On a cold, snowy day in Colorado, I sit in my warm apartment after taking a short walk.
So, I thought I’d share some learned information about shooting images in the cold.
Panorama of the Safeway Parking lot
So here it goes…
First, your camera gear needs to be the same temperature as the outside temp. It may take several minutes for your gear to acclimate to the surrounding temperature, but this is critical to prevent the eventual fogging up of all things glass and mirrored.
When you bring your camera in or out from the cold, outside air, keep it in the camera bag. Your camera bag will act as an insulator allowing the air in the bag and your gear to slowly come up to temperature. If your camera changes temp too fast, there is a chance of condensation forming on the inside elements. If you don’t have a camera bag, keep your camera in the pocket of your winter coat or wrapped in heavy towels
When you are not using your camera, keep the batteries in your pockets close to your skin. Rechargeable batteries react a bit differently than regular, single use batteries in the cold. As single use batteries get cold, the power output starts dropping. As rechargeable batteries get cold, they start to lose power. Somewhere in the down slope of power, they will suddenly stop working and much sooner than regular batteries. Both types of battery reactions are being slowed down by the colder environment. Now here is an interesting thing, if you are in a really hot climate and shooting (i.e. 85F and higher), the chemical reaction is happening faster, so both types of battery are going to be used up faster in hot climates.
Keep yourself warm. Okay, this may go without saying, but if you’re shaking from the cold, I doubt you’re going to get a good clear shot. I tend to overdress when I go into the cold because once you get cold, it’s impossible to warm back up. The only way to do that is to go somewhere warm. And remember, you can’t take your camera with you (see comment above). So, as they say here in Colorado, LAYER, LAYER, LAYER!
And while you’re at it, don’t forget your hands. A great pair of insulated leather gloves not only keeps your hands warm, but still allows you to touch all the camera buttons.
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