[RusherRacing]

We have had extremely cold, calm, clear sky nights with a ton of snow and a full moon. I have gone out a couple time to take photos because the moon light looks so cool and I seem to have nothing but camera issues.

I can't get the autofocus to seem to work and it won't take a picture... I can put it into manual mode and get it to work sometimes.. It seems the camera just goes "dumb" at night or cold...

Last night I was getting an err CHA - which when I googled said had to do with memory card format. Soon as I came back inside it worked fine..

temp wise 0f to -15f..

Any suggestions to what I can do? Does others have these issues?
Or am I doing something wrong.. I have been trying manual setting and auto-noflash setting.

[UdubBadger]

sounds like you're the only idiot out there at -15 deg trying to take pix.

Next time bring your car, stay warm in your car while you set up the camera/lenses/shutter speed/aperture/ISO ect..., then run out for like 2-3 min snap the pix and make quick adjustments and then get back into your warm car again. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

[RusherRacing]

I was trying to take picture around my yard..

I just wasn't sure if others have tried cold weather pictures and if they had issues.. I know there is people on here from worse climates than here..

It didn't feel that cold cause it was so calm.. I was out in a hoodie...

[UdubBadger]

ahhh... hahaha.

I would just assume that like any small electronic device sitting out in super cold temps for more than a few minutes will have an effect on it. I left my phone in my car overnight like 3 days ago and it dropped into the single digits. I got the phone in the morning and it was dead so I plugged it in and it was like molasses for a good 20 min till it warmed up.

moral of the story: limited exposure is ok but keep it short and go warm it back up after every few minutes its been in that cold of temps.

[Stupeyfied]

The other thing you want to make sure of when doing this too is be weary of condensation. Just like when your windows fog up, your lenses and internals will do the same thing if you keep going back and forth between hot and cold. It may cause some issues, it may not. Just keep it in mind, I'd say.

[RusherRacing]

What do you all do about condensation?? It has been really messing with me this weekend. The lens fogs up gets dirty... I looked and the mirror was also getting foggy and so was the eye piece... Took for ever to dry out... Is there something I can do to reduce or prevent this on the lense etc? It will be a bad deal for me if I can't take it in and out of cold weather... I live in the cold barren north..

Ryan

[khfoto.no]

Maybe it's something like this you need: ...


Condensation

Now it's time to come back indoors. Here's where condensation can be a problem. You've seen moisture condense on a cool glass of water on a hot summer day. Your lens and the film inside the camera behave the same way when you bring them inside – moisture from the warm inside air condenses on their cold surfaces. The lens can become completely covered with moisture, as can the film and the mechanical and electrical components inside the camera. You don't want moisture – water! – on your lens or inside the camera. So how can you avoid this problem?

Let your camera warm up slowly. Place it on a cool windowsill or an unheated porch for a couple of hours so it can rise slowly to room temperature. Since condensation can play havoc with an all-electronic camera, you want even greater protection for them. This is where the suggestion of wrapping a cold camera in a plastic bag comes into play. The moisture will settle on the outside of the bag rather than on the camera's outside and inside surfaces. You can protect the delicate electronics this way. In fact, it's best if you place the bag on the camera while still outside, not when you bring the camera in.

Here is more from this page


Cheers

[RusherRacing]

Wow thats great thanks for the info.

[RusherRacing]

Well,

I am going to put this information to use today/tomorrow. It is -15f out today clear as a bell. We have drifts 10+ feet tall so hopefully I can get some good photographs not just the crappy snap shots with the point and shoot.

Ryan

[CJW]

Hey Rush..you might try setting up your shot on the passenger seat of a warm vehicle...then...get everything set up (when you turn your camera on...if its on auto focus, it will be set up for infinity...then switch it to manual)...then roll down your window, and turn off the vehicle. you can leave the fan running, to keep it somewhat warm.

Just a thought.

Did I make sense?

[Fat Buff Guy]

Originally Posted by CJW

Hey Rush..you might try setting up your shot on the passenger seat of a warm vehicle...then...get everything set up (when you turn your camera on...if its on auto focus, it will be set up for infinity...then switch it to manual)...then roll down your window, and turn off the vehicle. you can leave the fan running, to keep it somewhat warm.

Just a thought.

Did I make sense?

no, i dont think you did. pictures?

[CJW]

Sorry, no pics. I am lazy.

Put the tripod on the passenger seat so that the equipment doesn't have to be fully exposed to the elements...