Camera Gear - cold / condensation

[flatfoot]

I'm looking for tips on keeping my camera running on Everest Circuit mid-winter. I'm told by a friend and world expeditions to expect as low as -20 to -30 at higher altitudes.

I've got myself a Canon 650D DSLR. In addition to general photos, I'm intending to take some stary sky and short timelapse shots so condensation could be a real issue.

I've found cameraduck.com via google. Has anyone used this or is able to refer me to other good products?

Any general tips on handling/looking after camera gear in extreme cold.

These are my current thoughts:
- take 4 batteries (keep them warm, e.g. on person during the day, wrapt and/or in sleeping bag at night
- use convertible mittens (I used a set of these a couple of weekends back, although Wolgan Valley winter is nothing like the Cho La Pass in winter)
- use a cover like camera duck

Suggestions?

[wildernesswanderer]

Wow where to start.

You have to be careful with the camera to start with, The plastic will go brittle if your in the cold to long and things like battery doors or card doors can snap off in the cold. Condensation in the camera can effect the sensor and I have seen sensors with mould growing on them. One of the thing you need to do is watch sudden temperature changes, like being in freezing cold and then going back to a tent or somewhere much warmer and pulling the camera out. Usually if going from very cold to warm you would put your camera into a ziplock bag and just leave it in it's case for a few hours so the camera gradually warms back up.

Batteries are a major hassle. You will get the best cold-weather performance from non-rechargeable batteries. If you’re going the rechargeable route, you can expect to get the best cold-weather performance from lithium-ion batteries, followed by NiCad, followed by NiMH batteries. You need to keep batteries in your jacket as close to you as possible, no matter how charged they are if they get cold they die. An alternative approach to maintaining a constant flow of juice to your camera, when shooting in colder climes, is to power your camera with an AntonBauer ElipZ 10K Battery Kit. This keeps the battery on you and a cord goes to the camera to power it.

Do not use cheap memory cards, pro cards are rated to -30 or so. I use Lexar Professional 1000x cards, but it's a personal thing with cards. I had a couple of Sandisks fail me and swapped over and I've never has a Pro Lexar cards do the same.

You will need a tripod and if you use aluminum be very careful in cold temperatures or you will never get you hand off it again. Use leg warmers if possible or better yet use Carbon Fibre. Of the same for lens barrels if they are metal, you can get neoprene lens coats for lenses to stop the barrels getting freezing cold also.

I also would recommend a Pelican case to store your camera gear in and have it full of silicon gel to help rid moisture in the case.

Hope that helps a bit

[flatfoot]

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like you have a lot of experience in cold weather.

I'll use gloves with my tripod. There is one leg that has a foam cover but I'll still need to be careful.

My camera is a Canon 650D, so the battery kit you mention may not be an option (it's a crop-sensor).

The cards I have ordered are Sandisk extreme SD cards. These are operating temperature down to -32c and storage down to -40c. I'll be taking 10 x 32gb cards so that I have enough storage space for timelapses.

Note that daytime temps will be around 0 - 5 degrees I think. The more extreme temps will be at night. It's going to be a challenging time as I've never experienced temps that cold.

I've read good reviews of the cameraduck. Apparently the heat packs take 30 mins to build heat but stay warm for a few hours.

[radson]

Cameras with lithium batteries are generally surprisingly resilient to cold weather. I like to keep a spare lithium battery close to my body in sub -10 temps. Get a elastic lens cap adaptor to attach your lens cap back to your barrel otherwise it will be finicky with gloves on. Its better to keep the camera at the temperature at which you want to shoot. Putting a camera from cold to warm temps almost guarantees condensation if you then whip it out again. Autofocus will often hunt more in cold weather especially if contrast is poor, so watch out for that.


A brutally cold morning last year in the Haromosh Valley.