Camera Care in Cold Weather

[Maybar]

Reading snow blowing posts triggered a thought that's easy to often forget when taking pics and videos.

Before returning the cold camera to the indoor environment it is generally an accepted practice to place the camera in a plastic bag to prevent condensation. When the camera reaches room temperature it can then be removed.

[MowHoward2210]

Good idea. I've always wondered about that. No use taking chances!

[Ken in NJ]

I would think putting it in a plastic bag, would keep any condensation in, while it warmed up ?? No ? Yes ?

I am not saying your wrong at all .. just asking

[Indy452]

Originally Posted by Ken in NJ

I would think putting it in a plastic bag, would keep any condensation in, while it warmed up ?? No ? Yes ?

I am not saying your wrong at all .. just asking

Put a piece of bread in the bag?

[skcsbrh]

Then the crumbs would jam up the video drive!

[Maybar]

Originally Posted by Ken in NJ

I would think putting it in a plastic bag, would keep any condensation in, while it warmed up ?? No ? Yes ?

I am not saying your wrong at all .. just asking

************************************************** **********
No ---
There will be no condensation form until the camera is subjected to a warmer atmosphere that has a dew point temperature higher than the camera temperature. By placing it in the bag room air can't come in contact. Remove it when it has reached room temp. Hope I explained that right.

Firearms are another item where this is a common error. Then later it's a puzzle as to what caused all that rust on my gun. I've never been out in the rain with it.

[Keweenaw4310]

same principal as a dehumidifier. room temp air blown across a cold coil & water from the air condenses on the coil to the point it drips off into a bin.

[Mark / Ohio]

That's a good suggestion. As the air and camera warm in the sealed bag the internal humidity level in the bag will actually drop.

(Warm air can hold more water. That's why it condenses on cold surfaces or in this case only the exterior of the bag.)

*But you do need to put it in the bag while still outside so the air in the bag is also cold or it will have already started to sweat.*

[david doyle]

I have a bit of experience with optics and massive temp changes. regularily hunt/work in -40 C out of a house/truck that is kept at + 20.

For us cameras go in outside jacket Pocket not in bags when going from one temp to the other. You need to allow these things to freeze and dethaw slowly. the jacket allows this to happen.

Scopes and rifles are kept in the cold as much as possible but when brought in or out a blanket, jacket or some other clothing is wraped loosley around it until temps equalize.

I layed a -30C win 94 inside a trailer where the wife was boiling a kettle, I could not believe the water! within a couple minutes it was dripping and icicles were forming!
I have missed great wildlife photos because I thougt I'd have time to click the shutter before things fogged up WRONG.

[Toolin]

Originally Posted by Ken in NJ

I would think putting it in a plastic bag, would keep any condensation in, while it warmed up ?? No ? Yes ?

I am not saying your wrong at all .. just asking

Yes, the bag will trap whatever humidity is in the small amount of air that is in it, but that's usually not enough moisture content to produce much condensate so this trick works pretty well. Whereas if you left the cold camera out in the open inside it would be able to pull moisture from as much air as happened to waft by.

Also moisture in air tends to want to spread out evenly so even without much airflow if the cold camera had dehumidified just the air nearby it, it would quickly equalize in moisture content to the air further out, causing the camera to have access to yet more moisture, repeat, etc so long as the camera body remains cooler than the surrounding moist air. This is why a little portable dehumidifier can dry a large space even though it's a little box in a corner with a weak fan.

By the way, it's generally not a good idea to let LCD screens get *really cold*. They contain a liquid crystal fluid which could freeze and expand and crack the screen. It will freeze at a lower temperature than water, but why take the risk? If you're going to go on a long cold ride somewhere, the camera will fare better in an inside pocket vs an outside one where it will stay warmer due to body heat. This will also help avoid the condensate effect when bringing it indoors.

[HydroHarold]

Old wisdom used to tell us that we should keep our SLR "button batteries" warm before use. Hence I had 3 holders with 2 in pocket warm at all times. Zat still apply to the new tech NMiH's, etc.?

[Toolin]

Originally Posted by HydroHarold

Old wisdom used to tell us that we should keep our SLR "button batteries" warm before use. Hence I had 3 holders with 2 in pocket warm at all times. Zat still apply to the new tech NMiH's, etc.?

Hmm, no idea. So I did some googling...

Here's some information posted on a climber.org on the cold-temperature performance of different types of batteries

And here's a short discussion on the same topic on Photo.net, a photography website.

[HydroHarold]

Thanx Toolin! Interesting!! I like using the larger batteries that operate my digital. Not as much chance of them getting away! Button cells were a major PITA!

[david doyle]

the camera will fare better in an inside pocket vs an outside one where it will stay warmer due to body heat. This will also help avoid the condensate effect when bringing it indoors.

LOL, my pockets on the outside are insulated!



Yep batteries do not last long in the cold when they are in use. Sitting in the camera does not kill them it is the extra work they do in an increased resisitance environment that kills them . the only thing to do is carry lots.

Opening and closing your camera to install warm batteries in a outdoor emvironment aint gonna last for long and how long did you teacher figure a 3 gram piece of metal can hold it's heat while in a 3 pound hunk of cold metal and plastic.

The most important thing you can do to insure optic performance in exreme temps is to learn how to look through the scope/view finder and breath with out fogging the equipment. yeah sure you can but I bet if you don't practice you wont get the perfect muskox in front of northern lights pic.

Best thing to do is stay in warm climates, cold sucks.

[Mrwiggles2]

Toolin is talking about LCD screens not freezing from being left in too cold an environment, hence putting them in an inside pocket... not about cold hands.