[jgnfld]

Those hunting overalls and snowmobile boots are critical gear in cold weather. As are a really good warm set of mittens to put your hands in when they get cold, as well as a lightweight merino wool gloves that you can manipulate the camera controls with, and that you don't have to take off to put the mittens on. If you're going to be sitting still, your coat needs to be twice as heavy as if you were hiking. Big puffy down is preferred around here.

Big puffy down is great in severe, DRY cold. (I used to live in Duluth MN many years ago and agree it's great). But NO ONE wears puffy down in Newfoundland, however. It just doesn't work as the humidity even at -15C tends to still be pretty high. Then too is the horizontal spume/spray! Think Aleutians for those more familiar with US geography. Hunting type clothes are the name of the game here and wool too, even. Well commercial fishing type gear might be more accurate. Personally I use my yachting gear (it's cold enough during the ends of the sailing season to be necessary even for coastal sailing) with salopettes and breathable space blanket/Gortex underlayers. The outer yachting gear takes care of the environment, the underlayers take care of the warmth.

Not sure exactly where in Sweden he is going to is on the dry vs. humid dimension.

To the OP: Yes...do buy another battery or 2.

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Last edited by jgnfld; 01-21-2019 at 12:54 PM.

[BigMackCam]

I'm late to this thread, however I'll add my own slightly relevant experience.

Back in 2009, about a year before I started shooting Pentax, I bought a Fujifilm S200EXR bridge camera (actually, I still own it - though I haven't used it in years ). That same year, a friend and I visited Uppsala in Sweden, in the middle of winter. While we were there, we joined a hike in a forest somewhere in the general vicinity (I forget where) to learn about animal tracks, how to identify them, and how to track the animals. I took my S200EXR on that trip with me, and used it for a solid four hours (maybe a little longer) during that hike. I don't know if the temperatures were quite as low as you mention, but I remember the hairs in my nostrils freezing whenever I breathed in. Everything around us was frozen solid. I've personally never been anywhere colder.

Despite the S200EXR not being weather resistant, and though it got dropped into (and retrieved from) the snow several times, it operated flawlessly during that hike, and indeed throughout our entire trip to the region. When the snow was falling, I did my best to keep most of it off the camera, and wiped the rest off with the back of my fleeced gloves. But that was the only precaution I took. As @normhead suggests, battery life took a hit, so I went through a couple of batteries in the time I expected to use one... though I was able to get quite a lot of extra shots from the first one by warming it against my body for ten minutes.

I realise we're talking about different cameras and lenses here, but I would expect a weather-resistant Pentax DSLR and lens to perform even better than that Fuji bridge camera. Just take sensible precautions in keeping it relatively dry (wiping away any snow so that it doesn't turn to standing water and potentially leech into the camera), and carry a few fully charged batteries

[Rondec]

I guess you've got good advice already. To me the biggest things are to keep an extra battery in an inner pocket, to let your gear acclimate when you are going from the cold to somewhere warm (not as big a deal going the other direction), and to make sure you are warm enough yourself. Pentax gear should be fine for the effort and hope you get some great shots!

Be sure to share a few when you do.

[Yoda boy]

Hi.

I posted the same question as a visitor, but I thought it might be better to directly create an account

I'm gonna go in Sweden in February.

Temperatures expected: -25°C in daylight.
My brother is already there and took a few pictures with a gopro.
I'm joining him to take proper pictures ... Especially I had in mind to do a timelapse (Over day light and eventually the night sky/landscape).

I was just wondering what exactly I have to expect from my K3. Anyone used his/her own at those temp with a k3 or another model?
I know the battery and surely the screen risk to "suffer" (Battery discharging super fast) but what else? Any existing solutions to counter balance that ?

Thanks in advance!
Vince.

Two thoughts. I have heard it is an excellent idea to place the camera and lens combo in a sealed bag before you go back into a heated place. Condensation will take place on the outer of the bag and not on the camera. Leaving the camera and lens in the bag to slowly warm up is apparently the right way to go about re-setting the temperature balance. I would also recommend your considering the battery grip with an additional battery to give you a better safety factor.

[lesmore49]

You seem to be getting pretty good advice regarding ways and means of keeping your camera equipment warm and functioning. I live in Winnipeg which has been regarded as one of the coldest large (over 600,000) cities on the planet. It was -31, -32 a couple of nights ago and not much warmer during the day. Fortunately it's getting into a milder temp...don't know for how long. The local slang for Winnipeg is Winterpeg.

But what I have found that keeps me warm and wear when I'm out and about during extreme cold days, include Below Zero socks (used to get them at Marks), long underwear, heavy T-shirts, heavy polar fleece sweat shirts that zip high up to protect my neck from cold, a sheepskin trappers/Mountie style hat , usually a scarf that I fasten over my mouth/nose, heavy jeans and a farmer style, insulated bib coverall that goes well up my back/front upper torso and some old Sorel winter boots that are well insulated, think they were rated for 60 below, and a heavy canvas insulated, Arctic Carhartt jacket with optional hood. All this stuff layers well, so I can adjust how warm I need to be.

With these clothes, I kind of 'trap' the warm air in.

I used this outfit for ice fishing in Manitoba and North West Ontario. They used to film the TV show Ice Road Truckers in Manitoba/NW Ontario and Ford has a cold weather laboratory for testing their cars/trucks here, so I figure if it worked here, it will work anywhere...cold wise.

Being warm in extreme cold is of paramount importance.

I also wear locally made Raber winter Garbage Mitts...which are really good.

Cabelas Canada sells them, unfortunately I get get the link to work.

[tljensen]

Here is a suggestion for dew-proofing or frost proofing the front of the lens:

You Tube

You Tube

If the link stops working, it basically says: use a lens hood to keep dew from falling on the lens; use hand warmers wrapped around the lens hood to keep it frost free; or use a fan, assuming you have power.

Other than that, I keep my camera and lenses in the bag until they have acclimated, especially coming inside when the camera and lens surface temperatures are below freezing, allow extra time for this. Warm up slowly.

For portable power I have a Stanely FATMAX power station that has two AC outlets, and two USB charging ports. (It can also start cars with dead batteries and inflate soccer balls.) I use this as a power source when using my KP, K5, Nikon D750, or Celestron telescope. Get an AC adapter for your K3 and plug it into the power station. I can run all night long without fear of losing power.

[johnyates]

Be careful where you breathe. Exhalation in the vicinity of your viewfinder will cause condensation, rendering it temporarily useless. I have trained myself to hold my breath when lining up the shot.


You can avoid that, I suppose, by using live view--but that will severely curtail battery life.

Operating the camera controls while gloved can be a challenge. Going glove-less, even for the short time it takes to set up, is even worse.

[mattb123]

I shoot into the -30's C sometimes and just have to rotate batteries more frequently. And batteries that were dead will come back when warmed.
If you will be out for a while take a few batteries and strap a chemical hand warmer to them if your body heat isn't enough.
When it's really cold here (below -30 F) the camera will only function for a short time if exposed but the same goes for me!

-28 F a couple of years ago

[Not a Number]

Right, the batteries don't discharge faster at cold temperatures. The cold slows down the chemical reactions so the ions don't flow as readily. This leads to voltage drops. Once the batteries warm up to normal operating temperatures they should operate normally.

As recommended before keep several charged batteries on hand. Keep the spares warm either with a hand warmer or close to your body under your jacket. Cold batteries may even warm up enough that you can use them again.

[jbinpg]

Just a note that once the cameras are in the ziplock bag and have entered a warm, humid environment, the bag should never be opened until contents have acclimated. That means that the SD card(s) must be removed before putting the camera in the bag. Becomes muscle memory after a while. - Jack

...
Equally important is wearing proper clothing so that you can be comfortable while operating your camera gear. I wear layered clothing and a system of mittens with flaps and finger holes, and light inner silk liners.


Be aware of the dangers of frostbite!

- Craig

That's probably the most important thing. I also make sure the camera's been out in the cold for at least a half an hour prior to shooting - and generally leave it in the car overnight for that reason - so there won't be any thermal disortion as the camera's innards adjust from warm to cold.

[VinceLaTaupe]

Hi guys!

Seriously thank you so much. Been very helpful!
It was a super choice to register to the forum

I'll make sure to post some of my pictures as soon as available in this thread!

Vince

[MossyRocks]

Hi guys!

Seriously thank you so much. Been very helpful!
It was a super choice to register to the forum

I'll make sure to post some of my pictures as soon as available in this thread!

Vince

Have fun, please do, and stay warm.

[pete-tarmigan]

While I was growing up in Saskatchewan there were countless January and February days I fervently wished it had been as warm as -25°C. Regardless, in film cameras the mechanical-shutter tripping mechanism would get markedly sluggish (as would the film advance mechanism). I haven't used digital cameras at that temperature, but if exposed for a few hours any lubrication in the mechanical parts of the shutter and mirror mechanisms would get very viscous.

Since the cold will reduce conductivity in the battery, your backup battery should be kept inside your coat to keep it warm for when you need to use it. Putting a cold battery into the camera will result in even fewer shots than the battery that started off in the warm camera.

After your shooting, place the camera in a cold bag before you go inside. The cold air inside the bag will allow the camera to warm up slowly so you won't get condensation.

Disregarding the camera for the moment, if your extremities hurt, they will freeze. Warm them up before they got numb. I made it through the first 23 years of my life without getting frostbite, so it is possible to avoid it.

[c.a.m]

When I'm out in temperatures below, say, minus 20 C, I find that I just don't want to change lenses, even when there's no wind. I guess I'm trying to conserve as much heat as possible and not to be bothered with 'unnecessary' exposure (no pun intended!) or fumbling with the camera bag. So, I usually manage with a single lens, which also makes it easier with less equipment when returning back to the indoors.

Maybe this is instinct. Does anyone else limit their lens changes while in the field in the extreme cold? Go ahead, you can call me a wimp, I won't be offended.