Coldest DSLR conditions

[Stephen Locke]

my fear; a sweaty sensor

Moisture always scares me more than cold. In fact, in winter I prefer the temps to be real cold because snow, sleet and precip will just bounce off a cold camera. I find myself
actually trying to find ways to keep the camera cold so precip or blowing snow won't hit it then melt and make the camera wet. My biggest concern is summertime with the
vehicle air conditioning that refrigerates the camera then I jump outside into 95% RH to shoot the storm and my camera and lens sweats inside and out like a glass of iced tea.
I actually have to remember to turn on my heater and warm the camera before opening the windows or going outside. Last year I got some funky spots on my sensor and I know
it was from condensation. Nothing freaks me out more than the thought of a sweaty sensor. I paid a pro camera tech to scrub those water spots off my sensor, I was lucky, there weren't
more serious issues. How do you all keep your camera from sweating in the summer? (don't want to highjack your thread Mike).

The LL guys had a field trip to Antarctica and all there camera failures were from moisture; http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/aa-07-worked.shtml

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

How do you all keep your camera from sweating in the summer? (don't want to highjack your thread Mike).

Here is what I did. I beat the living crap out of the condenser coil with hail. It's complete toast, fins as flat as you get. The only open areas are thin strips behind the fender stuff. Second I stop moving, the ac will not work. So yeah, on storms my air won't work lol. Thank god it at least works like perfect while I'm driving. I can say it is very rare I have moisture/condensing problems thanks to that and the car just being hot then. Wish I had that problem though. Also I'll stick my camera in the open bag in the back, which almost always has direct sun on it, though through some tint. Car is black too which helps warm it lol.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

I went through the same thing with the battery life while shooting severe lake effect snow in Michigan in 2008. The air temperature was -5 F with blizzard conditions and 45 MPH+ winds.

I have a digital Rebel (Canon). I squeezed off about 5-10 shots and the camera shut down for battery dead. I loaded another battery (I had 2) and the same thing happened. Both were brand new batteries. I took the battery out, stuck it under my coat / layers in the warmth for a few minutes, and I was good to go (full charge) for another 5-10 shots, then the cold struck the battery again.

Freezing spray / snow also affected the pop-up for the camera flash (I had to lift it manually with my finger / glove tip) and cycle the power on the camera.

 

[John Vandehei]

If you are planning to shoot a lot in the cold weather, you may want to look at batteries from Sterlingtek. They sell batteries that will work in most cameras. They're much cheaper than OEM batteries and often have higher capacities. I remember taking pictures of Elk at the Jackson Hole Elk refuge (they take you into the elk herd on a horse drawn sled) in weather that was in the low teens. I easily shot 30 shots or more during the half hour ride and never had issues with the battery. I also recall taking some pictures downtown in Battle Creek last winter when it was -9F. I shot about 20 shots in a 10 minute period with the camera out on a tripod. Again, no issue with the battery (Sterlingtek again).

 

[Darren Addy]

As long as the rest of your camera operates well in the extreme cold, your biggest problem is the batteries getting cold.

Most DSLRs have a connector for an AC adapter. That AC adapter outputs DC current. On my K200D, for example, it says "DC IN 6.5V". From what I can tell, that is a maximum voltage. (The camera runs with a range of AA power options. I run 1.2V Sanyo Eneloops in mine, which would be 4.8V in series.) My point is that you don't have to connect an A/C adapter to that connection. You could connect an external AA battery pack (and use rechargables in it) also. The benefit is, with long enough cables, you could keep the external battery pack inside your clothes to keep them from running down in the cold... and still power your camera with the AC connector.

You could build one yourself, or find a ready-made one for a similar electronics device. I found one for $20 (shipped). Just make sure to note the polarity of your connector and be sure the external battery pack you are purchasing matches that (and of course has the right style of connector). My camera requires the center post of the connector to be positive. You don't need this terribly often, but if you want to leave your camera set up for shots over an extended period in the winter (for example doing time lapse stuff) it can be very handy to have.

Your other option is to use a fully mechanical film camera, such as a Pentax Spotmatic or K1000, Canon TX, or an Olympus OM-1 (or similar). No battery dependence... no problem!

 

[Robert Edmonds]

I wouldn't be very concerned with the CCD or CMOS getting cold. I'd be more concerned with potential dew, and other parts of you camera not working (battery, shutter, LCD, etc.). Remember, CCDs used in astronomy are cooled with liquid nitrogen. Many regularly warm to room temp, then get cooled back down many times. The cool temps decrease the noise proudced by the camera, and results in better images. I won't be subjecting my camera to any tests, but it doesn't make me worry as much with regards to extreme temperature swings.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

If you are planning to shoot a lot in the cold weather, you may want to look at batteries from Sterlingtek.

Thanks a bunch, John!

I just picked up two BP-511 batteries for a around $30 (for BOTH) including shipping and they work flawlessly with my Canon digital Rebel.

I found the price of $89 in the store a bit "steep" for EACH!

I would seriously consider Sterlingtek for all my battery needs from now on. They are NOT crooks or grey market BS people ... In fact, shipping took only a day!

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Well first outing in the cold with the 5D II and already had a cold issue. Top info bar on the LCD screen got garbled up in a spot. Looked like if you break an LCD screen. Didn't take long for that to happen either, first hour probably and only 15F above. I was like, geee how ironic, already a damn cold issue. I kept shooting anyway, hoping it would not expand. It didn't. Then to my surprise, as it warmed up inside later, it began to clear itself. Strange. I figured no way would it just go away after warming up. I've had 4 digital cams with LCD's before this, in some serious cold and never once had any issue. Not thrilled to see one already with this one.

On the bright side, the batteries that run that camera are beasts. Camera was out in the cold the whole time from about 5:30 to 10:30 with a good bit of use on longer shutter night shots. It only just ticked down to 50% as the night ended. But yeah, not liking the lcd scare at only 15F.

 

[Stephen Locke]

Mike my enthusiasm for this camera is now being tempered by certain realizations. While the camera is my dream come true I think it is also so damn revolutionary that we have opened pandoras box only to begin a new era of technological change and rapid obsolesce. The fusion of still and video changes EVERYTHING. While this machine is near perfect for digital stills the big changes will be with the video capability. I can see Canon spoon-feeding a new "improvement" every year or so. I think the 5D II will soon be thought of as a dinosaur prototype as this fusion thing evolves. My biggest fear is my collection of prime glass will become obsolete as they will surely be coming out with lenses that are better for video. (power zoom, focus, image stabilization etc.) While I'm optimistic about the possibilities I'm also thinking this camera starts a new revolution regarding equipment. They will make it behave and handle like a real video camera. This is on my mind because I've already got a hundred thousand dollars worth of paperweights lying around. (I know a guy who sunk his beloved Hasselblad body to the bottom of an aquarium to make an artificial reef. Funny to watch fish swimming through it). I'm looking at my 3yr old 1D pro cameras wondering if I'll ever use them again. If they don't shoot video they just became antiques.

 

[Darren Addy]

I know a guy who sunk his beloved Hasselblad body to the bottom of an aquarium to make an artificial reef.

With all due respect... your friend is a moron.

 

[Stephen Locke]

Darren, I've got 3 RB bodies, 2 RZ bodies, all the lenses, a dozen backs, A Deardorff 5X7 View Camera, and sundry other paperweights. Interested?Wanna buy 'em? (Sorry, I already gave my Beseler 4x5 and Zone VI enlargers away . . . ) There isn't an aquarium big enough to make a reef out of all this.

 

[Darren Addy]

Darren, I've got 3 RB bodies, 2 RZ bodies, all the lenses, a dozen backs, A Deardorff 5X7 View Camera, and sundry other paperweights. Interested?Wanna buy 'em? (Sorry, I already gave my Beseler 4x5 and Zone VI enlargers away . . . ) There isn't an aquarium big enough to make a reef out of all this.

Please don't tempt me. I've now got my enlargers (Beseler 23CII dichro & 45MCXL). Really don't want to have to look for a 5x7 enlarger.

 

[Greg Campbell]

Darren, I've got 3 RB bodies, 2 RZ bodies, all the lenses, a dozen backs, A Deardorff 5X7 View Camera, and sundry other paperweights. Interested?Wanna buy 'em? (Sorry, I already gave my Beseler 4x5 and Zone VI enlargers away . . . ) There isn't an aquarium big enough to make a reef out of all this.

If it's all such laughable crap, why not give it away? I wouldn't mind the Deardorff. Shooting it with a 6x17 back would make me a happy camper. How much $ to ship it to Aridzona?

 

[Chris Allington]

Just a quick update for those that were talking about battery issues in the cold. Last night my cam well surpassed my expectations. Near 0 temps with fog and haze, got 370 30-second exposures on one charge on a Canon T1i. If your getting 8-10 shots a charge in the cold... you definately need new batteries.

EDIT: I did get very concerned about moisture, as when I finished the star trail image I was shooting the camera was completely frost covered except for the LCD. The lens, focus ring, everything else was covered in extremely thick frost.

 

[mark humpage]

I've used my Olympus E3 system in arctic on numerous occasions with no probs. Last shoot reached -36C (-32.8F). I would expect this mind to be honest in a camera designed for extreme.