 Poster: A snowHead
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Bought a new camera (Canon 300D) and really want to take it with me next week in Andorra.
The manual says operating temperature 0-40 C so I am bit nervous as I dont want to wreck it on my first ski trip.
Has anyone else had any problems with camera equiment in minus conditions??
Also read about putting camera in a plastic bag to stop condensation, do i need to do this even if I keep it in the camera bag?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Newbie, don't put it in a plastic bag, that can cause condensation to build up in the bag as you take it in and out of cold areas, the best option is to get a padded pouch to fit, I have some CCS pouches that are perfect for skiing, well padded with a drawstring at the top and a flap over that to stop snow getting in, the main problem with cold weather is that battery life goes really quickly.
The only time you should use a plastic bag is in very humid conditions, if you do use one put a sachet of silica gel or similar in the bag to stop the condensation
CCS can be found here http://www.ccscentre.co.uk/ look at their classic range something like the Kobrahead pouch should do you
Because it's I think an SLR type digital camera I suggest carrying it accross the chest, one strap behind neck a second behind the back and below the arms, this is the safest place to carry a camera, no worries on lifts, easy access to the camera and the least likely location for damage to you or the camera if you fall
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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used normal and digital cameras (samsung 38-160mm and a Casio QV7000 digital) for years on snow without any issues, even in heavy snow. I usually put in in a chest pocket whilst i ski or in a rucksack. Batteries will still fire up at 0 degrees so i can't really see the problem. However might be worth talking to Canon Customer Service to be sure incase using outside of these temps invalidates the warranty
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Newbie
where are you in Andorra as we are there next week too?
one of the biggest problem you can have with cameras that I have found can be the condensation issue, DG Ord has already said this.
I've got a CCs pouch that works ok
I've used my Olympus 0M1 for years in cold weather and last year in Andorra.I always carry a spare set of batteries just in case in a chest or inner coat pocket to keep them warm and dry, same with film
try keeping it underwraps and not exposed to the elements as this prevents condensation on the lense and viewfinder/ screen.also make sure you always have hold of the strap, as if you drop it you can have problems getting it back and clean
(speak from experince having seen a friend drop one down a mountain in snowdonia a few years back)
hope this helps 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Heading to Pas de la Casa on Sunday, cant wait as it is my first ski holiday!
Want to try and get some nice pics too!
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Have fun
Went for first time last year to Soldue and had a good time, ski schools pretty good.
Back in Soldue again this year.
hope you get some good shots
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Well I have done a bit of dry slope skiing before but I thought that if the camera was inside the bag and a backpack it would survive me falling on it 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Newbie, camera might surviveish but if you fall on it on a hard slope............what about your ribs? I think someone on this board suffered some sort of broken rib injury last year from falling on their camera.........i'll see if i can find the link.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks dan, never thought about that.
Maybe I could take it out for an hour, ski really carefully, take some nice shots and then leave it back to apartment??
Definitely not taking it out in the evening to the pub
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One of the reasons I suggested a chest mount is that falling on your back is far more common than falling on you front, and whilst a cracked rib is painful a cracked spine is much more serious, I have by the way skied with big 35mm nikon camera bodies with massive lenses using the ccs bags but it's much easier skiing with a digital compact camera
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You know it makes sense.
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p.s. newbie don't flash the camera around - some chalets (and I guess hotels) aren't so secure - so unless there's a safe - best not to attract any attention from other guests/staff. I've always been paranoid about things left in the chalet - as they often seem to be left unlocked, and rooms haven't always had locks either
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Newbie, If you've got a serious camera use snowshoes. If you want to slide, buy a 5+Mpxl compact. Choose . . . you're either a photographer or a ski/boarder . . . you've got to be damm good at both to combine them.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frosty - that doesn't link to the original thread, it does mention your horrible experience - which is what i was thinking of in my earlier post. I couldn't find the actualy thread on a search. Any chance you know where the original thread is, i tried to find it again but i can only find the above post you have refered to
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Newbie, i am a keen photographer, also with a digi SLR, and i wouldn't dream of taking it on the slopes. Not only could it get damaged or cause damage to me, carrying it around would impinge my enjoyment on the slopes.
I usually carry a compact or even a disposable but i rarely take many pictures - i am usually having too much fun to stop and take shots. It is very difficult to take action shots unless you forget about your own skiing and set yourself up specially to get good shots. Usually, if you take a shot of your mates on piste, it will just look like they just standing on a gentle slope even if it was in reality quite steep. Capturing the movement of skiing is a photographic project - not something to be combined with learning to ski.
You can of course take landscape shots across the mountains, but then you may as well use a film compact or a high-res digi compact because i assume that you weren't thinking of also taking a tripod up there?
I know that you anticipate being in beautiful snowy mountains, but if I were you I would concentrate on the prime objective of the holiday and get good memories, rather than spend the whole time being paranoid about your camera or constantly looking around and composing potential photos. If you are a beginner skier, you will have enough to concentrate on without those added distractions!
Of course, you could take it away with you and then maybe take it up later in the week if you want to, but I would bet that you'll realise it is more hassle than it is worth when it comes to it.
Hope you have a good week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Dan, I remember the thread, but lioke you cant find it
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Newbie, don't take to heart what anyone says about having to chose between skiing or photography. Especially be doubtful of anyone advising against taking Canons onto the snow. The choice, quite frankly, is yours.
Your Canon will capture the beauty of the mountains (and your memories of it) much better than any smaller jobbie.
Canon bodies and lenses are hardy. You should of course, make sure you have them stowed in a proper padded Lowe Alpine camera bag, inside your daypack.
I have a rather nice Canon SLR that takes wonderful photos. I've taken it skiing for the last 4 ski trips, but I always carry it in its padded bag, and I prefer to ski with it only on sunny days (just personal preference - don't see the point of taking skiing photos on an overcast day. In any event my Canon's never failed me in sub-zero temps. In fact it'll be the battery that minus temps will affect long before the cold does anything to your camera's mechanics). And I NEVER take it never on days when I'm feeling like indulging myself on slopes that inevitably involve a fall. Having said that, I have fallen over twice when the camera was in it's bag. No noticable damage to camera (Canon bodies and lenses are hardy), but it bruised myself!
Your idea of an hour out on the slopes with your Canon very carefully for an hour is about right. Some people deliberately set one day of their holiday aside for cruising the easy slopes with a decent camera. Basically, keep taking photos until you get sick of it, use your head and don't do any silly skiing with it, and then take the Canon home and head out again for some decent piste bashing. 
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Post script: DO NOT put it in a plastic bag. If the outside temperature is particularly low, then you need to think about ways of slowly warming it up - walking straight from the slopes into a hot bar with it is one sure way to bvgger up the workings. Take it home, put it in the coldest part of the house, and slowly introduce it to warmer rooms. Pain in the back bottom, but it works.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Newbie, then I would recommend a slimline 5.1 mpxl Sony cybershot, Get a lttle padded case and keep it in yr pocket |
I have the Cybershot T1, 5.1mpxl and I have to say its a cracking unit , and Vfast compared to most digi compacts and will easily take moving shots , super fast start up time as well. Its also super slim , a 3x optical zoom which operates inside the body ( no sticky out lens ) will get you in close and the digital zoom when used at lower res cleverly uses spare pixels so you dont de-grade the overal picture. The downside is it uses a proprietory battery which means its costly to buy extra ones.
This is what I am "hoping" to use when I go out to Canada in 3 weeks , I say "hoping" as currently its -20ish which is way outside the opperating temp of the battery and the camera I expect, so we shall see.
Fur
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Would there be anywhere secure to leave camera in apartments?
Do apartments have small safes in them?? (Going to Pas de la Casa not sure of apartment name)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I know the ones in Soldue had
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As for batteries - Lithium batteries are pathetic at keeping any charge when the temprature drops even in the UK - let alone the -20(ish) temps the alps are at the moment - if you want them to last any reasonable time your going to have to keep them in an internal pocket close to your body to keep them warm. 7dayshop.com sells a rather handy little plastic case with foam inserts to carry eight (from memory)CR123s or similar lithiums without running the risk of them shorting on you!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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IanB, too true, I charged mine last night and they were dying skiing this morning inside an hour. It was only around -15 at the top first thing as well.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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ise at those temperatures most electrical stuff will begin to fail, as most non military stuff starts playing at zero to -5
that's one of the problems i've seen with battery powered camera, reason I like my old Olympus as it's mostly mechanical.
try carrying spare batteries and a spare memory card in an inside pocket.
also try to keep the camera exposure to the elements minimal.
I've heard that some people carry the handwarmers in the packs to keep camera from freezing though i don't know if it works or not.
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Newbie, I take a film SLR with me, in a rucksack, in a bag - and it's survived several falls. Wouldn't do it every day tho' - way to heavy ! Take a small/disposable with you every day - you'll need to be able to get at it fast ! That way you'll get some memorable pictures. I'm not a big fan landscapes....take pictures of your freinds and family enjoying themselves ! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Furbag,
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The downside is it uses a proprietory battery which means its costly to buy extra ones.
This is what I am "hoping" to use when I go out to Canada in 3 weeks , I say "hoping" as currently its -20ish which is way outside the opperating temp of the battery and the camera I expect, so we shall see
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Strangely that is also my on slope camera. I have a spare battery but never needed it. I took the camera out ebvery day and shot 60 photos in the week. Stiil half charged. If you recharge on an evening you should have no problems. My memory is full before my battery empty
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frosty the Snowman, Great camera eh , I love mine, at what temperature where you using yours in ???
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| rob and sharon wrote: |
ise at those temperatures most electrical stuff will begin to fail, as most non military stuff starts playing at zero to -5
that's one of the problems i've seen with battery powered camera, reason I like my old Olympus as it's mostly mechanical. |
No it doesn't, it's well within the operating range of even domestic electronics. Even this morning the Blackberry, Mobile Phone and iPod in my pockets were all working just fine. There's a specific issue with some of the batteries typically used in digital cameras that's all.
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Furbag, yup, a super little camera. Used it -8 to +4 (very warm at the end of the week). Got mine from Amazon and it came 2 days after order with a spare battery(didnt need it) and a nice leather case. If anyone getting one, splash out and get a memory stick of at least 256mb. I got a 128mb and can only get 50iish pics on full resolution. Highly recommended as a ski camera as it is easy to use and has very little/ no time lapse after pressing the button.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Used a Casio Exilim compact digital camera last week. I have a leather pouch and it's small enough to go in a jacket pocket. Worked fine at about -20C when the camera body was so cold to the touch it was unpleasant. Having banged a rib in a fall (not sure what caused the damage - might even have been a sunglasses case ?) I'd second warnings about the dangers of big camera bodies or lenses in a bad fall. A backpack is probably the best bet solution for carrying big camera gear - but not for a novice snowboarder 
All cameras dislike violent temperature swings which can cause internal condensation problems. More likely to occur in the tropics than in low humidity Alpine air but inside your jacket can be pretty rank. There are no problems leaving digital still cameras relatively cold all the time apart from battery performance issues with some. Warm the battery only. LCDs can 'slow' down in really low temps and that might affect movie cams. But any effects of low temps are temporary. Just allow the kit to recover gently. Serious internal condensation on an SLR might however warrant a waft from the hair drier. Kinder than swabbling down with tissues or Q tips.
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| kuwait_ian wrote: |
| Serious internal condensation on an SLR might however warrant a waft from the hair drier. Kinder than swabbling down with tissues or Q tips. |
however, i would not recommend this with a digital SLR as you will increase the likelihood of getting dust on the sensor - the one major drawback of digi SLRs when compared to fixed lens digi-cams
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Have an Olympus mju 400 with a metal, splashproof body. Lightweight and compact. Takes excellent pictures, and was down to -25 last week. I had my mobile phone with me and the display was badly affected, but the camera was fine.
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Helen Beaumont, I think that's what I've got too (mine's called 'Stylus 400' - I think that's the US name). Haven't tried it in extreme cold yet (week after next, maybe - can't wait!) but I'm very pleased so far.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The only downside I noticed when using ours was that snow, oddly enough, is extremely white, especially on sunny days. When skiing with the camera in "Ski Sunday" mode, all I got back was pure white screens - little to no contrast in the shadows on the snow.
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hyweljenkins, normally snow scenes confuse a camera and it doesn't believe that the scene could truly be that white - therefore a camera set to normal exposure mode will under-expose to compensate for what it thinks is unnatural lighting. you then get pics where the snow is white/grey or white/blue rather than pure white. When you say "Ski Sunday" mode, I assume that you are referring to a setting on the camera rather than your own style of skiing (!). If this is so, it is likely that the Ski Sunday mode attempts to compensate for the above effect but maybe it goes too far - giving you white shots that lack detail and contrast.
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FAQ
.............are you mad........... 
