Cold Weather and Cameras

Next october I will be trekking around the Annapurnas with my photo

equipment. I will be up to 5.400 metres high... so any suggestions to

keep my camera "alive" in that likely, cold situation? Thanks.

What is your camera?

For some cameras you can purchase a battery cord and simply keep the battery in your pocket. Some all manual cameras, like my old K1000 work without a battery, but then you need a way to meter which can be done using Sunny 16 or, what I used to do, with an old Weston meter.

The best option for moden cameras without the cord option is simply to keep extra batteries in your pocket.

There are other things to be aware of though:

Watch out for fog freezing on the camera. Keep it inside a case or something inside your bag.

In extreme cold your fingers are not going to work optimally and gloves are not ideal for manipulating small buttons. If you have a camera with large dials rather than small buttons it is certainly easier. If you have tiny controls you might want to get some mits that allow you to briefly expose the tips of your fingers.

Tripods get DARN cold, dangerously cold actually, if they are made of alunumium. Make sure they are rapped with something like pipe insulation.

Film (if you are using film) can become brittle. Be careful not to be too rough with it or it may break.

As noted above, what camera are you taking?

You may consider finding a good Nikon FM2n body and a light meter: if the temps are really cold, you are going to want to take off your gloves to change a little battery cell every 20 to 30 minutes. A manual camera will work with no battery, you can get a light meter reading and then bracket your exposures if you want.

charo,

don't worry to much, i was at thorung-la pass last october (if you go there you know what it is...:)) and took a canon ixus digicam with me and it worked fine. unless you get into a snowstorm you should be fine, put it in an inside pocket of your jacket to keep it warm and save. but believe me, at this altitutes you will have other problems than your camera....if you want some more infos, contact me.

watch out for maoists, cameras are nice trophys to take from tourists.

simon

Frank, thanks for the link, interesting.

I will be taking a Nikon D70 and a Leica mini II, and spare batteries I think...for sure!

Simon, I have sent you an email...

Battery life should be the problem you want to solve. Extended periods of cold could kill them. A few ideas you might want to consider:

- Keep all batteries close to your body at any time (inside pocket of a fleece jacket during the day and evening, bottom of your sleeping bag during the night once you are in). You might consider removing the battery from the camera and bring it with you in the bag during the night as well.

- No autofocus, no playing around with the LCD display

- Buy that extra battery you will be regretting you had not

- Consider the possibility of a solar charger

This told, I've been shooting a full summer in the Swiss Alps, with sub-zero temperatures in the mornings and over a couple of bad-weather trips, with just two batteries!

How will you store picture while on the move?