Linda S. wrote:
Hello All,
You were very helpful when I went to Iceland 2/2019 to photograph the Northern Lights (NL). They did not appear. I have a new question.
This December, I am going on another NL trip to a place 20-30 miles north of Fairbanks Alaska. It is typically colder there.
I am taking my Canon 5DM4 and the Olympus OMD E1M3. The manual for the Olympus said that it is freeze-proofed to 14 degrees F (-10 degrees C). Alaska temperatures can be much lower - below freezing. The good news is that wind chill doesn't affect the camera. We will be outside at night.
Given the camera is on a tripod taking multiple long exposures at night, how do I keep the camera warm? I read not to put it in your coat for the warmth will cause humid conditions. I don't the "raincoat" I have for it will keep it warm, just not wet if it is raining. The only idea I have is to wrap a child's wool scarf around it...
How do I keep it warm? Last, do I need to worry about the lenses staying warm as well?
Many thanks in advance. Linda
Hello All, br br You were very helpful when I we... (
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There are at least 6 considerations for using cameras in cold temperatures:
1)
The temperatures you are shooting in will be below the camera manufacturers recommended temperature range but that is not a problem. They will work below that temperature until the lubricants in the camera become viscous. Cameras used in Antarctica need to have the lubricants replaced with ones that work at those extreme temperatures, the lubricants in your cameras will work.
2)
Don't try to keep the camera warm, it is a losing battle. What you want to keep warm is your spare batteries; battery capacity drops quickly in low temperatures. An USB external battery with a dummy coupler will last longer than an internal battery but avoid the lithium polymer types; they stop when the temperature goes below freezing.
3)
Consider the use of a dew heater or strap hand/feet warmers packets to to the lens barrel. Either tie the packets to the lens with a rubber band or tape or use an old sock pulled over the lens. Since you won't be in the cold for an extended period of time, the hand warmers would last long enough and can easily be replaced during the shoot.
4)
When done shooting, you can take the camera cards and batteries out of your camera and put them under your clothing. Your camera should not be brought inside without putting it into a ziplock or sealable bag before warming. The cold camera and lens will quickly be coated with frost, some will form inside the camera and could affect the electronics when the frost melts. I haven't found a documented example of this happening, but this seems to be a consensus opinion. One UHHer, MTshooter, leaves his gear in the car overnight, just brings the batteries and cards in at night.
5)
Consider a plastic rainsleeve to keep any light snow off the camera and use the lens hood. The hood seems to keep the front glass cleaner.
6)
Your camera will survive the cold better than you, dress carefully.
I was in Fairbanks at the Chena Hot Springs in March 2020. I have a E-M1ii and tried live compositing but had difficulties with the buttons and my hands. I ended up setting up a timelapse and got enough shots for a 10 second clip but found the Olympus batteries to degrade quicker in the cold. My Nikon D7500 did better; I had an external battery for it and the camera worked longer.
I'm going to be back in Anchorage next month and might go north to photograph the northern lights better. They are visible from there, but the light pollution will dim them. University of Alaska Fairbanks has the Geophysical Institute that does aurora forecasting as does NOAA. You only need a KP index of 3 to see them in Fairbanks. The Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce adverises that you can see the auroras in Fairbanks about 240 days of the year.
Good luck and clear skies!!!