Cold weather gear

[ShutteringFocus]

A few months ago I posted asking about digital verses film for a backpacking trip in the Rockies in Feb.

I have two options right now. I have a Pentax K100 and a Canon Rebel Xs.

The Rebel fits my canon EOS lenses that I have which means I have nice glass for that camera. The Pentax only has a 50mm stock lens so if I use that one I need to get some other lenses.

The Rebel Xs of course has more battery operated parts. But that means auto focus and a better metering system.

Anyone have experience with a film SLR like the rebel in cold weather? How do the batteries hold up? Does the digital info screen have any problems?

 

[teneighty23]

A few months ago I posted asking about digital verses film for a backpacking trip in the Rockies in Feb.

I have two options right now. I have a Pentax K100 and a Canon Rebel Xs.

The Rebel fits my canon EOS lenses that I have which means I have nice glass for that camera. The Pentax only has a 50mm stock lens so if I use that one I need to get some other lenses.

The Rebel Xs of course has more battery operated parts. But that means auto focus and a better metering system.

Anyone have experience with a film SLR like the rebel in cold weather? How do the batteries hold up? Does the digital info screen have any problems?

i almost exclusivly use a Canon Rebel T2 film camera, which is your XS but the film version, and how cold are you talking? since its a backpack trip, you mean winter? my batteries usually last months at a time, and have used them in -38 weather before too. which did drain them faster, but for a backpack trip, they will last the whole time. if your worried carry a spare pair around in your bag, which you may as well all the time, your rebel DSLR will drain, im sure, and in -38 my friends XSI i had out with my film Rebel drained out in about an hour and a half. this help at all? what temperature you talking about?

 

[christopher walrath]

'A spare in your bag'? More like five or six and keep them inside you civvies for the most warmth. Or . . .

Pick up a Minolta sr-T101 and a hand held Weston light meter, like an old Master IV. No batteries required. Just have'm cleaned before you go and fret not a bit about your batteries dying miles away from your nearest Walgreens.

 

[Torus34]

If you are of legal age, the addition of a small flask of medicinal spirits to the backpack is not a bad idea. Curiously, I've found that there seems to be something about warming up with a dram or two which affects my camera. Pictures taken afterward are never as sharply focussed as those taken earlier. I'm looking forward to doing considerable research on this phenomenon. ;-)

 

[teneighty23]

'A spare in your bag'?

i think he was referring to film, if so, a spare set will save him unless he is gone for weeks, i change my batteries about every 4-5 months. in the case of digital, your screwed if your out longer than an hour in -25 best beef up your battery situation.

 

[Paul Ron]

The K1000 is purely mechanical and more reliable in the cold. Your film will be a bit crispy, that is more of a problem in cold with mechanicals. Any battery operated cameras will have issues in very cold conditions because of the elecrtonic dependency on batteries. Spares kept in your pockets, in your jacket are the best advice. Fumbeling around int eh cold to change batteries is no fun at all.

Also another problem is condensation in cold extreams. When taking the camera from cold to warm it will fog up almost imeadiately. Put the camera in a zip loc with freshly desicated silica gel packs.