joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Over the years, I’ve spent freezing winter days outside photographing landscapes. I travel with a small insulated camera bag that fits my camera with lens attached. Before I get into a warm vehicle, I put the freezing cold camera and lens in the insulated bag and zip it closed. When I get to my room, I leave the camera in the bag and loosen the zipper but do not open the bag until the next morning to change the battery, etc. I’ve never had a condensation issue from carrying a freezing cold camera into a heated space. Today, I received a delivery of a used camera that I purchased from MPB. It was shipped from Brooklyn to my house via FedEx. Nights have been in the 20s Fahrenheit the last two days and the box sat on my front step for half day before I retrieved it. I brought the box into my house, entirely forgetting about my cold weather routine for preventing condensation. As soon as I opened the box and removed the bubble wrap from the camera, I thought, this camera must have been sitting in the FedEx truck overnight, it’s like a block of ice. Immediately I noticed the lens filter was showing condensation, just as quickly I rewrapped it in the bubble wrap and placed it a cool room. I won’t touch it again for 24 hours. You probable knew this already but be very careful when you get a camera or lens delivery in the winter, give the package a day to acclimate to the indoor temperature before unwrapping it. (Sorry for such a long post)

RonH Loc: Shoreview MN

Last Sunday evening there was a fire call for a mfg. home trailer fire. I took photos for 3 1/2 hours in -15 temps then my camera settings froze up. When I went to change my shutter speed nothing happened. It took 10 plus minutes in a rig which was running with the heater on to warm the camera enough to accept adjustments. No problems with the shutter or fogging of the lens just didn't have any adjustments when I turned the dials.

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I’d rather not freeze my assoff just for a photo, but when I feel that crazy urge, I will grab an Olympus rated to function at temperatures below what I personally can withstand.

Weather proofing is common enough in modern gear, but Olympus also offers freeze proof gear. Therefore the only precaution I ever take is to grab an Olympus (with one do-it-all zoom and some batteries).

IOW, paraphrasing Edward Weston, any subject that needs a bigger camera, and-or more than 30 minutes out in the cold, is not really photogenic anywho !

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Any gear purchases shipped in a cold truck get partially unpacked and then sit on the radiator til thawed out before removing the inner wrappings.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I can usually avoid being uncomfortably cold, though I still must walk the dogs. The cameras don't have to walk dogs.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

The reason your camera didn't fog was probably because the humidity in the rig was close to the outside.
I have worked outdoors in subzero temps for long hrs, but when not shooting I slipped my camera inside my outer jacket ( dressed in many layers) never had any problems , using film and digital.

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Film had it’s own problems at minus 15f. So 3.5 hours before minor failure is quite admirable for electronic gear.

IIRC it was Fuji or Ilford that had some films on a polyester base that worked rather well in brutally frigid conditions. Acoarst, I was never moved to put that to the ultimate test !

billt1970 Loc: Gambrills, Maryland

This may be slightly off the intended line of commentary, but I thought I'd take a moment to share a freezing photography experience from the late 1990s. At that time I was shooting a lot with my 4x5 Speed Graphic. I had a good case for it and occasionally traveled with it when I was going somewhere with good scenery. Such was the case when I journeyed on business to Colorado Springs, CO. The target was the Garden of the Gods National Natural Landmark at sunrise. The only problem was the weather . . . it was 15 degrees out when I left the hotel for the Garden. Relentless, I bundled up and went anyway, set up my tripod and camera to capture the scenery at the golden hour and waited, shivering. When the perfect image was there I pressed the shutter release and . . . nothing happened! It was frozen!! After all the hassle of dragging that large set of equipment on a plane with everything else I traveled with, I had an broken camera. Undaunted, I figured it out. I changed the shutter setting to T(ime) and manually opened the shutter, then replacing the lens cap. I calculated a long exposure (seconds) at a high f-stop, pulled the dark slide on the film holder, carefully removed the lens cap and waited for the proper exposure time to elapse before replacing the lens cap and dark slide. I got some pretty good images under the circumstances, though I needed an hour to warm up afterwards.

It was an experience of field expediency that I have obviously never forgotten. I was going to get those images by hook or by crook!!!

BT

Bill 45

Just the other day I was using a film camera (Zeiss's Contessa) outdoors. Temp. was +5 kept the camera inside my coat until I took a picture, put camera back inside my coat and had no problems.

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

I just got back from 10 days in Yellowstone and the temperature only got above 0 for 2 of the days. We spent 4 hours photographing the Wapiti wolfs in below 0 weather. I got frostbite on my shutter finger (my fault, bad glove decision) and the Dr says up to 6 months to heal. HOWEVER, my Canon R5 and lenses all worked just fine even being out for 4+ hours in -8 to -15 weather. But it was worth it for wolf photos!

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mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Living in New England has made me value my Olympus even more! I’ve never had any problems in the cold.

jstampa

Wow, we all seem to be having problems these days with the cold weather and camera gear. Take this morning for example. I couldn't decide between wearing shorts or pants to go and take a few shots at the beach today. I mean it was definatly nice warm beach weather today but there was a slight chill in the early hours of the morning.
The problems winter brings.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

In the winter the humidity in your home is probably really low, unless you have a whole-house humidifier. Allowing equipment to slowly equilibrate with the ambient temperature while inside an air-tight container is probably never a bad idea when taking cold equipment into a warm environment, though.

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

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WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Very sorry to hear about your finger. The wolf image is fantastic.
How rar away from them were you for the shot above?

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And m43 gear is easier to keep inside your coat than a D850 and 28-300.

The weather seals are most important when you put the cold camera back into your coat where it’s then subject to humidity. Benefit again to lower mass ... it will warm up quicker.