p.1 #1 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I have shot a lot of photos in warm weather..
I now live in Alaska and right now, the temp outside is 4Degrees.
We have a beautiful new 8 inches of snow..
Clear blue sky
I am afraid to take my Canon 60D, lenses out and take photos as I read or heard some where when I bring them back in they can suffer from condensation.
I would die!
Barely able to afford to own what little I have.. could never replace what I have
Canon 24-70, 70-200...
Please, anyone with knowledge, first hand knowledge of shooting in zero weather...
20 below, zero, 20 degrees...
I could sure use your advice.
I want to get out and take photos so bad.. but scared to!
Also, I have heard if I put my equipment in ziplock bags before bringing them back in.. I can circumvent the condensation problem..
All I have is in one pelican case.
Thank you, standing by hoping someone is here today.
Thank you.
p.1 #2 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Condensation is indeed an issue. Using the ziplock bags or some other reasonably airtight bag like your pelican case if it clamps or zips shut should work. I usually leave the camera alone in my Lowepro bag for about an hour. It also surrounds the camera with foam insulation so that it warms up more slowly, preventing any thermal shock to the camera itself.
I take my CF card out when the camera is still outside, so I can upload in the meantime. They are pretty much indestructable.
The good news is that the inside humidity in winter is generally very low which mitigates the issue.
Be sure to keep extra batteries close to your body to keep them warm since cold batteries have little life.
p.1 #3 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Bernie wrote:
Condensation is indeed an issue. Using the ziplock bags or some other reasonably airtight bag like your pelican case if it clamps or zips shut should work. I usually leave the camera alone in my Lowepro bag for about an hour. It also surrounds the camera with foam insulation so that it warms up more slowly, preventing any thermal shock to the camera itself.
I take my CF card out when the camera is still outside, so I can upload in the meantime. They are pretty much indestructable.
The good news is that the inside humidity in winter is generally very low which mitigates the issue.
Be sure to keep extra batteries close to your body to keep them warm since cold batteries have little life....Show more →
Thank you so much..
I will definitely go out today and get some great photos!
Nothing like a beautiful day to make a person excited about getting out of the house!
p.1 #4 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I use ZORB-IT with good results. I put packs in my camera bags with camera, lens, etc. and condensation issues from going inside A/C to outside have disappeared. Or from hot to cold. I use the 4x4s for my bags, Tamrac Ultra Pro 17 and Tamrac Super Pro 13. I had a problem and would have to wait for about 20 mins for my equipment to stabilize. Haven't experienced that problem since adding ZORB-IT to the bags.
p.1 #5 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Key thing....
Put all cold equipment in plastic garbage bag WHILE STILL OUTDOORS AND COLD, then twist tie it. Then you can bring into warm and let warm up without condensation.
p.1 #6 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Another cold weather tip is to keep your spare batteries in shirt or inside jacket pocket because performance falls off with temperature if you are outside for long.
p.1 #7 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I used to do work for a company that had a frozen foods warehouse. Imagine an area larger than a football field and 40 feet tall at -20 F!
They wanted photos inside the warehouse. Since it is normally so humid down in this area of the south, I had to take all the equipment in an hour before the shoot. The lenses immediately frosted up. Luckily, it was so dry that the frost evaporated.
The big concern was the film. That's why I took five bodies with me. Sure enough, one roll broke halfway through. I just grabbed another camera.
My cameras suffered no ill effects and I doubt you'll have any problems. If you can let them acclamate slowly, both going out and coming in, you'll have done your best to protect your equipment.
p.1 #9 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
You have to bring the equipment up to temperature slowly. Zip lock bags are a good idea and recommended by Nikon. A good bag or case will help. If you have a garage, keep the gear in the trunk of your car and leave there for an hour. Bring it into a cooler area of the house like the basement, then after awhile bring it into the house. You get the idea.
p.1 #10 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
You don't need plastic bags. They are a pain so I stopped using them years ago. Make sure your camera bag is outside with your camera. When done put the camera in bad and zip it up tightly. As soon as I get into a warm environment I wrap my bag with my parka or a blanket and let it warm up for 3 to 4 hours. Never had a problem.
If you are going in for hot chocolate and going out same thing. I live in Canon and have shot in -34 Celsius. One of the instructors I had will put his camera bag in the trunk of his car to keep it cold until he gets home and wraps it as soon gets inside. He is a pro and does a lot of outdoor work. Some people I know don't even bother wrapping it when they get it - just don't open the bag. The air inside the bag is cold so the camera won't get that warm air shock.
p.1 #11 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Zenon Char wrote:
You don't need plastic bags. They are a pain so I stopped using them years ago. Make sure your camera bag is outside with your camera. When done put the camera in bad and zip it up tightly. As soon as I get into a warm environment I wrap my bag with my parka or a blanket and let it warm up for 3 to 4 hours. Never had a problem.
If you are going in for hot chocolate and going out same thing. I live in Canon and have shot in -34 Celsius. One of the instructors I had will put his camera bag in the trunk of his car to keep it cold until he gets home and wraps it as soon gets inside. He is a pro and does a lot of outdoor work. Some people I know don't even bother wrapping it when they get it - just don't open the bag. The air inside the bag is cold so the camera won't get that warm air shock. ...Show more →
I thought the point of ziploc bags was to prevent condensation, especially within the lens and within the camera body. Seems an airtight seal would be be better than just wrapping the camera or leaving it in a camera bag if you're trying to prevent water vapour in warm indoor air from condensing on cold glass, metal and plastic.
That said, ziploc bags are a pretty big pain and while I used them religiously for the first month of winter after I got my first Rebel (often in -34 C too!) I got lazy and stopped after a while and the thing was never any worse for the wear. It lasted several years and it still works fine though it sees little use now.
I wouldn't worry too much about cold conditions; they're not as much of a threat to camera equipment as some people seem to think.
p.1 #12 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
it seems that time is the factor. if you give the glass enough time to de-condensate then you will be fine. ive done many a cold shoots and the time from getting out of my warm car to walking 15 minutes in freezing cold weather seemed to dissipate any condensation that formed when initially getting out of my car.
p.1 #13 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I don't bother with any of this. It's not the cold that causes condensation, it's humidity. If you're house is at a proper humidity level it really shouldn't be much of an issue.
If your house windows are dripping with condensation, turn your humidifier down.
p.1 #14 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
not to mention which on any reasonably modern and higher end body, they are weather sealed, the condensation is on the outside of the lens and camera and that is what they are designed to deal with. i haven't shot in much below about 15 degrees for extended lengths of time but i just bring my stuff in and wait until it warms up. it's in a camera bag and that's all. open up the camera and then things can happen. i usually don't wait more than about 15 or 20 minutes at most to pull the memory cards and start downloading.
Herb...
ryankarr wrote:
I don't bother with any of this. It's not the cold that causes condensation, it's humidity. If you're house is at a proper humidity level it really shouldn't be much of an issue.
If your house windows are dripping with condensation, turn your humidifier down.
p.1 #15 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
Exactly, the air inside the lens is cold and therefore dry. When you bring it inside, that cold air will warm up inside the lens and no condensation will form inside. The front element is in contact with warm humid air and will see condensation.
To me the greater risk is going from a humid environment into a very cold environment. The air inside the lens is warm and full of moisture, reduce the temperature and the water will drop out.
Dec 13, 2011 at 10:44 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #16 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
No, No, No! I don't care how dry your house is I would NOT bring a 4 degree camera in without protection. I used to just leave it in the bag when shooting in cold weather when I brought it in. Warm air holds more moisture. The cold camera cools off the air and gives condensation. Zip lock bags should work as long as it doesn't get cold enough to break them. I rarely went much below 10 below and was using an om-1 at the time.
p.1 #17 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
the condensation is on the outside of the camera. IOW, almost irrelevant. many modern DSLRs and lenses are not porous to air in the way older ones are.
Herb...
Dec 16, 2011 at 11:16 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #18 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I assume it is on the inside as well. cameras are not airtight even weather sealed ones. I do not want condensation/frost building up on my 4 degree circuit board. It is also a problem at the ocean in the summer, cold a/c to 100%rh or so it feels in the morning. frost used to build up on my om-1 if I took it out in cold weather and brought it inside before warming it. condensation on cold camera would freeze. virtually no electronics to worry about , cost me $125. Much more concerned about new expensive electronic cameras.
p.1 #19 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
it will be on the inside only if you take the lens off the camera. air does not instantly move from inside to out even on a lens that pumps air as some zooms do. just don't use the camera until it warms up. an OM-1 was as porous to air as a sponge. newer cameras are not.
p.1 #20 · Condensation Worries / Advice in Cold Weather
I live in Canada and right now we are well below the freezing point. However I was out today getting pictures. The zip bag method is the best and cheapest way to prevent condensation on your camera/lens when coming back inside a heated area. I have even found zip bags that will hold my 5DmkII with the 70-200f2.8IS II lens still on. The whole idea is a gradual increase in temp once you come inside. The sudden change from freezing cold to warm heated space is what causes the condensation. Yes houses are not as humid in winter however they are plenty humid enough to cause condensation - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I usually leave the camera in the zip bag for about 1/2 hour once indoors. The colder the outside temp the longer is needed.
