European Winter and Cameras

[stapo49]

Hi All, We are off to Europe for 6 weeks in December/ January this year. I was doing some reading and it was mentioned there may be issues with cameras and the cold. The main issue I was concerned about was coming in from the cold to the warmer indoors and getting condensation in the camera.

Here in Perth it doesn't get cold enough to snow. Our main issue is not melting in summer! So I am trying to find out if this is something to be concerned about or is it overstated? I will be taking the Panasonic GX9 with 12-60 3.5. Cheers





Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[weepete]

Don't worry about it, just let the camera normalise temperature inside the bag for a bit before you take it out if there's a large temperature difference. Saying that though I'm in Scotland, so the Northern part of Europe and it doesn't often get so cold it's an issue, barring the odd freak cold spell. Further South is milder climates, so it's even less of an issue.

 

[stapo49]

Thanks for the response. If you have no issues in Scotland than all should be good. Actually, as part of our European odyssey we will be going to Edinburgh. Should be there sometime in January.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[sj-gordon]

Just like Weepete said. Let the camera and lenses slowly come down (and back up) to temp inside the camera bag and you will be good to go. I take my gear out regularly in -20C temps all winter. Live in northern Michigan and almost 20 years in far northern Maine. Never had an issue with either digital or film cameras. But the key is to let them cool down to outside temp and then warm back up to inside temps for a couple hours inside the closed bag. No matter how eager you are to download the new shots onto the computer, let the camera warm up in the bag first... or pop the memory card out while in the field and put it in your pocket, then you can download the photos as soon as you hit the warmth again with a card reader.

 

[zombiesniper]

I've had min down to -40C with no issues.

If you have it in a bag, just leave it in there until it warms up. If like me it's not in a bag once you bring it in leave it alone until it warms up and you should be fine.
As long as you don't allow the warm air to rush to the inside (i.e. removing the lens) it is unlikely you will get condensation on the inside.

 

[stapo49]

Thanks for all the responses guys. If it gets down to two degrees Celsius at night here, which rarely happens, we are freezing. Then in summer it usually sits around 32 to 37 Celsius with occasional 40's.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk