Winter Camera Care

[WNK]

How cold is too cold for your digital SLRs?

Living in the Midwest, it gets rather cold here, so I'm a bit concerned about still being able to take pics when the weather gets bitter. I have a Canon Rebel XT, and all they say in the manual is to put it in a plastic bag when you bring it back in from the cold until it adjusts to the warmth, in order to prevent condensation.
What is the coldest temperatures you'll go out with your digital SLR?
Are the mirrors or lenses in any danger of freezing over in winter weather?
Do you actually use the plastic bag trick?
Do you have any other cold-weather tips or tricks you use?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alex_B]

First of all, avoid quick changes in temperature. That is the greatest danger. When you leave the house to go shooting for more than 10 minutes in the freezing cold outside, prepare your camera before by leaving it in some unheated room of the house. ... and the other way round when you enter.

your batteries will work less efficient if it gets really cold. to get best performance, keep them warm and just insert them into the camera when you actually start shooting.

Lenses and the rest CAN freeze over if there is a lot of humidity on them or even worse inside them. but normally, when you straightly carry your camera from a heated and humil room into the freezing cold outside, that should not be a problem. From certain temperatures downwards, the air is very dry.

The worst from my experience is actually not very low temperatures, but those around melting point, as then you can get really in trouble with humidity.

 

[Wolff]

I've done quit a bit of shooting in the winter months which rarely get above 30 and are sometimes below 0. I also have a digital reble and have not had much trouble with it. I do make sure to keep it inside my coat when I'm not using it and the only thing I've noticed is that it always works a bit slower. It's a good idea to bring a tripod with you and if it is below 0, make sure to warm it up slowly.

I never thought the plastic bag would work very well since there would still be humidity in the bag and all you would be doing is trapping it against your camera.