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Category:Cameras
Contents |
Cameras By Category
Cameras by Weight
Digital Point and Shoot
Digital SLR
Film SLR
Cameras by Manufacturer
Special Needs, Techniques, Tips
Cold Weather
Power
The most common problem in the cold seems to be running out of power. Of course digital cameras rely extensively on electricity; film cameras may have digital readouts, metering, autofocus, etc., but generally require less power (although note that film is not a perfect solution; it can become brittle in extreme cold).
Keeping a camera in an inside pocket, and inside the sleeping bag, should keep it warm, but this exposes it to moisture. Stored in a plastic or silnylon bag, this shouldn't be a problem. Or, one could simply take out the battery and keep it warm during the night, rather than sleeping with the entire camera next to one's body.
Keeping a spare battery in an inside pocket is also recommended when hiking in cold temperatures. It may be advisable to consider how easy changing batteries in the field is when considering a camera purchase.
It may be the case that SLRs work better than point-and-shoots in the cold, since they tend to have much larger batteries and use almost no power except during capture. Zoom and focus can usually be done manually, and they require no power in order to turn on/off. Point-and-shoots with optical viewfinders may be better than ones without, since operating without the LCD should reduce power draw.
Condensation
A cold camera brought into a warmer environment is subject to condensation, which can harm the electronics.
When bringing a camera from a cold environment into a warm one, it is usually considered good practice to isolate the camera in a waterproof case (Ziploc, etc) while it warms. This should reduce the exposure to airborne moisture.
Some cameras (high-end, heavy SLRs and their lenses, and some point-and-shoots) are fairly well sealed against weather. For these, condensation should only form on the outside of a cold camera. This can temporarily fog the objective lens, but should not harm the electronics. However, the warm, humid air inside the camera will condense somewhere when the camera cools.
Lubricants
Some cameras (particularly older SLRs) have lubricated focus and zoom linkages. The lubricants can become very viscous in the cold. Modern Nikon lenses, at least, either use very low-viscosity oil or none at all, and seem to perform fine in the cold. For more examples, see Ken Rockwell's Digital Wide Zooms at -20C and Ken Rockwell's Nikon 50mm Lenses at -20C.
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