Cold Weather Gear

sb in ak · 11-22-2012, 03:38 PM

I live in Alaska...was trying to shoot at around 15F yesterday...super cold on the fingers. My recommendation would be to practice using gloves and invest in some of those handwarmer packets. Throwaway item but totally worth it. I have the big Cabela's gloves, and I can generally operate my cameras (5DII being easier as it's big) with them. But it's not reaalll easy.

Also....overdress. This is something I have to do...If you can keep the core warmer, all the better. I wear snowpants or those big Carhartt insulated overalls.

Imcalfin · 12-05-2012, 12:10 PM

I use light gloves made of some sort of fleece like material. Not terribly warm on their own but they allow for operating the camera without too much trouble. In temperatures under -10C handling the likewise frozen camera with bare hands is just not an option for me. Over the gloves I wear a pair of felt mitts. The combination has been good for -25C (with a pretty biting wind on top).

In my experience minimizing the time spent handling the camera helps a lot.

And good boots and headgear are absolutely essential. Especially if you intend to take night time photos. Long exposures and nothing to do but wait... and no jumping up and down allowed either.

D0n · 12-05-2012, 12:32 PM

chemical handwarmers help.

Medium FormatPro · 12-05-2012, 01:15 PM

While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather.

One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it??

reeftool · 12-05-2012, 11:22 PM

The snug fitting Mechanix brand gloves, available in most auto stores and at places like Home Depot and Lowes, work well. Another glove that works for me are a snug fitting polar fleece pair I bought in Target for about $5. I can shoot with my ski gloves on with my K10D. With the K5, some not so bright engineer decided a button was needed to lock down the mode selection knob which requires me to take my gloves off to change.

sb in ak · 12-05-2012, 11:48 PM

Originally posted by reeftool

The snug fitting Mechanix brand gloves, available in most auto stores and at places like Home Depot and Lowes, work well. Another glove that works for me are a snug fitting polar fleece pair I bought in Target for about $5. I can shoot with my ski gloves on with my K10D. With the K5, some not so bright engineer decided a button was needed to lock down the mode selection knob which requires me to take my gloves off to change.

You just need practice...I've successfully changed modes with my big bulky Cabelas gloves on. Just push down and then turn in one motion.

**Rondec** · 12-06-2012, 04:42 AM

Originally posted by Medium FormatPro

While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather.

One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it??

The K5 seems to do pretty well in the cold and lasts as long as I can (probably longer). I usually stick an extra lithium battery in an inner coat pocket and I haven't needed to use it yet, but maybe I am just too wimpy. An hour and a half of shooting usually is my max.

sb in ak · 12-06-2012, 12:25 PM

I'm not sure what you mean. The K5 offers an amount of WR that's competitive with the D4/1D bodies from Canikon, and costs under a grand. IMO they are taking outdoor photography quite seriously.

**Ex Finn.** · 12-06-2012, 06:42 PM

:lol
Pentax is so tough in the cold that remote battery packs for the camera are not needed.
Just a spare in your pocket and good to go.

Ponosby Britt · 12-06-2012, 11:12 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Medium FormatPro

While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather.

One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it??

One has to wonder why you are on this forum. I keep looking to find professional examples from your photographs or web site but there's only one meh photo and no website link. I would think an accomplished professional would like to show examples of his work, a la Benjamin K. All is see are holier than thou posts about how awful and inadequate Pentax is. If you know that, why descend from the clouds and waste your time?

reeftool · 12-07-2012, 02:40 PM

Pentax cameras perform in the cold better than I do. I have used both my K5 and K10D all day in temperatures near 0F.

bigted · 12-07-2012, 03:43 PM

I picked up a pair of Freehands gloves last month from my local financial black hole (aka Henry's Camera). They are insulated with thinsulate and have caps (for a lack of a better way to explain it) that flip off the thumb and first finger that are held back by magnets. They are on both hands and are easy to use. So far they've done a good job of keeping my hands warm.

bigted

12-06-2012, 06:42 PM	#24
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	:lol Pentax is so tough in the cold that remote battery packs for the camera are not needed. Just a spare in your pocket and good to go. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 12-06-2012 at 06:47 PM.

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11-22-2012, 03:38 PM	#16
sb in ak Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 612	I live in Alaska...was trying to shoot at around 15F yesterday...super cold on the fingers. My recommendation would be to practice using gloves and invest in some of those handwarmer packets. Throwaway item but totally worth it. I have the big Cabela's gloves, and I can generally operate my cameras (5DII being easier as it's big) with them. But it's not reaalll easy. Also....overdress. This is something I have to do...If you can keep the core warmer, all the better. I wear snowpants or those big Carhartt insulated overalls.

12-05-2012, 12:10 PM	#17
Imcalfin Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Turku, Finland Posts: 42	I use light gloves made of some sort of fleece like material. Not terribly warm on their own but they allow for operating the camera without too much trouble. In temperatures under -10C handling the likewise frozen camera with bare hands is just not an option for me. Over the gloves I wear a pair of felt mitts. The combination has been good for -25C (with a pretty biting wind on top). In my experience minimizing the time spent handling the camera helps a lot. And good boots and headgear are absolutely essential. Especially if you intend to take night time photos. Long exposures and nothing to do but wait... and no jumping up and down allowed either.

12-05-2012, 12:32 PM	#18
D0n Banned Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 530	chemical handwarmers help.

12-05-2012, 01:15 PM	#19
Medium FormatPro Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh Photos: Albums Posts: 1,668	While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather. One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it??

12-05-2012, 11:22 PM	#20
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,552	The snug fitting Mechanix brand gloves, available in most auto stores and at places like Home Depot and Lowes, work well. Another glove that works for me are a snug fitting polar fleece pair I bought in Target for about $5. I can shoot with my ski gloves on with my K10D. With the K5, some not so bright engineer decided a button was needed to lock down the mode selection knob which requires me to take my gloves off to change.

12-05-2012, 11:48 PM	#21
sb in ak Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 612	Originally posted by reeftool The snug fitting Mechanix brand gloves, available in most auto stores and at places like Home Depot and Lowes, work well. Another glove that works for me are a snug fitting polar fleece pair I bought in Target for about $5. I can shoot with my ski gloves on with my K10D. With the K5, some not so bright engineer decided a button was needed to lock down the mode selection knob which requires me to take my gloves off to change. You just need practice...I've successfully changed modes with my big bulky Cabelas gloves on. Just push down and then turn in one motion.

12-06-2012, 04:42 AM	#22
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650 Original Poster	Originally posted by Medium FormatPro While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather. One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it?? The K5 seems to do pretty well in the cold and lasts as long as I can (probably longer). I usually stick an extra lithium battery in an inner coat pocket and I haven't needed to use it yet, but maybe I am just too wimpy. An hour and a half of shooting usually is my max.

12-06-2012, 12:25 PM	#23
sb in ak Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 612	I'm not sure what you mean. The K5 offers an amount of WR that's competitive with the D4/1D bodies from Canikon, and costs under a grand. IMO they are taking outdoor photography quite seriously.

12-06-2012, 11:12 PM - 1 Like	#25
Ponosby Britt Closed Account Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 227	Originally posted by Medium FormatPro While this thread focuses a bit on what to wear in terms of clothes in colder weather. One has to wonder how seriously Pentax takes photography. Four other camera companies offer remote battery packages for a variety of their cameras - is some cases even ones that cost below 1k. But Pentax does not even offer it?? One has to wonder why you are on this forum. I keep looking to find professional examples from your photographs or web site but there's only one meh photo and no website link. I would think an accomplished professional would like to show examples of his work, a la Benjamin K. All is see are holier than thou posts about how awful and inadequate Pentax is. If you know that, why descend from the clouds and waste your time?

12-07-2012, 02:40 PM	#26
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,552	Pentax cameras perform in the cold better than I do. I have used both my K5 and K10D all day in temperatures near 0F.

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12-07-2012, 03:43 PM	#27
bigted Moderator Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Jessica Lake, Whiteshell Provincial Park, or Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,592	I picked up a pair of Freehands gloves last month from my local financial black hole (aka Henry's Camera). They are insulated with thinsulate and have caps (for a lack of a better way to explain it) that flip off the thumb and first finger that are held back by magnets. They are on both hands and are easy to use. So far they've done a good job of keeping my hands warm. bigted