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	Username   Password FM Forum Rules Canon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews FM Forums | Canon-mount SLRs | Join Upload & Sell    Search Used end    Archive 2007 · Cold weather telephoto solutions!

Jean Hemond Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #1 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! I am encountering problems with telephoto in cold weather ( not extreme but -15C yesterday) I am into ships photo with 20D and BigMa + mandatory tripod! and must use a remote of some sort! Shaking hands with cold and usual wind on seaway banks is disatrous! Sharpening techniques alone leads to very poor results if no remote is used! I wont go into IS lenses soon! But would like to know if they realy work in such temperatures! I already solved most of condensation problems with kitchen garbage bags in moving the camera from both temps car home to and from outside and by acclimating the gear in the cold ! But except for less than five minutes I realy must keep the batteries in my pocket! Its a pain to constantly remove them from the camera and warm them in my gloves! Is there remote wiring for battery supply that would allow keeping batteries under my clothes? Also cheap remotes keep breaking , cables litteraly shattering in the cold ! I went through two new ones yesterday the plastic was so brittle that just by handling the cable they broke in mutiple places! Recycled unsuitable lowgrade plastic and non tested gear! I am at my fifth such remote! Those third party gears must they be tested and meet certain standards? I will not name them here, but will surely complain where i bought those? I surely buy a proven remote or better hack one with good wiring! Anybody had several experiences with various types of remotes in the cold (extreme for most of you)!? Non wired electronic remote ? Canon gear remote third party remote, hacked cable remote? Open to suggestions? I think its a problematic situation and need shared expertise! Jean! Dec 16, 2007 at 07:37 AM

jcolwell Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #2 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! I've used genuine Canon RS-80N3 and Adidt clone RS-80N3 wired remote releases in temps below -20C with no problems. Without a remote release, you can use MLU with the self-timer to get a 2 sec delay. In any case, you should probably use MLU regardless of how you fire the shutter. If it's windy, you should use the tripod on its lowest leg lengths, and sit on a cushion or mat on the ground. Even better is to forget the tripod, lay down on the ground, and use a bean bag for support. You should get some warmer gloves. I use a pair of carpenters framing gloves with the thumb and first two finger tips cut off, and I put them inside a pair of wind & waterproof mitts when not twiddling controls. Neoprene kayaking gloves are also pretty good, depending on how much "touch" you need. The working temperature range for IS lenses is far wider than I can tolerate with my Mark I human body. The only camera that I've used with a remote battery pack is the venerable Pentax LX. For the 20D, you should have two or three spare batteries inside your clothes to use as "hot swaps" for the camera battery (I don't use the grip for this kind of shooting). Dec 16, 2007 at 11:17 AM

Jean Hemond Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #3 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! I had used two addit before they lasted for 6 month each ! Mostly summer months! The realy unsuitable ones were "Uniphox" that shattered yesterday were bought online in Canada! For the lowered tripod it surly will bee of a good help inpart part, since we are now in 3ft of snow here and then about a foot more coming today! I Will seriouly look into cut finger gloves+ mitts or even hunters guns mitts at local hunting supply store! Heat packs ? I' ll also look into using MLU! Dec 16, 2007 at 01:12 PM

SteveF Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #4 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Hello, Heat packs are great for both you and your gear. For my hands I put on a pair of thin gloves. Then I put on a larger pair of mittens which have a heat pack taped to the inside. The mittens can flip open at the top, so I can flip them open and have the dexterity of a thinner glove when needed, then close them back up and have a thick heated mitten when I don't. I got these mittens at REI, but I would imagine other outdoor places have them. Remotes - Never had any trouble with the Canon RS and TC remotes in really cold temps (-20C). A heat packet with your batteries in a more accessible pocket will work well too if getting them out of an interior pocket is too difficult. As for wind and tripod movement, you'll do better (as long as you are not shaking) to have your left arm draped over the top of the lens above the tripod mount while applying gentle downward pressure, your eye firmly pressed against the eyecup, tripod weighted down with whatever you have handy. A big lens in the wind will move - you really need to actively stabilize it yourself while shooting in windy conditions. See if MLU helps or not. Dec 16, 2007 at 02:12 PM

OwlsEyes Online Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #5 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! It surprises me that your batteries are not holding charge for more exposures. I live in MN and have shot in -17F = -27C with no problem. I can shoot for 100's of frames in this weather. I like to use my 120-300 f2.8 as my primary tele lens. I use a sturdy Gitzo 1300 mountaneer CF tripod and a good ball head. As was previously advised, I generally rest my left arm/hand on the lens to minimize vibration. I have shot in this weather w/ my prior nikon digital cameras, canon 20D's, 30D's, 40D's, 5D's, and 1Ds's. The 1D & 1Ds (and D1x) were my worst cold weather bodies!! good luck, bruce Dec 16, 2007 at 04:30 PM

Imagemaster Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #6 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Why do you have to use a tripod? Can you post some types of photos that you take? What is wrong with using the self-timer instead of remote? Is the Bigma necessary for ships in the seaway? Batteries in 1DMk2 last much longer than 20D's. P.S. I have shot in minus forty degrees with film cameras and always kept my camera inside my down-filled parka against my body until ready to shoot. Dec 16, 2007 at 05:33 PM

slau Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #7 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! It looks like you have been getting good information form the Canadian boys who mostly know how to survive cold weather shooting . I agree that the best protecton for your fingers and hands is do the same layering like your clothes. A pair of thin 'inner glove" with a pair of relative heavy and warm mittens can do magic. Keep your camera inside your parka until you are ready to shoot is the only way to ensure the health of the camera and mainly the battery. Regarding to let your camera warm up inside a 'garbage' bag after you have been out in the cold, I have never done that during my last 30+ year shooting in cold weather. During the heating season, the relative humidity inside of our houses (and cars too) are mostly so low that water condensation should not be a problem. That is something that does not understand by people who do not have dry indoor heating for 4-5 months a year. I am still looking for a big Ziploc bag to store my 500f4 +1 series body . If you are really concern about water condensation, get a good camera bag with good padding and keep your camera in there for an hour to avoid quick temperature fluctuation. But........... If you do not have the benefit of the IS feature, you only work around is to increase the ISO to compensate for the camera shake especially when the operator is cold too. You need to use something like 1/( 2X focal length) as your minimum shutter speed using a tele lens under tough weather in order to minimize the blurry images due to camera shake. My Bigma works good for me if I do my part right. Dec 16, 2007 at 07:12 PM

Jean Hemond Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #8 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Humidity condensation is mostly from car! The Tripod I use is a Manfrotto but not of the sturdiest ones! Bigma is heavy and overhang seriously when at 500mm! I can see the vibrations smovement of the lens! I will surely check, use short timer delay , and that even with remote! I will try not to use full extension on the tripod! I also use left hand to steady the lens! Often whenever possible hide from strong winds behind cars buildings or trees! Thank you for all those tips! Jean! Dec 16, 2007 at 07:50 PM

Imagemaster Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #9 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Jean Hemond wrote: Humidity condensation is mostly from car! Then put the camera in the trunk (low humidity). Bigma is heavy and overhang seriously when at 500mm! Lens should be mounted so that weight is centrally balanced on tripod. I can see the vibrations smovement of the lens! Which is why you should be using highest shutter speed possible. Do you need 500mm? Sounds like you would be better off with 100-400 with IS. Dec 16, 2007 at 08:04 PM

Jean Hemond Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #10 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Sorry no trunk on my small suv ! At times i even leave rear windows down for the camera and heating full blast on me to move from spot to spots to prevent camera temperature change and condensation! Bigma opened extends 6 inches aft plus , some 9.5 inches forward from support plus 2 for shade for a total lenght of about 17.5 inches! So its inertia, not weight by itself, that makes it vibrate in strong winds like all long lenses! I am, for the invested money, generaly satisfied with bigma except in lowlights, But cant have it all! I wont go for a 100-400 is. I think the money might be better used on other range of lens for events and backpaking likely a 70-200 f4 is ! Seller said he will replace the faulty uniphox remote switches! Thanks again! Jean! Dec 17, 2007 at 03:06 AM

akpowdermonkey Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #11 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! My xti works fine down to -25 F (coldes I've shot with) for as long as I can stand being in -25° weather Dec 17, 2007 at 04:02 AM

amirm Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #12 · Cold weather telephoto solutions! Here is a bonus about shooting in the cold. The sensor has less noise so that you can dial up the ISO more! As for me, I have shot in those temps as others without a problem. I learned a trick from a TV series on studies about people and cold. They found out that by keeping your stomach warm, you feel much warmer than you would be otherwise! So I stick a chemical warmer to the front of my sweater and it does wonders for keeping me warm! Dec 17, 2007 at 05:32 AM

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