Scott Stoness
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Scott Stoness wrote:
I have shot my r5 (r8, 5dsr, 5diii, 7dii, 7d) down to -40c for hours. It works well and the batteries work well. The only issue I have had was
- the dslrs' would groan a bit but work with mechanical shutter
- that I need to be careful not to breath on the back and it will freeze over making it hard to see the lcd/evf. Lens too.
- that I had to be careful to keep it in my back pack when warming or leave it outside or the condensation would form and then if I took it out to soon, freeze. If you bring it in, bring it in in a camera case and leave it to warm for an hour or so
- Near water, there can be condensation - bring a elastic band and chemical heat warmer and put it on the lens.
- I have frozen the tip of my nose on the lcd. Don't use the EVF.
- bring more batteries and full batteries and put them in your jacket. Not a lot more.
I once had a a7rv1 and with it - the batteries would fade fast. And even worse the lcd would just stop working after 15m and the camera would have to be warmed for 1/2 hour before coming back. I am not sure whether newer sony's work in the cold because I stopped using it in the winter and I did not like the dust control.
For caution, I would take the Canon. Shoot in lcd but keep your face back....Show more →
Let me add my clothing suggestions. I often snowshoe 2 hours in the dark up hill to wait an hour for sunrise at -38, and then snowshoe 1.5 hours back down.
I use really light gloves with finger lcd sensitive stuff inside 3 finger hestra gloves, with chemical warmers. Because I am hot going up the hill and trampling down my shooting spot with snowshoes and then start getting cold. Put the warmers in at the start, because it's miserable to wait or fuss in the cold and you want them to be full warm when you get cold. You cannot operate a camera with gloves and stay warm - its the worst of both worlds. My 3 finger gloves, I slip my trigger finger out to main area to warm. The light gloves take the bite out on the metal and I either put them in my pocket or back in the glove. I have OR (thick gloves within mitts) and Hestra (3 finger) and my hands are cold with OR - I consider them good fair weather gloves - because the OR gloves within are thicker your fingers cannot stay together and don't warm) - thin gloves within 3 finger hestra with chemical warms work for me).
For face cover, I like a big hood that causes a wind shadow when I am facing the wind. I use an arterixc shell, with acterix running shirt, Patagonia hooded down puffy, and I don't get cold in body. I use thinner puffy for up and swap out the thick hooded puffy for standing still - doing it immediately before getting cold. I wear a muskox/elpaca blend toque that is really thin and warm for its size, inside the shell or puffy hood.
For legs I use arcteryix hiking pants with goretex (breathign overpant) that has zipper sides to cool off up, and zipper up for standing still.
For feet I use silk liner socks, inside would thick socks, and my Solomon winter boots. And I put in chemical warmers before starting because once you are cold, you will get really cold in hands taking the boots off to put in chemical warmers for standing still.
The hardest part of cold is keeping my glasses unfrosted. keep your head forward and breathe out or you will not see a thing. If I fail I put the glasses on my pocket and they clear off.
The key for hiking and then picture taking is to switch out puffy as soon as the work going up is done. Do it early or everything will get cold and it's hard to recover. I keep walking behind my camera in circles to keep feet warm from time to time. And ultimately, I head back if I mistime the sunrise and am too early, because downhill is cooler than uphill.
I carry an Inreach and cell phone, but realize that by the time a rescue comes, I will have lost fingers and toes, so the critical thing is to keep moving and not lock yourself out of your car at the end. My most scary event was with my jeep after snowhoeing 5 hours at -38 because down is not as energetic and out and my car fob would not work (not open the car). I had to stuff the fob into my underwear to warm it up for 15 minutes to start the car. I could open the door but then the alarm went off, draining the battery as I waited for the fob to warm. Losing my key would have been a disaster, so I suggest having a key left at the car in a way that you cannot screw up. If you are renting, with a fob car, use a zip tie to tie the fob inside your pants pocket, so you won't accidentally lock yourself out, and never lock the doors when you are out before verifying the fob with you.
Not saying that the above is best, just saying it works for me. And it is for -40c/f temperature risks.
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But Fantastic polar bear / aurora prospect. 
