[feralryan]

I will be spending three weeks in Tibet with my uncle (I'm a college student at UC San Diego/Chinese Academy of Sciences) and am unsure how to handle my equipment in cold temperatures.

I have a Pentax K10D, Pentax FA 50mm 1.4, Sigma 70-300 DG APO, Sigma 17-35 EX DG, and Pentax AF 360 FGZ flash packed inside a Lowepro Microtrekker 200 backpack.

1. What should I be concerned about with my backpack itself? Is there a way to water seal it?

2. What should I be concerned/aware of operating my camera?

3. What should I be concerned/aware of about my lenses?

4. Are there any good guides/books about cold temps?

Thanks!

[daacon]

1. What should I be concerned about with my backpack itself? Is there a way to water seal it?

2. What should I be concerned/aware of operating my camera?

3. What should I be concerned/aware of about my lenses?

4. Are there any good guides/books about cold temps?

Thanks!

1 - I believe all LowPro bags have a weather proof cover you can purchase - check it out

2 - The elements cold / damp weather / dust

3 - Same as number 2

4 - I am sure a google search would find some

I would bring exta batteries for both the camera and flash - keep then in as warm a place as possible. Power Convertor for all you chargers and such ...as many SD cards as you can carry hahah - at least 4 or 5 - 2GB cards and more if you do not have anywhere to 'dump' them periodically

The trip should provide some incredible photo opps for you !

Edit Could Not Resist : A Sherpa and a Mule although you can likely get them there

[stewart_photo]

I will be spending three weeks in Tibet with my uncle (I'm a college student at UC San Diego/Chinese Academy of Sciences) and am unsure how to handle my equipment in cold temperatures.

Since few others have answered, it appears you've been drafted to be the guinea pig in all this. When you get back from your trip, be sure to post a new thread in this forum with any discoveries or cautions about the performance of the K10D in colder temperatures. Since I have a trip planned next Fall that will involve colder weather (the Alps), I would certainly benefit from your experiences.

stewart

[Wethphotography]

In terms of cold temperatures one issue is condensation when you enter a warm room directly from the cold. Prior to entering a room from the cold, I place my camera and lens in a large ziplock bag and zip/seal it. Any condensation then forms on the bag and not on the glass.

In terms of operating in cold temperatures, I recall a thread or two in January about performance issues with the K10d in really cold weather; some people reported some trouble and others had no issues with the camera in cold weather. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/2634-k10d-cold-tem...ight=K10d+cold and
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/2485-operating-tem...ight=K10d+cold

here is a website that I hope gives you more suggestions about photographing in the cold: New York Institute of Photography - Tips for better Photographs - Winter Camera Tips

Please let us know how the trip went and share some of your pictures.

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Last edited by Wethphotography; 05-22-2007 at 05:02 PM. Reason: inserting thread links

[walter]

I don't know the answers to you questions, but if you plan to use any hard drives (portable storage devices, laptop, ipod, etc.) you might want look into the possibility that they may become unreliable at high elevations. I think many hard drives are only designed to work up to 10,000 ft.

[little laker]

I'm looking forward to seeing the pic's from your trip feralryan.

I've never done the high altitude thing, but I do a fair amount of snowshoeing and what not with my camera.
I've never had any condensation on it, but I leave it in my Lowepro TZL Mini for a few minuites until it climatizes.

Lowepro makes some backpacks with waterproof compartments, and so does Tamrac at a lot less money. I haven't compared quality, but I like some of Tamrac's features better.
I'm getting a Lowepro myself, but that's because I'm trading one of my art pieces straight across for it

[feralryan]

Thanks for your advice and links, especially Erl and Stu. I've gathered that the main issues are:

- While outside: batteries keeping warm, not touching metal with bare hands, plastic being brittle, some green component of the CCD failing
- While moving inside: moisture
- While moving inside to outside: not really anything

I'm wondering, though, should I plastic bag every lens and the body or the whole backpack when moving from outside to a warm inside?

Are plastic lenses really brittle? Am I going to see my Pentax FA 50 crumble? heheh

[little laker]

Our plastic lenses are really tough. It would take a pretty hard smack to break them even in sever cold.

It sure couldn't hurt to plastic bag everything.


It's a tight fit, but I just found out that you can keep 3 AA batteries in a 35mm film container. It might be a good way for you to store your extras. And leaving them in an inside jacket pocket should keep the batteries warm enough.

I wish that I could do the same trip. Tibet really appears to be a really beautiful, and peaceful place.

[Mike Cash]

I believe I'd haul along an old fim body with mechanical shutter as just-in-case backup insurance.

The only thing worse than having some malfunction with your K10D due to the issues mentioned above would be to add further insult to injury by having to come away with missed and much regretted photo oppportunities.

[case sensitive]

You shouldn't (hopefully) have any problem with camera opperation. I took my fuji on a very long snowmobile trip and didn't have a problem other than the batteries not lasting as long as I would have hoped (300 shots vs. 500typical). I just put the camera in my snowmobile bag which is unlined and is as cold as the air outside, so that explains the lower battery life. I'd keep extra batteries in your pants pocket to be as close to body heat as possible.

Some pictures here: flickr snowmobiling set

[Aanund]

I think Mike gives good advice to bring a film camera as well.

will you be trekking? There might not be great power supply for battery charging. Perhaps a solar powered battery charger thingy would be of use (if you bring one i´d love to hear how it works)

Moving inside to outside could build up some condensation on your equipement as well as the other way around. I would suggest keeping batteries warm, in a shirt pocket, but in a plastic bag so they don´t get wet from condesation/sweat. Perhaps a plastic bag with some silica for extra memory cards.

I don´t think i would bag the glass individually. But try to keep all the gear in the same temperature +/-. I wouldn´t be too concerned unless you will be going from hot to cold to hot every day for thre weeks.

4. How cold will it be? and is this question about gear or personal clothing? If the latter I can give some tip`s.

I would love to go on a trip like this, hope you enjoy.


Regards

[Khukri]

I will be spending three weeks in Tibet with my uncle (I'm a college student at UC San Diego/Chinese Academy of Sciences) and am unsure how to handle my equipment in cold temperatures.

I have a Pentax K10D, Pentax FA 50mm 1.4, Sigma 70-300 DG APO, Sigma 17-35 EX DG, and Pentax AF 360 FGZ flash packed inside a Lowepro Microtrekker 200 backpack.

1. What should I be concerned about with my backpack itself? Is there a way to water seal it?

2. What should I be concerned/aware of operating my camera?

3. What should I be concerned/aware of about my lenses?

4. Are there any good guides/books about cold temps?

Thanks!

Have spent several years in that region. Anybody wanting pictures - am happy to oblige. Only problem - most of them are on slides and I have barely scanned 25% of the lot.

1. You haven't mentioned which part of Tibet. Anyway, the Tibet plateau in summer is warm/hot during day, cool at nights but usually not below 0C/32F. Humidity is very low so all potential problems with regard to dampness/moisture are not issues - unless you are rafting on the Indus or the Brahmaputra.
2. The terrain is semi desert with fine sand & strong winds, so think more in terms of dustproofing your eqpt.
3. Ensure a filter (I prefer skylight 1A from my Velvia days) on each of your lens. The possibility of dust on your sensor is very high so ... an 18-300 zoooom!?? Even so, sensor & lens cleaning kits may prove indispensable.
4. Carry spare batteries, a quick charger and if the Pentax vertical grip affords AA cells you may consider investing in it. Constant electricity supply can (used to) be a problem. Keep the batteries in your pockets/sleeping bag - specially at night.
5. Tibet is a plateau at ~15,000 ft. Oxygen content in atomosphere is lower than normal. High altitude sickness is common to those unused to this rarified atmosphere and low pressure environment. I can give you a lot of practical advice on this but better you consult a doctor - preferably one specialsing in high altitude medicine if you are headed for 20,000 ft and higher. Not infrequently, gung-ho/overconfident climbers/tourists end up being choppered down in bags. So take it easy first few days. Depending on your physical condition & age, take minimum 3to 7 days to acclamatise to the atmosphere before climbing beyond 15,000.
6. The sun will scorch/burn you so consider suitable clothing to protect against it. Boil water 20 min before drining it, even if the torrent looks pure.

Any more specific questions you have, you are welcome.

Om Mani Padma Oum...

[Duplo]

I will be spending three weeks in Tibet with my uncle (I'm a college student at UC San Diego/Chinese Academy of Sciences) and am unsure how to handle my equipment in cold temperatures.

I have a Pentax K10D, Pentax FA 50mm 1.4, Sigma 70-300 DG APO, Sigma 17-35 EX DG, and Pentax AF 360 FGZ flash packed inside a Lowepro Microtrekker 200 backpack.

1. What should I be concerned about with my backpack itself? Is there a way to water seal it?

2. What should I be concerned/aware of operating my camera?

3. What should I be concerned/aware of about my lenses?

4. Are there any good guides/books about cold temps?

Thanks!

Well I am not an experte on Tibet, but when it comes to operating and taking care of camera gear in extreme cold I have a fair bit of experience...

You K10D and FA50 will do just fine I have had them outside taking pictures for five hours in temperatures below -40C with no problems except battery life becomes quite short... I am very impressed with how the K10D operates up here in the arctics.

Condensation is the big issue a big ziplock bag is ideal.... consider leaving your bag outside when going inside for only a short period of time.
WHen you are taking your gear inside, then leave it in the ziplocked bag for a good while (after the below -40C for five hours it took it nearly 10 to get back to room temperature.) Leave the bag in a not too hot room and avoid any heated floors.

A pair of thin grippy gloves (I use my grenade park and pipe snowboard glowes) over a pair of surgery gloves (you know those thin silicon or latex gloves) works brilliantly as a compromise between handling and finger temperature.

A spare body is always a good idea when out and about.. where you are going I would consider a manual film body...

Now I do not see a tripod nor any limited lenses, but a few words of warning.
Thel imiteds are made from metal and they get very, very cold. Do not touch them with your bare hands.
Use a carbon, basalt or the like tripod... aluminium gets very very cold to operate.

But most importantly... have fun and bring us back some amazing pictures

[Bob Wallace]

Condensation shouldn't be a big problem. Sticking your camera in a bag or wrapping it in your jacket should be ample protection when entering a warm place from the cold.

Take a polarizing filter. Glare in the thin, dry atmosphere is much greater than what you normally experience.

Learn how to shoot panos before you go. Do NOT leave your polarizing lens on while shooting panos.

You should have no problem burning your images to CD in Lhasa. Burn two copies, check them on a different computer to see if they are good before erasing your cards. Store the sets in different places just in case one of your bags ends up taking a different trip than you do.

Don't fail to take a nice long lens. Some of the good shots will be ones that you won't be able to walk up to.

Of course you'll need a wide angle for the vistas. And plan on dark shooting in the low ambient interior of temples. While the 50 1.4 is bright, it's kind of long.

Stick a sturdy plastic bag in your camera bag. That's your emergency rain bag. Not that you're likely to encounter any rain to speak of....

Flying with sensor cleaning liquid can be a problem. I carry an Arctic Butterfly.

Arctic Butterfly

A monopod that doubles as a trekking pole might be a good idea. A bit of extra balance when changing elevations can be a wonderful thing.

Do take a backup camera. Stuff does break. The new Fuji F40fd uses SD cards. I've got the F10 and it takes wonderful images, especially in dim light.

If you really need to use a hard drive device (laptop, portable hard drive) try not to use it in places higher than Lhasa. Place it on a steady surface and do not jar or jiggle it while it is writing. You will be in an area of thin air and the head isn't going to be well cushioned as it "flies".

You might want to visit Trek Earth - Tibet and take a look at the sort of pictures that others have taken. It might give you some ideas for things to expect.

Tibet Photos | TrekEarth


bob (Ph.D. - UCSD - 1974 ;o)

[Bob Wallace]

Another resource, in the event you aren't aware of it...

Lonely Planet's forums - The Thorn Tree has a separate section for Tibet.

Asia - North-East Asia - Thorn Tree Forum - Lonely Planet


And when you get back if you'd like to participate in a on line club for travelers who like taking pictures you might join us at The Blind Pig Guild.

Blind Pig Guild | Jeber Photo Clubs