will camera work in cold weather or get frozen?


I had tried shooting under -25 degC temperature before...... my camera survives easily but I gave up after 5 minutes. My fingers were just too frozen stiff to hold my camera properly after 5 minutes at that temperature.... :bsmilie:
 

Hmmm... I shot at around -30deg, and did not pack my gear with ziplog - just dump everything into the bag. While the temp in the lodge is higher, but did not find any issue with my gear. Then again it was left alone for quite a while. Sometimes I only check it in the morning as sleep was more important at 2 or 3 am!

The camera survived very well on the trip, but can't say that for the operator... I think I got slight frost bite due to insufficient protection for the finger!!! How do you keep fingers warm when you need flexibility?!?!
 

Hmmm... I shot at around -30deg, and did not pack my gear with ziplog - just dump everything into the bag. While the temp in the lodge is higher, but did not find any issue with my gear. Then again it was left alone for quite a while. Sometimes I only check it in the morning as sleep was more important at 2 or 3 am!

The camera survived very well on the trip, but can't say that for the operator... I think I got slight frost bite due to insufficient protection for the finger!!! How do you keep fingers warm when you need flexibility?!?!

You need to buy gloves... there are several kinds in the market.

url


lowepro-photographer-gloves.jpg
A2_034668.jpg

freehands-gloves.jpg
 

Ohhh I see. Either way it's better to use a ziploc bag :)
Thanks Devilry and Daredevil123 for the explanation! Will take note of this when I travel to cold countries in the future.


Just share my experience on the plastic bag usage

Once upon a time, I went inside the Science Centre/s Snow City with a Canon PowerShot auto camera (I forget the model. The one with 4x optical zoom & running on AA batteries)

After reading books in library (no Google then), learnt about plastic bags.

Put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved inside Snow City.
Able to snap shots. No lag. Using the same the batteries throughout.
Later put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved out of Snow City.

Happily followed the instructions and advices from the book.

But weeks later, I noticed when I took pictures, the images were not as sharp as before, but I did not pay attention to them.
It was much later when I took a look at the lens, I saw "spider web" behind, but on the bottom outer side.

The point I want to raise. The camera can survive the cold, but the lens....?

Thank You
EisMann
 

I have a OMD EM5, with the kit lens and a 25mm f1.4.

And I am planning to bring it to Harbin, China in Dec and I heard that the temperature may go as low as -25 degrees...
Will there be any problem with my camera? Will it still work? Will it get frozen?

Is it that if it is snowing it is better to use my kit lens which is weather sealed? If not snowing then I can use my non weather sealed 25mm f1.4?

I had a friend shooting over there. His D800 w original batteries were usable. The rest of the people who were using semi-pro i.e D90, D7000, or imitation batteries just had to see the scenery go by without taking a single shot.
 

Just share my experience on the plastic bag usage

Once upon a time, I went inside the Science Centre/s Snow City with a Canon PowerShot auto camera (I forget the model. The one with 4x optical zoom & running on AA batteries)

After reading books in library (no Google then), learnt about plastic bags.

Put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved inside Snow City.
Able to snap shots. No lag. Using the same the batteries throughout.
Later put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved out of Snow City.

Happily followed the instructions and advices from the book.

But weeks later, I noticed when I took pictures, the images were not as sharp as before, but I did not pay attention to them.
It was much later when I took a look at the lens, I saw "spider web" behind, but on the bottom outer side.

The point I want to raise. The camera can survive the cold, but the lens....?

Thank You
EisMann

u did the right thing by using the plastic bag (though most will use a ziploc) , the spider web implied fungus - did u store your equipment properly?
 

Just share my experience on the plastic bag usage

Once upon a time, I went inside the Science Centre/s Snow City with a Canon PowerShot auto camera (I forget the model. The one with 4x optical zoom & running on AA batteries)

After reading books in library (no Google then), learnt about plastic bags.

Put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved inside Snow City.
Able to snap shots. No lag. Using the same the batteries throughout.
Later put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved out of Snow City.

Happily followed the instructions and advices from the book.

But weeks later, I noticed when I took pictures, the images were not as sharp as before, but I did not pay attention to them.
It was much later when I took a look at the lens, I saw "spider web" behind, but on the bottom outer side.

The point I want to raise. The camera can survive the cold, but the lens....?

Thank You
EisMann

Your lens got fungus. This has nothing to do with the plastic bag and everything to do with you not storing your equipment properly.
 

Just share my experience on the plastic bag usage

Once upon a time, I went inside the Science Centre/s Snow City with a Canon PowerShot auto camera (I forget the model. The one with 4x optical zoom & running on AA batteries)

After reading books in library (no Google then), learnt about plastic bags.

Put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved inside Snow City.
Able to snap shots. No lag. Using the same the batteries throughout.
Later put inside the plastic bag, inside the jacket before moved out of Snow City.

Happily followed the instructions and advices from the book.

But weeks later, I noticed when I took pictures, the images were not as sharp as before, but I did not pay attention to them.
It was much later when I took a look at the lens, I saw "spider web" behind, but on the bottom outer side.

The point I want to raise. The camera can survive the cold, but the lens....?

Thank You
EisMann

Like what others had say, it had nothing to do with plastic bag. You got fungus on your camera (don't care if it was your lens or sensor) was due to how you store your camera.
 

But weeks later, I noticed when I took pictures, the images were not as sharp as before, but I did not pay attention to them.
It was much later when I took a look at the lens, I saw "spider web" behind, but on the bottom outer side.
I seriously hope you did not store your camera in that plastic bag for weeks. If yes, that's your next lesson: DON'T. You have successfully grown lens fungus.
We have extensive (or already excessive?) discussions about camera storage here in the forum. Starting with sticky newbie guides ... The same goes for the obvious question about how to get rid of it ('fungus cleaning').
 

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I seriously hope you did not store your camera in that plastic bag for weeks. If yes, that's your next lesson: DON'T. You have successfully grown lens fungus.
We have extensive (or already excessive?) discussions about camera storage here in the forum. Starting with sticky newbie guides ... The same goes for the obvious question about how to get rid of it ('fungus cleaning').

Octarine,

Of course not.

I used to keep it inside a tupperware container (there were no Lock & Lock type then) with silicon beads (where you could sun them or heat them when they turned red), inside a store room.

Thinking back, I did not meticulously kept properly after that outing. I left the camera (minus the plastic bags, of course) in the living room for days before I put it back to store room.

BTW it was a Canon Powershot A700

As I have said, a camera (body) generally can take and survive the cold. It is the lens needed to take extra precaution after the usage in the cold.

Thank You
 

Hence, We always recommend people to just go and get a dry cabinet. At least it will be safer and better for a long run.. For you and your gear. If you care.

Seriously, its not hard to get 1 at all. They is not crazy expensive and they are not crazily over sized. Just get a small one. (unless u have alot of gear. I mean. Alot.)
 

Octarine, Of course not. I used to keep it inside a tupperware container (there were no Lock & Lock type then) with silicon beads (where you could sun them or heat them when they turned red), inside a store room. Thinking back, I did not meticulously kept properly after that outing. I left the camera (minus the plastic bags, of course) in the living room for days before I put it back to store room. BTW it was a Canon Powershot A700 As I have said, a camera (body) generally can take and survive the cold. It is the lens needed to take extra precaution after the usage in the cold. Thank You

I used to do that ; until I realized it wasn't cost efficient and of course didn't really work (I kena fungus for one lens in the end)

Get a dry cabinet , you will feel that it's totally a worth it buy. I do feel the spider web was due to fungus from improper storing , not the cold it was exposed to.
 

As I have said, a camera (body) generally can take and survive the cold. It is the lens needed to take extra precaution after the usage in the cold.
That's a wrong conclusion. First of all, your lens is not defect. There is a fungus growth on the surface which an be removed if you don't wait another year.
Secondly, the exposure to cold by no means has caused this fungus to grow (Cold would stop / slow down this process, that's the reason you have a fridge in your kitchen). There is a possible contribution, though: Due to the cold temperature and bringing it back inside there was increased humidity available due to condensation. Fungus spores (which are always around us and sitting everywhere, even on your skin) used the chance to grow, maybe also fueled by other organic residue on the lens. After some days sitting in the warmth of Singapore (or room temperature in moderate climate zone) the fungus stared growing happily.
Bring the camera to Canon Service Center or any other repair shop listed here (Consumer Corner) and get it cleaned. Done.
 

Hence, We always recommend people to just go and get a dry cabinet. At least it will be safer and better for a long run.. For you and your gear. If you care.

Seriously, its not hard to get 1 at all. They is not crazy expensive and they are not crazily over sized. Just get a small one. (unless u have alot of gear. I mean. Alot.)

Agree. I had my lesson learn after spending $200 over dollars just to service my lenses due to fungus where getting a 60l dry cabinet cost less than $200. Now I m a happy and worry free man with 3 dry cabinet in my home for my camera equipment and other stuffs.
 

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You need to buy gloves... there are several kinds in the market.

I have gloves and a pack of chemical warmer in each of the gloves and still, it's so %}€]*,>{!# cold that my fingers were still affected. That's how cold it was for me!!!!
 

I wear two layer of glove and still the cold. Think there are special gloves out there that the senior photographers here can recommend.
 

I wear two layer of glove and still the cold. Think there are special gloves out there that the senior photographers here can recommend.

I use BlackYak and Mammut.
 

Sorry.. maybe off topic..
I was told in cold weather (around 10 deg or below), battery runs out fast. It's due to the camera needing around 20 deg to function well, and camera takes up more energy from battery to function properly.

Is that true?
 

Sorry.. maybe off topic..
I was told in cold weather (around 10 deg or below), battery runs out fast. It's due to the camera needing around 20 deg to function well, and camera takes up more energy from battery to function properly.

Is that true?

No, it's due to the chemical processes in a battery. Cold weather slows it all down. Basic chemistry.