DSLR and cold weather


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Hi Guys,

Since winter is upon us and I got a new zoom lens for my camera, I'm itching to take it out for a spin. But moving the camera from a warm house to the cold outside will produce condensation...

Any tips on prevention? or tips on how to handle it?

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Put the entire thing in a giant ziplock bag and just wait for the temperature difference to dissapear when going from warm -> cold, cold -> warm, that will stop the condensation. I've never actually done this though, I just go from warm to cold to warm and it seems just fine ;)

As for batteries, they don't last half as long in the cold. Best practice is to have two batteries, and keep one on your body to keep it warm. When one 'dies', switch out the dead battery for the warm one, and warm up the dead battery. It will magically regain charge.

As for the actual cameras themselves, besides battery and condensation issues, they're absolutely fine. I've shot in heavy snow with an unsealed 70-200L and a 400D, had a sealed 40D and 17-40L snowballed and absolutely covered in snow, and I read about a sealed EOS 7D that was in the antarctic the other day, and that thing was totally snowed in. And it was fine.

Snow in photos looks absolutely beautiful though, so do take it out for a spin! :)

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So could I just put the camera in my camera bag? While in transit, the temperature should drop down untill I take it out right?

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So could I just put the camera in my camera bag? While in transit, the temperature should drop down untill I take it out right?

Just leaving it in a bag would probably be fine. Like crazzy88ss, I've never had condensation problems myself and I don't bag, but in the UK, it's not likely to go below -5C (40F).

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Just leaving it in a bag would probably be fine. Like crazzy88ss, I've never had condensation problems myself and I don't bag, but in the UK, it's not likely to go below -5C (40F).

In Scotland it does :p

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Just leaving it in a bag would probably be fine. Like crazzy88ss, I've never had condensation problems myself and I don't bag, but in the UK, it's not likely to go below -5C (40F).

Thanks Pandya (Y).

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Just leaving it in a bag would probably be fine. Like crazzy88ss, I've never had condensation problems myself and I don't bag, but in the UK, it's not likely to go below -5C (40F).

lol srsly? -5C is like 25F.

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lol srsly? -5C is like 25F.

Oh sh-

my bad!

And this boys and girls is the difference between -5C and 5C. Moral of the story? Make sure you put the negative on the front :(

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Well yeah, I thought I'd be all helpful and multicultural and stuff, and convert our vastly superior celsiuses into your farenheits for ease of viewability. I typed '-5C in F' in to Bing, and apparently, it stripped the - off the front and just did 5C in F, which is...41. -5C is indeed 25F, which I checked :(

Yeah I totally just blamed it all on something else. Go me!

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Well yeah, I thought I'd be all helpful and multicultural and stuff, and convert our vastly superior celsiuses into your farenheits for ease of viewability. I

Just cuz I'm stuck with it doesn't mean I like it! :'(

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oooo ok :p Typos are cool. lol

I was like "it's usually ignorant Americans that don't know the other systems of measure! What's happening!?" :p

At least you dont use blanket statements.

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great topic as I am about to go to lapland for a week and it is already -18 there looking to get to -30

I am taking a nikon d40 and a camcorder which i've yet to buy, so keep the advice coming for some more severe weather ;)

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Did I say that? Why are you so up in arms about this? I'm assuming you've NEVER EVER stereotyped ANYTHING. Asians can't drive? British have bad teeth? I'm sure you've never said/thought anything like that! But way to take the thread off topic.

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