Filming with PD 150 in apine snow conditions

[Daniel Stevenson]

Anyone had any experience with the PD150 in snow? I've got a gig filming a snow boarder and checked out a rain jacket but the guy at the store said I need a special jacket for cold conditions. Is the cold really an issue? Should I spend the extra two hundred bucks to get this jacket or would thr rain jacket be enough?

[Mike Condron]

Daniel,
I would suppose that anywhere south of the arctic circle at this time of year will be in at least the 50's during the day. Covering the camera to protect it from sprayed slush is a good idea. Be really careful about taking the camera back indoors after a shoot. If the camera has been exposed to temps of around 50-60 degrees and is then exposed to indoor temps of 70+ degrees with perhaps high humidity then you may well get some condensation throughout the camera. Wrap it in newsprint and then in a plastic bag outdoors before bringing it indoors. Keep it wrapped up for and hour or two indoors before exposing it to the indoor environment. Going from a warm indoors to a cold outdoors isn't a problem, at least for the camera.

[Daniel Stevenson]

Thanks Mike - that seems to be the similar to the advice I have been getting. Especially grateful for tips on bringing camera back inside - no-one has been that specific. People have said that it is a problem taking the camera from warm to cold conditions, they say condensation builds inside and that I should get the camera cold before I use it.

Anyway I'll believe both and get all bases covered!

Thanks again Mike.

[Mike Condron]

Daniel,
Taking a warm camera to a cold outdoors will not cause condensation. Taking a cold camera into a warm indoors will cause condensation. Think a hot cup of coffee outside on a winter day. No condensation. Think an iced drink on a warm humid day. Lots of condensation.