The winter is coming!!!

Toshanda · Aug 22, 2016

So it is the end of August and it is starting to snow here in Alberta.

I am a happy owner of a brand new Nikon. I was just reading my new manual and it says - Do not use the battery at ambient temperatures below 0C/32F. Am I understanding this right??? I am pretty sure I am not the only guy that owns one of these in Canada... Any issues with me using my camera during winter???

Jan178 · Aug 23, 2016

Hello from arctic circle! Snowing already? Nice!
I don´t own Nikon, but brands are not that different. They actually tell you not to use your camera in cold!

I have been out shooting with Olympus and Pentax DLSR:s at about -30C/-22F for years, and problem with batteries is that they don´t keep charge that well. Keep a spare battery in your pocket, so when the other freezes you can put it to warm pocket and the other is good to go.
When the frozen battery warms up, it´s good again.

Also remember to put your camera in bag etc when coming indoors from extreme cold and let it warm up in closed bag to avoid condensation.

tirediron · Aug 23, 2016

Jan178 said:
Hello from arctic circle! Snowing already? Nice!
I don´t own Nikon, but brands are not that different. They actually tell you not to use your camera in cold!

I have been out shooting with Olympus and Pentax DLSR:s at about -30C/-22F for years, and problem with batteries is that they don´t keep charge that well. Keep a spare battery in your pocket, so when the other freezes you can put it to warm pocket and the other is good to go.
When the frozen battery warms up, it´s good again.

Also remember to put your camera in bag etc when coming indoors from extreme cold and let it warm up in closed bag to avoid condensation.

Pretty much this exactly. Your batteries will run down quickly, but as long as you give the gear time to acclimate, it will be fine. Just make sure you avoid moisture (rain, sleet, etc) as that can freeze in annoying places and cause problems.

Big Mike · Aug 23, 2016

Welcome aboard neighbor.

It's been said well already. We northerners use these cameras in conditions at -30C and maybe even lower. It saps the battery and you have to be careful about condensation when coming back inside, but otherwise you'll probably be OK.

And....it's snowing in Calgary? As a born & raised Edmontonian.....Ha Ha.

table1349 · Aug 23, 2016

Toshanda · Aug 23, 2016

Big Mike said:
Welcome aboard neighbor.

It's been said well already. We northerners use these cameras in conditions at -30C and maybe even lower. It saps the battery and you have to be careful about condensation when coming back inside, but otherwise you'll probably be OK.

And....it's snowing in Calgary? As a born & raised Edmontonian.....Ha Ha.

Not directly in Calgary just yet. Foothills got some snow yesterday I have heard. but with the wather we are having right now - I will not be surprised if it snows here soon too. I still remember that big dump we got in September two years ago

PersistentNomad · Sep 2, 2016

I've shot my d5000 in some pretty extreme temps, so far I haven't had an issue. It hasn't seen extreme cold as much as extreme heat, but I was out in the snow with it resting it against my cold metal car to stabilize it for macro snowflakes and frost on the car window... because I was shivering.

zombiesniper · Sep 2, 2016

My son and I shot snowy's last year down to -40C and as stated the only problem is you want to keep a spare battery in your pocket.
The only other issue that could happen is fogging when you get back into a warmer space.

Ysarex · Sep 3, 2016

No new info just past experience:

Don't know exact temp but in the -30 C range; cold enough to freeze over the Mississippi river in central Minnesota. I didn't have a spare battery and I was out long enough that my modern electronic camera would quit -- refuse to turn on. So I'd take out the battery and warm it inside my coat to shoot again. In the meantime while the battery warmed up, my advance planning was to bring along an old mechanical film camera.

Joe