Does cold harm a camera?

[crystal_smith5]

<p>This might be a dumb question but, Does it harm your camera shooting in very cold temps? I have a senior shoot coming up outside (in MN) its about -1 here..</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>You should be fine... but remember that your batteries will quickly lose steam in those temps. Keep a spare or two in a pocket against your body, and swap 'em out periodically.<br /><br />And very importantly: when you're done shooting, seal up the camera and lens(es) in a zip-lock bag and let it come up to room temperature that way - otherwise you risk having indoor water vapor condense onto the cold camera, including on its interior surfaces/parts.</p>

[bill_mussett1]

<p>Crystal,</p>

<p>That's not cold enough to damage a camera. The concern regarding potential damage is in taking a camera that has been in cold weather for an extended period into a heated house/car etc. and condensation forming inside the camera due to the rapid temperature change. The solution to help prevent condensation is to place the camera and lens into a plastic bag that can be sealed, like a zip-lock bag, until the camera warms-up. Any condensation would then form on the bag, not in the camera body.</p>

<p>I wouldn't bother doing that for a camera exposed to cold for only a short term; if for instance it was in your car overnight in sub-zero temps then brought into the house, only then I would put it into a sealed plastic bag.</p>

[glen_berry]

<p>Matt - I question whether placing a cold camera into a zip-lock bag is a good idea. I'm thinking a better idea might be to place the camera into a brown paper bag - that way any moisture leaving the camera will be absorbed by the paper and will eventually evaporate. That's one reason police place paper bags (instead of zip-lock) over the hands of people who have died under questionable circumstances. Moisture can be trapped in the zip-lock bag.</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Glen, the moisture is in the warm air in the building, not inside the cold camera. People are approx 90% water and emit water vapour all the time. </p>

<p>Crystal if your camera is outside unprotected at -1F for even 5 minutes it will cool off very quickly, put it in a plastic bag before you bring it inside. Easy to do and you eliminate any possible damage to the camera and lens. Test with a glass drinking glass, let it cool off outside for the time you expect to be out with your camera, then take it back in. Did it frost up? If yes you need to bag your camera before bringing it in.</p>

<p> </p>

[vrankin]

<p>I've just left cold digital cameras inside their zipped cases for ninety minutes or so after coming in, and over ten years never had a problem.</p>

[geoffs1]

<p>Cold can certainly cause some problems. Oil-like lubricants are often much less effective at temps like -1F. With that said, I've never had a problem with either my old OM-1/2 or more recent Canon 20D and 40D.<br>

I usually just put my entire camera backpack in a trash bag before I come in (I take the batteries and memory cards out first so they can warm up faster and get recharged/unloaded).<br>

<br /> I was just shooting iceboats at the St. Paul Winter Carnival this weekend in 5F-15F without problem (<a href="http://www.iceboating.net/node/2999">Friday</a> , <a href="http://www.iceboating.net/node/3003">Saturday</a> ):<br>

<br /> <img src="http://www.iceboating.net/files/images/IMG_0845_800x600.preview.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></p>

[accystan]

<p>Crystal: One important question is how long will you be shooting for? Another is what camera are you shooting with? Is your camera going to be hanging round your neck for 1, 2 or more hrs? exposed to -1 (deg. F I presume) or is it small enough to pop into a warm pocket between shots? I think the vulnerable parts would be the diaphragm, the zoom and the shutter - all of which would be lubricated. It's the lubricant will could change it's properties at low temps and affect the performance of those parts.<br>

I'd certainly keep a spare set of charged batteries in a warm pocket and swap them as needed.<br>

Just my thoughts.<br>

Dave D</p>

[johnmyers]

<p>The camera will be fine at those temperatures. I've shot at -45F without a single problem. As others have said, put the camera in a zip up plastic bag before you enter a warmer climate so the condensation forms on the bag and not the camera.</p>

[crystal_smith5]

<p>Thank you all!<br>

Dave, Im shooting with a Canon 50D and a Rebelxt for backup. I only plan to be out for an hour or so...The rest of the photos will be shot indoors at my studio.<br>

Thanks again!</p>

 

[nathangardner]

<p>Shooting in the cold is fine, but I wouldn't leave it in the car overnight on a cold night (or hot one for that matter). It will affect battery life though. Carry a spare battery and keep it somewhere warm (under your armpit or close to your body). Switch the batteries back and forth when they loose power, the power will come back after you warm it back up.</p>

[geoffs1]

<blockquote>

<p ><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5354021">Crystal Smith</a> , Feb 01, 2010; 09:29 a.m.<br>

Im shooting with a Canon 50D and a Rebelxt for backup. I only plan to be out for an hour or so...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You should have no problems. I'd keep a spare battery for each camera in a pocket (just in case - although I doubt you'll need it).</p>

[mountainvisions]

<p>I'm out frequently for several days in temps similar to this. the only warmup is when it gets to maybe 30F in the tent when the hanging stove is going.</p>

<p>Otherwise, the teens to below 0F is pretty normal, and film or digital i have never had a problem.</p>

<p>Do follow the instructions for rewarming a camera, but my experience has been if the camera is in a backpack or camera pouch, water will not condense on the camera. I frequently end up back in a warmer car after days or half days of below freezing to near 0F temps and have yet to have my camera (in the case) get wet.</p>

<p>batteries will see a bit less life, but todays lithiums shouldn't have much issues.</p>

<p>I used a single battery in my Pentax K10D for multiple 2 day trips without it dying. I've used that battery down to -10F with no issues. I do however agree that taking at least 1 spare per camera, that you leave inside your jacket (an internal chest pocket), is a very very very good idea in case the cold does have an impact, when you pull the camera battery put it back in the same pocket, and just keep switching.</p>

[stan_schurman1]

<p>It seems to me that placing the camera in your camera bag before bringing it indoors should be enough to protect it from condensation. Also, the air in most homes and cars is dry during cold winter days unless you have a humidifier cranked up.</p>

[cowboy]

<p>I used my camera in alot of -50c weather, and I've been told to use the SandDisk Extream compact flash card. It's used for extream cold/heat</p>