How should I protect my Canon DSLR gear when shooting in the Alps in winter?
Asked 8/11/2010
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I’m planning a January trip to Germany, Switzerland, and the Alps, and I’d like to bring my Canon XSi with the kit lens, a 50mm compact macro setup, and possibly a telephoto lens. My main concerns are cold temperatures, elevation, and moving between freezing outdoor conditions and warm indoor spaces. Will this kind of gear generally work fine in alpine winter conditions, and what precautions should I take to avoid problems such as condensation or battery drain?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
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I was in Germany and Switzerland in the Alps with my canon gear and it was fine.
If you expect to take your gear from extreme weather conditions, say from normal room temps to freezing or below--when coming back into warm weather, stick your camera lenses in a sealed ziplock bag to prevent condensation from building up on your lens. After the lens has warmed up to room temp--should take an hour or two, pull it out and let it and the ziplock bag air out (so you can shoot again!).
I was in Sweden and Finland in the dead of winter in temps well below freezing and using the ziplock bag trick, I had no issues.
Originally by user170. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user170
16y ago
0
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Your camera gear should generally be fine in alpine winter conditions. The main issues are usually cold-related battery loss and condensation when moving from freezing outdoors into warm indoor air, not elevation itself.
Helpful precautions:
- Put the camera/lenses in a sealed zip-top bag before bringing them indoors. This helps moisture condense on the bag instead of on the camera or lens.
- Let the gear warm up gradually to room temperature before taking it out of the bag; this can take an hour or two.
- Carry one or two spare batteries in a warm inside pocket. Cold reduces lithium battery performance, but warmed batteries often recover enough for more shooting.
- If practical, keeping the camera under your coat can help preserve battery life, but be careful if you’re sweating or moving between temperature layers, since moisture can become a problem.
In short: cold weather itself is usually manageable, but control condensation and keep batteries warm.
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