 Margaret m. Buenneke |
Cameras and cold weather usage I am going to Montana the first week of March. What steps do I need to take to keep my camera usable? Temperatures are reputed to be near zero... (we're not talking about what will keep me from freezing, just the camera equipment). Brrrrr. A near frozen (at the thought) southerner. Many thanks in advance, Margaret
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Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Margaret: Since it appears you'll likely be shooting digital rather than film, a couple of thoughts come to mind. First, batteries are sensitive to cold. Keep spares in your inside pocket and warm in case your camera batts go kaputsky. Also, get your lenses cleaned, lubed and adjusted if needed before you go, so that their actions are smooth and they're properly lubricated. When you go from extreme cold temps to indoors, it helps to put your camera and lenses in a sealed zip lock bag and keep them sealed until they reach room temp. That way condensation will happen on the outside of the bag rather than on or inside the camera or lens. No preventive stuff to do going from warm to cold. Don't store your equipment in a cold vehicle because that can cause lubricants to dry before their time. Also, if equipment gets wet, just dry it with soft cloths. Hair dryers dry lubricants. If you're working in blowing snow, having a soft brush to kind of dust off the camera before putting it into the baggie is helpful to keep the snow from melting on your equipment. And I guess if your lenses, filters, etc. get a little damp or wet with snow, just dry them off when it's practical. Don't store lenses with filters on them. Lenses need to breathe. Condensation droplets might accumulate and get into the lens barrel which in turn could grow mold, mildew or fungus (among us ;>) Essentially, if you're comfortable your equipment should be fine. Most gear will handle cold weather better than most of the photographers carrying it. Most importantly, never EVER put your tongue on a cold pump handle. ;>)
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Margaret m. Buenneke |
Thanks, Mark, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be putting my tongue on a cold pump handle. That seems like more of a "guy" thing. Please tell me it wasn't learned the hard way! Thanks for the good advice! Margaret
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W. |
What Mark says. And if it's not going to be freezing, you won't need winter gear. A good sweater and a lined windbreaker will suffice.
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Margaret m. Buenneke |
Is there a kind of glove or mitten that would keep my hands warm and still able to use the camera? Thanks, W! M
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Mark Feldstein |
Hi Margaret: Go to a military surplus store, buy a pair of wool glove liners, cut the ends off the fingers and voi la !!. You can also get a pair of work gloves that are similar at Home Depot, but they're made out of spandex, not wool. They grip better but they're not as warm. Nope. I didn't learn the pump handle thing from personal experience, just through observation. [Yikes !!!] ;>)
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Raymond H. Kemp |
Photographer's mittens? Check this out: http://uk.gizmodo.com/2006/01/28/mittengloves_for_winter_photog.html
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Jagadeesh Andrew Owens |
There's another all weather lesson that comes to mind... something about an electric fence and peeing... Margaret - I read a good tip once about battery life in the cold (for cameras). Instead of keeping your pockets stuffed full of batteries - leave them in your camera bag and put one of those self warmer pouches in with the bag by the batteries. I think I've seen those in Wal-Mart, so you don't have to go to a macabre gun/hunting store to get 'em. The tip also read that they last all day, too.
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Mark Feldstein |
Electric fences !!!! THAT's pretty scary !!!!! Now, instead of pockets...where else might we keep them???
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Margaret m. Buenneke |
Thanks, all! (I don't do Wally mart, either...) BUT I was in Costco/Price Club earlier this week and noticed they sell them by the case (approximately 40 pairs, which should more than take care of one week), so I'll probably get a case next time I'm there. My camera bag is one of those padded backpacks with lots of dividers for lenses (so far, I've managed to put camera body plus four lenses plus battery charger in the body and in various other pockets put spare battery and two filters plus card reader... - not too bad for a small backpack (about the size a kindergardner would have). And about the electric fences - I think that's a guy thing too (plus potentially difficult for women!) hee hee! Margaret
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Jagadeesh Andrew Owens |
This is the one case where I wouldn't support mom and pop stores and either go to w-mart or target to get those warmers. I don't enjoy dead things staring at me from the walls....
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