Shooting skiers

[cbrown222]

Hey TPF,

I'm going to visit my brother up in Vermont this weekend and I have a few questions. It'll be around 0 degrees F. I'm a little worried about my camera getting too cold to function and I'm also worried about condensation. I've heard to put the camera in a ziplock bag before going inside so should I do that? I've also heard to not change lenses outside or inside until the camera has had plenty of time to warm up so is that true too? I want to be able to bring my fisheye along with my regular lens but I dont know if I can change the lenses.

TLDR;

What should I do to deal with going from cold to hot?
How do I stop condensation?
Can I switch lenses in below freezing temps?

Thanks!

 

[MTVision]

Hey TPF,

I'm going to visit my brother up in Vermont this weekend and I have a few questions. It'll be around 0 degrees F. I'm a little worried about my camera getting too cold to function and I'm also worried about condensation. I've heard to put the camera in a ziplock bag before going inside so should I do that? I've also heard to not change lenses outside or inside until the camera has had plenty of time to warm up so is that true too? I want to be able to bring my fisheye along with my regular lens but I dont know if I can change the lenses.

TLDR;

What should I do to deal with going from cold to hot?
How do I stop condensation?
Can I switch lenses in below freezing temps?

Thanks!

It's actually not that cold in Vermont right now.

From what I've read - keep your camera in your camera bag when you bring it inside. Let it warm up slowly as the bag warms up.

I haven't had any issues from going outside in the cold then going back into a warm home.

I don't know about the changing lens outside though!

 

[KmH]

I have. But, most of my condensation problems occur in the summer.

Condensation occurs when something cold is introduced to a warm humid environment.

In the winter that usually means coming back in wher it's warm from a cold outside, and in the summer just the opposite, going outside to the hot from a cool inside.

Either way you want to minimize condensation and keep moisture out of your gear, so using the plastic bag is an inexpensive solution.
It is also a very good idea to keep a reusable dessicants or 2 in your camera bag:
Dry-Packs Indicating Silica Gel 40 Grams in Sturdy Aluminum Dehumidifying Canister - No Cobalt Chloride II - DP40CAN

 

[cbrown222]

Thanks for the responses guys. What I'm most worried about is coming into the lodge for lunch because normally it's very warm in there. I'll try to get my hands on some silica gel packets and I'll definitely bring a plastic bag.


Does anyone know about changing lenses on the ski hill?

 

[iresq]

Assuming the camera is at outside temperature, the only thing to be concerned with is is blowing snow. If it's windy, there are usually tiny ice crystal flying around. You do not want these to get inside your camera. If it's calm, just use reasonable care. Don't drop anything into the snow. But probably best to stick with one lens or swap in the lodge, after your camera comes up to temperature.