p.1 #1 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
Cross posting in Canon and Sony forums, as I currently own both cameras. I rarely shoot in cold weather, so I'm no expert. Last cold weather trip I took was to Iceland during winter for a couple of weeks and it was miserably cold.
I'm planning an upcoming trip where I'll be shooting outdoors. Temps will be in the low 20's (Fahrenheit), windy, light rain and maybe some snow. I'll be outdoors in these conditions for several hours per day.
My current choices (cameras and lenses that I own right now) are:
- Sony A7iv with Tamron 17-28mm f2.8, Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6.
- Canon R6II with Canon RF 16-28mm f2.8 STM and Canon RF 24-240mm f4-6.3. Maybe take my EF 17-40mm f4.0L instead of my RF 16-28mm f2.8 STM because of weather sealing.
Which one of the above options would be a better choice? Also, in case I forgot to mention; I only want to take something I already own. Please don't suggest buying or renting some other lens or camera combo because I have zero plans on doing so. Ideally I would love to take my R5 and Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L, but I DON’T OWN ONE OR THE OTHER, and I DON’T PLAN ON BUYING THEM anytime in the foreseeable future. Thanks!
p.1 #2 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
I've shot in conditions colder than that with my Sony a7R series cameras with no issues. Just keep your extra batteries warm (inside pockets of your jacket.)
p.1 #3 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
tsdevine wrote:
I've shot in conditions colder than that with my Sony a7R series cameras with no issues. Just keep your extra batteries warm (inside pockets of your jacket.)
Thanks! However, your A7R series cameras are higher end cameras compared to my entry level A7iv. I'm assuming that weather sealing is much better on your A7R cameras than it is on my A7iv.
p.1 #4 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
snegron7 wrote:
Thanks! However, your A7R series cameras are higher end cameras compared to my entry level A7iv. I'm assuming that weather sealing is much better on your A7R cameras than it is on my A7iv.
I'm not sure the a7R III is higher end in any way that matters for this compared to the a7 IV, or my a7R V for that matter. Arguably they might draw more power due to the amount of data being processed, you could look at that as a disadvantage. I'm not sure Sony invested in superior sealing in the a7R series, compared to the a7 series.
Just did a little research and my a7R V might be a bit better weather sealed than your a7 IV, but my a7R III is probably a bit worse that way. I've used both in very cold weather.
In any event, if my data point is off mark, just ignore it.
p.1 #6 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
I have a Canon R6MKII and live in Canada. No problem with cold weather. The one thing I am careful with is condensation. So after an outdoor shoot when I get home I don't take my camera out of my bag for hours. It's also been suggested that the cameras are put in a plastic bag inside the camera bag. I don't have a Sony A7IV to compare with but I have an A6700 and that is not a problem either.
p.1 #7 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
jojib wrote:
I have a Canon R6MKII and live in Canada. No problem with cold weather. The one thing I am careful with is condensation. So after an outdoor shoot when I get home I don't take my camera out of my bag for hours. It's also been suggested that the cameras are put in a plastic bag inside the camera bag. I don't have a Sony A7IV to compare with but I have an A6700 and that is not a problem either.
Thanks! I'm a bit concerned over my current lenses. None of them are "weather sealed" except for my Canon EF 17-40mm f4.0L. I believe my Tamrons have some weather sealing, but I haven't tested them in cold or wet conditions.
p.1 #8 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
The biggest risk with shooting in cold weather, IMHO, is if you don't let the equipment properly acclimate when you bring it inside into warm moist air. So make sure you do your research on how to do that effectively, since in my mind it's the biggest thing to worry about.
p.1 #9 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
tsdevine wrote:
The biggest risk with shooting in cold weather, IMHO, is if you don't let the equipment properly acclimate when you bring it inside into warm moist air. So make sure you do your research on how to do that effectively, since in my mind it's the biggest thing to worry about.
Ditto, and condensation can take place at any temperatures, even at 80 degrees F. Most members have been shooting with a multitude of Canon and Sony lenses for years at temperatures around -20 Fahrenheit without problems.
As for rain, who shoots in the pouring rain? For sudden rain showers, a two-cent plastic bag over the lens/camera keeps both of them dry.
No rocket science here and the sky is not falling, even when raining.
p.1 #10 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
I shoot Sony, my friends shoot Canon.
20 degree should be no problem with either system.
The one thing I notice is that they need to change batteries slightly more often than I do.
If you go Canon, bring one more battery than you would if you shot with your Sony.
p.1 #11 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
No issues with a7 IV or any other Sony using real NP-FZ100 batteries well below freezing. One of my favorite things about the Tamron 17-28 is the internal(-ish) zooming. The front element moves into the barrel but the barrel doesn't change size. So with a clear filter on the front, the whole lens is very well weather sealed in the snow. You still need to be careful with condensation when going back indoors.
p.1 #12 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
I've used the Sony A7II, A7III, A7IV, A7RIII, A7RIV, A7RV, A7CR, A7C, A6700 and other Sony cameras in temperatures as cold as -30 F and have never experienced any issues shooting in these cold temperatures. I always bring an extra battery but I don't even remember having to switch out batteries ever. I use my A7IV often for long timelapses and I'm surprised how long the battery lasts when it's cold, often several hours. I'm sure the Canon is solid too with no issues but the battery probably would not last as long. Out of your options, I'd opt to bring the Sony - better battery life, more megapixels and better dynamic range, plus those two lenses should cover most anything you encounter. But in the end either the Canon or the Sony setup should work just fine.
p.1 #13 · Canon R6II or Sony A7iv for Cold Weather?
I took my R6II to Sweden in the winter, it was like -8C/17F, and the camera stopped working. It wasn't even outside for that long, just slung over the shoulder with a 35/1.8 on it. I had to keep it inside my 800 fill down jacket and take it out for short burst. I don't remember much about the a7IV since I haven't owned one in a long time, but I don't recall ever having any issues with it.
