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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Batteries in the Cold
Sam Reinders, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Athens | OH | USA | Posted: 8:35 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> Hi guys
I am going to be shooting a story on ice fishing for about 10 days at the end of month in the COLD of north Minnesota.
I shoot with a Canon 10D and have two batteries. Is it true that these batteries loose juice in the cold? I'm from the sunnier climate of South Africa so have never had to deal with this type of problem. I'll be able to recharge batteries at night - but am wondering if 2 batteries will last me shooting from dawn 'till dusk.
Any suggestions on how many to take?
Thanks so much,
Sam |
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Chris Large, Photographer
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Okotoks | AB | Canada | Posted: 8:43 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> Batteries WILL loose alot of power the colder they get. You can prolong the life by switching them out - keep one warm in an inside pocket while shooting. Change them and the cold battery will regain some of its power when it's warm again. I think 2 batteries will not be enough unless you can charge one while shooting. I would try for at least 4 batteries and keep rotating them and keeping them as warm as possible.
You can also get hand warmers that you can attach to the camera base that will help keep the battery compartments warm.
I've shot in the Canadian Rockies in the winter, Alaska, NWT & in the deep deep North (couple of hundred miles from the North Pole on one occassion) & I've found that keeping the batteries warm is your major challange. Email me if you need more info
Chris |
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David Boily, Photographer
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Montreal | QC | Canada | Posted: 9:25 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> NO. I was outside all day with my 10D in my bag (as a backup) and I took it out for 5 minutes and the camera was reading half charge. I shot maybe 10 frames and put it back. When I got home I went to charge them, but they wer 99.99% full. So yes the cold will definately cut your charge in almost half. I would get another 2 or even 4 batteries.
I should add that I am in Montreal and it was fairly warm at -10 celcius.
You may also want to bring a good Tom Clancy book. 10 days of ice fishing is LOOOOOOONG! |
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Colin Corneau, Photographer
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Brandon | MB | Canada | Posted: 9:35 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> The little handwarmers are a good idea -- they are inexpensive disposable things that heat up by (usually) squeezing them and breaking a chemical pack inside -- they put out a lot of heat and last a long time. Even a rubber band to hold it to the bottom of your camera will work OK. They are commonly available, I've seen them in grocery and hardware stores, as well as any outdoor and sporting/hunting stores.
Extra batteries, kept inside your jacket, are a good idea too. Even keep your camera inside your jacket (if possible) until you need to shoot isn't a bad idea, if it won't cause you to miss a shot.
One thing to watch out for is taking a camera and lenses back into a warm room after being outside -- the condensation from warmer, moister air will fog up your glass...a search of the message board will turn up info on that.
Good luck on the shoot |
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Micah Miller, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Murfreesboro | TN | USA | Posted: 9:38 PM on 01.09.05 |
| ->> Also make sure when charging the batteries at night to have them in a harm spot. Cold batteries will charge slow or not at all. Been there done that. |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 9:53 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> Best of all is to use an external power supply that you keep next to your body.
--Mark |
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Mike Mohaupt, Student/Intern
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Grand Forks | ND | USA | Posted: 11:07 PM on 01.09.05 |
| ->> Mark there isn’t many electrical outlets in the middle of frozen lakes... I think carrying extra batteries is a safe bet... |
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Robert Dall, Photographer, Assistant
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Portage la Prairie | MB | Canada | Posted: 11:44 PM on 01.09.05 |
->> As odd as it sounds. While shooting in Greenland I had one battery down my pants. While shooting with the other and it worked well.
Third battery is a good idea. Don't chimp to much and as long as it doesn't get below -40 F The LCD display should work well too.
I have had a few LCD's freeze up on me because it is too cold and then can't change a thing on the camera.
more info:
http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1138
cheers |
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Colin Corneau, Photographer
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Brandon | MB | Canada | Posted: 2:11 AM on 01.10.05 |
->> "...While shooting in Greenland I had one battery down my pants...."
I'm going to avoid the obvious joke here, and simply wish Sam good luck on his journey...
"There are strange things done, under the midnight sun, but the strangest I ever did glance; was the days of old, or so I'm told, when Robert Dall put a battery down his pants"
(with apologies to Robert Service) |
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Guy Rhodes, Student/Intern, Photographer
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East Chicago | IN | USA | Posted: 2:12 AM on 01.10.05 |
| ->> ... I think Mark is referring to an external battery pack that you might keep in your inside coat pocket, with a DC cable that runs to the camera. |
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Daniel Bersak, Photographer
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Boston | MA | USA | Posted: 2:13 AM on 01.10.05 |
->> Sam-
One tip for cold weather battery woes... If you can get ahold of an external battery like a Quantum or a Digital Camera Battery, you'll have no problems. You can clip the battery inside your clothes, and your body heat will keep it warm. Alternately, if there's something there that has a car/motorcycle battery or a 12V cigarette lighter jack (snowmobile? generator? boat?) you can buy an inverter and use the camera's AC power adapter. Even if you go with extra BP-511s, an inverter might be a good idea. It would allow you to charge them with one of the aforementioned power sources. Good Luck!
--Dan
PS- Never buy an inverter from Radio Shack - they're twice as expensive as they should be. I just got a second one from Wal Mart. 750 watts for $40. Now one lives in my car and I have one to take with me when I travel. |
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Todd Bissonette, Photographer
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Lake Placid | NY | USA | Posted: 9:15 AM on 01.10.05 |
| ->> I have found that using the battery grip also helps, along with fresh batteries. I have shot for most of the day at -10F with a pair of good batteries. When they are older and have a lot of re-charges on them they don't seem to last as long. As mentioned above keeping them warm is really the key. Sometimes I will throw a couple of those handwarmers in my bag with the extra batteries to keep them warm. Make sure to make arrangements to be able to charge the extras while you are shooting or have enough to get through the day. Also if you will have to charge them all at night, remember to have enough chargers to have them all going at once. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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New England | | USA | Posted: 9:36 AM on 01.10.05 |
->> Off brand 10D batteries can be found at Target/BestBuy/WalMart for a fraction of the cost of the Canon batteries.
I have two spare off-brand batteries for my 10D, and they last a long time, I also have a dual charger which cost about $20 at Target. Try getting two or three spare batteries,and keeping them warm in your inside pocket. Swap out the batteries as they get cold, as they warm up they get some juice back.
To cut down on the confusion label the batteries with their own number or letter code. |
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