Extreme Cold Weather shooting at DVinfo.net

Eric Zad · December 3rd, 2002, 04:21 PM

Hey guys, any suggestions, comments or pointers for shooting in some pretty cold weather? Doing a bit on winter river fishing and we'll be exposed for about 8 hours in the elements. Drift boat, no windscreen, cabin to climb into and warm up or anything like that. My main concern is the camera freezing up, control wise that is..

Thanks,
Eric

Jeff Donald · December 4th, 2002, 09:46 AM

Several years ago I was shooting Snowy Owls, Great Gray Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, and Gyrfalcons in Sault Sainte Marie. The daytime temperatures were between -20 and 0 F. I powered my camera with a large car battery. I wouldn't worry about the camera so much as the tape stock. Tape is so thin, at that temperature it becomes very brittle. Batteries become very inefficient at low temperatures. A standard battery lasted only about 15 minutes before starting to go out.

Jeff

Eric Zad · December 5th, 2002, 04:17 AM

Can you give me the specifics on how you were able to use a car batt as a power source...hook up wise.

Thanks
e

Jeff Donald · December 5th, 2002, 08:25 AM

Get a large car battery and a handle to carry it. The sealed variates are the best. A friend knocked one over in his trunk, and it leaked all over his Nikon 35mm gear. It was a very expensive lesson for him.

NRG http://www.nrgresearch.com/adp.html makes adapters to step the voltage down (12v to ? depending on camera model). I suggest the cigarette adapter style. Then go to Radio Shack and get the parts to build the female adapter part and heavy gauge wire. Attach the assembly with battery clamps and you’re good to go.

Buy a small battery charger to charge it up overnight. They can be purchased at auto parts suppliers, WalMart etc.

Then get a membership to gym so that you can build up strength to carry the battery around all day.

Jeff

Chris Korrow · December 5th, 2002, 11:28 AM

Hey Eric,

You might want to check out this thread for some more info.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3479&highlight=cold
Chris

Andrew Petrie · December 6th, 2002, 08:32 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald :

Then get a membership to gym so that you can build up strength to carry the battery around all day.

Jeff -->>>

Heh. Better yet - take the money you'd spend at the gym, buy 2 dumbbell handles and a few weights. Bang, equipment that will last you a life time, and you can use it even in your underwear while wathcing TV.

Bob Zimmerman · December 6th, 2002, 02:57 PM

the best way is to shoot for inside a nice warm building or for inside your car!!!

December 8th, 2002, 10:20 AM

Not wanting to spend a hundred or two for a store-bought rain/snow cover for my XL-1s, I made one myself. Beautiful it ain't; but it keeps my camera dry and it folds down flat to store in the pocket of my Porta Brace bag.

This thread got me thinking about the cold, however. You'd think living at 8,500' elevation I would have before; but, nope... never gave it much thought. The Xl-1s worked fine even when I had snotsicles in my mustache. Anyway, I decided to experiment. So I added pockets to the inside of my rain/snow cover. Into those pockets, which align with both sides of the recording part of the camera, I slipped one of those chemical hand-warmers they sell at Wal-Mart. Not only did they keep the camera warm, they keep my hands toasty, too... when they're under the cover.

December 3rd, 2002, 04:21 PM	#1
Eric Zad New Boot Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Great Lakes Posts: 8	Extreme Cold Weather shooting Hey guys, any suggestions, comments or pointers for shooting in some pretty cold weather? Doing a bit on winter river fishing and we'll be exposed for about 8 hours in the elements. Drift boat, no windscreen, cabin to climb into and warm up or anything like that. My main concern is the camera freezing up, control wise that is.. Thanks, Eric __________________ Eric Z Quest Outdoors, Ltd www.questoutdoors.net

December 5th, 2002, 04:17 AM	#3
Eric Zad New Boot Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Great Lakes Posts: 8	car batt Can you give me the specifics on how you were able to use a car batt as a power source...hook up wise. Thanks e __________________ Eric Z Quest Outdoors, Ltd www.questoutdoors.net

December 6th, 2002, 08:32 AM	#6
Andrew Petrie Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : Then get a membership to gym so that you can build up strength to carry the battery around all day. Jeff -->>> Heh. Better yet - take the money you'd spend at the gym, buy 2 dumbbell handles and a few weights. Bang, equipment that will last you a life time, and you can use it even in your underwear while wathcing TV. __________________ Andrew \| Canon XL1s, ME66, Vinten Vision 3, GlideCam V16 (for sale!)

December 8th, 2002, 10:20 AM	#8
Guest Posts: n/a	Cold weather Not wanting to spend a hundred or two for a store-bought rain/snow cover for my XL-1s, I made one myself. Beautiful it ain't; but it keeps my camera dry and it folds down flat to store in the pocket of my Porta Brace bag. This thread got me thinking about the cold, however. You'd think living at 8,500' elevation I would have before; but, nope... never gave it much thought. The Xl-1s worked fine even when I had snotsicles in my mustache. Anyway, I decided to experiment. So I added pockets to the inside of my rain/snow cover. Into those pockets, which align with both sides of the recording part of the camera, I slipped one of those chemical hand-warmers they sell at Wal-Mart. Not only did they keep the camera warm, they keep my hands toasty, too... when they're under the cover.

December 4th, 2002, 09:46 AM	#2
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Several years ago I was shooting Snowy Owls, Great Gray Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, and Gyrfalcons in Sault Sainte Marie. The daytime temperatures were between -20 and 0 F. I powered my camera with a large car battery. I wouldn't worry about the camera so much as the tape stock. Tape is so thin, at that temperature it becomes very brittle. Batteries become very inefficient at low temperatures. A standard battery lasted only about 15 minutes before starting to go out. Jeff

December 5th, 2002, 08:25 AM	#4
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Get a large car battery and a handle to carry it. The sealed variates are the best. A friend knocked one over in his trunk, and it leaked all over his Nikon 35mm gear. It was a very expensive lesson for him. NRG http://www.nrgresearch.com/adp.html makes adapters to step the voltage down (12v to ? depending on camera model). I suggest the cigarette adapter style. Then go to Radio Shack and get the parts to build the female adapter part and heavy gauge wire. Attach the assembly with battery clamps and you’re good to go. Buy a small battery charger to charge it up overnight. They can be purchased at auto parts suppliers, WalMart etc. Then get a membership to gym so that you can build up strength to carry the battery around all day. Jeff

December 5th, 2002, 11:28 AM	#5
Chris Korrow Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Whidbey Is, WA Posts: 326	Hey Eric, You might want to check out this thread for some more info. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3479&highlight=cold Chris

December 6th, 2002, 02:57 PM	#7
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	the best way is to shoot for inside a nice warm building or for inside your car!!!