Cold weather performance

StewartR

StewartR

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Stewart
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It's that time of year when lots of people are going out taking photos in really cold weather. What is a realistic expectation in terms of cold tolerance for modern camera equipment?

I've used a variety of equipment in temperatures down to about -20°C and I've never had a problem. It would be helpful if people could share their experiences of low low low temperatures, whether the equipment worked or packed up.
 
Used a D750 in Iceland a couple of years ago - kept me shooting with no problems other than spray freezing on the front element of my fisheye as I was shooting almost vertically up to get the full splendour of the Aurora in shot. Didn't want to risk changing lenses in the cold so stopped shooting and watched the incredible display without a camera in the way! If/when we go back, I'll shoot them from somewhere without a waterfall in close proximity! Temps weren't too extreme but wind chill made it feel a lot colder than it was.
 
I went to a talk/presentation with a wildlife photographer and he said when he was shooting in the Arctic, Canon supplied him with a camera that had the shutter grease (or whatever they normally use) removed, otherwise it would become too sticky or freeze.
 
In terms of DSLR gear over that past few years where it's been used in low temperatures -10 Deg C or less I've had no problem with my Nikon Cameras D800, D810, D850 and gear. Any colder than this and I would cease to work so wouldn't know if the camera did :)

The problems I have i with more consumer/smaller gear ie iPhone battery will just die in seconds, I tried using my Mavic Yesterday and kept getting low battery temperature warnings and the Spark just wouldn't take off as it was too cold.
 
Don't think I've shot anywhere really cold. It was -6C in New York about the same in Prague when I went last January. I think thats the coldest with digital.

I've shot colder with film years ago
 

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I was climbing in Lake District one year. Thermometer said -10 and there was a considerable wind chill factor. Only had a small point and shoot type camera - don't think it even shot RAW! - and that worked perfectly all day.
 
Battery life can be a serious issue in very cold weather. Otherwise the only issues I've had are lenses fogging up during long exposures and on one occasion my old X100's hybrid viewfinder got jammed half way between EVF and OVF. Was fine as soon as I went indoors.
 
Spent a couple days out in -20 temps w/o issues (wind chill was pushing closer to -30 at times)... I was kind of surprised. The batteries didn't last as long as they would have in warmer climates, but they still lasted well and the cameras never froze up (Nikon D5/810). FWIW, the cameras are only "rated" for 0-40*c...

With the older film cameras I would have to use a remote battery pack under my jacket and a degreased shutter mechanism/aperture blades. I guess with the advances in modern synthetic/dry lubricants the gelling issue is mostly eliminated, Nikon doesn't even mention it now. But they do advise carrying spare batteries in a warm location and swapping them out frequently.
 
If you're going to be somewhere really cold it may be a good idea to keep a spare fully charged battery in a warm pocket, the one closest to your "Gentleman's area" would be my suggestion (Assuming you're a gentleman, If not I'm sure you can think of an alternative. :) )
 
It's usually me that packs in before the gear ... think I've been down south too long ;) As many have said keep a spare battery or two in a pocket where it stays relatively warm and swap them around as needed. Not sure what the coldest is I've shot in though.
 
Canon 7D mkI / a few different lenses and sandisk extreme cards in a constant -25oC in Lapland.
No issues whatsoever, although a slightly reduced battery life maybe called an "issue" ?
 
I've used a Samsung S810 compact at -20'C when skiing - had NiMH rechargables and it was fine. Never used an SLR (D or F) at lower than -10'C, but they've always been fine at that level. I would *expect* modern kit to work to -20'C as standard, but possibly not for prolonged (i.e. all day) use.
 
I used a D700 and Tamron 28-70 f/2.8 on top of Kilimanjaro and apparently it was -17C, zero problems at all and batteries were fine (didn't stay up there too long though!).

My Oly EM1, which is supposedly rated to -10C (or something) has had the shutter stick at around -1C, probably due to excess oil.
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
A couple of people have mentioned wind chill. The only affect this will have on an inanimate object will be to cool it quicker to the outside temperature. It won't cool to the wind chill temperature.
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True enough... I only mentioned it to emphasize how manly I was ;)
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
A couple of people have mentioned wind chill. The only affect this will have on an inanimate object will be to cool it quicker to the outside temperature. It won't cool to the wind chill temperature.
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True but it does affect the soft bit behind the viewfinder! Having said that, wearing the correct clothing for the conditions kept me plenty warm, even in a blizzard that was blowing big 4x4s off the road!
 
I used my older Canon DSLR and Panasonic MFT GF1 in -20 or so in central asia with no problem but they have a dryer cold than our wet one so I suppose maybe the toughest test was actually walking in the hills near home in northern England some years ago with my Canon 20D. We'd had deep snow and it had drifted and filled some of the troughs and dips in the hills so although the ground looked pretty level I took a step and went down 6 ft or so and got covered in snow :D After that I thought that being out in those conditions alone was pretty daft so I headed off home, my trousers froze solid below the knee and my camera was coated in frost and ice and I didn't think it would survive but the next day it was fine :D

Other than keeping an eye on things fogging up, keeping spare batteries in warm pockets and taking normal common sense care of the camera, lenses and gear I wouldn't worry too much.
 
Nod said:
True but it does affect the soft bit behind the viewfinder! Having said that, wearing the correct clothing for the conditions kept me plenty warm, even in a blizzard that was blowing big 4x4s off the road!
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Biggest clothing issue I always have in really, really cold weather is gloves. I took my D3 to Chicago in winter 2014 when almost the whole of North America had an incredible sustained cold spell. At sunset in the city, it was below -20. The D3 was absolutely fine but I could only operate it for a few seconds at a time before I had to put my glove back on. Gloves too chunky to operate the camera. Adjusting the aluminium tripod was horrendous.
 
Few years ago I left a canon 5dmk1 with a 17-40L out in my back garden on a tripod, I was having a first go at star trails before I went to try it somewhere a bit more scenic.
I set it going and went and sat in the warm while it did it's thing, then promptly fell asleep on the sofa and didn't wake up until 5:00 the next morning. Ran outside in a bit of a panic to find the whole camera and lens completely covered in a thick layer of frost.
Once indoors, warmed up and dried off it was absolutely fine. some of the later images where the frost had spread over the front element were not much use though. :LOL:
 
My 5d3 performs consistently up here in Finnish Lapland in very low temps. I’ve had a couple of nights of -42 where it has not let me down. Certainly batteries die faster than usual, but even shooting 3/4 hours of time lapse in -25 to -30 - I have had no issues. Lens frost and cold hands are usually the biggest worry
 
gad-westy said:
Biggest clothing issue I always have in really, really cold weather is gloves. I took my D3 to Chicago in winter 2014 when almost the whole of North America had an incredible sustained cold spell. At sunset in the city, it was below -20. The D3 was absolutely fine but I could only operate it for a few seconds at a time before I had to put my glove back on. Gloves too chunky to operate the camera. Adjusting the aluminium tripod was horrendous.
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Trusting P mode let me use the D750 - all I needed to do was switch it on and press the button. I could even press the button to compensate for the snow's affect on the meter. I used a Manfrotto 322 head so I could adjust it easily and the tripod is a Giottos Vitruvian with twist lock legs so easy with gloves.
 
I’m often in the mountains and snow. No real problems, although battery life in live view is shorter. I keep spare batteries in a warm pocket. Seems to work well. Not had problems with condensation (maybe because the transition time from cold to warm for me is rather slow)
 
I used my X00f in temperatures down to -22 in Lapland this Christmas on and off. My fingers gave up before the camera did :D
 
I'm currently in Alaska shooting with a 6d and one OEM battery and two Baxtarr Pro batteries. Temps down to -27c so far. All batteries and camera performing brilliantly. Batteries approx 4 years old also.

Interestingly my iPhone goes from 75% to dead in about 25 minutes!
 
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