DSLR's in the winter

R

Rusticles

Active member
Going on a multiple day overnight back-country camping trip, evening temps are expected to be -15C. Should I bring my T5i, is it going to get wrecked from condensation? Any tips? Is it wise to put a hand warmer in my camera bag during the day? I plan on putting it in my sleeping bag during the evening. I also have an extra battery. I can bring a decent amount of weight in with me if needed.
 
At -15C there's a chance of your camera shutting down (not forever but till she warms back up). But every camera is different. I was out the other night -10F with my 7D and my buddy with the exact same camera and lens was having all kinds of problems with his lens and camera failing. His 7D kept shutting down and with his lens he lost use of aperture...but mine worked perfect the whole time.

When it's that cold out you really need to keep your camera cold the entire time. So a hand warmer could end up creating condensation and freezing up your camera. When I go out on trip like that I keep my gear in the bag that I used all day and put it in the coldest corner of the tent, cab of a truck, or garage if you have one. If you end up bringing your camera into a warm spot (above freezing) give it at least an hour to warm up and make sure there's no condensation on it before you turn it on.

Cameras are far more durable than people think. As long as it's out of the harsh elements, you're usually just fine.
 
Maybe keep you batteries somewhere warm and put them in the camera when you want to use them, but keep the camera cold. When you are coming back from the trip you need to keep everything on your camera shut (don't remove the lens, don't open the door for the battery, don't open the door for the SD cart etc) and warm it up slowly to stop the forming of condensation. Open the camera up ONLY once it is back to room temperature and you shouldn't have any problems with condensation. I regularly use a DSLR in sub-zero temperatures (almost daily) as I live in Duluth MN, and this is what I do, no issues so far.
 
Never tried it, I think it would be feasible to keep the batteries warm (just keep them in inside pockets of your jacket etc and take them out to use them) but keeping the whole camera itself warm may become very difficult for a multi day deal. I would just let it get cold, then take the time at the end of the trip to slowly warm it up to stop condensation.
 
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