery, that's for sure.

It depends on where you're going - If there's plenty of moisture in the air, your lens will fog up going from inside to outside, if not, there's nothing to worry about. Just bring spare batteries.

rymus

what he said.. I used a 30D in -40 celcius a couple of years ago and while it worked ok, the menu's didnt seem to work as fast and the battery did seem to drain quicker. But it worked!

Alun

I used my D70s in those temperatures (average -10 to -20) and even colder (down to -36 one night!!!) with no ill effects. The main problem you'll have is with condensation if you bring it indoors, and that condensation freezing if you take it outdoors again too quickly before it's cleared.

I tried using a suggestion I'd found online of putting the camera in a ziploc bag before bringing it inside and to let it acclimatize before opening, but that just didn't work satisfactorily, at least not within a reasonable time frame.

My ultimate solution was actually to leave the camera outside in it's case but inside the porch (to take a bit of the edge off the cold) of the mountain huts we were staying in, but in this case the only things outside were a few teams of huskies and maybe a moose or a wolverine or two, so nobody to potentially steal it

Where are you off to?

Covey

When not shooting keep inside a coat and use your body warmth to keep it warm.

Xiney

When I lived in Montreal, the camera stayed in my coat unless I was shooting right that minute.

rymus

Must be a Quebec thing then.. I did that too in Montreal & Quebec city.. I bet those fecking Ontarians have some method they think is better... Damn those smug Ontarians

Xiney

If I could thank you 1000 times for slagging Ontarians I would..

rymus

psh.. think nothing of it. Damn them all... *shakes fist menacingly at Ontario*

gino85

Alun wrote: »

I tried using a suggestion I'd found online of putting the camera in a ziploc bag before bringing it inside and to let it acclimatize before opening, but that just didn't work satisfactorily, at least not within a reasonable time frame.

My ultimate solution was actually to leave the camera outside in it's case but inside the porch (to take a bit of the edge off the cold) of the mountain huts we were staying in, but in this case the only things outside were a few teams of huskies and maybe a moose or a wolverine or two, so nobody to potentially steal it

Where are you off to?

i think some people use the silica gel bags with them aswell to help absorb the moisture

Alun

gino85 wrote: »

i think some people use the silica gel bags with them as well to help absorb the moisture

Did that as well ... didn't work. Well, when I say it didn't work, it might have done if I'd left it in there long enough, but even after leaving it in the bag for an hour or two the camera still misted up when I took it out. It was very humid in the huts though .. hot sweaty bodies, lots of wet clothing hung up over the stove to dry and cooking going on as well, so that certainly wouldn't have helped.

Covey

Also, when camera not in use, take battery out and keep in your glove. Prolongs the life considerably.

Valentia

Sam Javanrouh on "Daily Dose of Imagery" gave a bit of advice on this the other day. He has been posting a lot of stuff shot in very cold conditions lately. The post is here.

Valentia

Alun wrote: »

hot sweaty bodies, lots of wet clothing hung up over the stove to dry

Sounds like you had the time of your life

Alun

Valentia wrote: »

Sounds like you had the time of your life

... it involved 36 husky dogs as well

Valentia

Alun wrote: »

... it involved 36 husky dogs as well

Hush! :eek:

rymus

Valentia wrote: »

Hush! :eek:

Duuuuuude, I think I'm gonna be sick!

Covey

Valentia wrote: »

Hush! :eek:

Puppies :eek:

Thirdfox

I brought my D40 into northern China in winter (ice sculpture festival/world skiing championships etc.) -18 - -25 degrees... and I had it hanging by the strap most of the time too. Not a problem, and just get a blower to blow snow off as sit doesn't melt until you take it inside.

When you take it inside - leave it in your bag and let it acclimatise by itself.

And as for shots - I still managed to get around 400 shots per charge.

Valentia

rymus wrote: »

Duuuuuude, I think I'm gonna be sick!

Ah! No. That was a quote (I think) from Jack London's book "Call of the Wild" which I read when a nipper. Long long ago........

eyeball kid

Thanks for all the replies. Going to Northern Finland so air should be pretty dry.
Just wanted to be sure that the cold wouldn't damage my baby!
Hopefully will get a picture of the northern lights:)

Borderfox

Dont be suprised if the lcd freezes and keep your batteries in your pocket but other than that ok

eas

Xiney wrote: »

If I could thank you 1000 times for slagging Ontarians I would..

lads, there's enough American bashing these days without bringing it to boards.

Xiney

You're right, Ontario's similarities to the States is why I despise the place.

Thirdfox

eas wrote: »

lads, there's enough American bashing these days without bringing it to boards.

...ironic insult to Ontarians (Canadians)?


Oh and what about film? I heard that at a certain temperature the film can physically shatter...

Burnt

Thirdfox wrote: »

Oh and what about film? I heard that at a certain temperature the film can physically shatter...

Film does indeed shatter, they used to remove the lubricants in older mechanical cameras as it would freeze solid

Mycroft H

Burnt wrote: »

Film does indeed shatter, they used to remove the lubricants in older mechanical cameras as it would freeze solid

Except the fm2 - apparently the canadian goverment use thiers in the high artic.....

Fionn

i had opposite but similar probs in Singapore with very high humidity fogging up the lens at times!
but yeah the cold will make a battery very sluggish ok

eas

Thirdfox wrote: »

...ironic insult to Ontarians (Canadians)?

yes, I guess. Although I'm not sure if they see it as an insult.

I think the area of any country with the largest city always gets slagged by the rest of the country for being big headed etc.