I am up in Minnesota this week and next for a bit of winter photography. I find a lot of photographers put their cameras into winter hibernation mode when it gets cold and snowy, yet cameras are designed to handle the cold. If you dress properly, you can get some unique photos that others will never get, plus gain an experience with nature that is important because nature doesn't quit just because there is snow and cold.
The challenge is in the batteries.
Actually, I was here first for my wife's family and some events, but from Saturday into next week, I will be shooting in one of my favorite winter locations, the North Shore of Lake Superior. To do a little check out of my gear and clothing, I did go out shooting on Wednesday morning for a little while when the temp was about 10 degrees F. I found a few things to check, including being careful to cover my lower legs (my Sorel boots chafed my skin).
I expected batteries might be an issue, but I didn't think they would be too bad since I did not plan on being outside a long time. Batteries have always been a challenge for winter photography. Cold saps battery power. I remember 30 years ago photographing at - 20 degrees F along the shore of Lake Superior and having to keep switching batteries in my Canon AE-1 -- a battery in the camera getting cold while one warmed in the pocket. The camera was designed to work fine at such temperatures, but the batteries began to fail when their core reached 32 degrees above zero.
I kind of expected batteries to be better now. After all, I was using a camera that totally depended on batteries even for the "viewfinder" (my NEX cameras have no optical viewfinder), the batteries were small, and yet they always lasted a long time in the field.
I tend to keep a camera on the tripod in winter work because it is easier to handle that way in the cold (quick tip: carbon fiber tripods don't sap finger warmth, even with gloves, as much as metal tripods). So I was surprised to find that after barely an hour in the cold, the battery level display said there was zero power left. This battery had been just fully charged, so I started at 100%. I realized I had two problems with my gear and batteries. First, the cameras were small and had no mass to hold any residual heat. Second, the batteries were also small and lost heat quickly.
So I had to take the battery out and put it into a pocket. That is not always so easy when you are not prepared to do that and you have heavy clothing on. I thought about trying to warm in in the palm of my hand under my gloves (another quick tip: gloves sold by hunting stores work really well because hunters need warmth and flexibility for their fingers, as well as finger tip surfaces that grip -- I won't use gloves that expose finger tips because they are way too cold for me under any conditions). That was not a good idea!
After a while in my pocket, the battery did warm up and the camera instantly went back to a normal battery level. So this little test drive into the cold was extremely valuable. I learned I needed to keep a second battery in my pocket kept warm. I learned I needed a way to access the warm battery easily. I did find the cameras worked fine in the cold when the batteries were fully functional. And unrelated to the batteries, I learned I needed a warmer hat! We lose a lot of heat from our heads when it is cold, and when your head is cold, your extremities get cold, too.
I am going to look for some chemical hand warmers. I looked to see if I could attach one to the side of my camera by the batteries, but that looks to be pretty difficult. What I am going to do is keep one in my outer jacket pocket with a battery. That should keep the battery warm, yet keep the battery much more accessible for changing with the cold battery. It is very hard to access a warm inner pocket near your body when you are bundled for the cold, plus it often requires "breaking into" the warmth around your body, so a warm outer pocket would be nice.
The photos here are from this checkout hike in Lebanon Hills Regional Park south of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Hi Rob, It can get pretty cold here in New Hampshire as well, and I use a butane handwarmer in my camera bag to keep batteries warm (works on hands too, lol). Disposable handwarmers work , but one winter worth of $0.99 disposables and you could have bought a refillable. Stay warm!
Good idea! For those of us who don't live in the north, the disposable handwarmers are easier to deal with and travel with for the times we are in these winter conditions.
Rob, thank you very much for this timely discussion. When I was in Yosemite last week, I ran into the battery problem for the sunrise shoot my first or second morning. My D300 showed a low battery reading after being recharged the night before. The cold then finally dawned on me and I made it a habit of keeping a spare battery in my coat pocket with some minimal protection.
I did look at chemical hand warmers at REI prior to my trip to LAX but was not sure of their effectivenes nor was I sure how the TSA would feel about them, whether in checked or carry-on luggage. I'd be curious as to what your research reveals.
It can be unnerving to have a fully charged battery fail until you realize it is from the cold.
Rob
Although we do lose heat through the head, I recently was surprised to learn that it is not as much as we thought. I copied part of an article from the UK "Guardian" newspaper below about the research on heat loss in the body.
"Scientists debunk the myth that you lose most heat through your head"
Ian Sample, science correspondent
The Guardian, Wednesday 17 December 2008
If as much as 45 percent of body heat were lost through your head, going out without a hat would feel like going out without trousers. Photograph: Getty
When it comes to wrapping up on a cold winter's day, a cosy hat is obligatory. After all, most of our body heat is lost through our heads – or so we are led to believe.
Closer inspection of heat loss in the hatless, however, reveals the claim to be nonsense, say scientists who have dispelled this and five other modern myths.
They traced the origins of the hat-wearing advice back to a US army survival manual from 1970 which strongly recommended covering the head when it is cold, since "40 to 45 percent of body heat" is lost from the head.
Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll, at the centre for health policy at Indiana University in Indianapolis, rubbish the claim in the British Medical Journal this week. If this were true, they say, humans would be just as cold if they went without a hat as if they went without trousers. "Patently, this is just not the case," they write.
The myth is thought to have arisen through a flawed interpretation of a vaguely scientific experiment by the US military in the 1950s. In those studies, volunteers were dressed in Arctic survival suits and exposed to bitterly cold conditions. Because it was the only part of their bodies left uncovered, most of their heat was lost through their heads.
The face, head and chest are more sensitive to changes in temperature than the rest of the body, making it feel as if covering them up does more to prevent heat loss. In fact, covering one part of the body has as much effect as covering any other. If the experiment had been performed with people wearing only swimming trunks, they would have lost no more than 10% of their body heat through their heads, the scientists add.
That's really interesting, Sandy! Thanks for the update. It is definitely true that everyone in the north has followed that idea of so much heat being lost from the head. I do know it is true that if you are losing heat from your head (no matter what the percentage is), you will have colder extremities. I understand that the body limits blood flow to the extremities when either the head or trunk is chilled.
Rob
I don't know if debunking is the right term for the new ideas about heat loss. Under some situation, the heat loss through the head is indeed very large. At other times it is less. One thing to remember is that in cold weather the tendency is to cover the rest of the body pretty well, but not the head. So, this alone accounts for a lot of loss through the head because it is less protected from loss than the rest of the body.
Here is a link to look at for a better grasp of the situation.
http://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/heat-loss-through-the-head-and-hypothermia/
There are anatomical considerations, too. Throughout most of the body there is a counterflow principle involved of veins and arteries running next to each other exchanging heat to preserve core temperature. However, in the head, there is little of this counterflow anatomy so this can lead to greater heat loss. Also we breathe in cold air and it is warmed by the sinuses, thereby cooling the head further. This is part of the reason why humans have retained their body hair mostly on their head. Or so I remember from my anatomy and physiology classes of long ago.
So, the full story is still being developed. As a scientist, I know how one study somehow catches the eye of the media and takes off as gospel, while in reality it is just one piece of a larger puzzle and may or may not be true.
So, don't ditch your warm hat yet... I know from personal experience that my feet do get cold in a sleeping bag until I put on a wool hat.
Aram
Wow! Great information, Aram! Great to learn all of this from both you and Sandy.
My suggestion was as Laura stated. I live at Niagara Falls and it gets very cold here. Plus, as a skier, my camera has been in many cold places. Your tips are very right on the money though. Very interesting the comment by Sandy. I like to know that science stuff. Your images are very beautiful of the snow. My camera is out all winter, but I also shoot my backyard birds from the comfort of my cozy home, so the camera battery thanks me for the reprieve.
Backyard birds in winter can be great!
Great comments Rob. I have always used a chemical heater in an outside pocket for my extra battery when shooting in what I consider extreme cold ( 20 degrees F or below). As to the comments about a hat and heat loss, we, as Wilderness Medicine experts, have known for some time that the head doesn't loose heat disproportionately to the rest of the body. Dr. Gordan Giesbrecht, a thermophysiologist researcher (aka Dr. Popsicle), has been leading the way for cold weather effects on the human body for about 20 years. He statement about covering your head and face is not to reduce exaggerated heat loss ( since surface area is related to heat loss and head is 10% of our BSA) but to protect the skin from effects of extreme cold. Tips of noses and ears are common sites of frostbite. So cover up your head so you won't loss your ears or nose to frostbite! Can't wait to see you in a couple of months!
Thanks, Bill! Looking forward to the NANPA Summit in Jacksonville. http://www.naturephotographysummit.com.
I have used chemical warmers too. Haven't thought of the refillable butane ones. My wife has some rechargeable chemical warmers that I should try. They have a fluid in them along with a piece of metal. I don't know the chemistry, but when you bend the metal it turns the fluid into a gel and produces warmth. Then when you are done, you pop them into boiling water for a few minutes until the gel becomes a liquid.
One issue I have when shooting outdoors in extreme cold, zero and below, (here in MN) is being careful where I breathe. All it takes is a little breath as you are looking through the viewfinder and the LCD is covered in frost and many of the controls are too.
Good points, Michael. I have had that problem with my glasses at times, too.
I came across your post in a very timely manner, Rob, as I'll be spending 4 days in Yellowstone next month, where I expect things to get a bit chilly!
You bring up some great points. I completely agree with Bill Campbell- any exposed body part contributes to heat loss, and the extremities of the face and limbs can easily suffer frostbite in frigid conditions if exposed too long. Keeping well covered is vital! It's often tough to reach a balance between comfort and function, but finding cool weather clothing and gear that works well for you can make all the difference when out in the cold for extended periods. I've learned that good boots are vital- comfortable and warm enough for all-day hiking. Cold feet can ruin a shoot.
As for batteries, your point cannot be overstated. I always carry at least 3, and keep 2 warm in a pocket with a disposable chemical warmer when working in cold weather. Overkill perhaps, but I'd rather not take any chances.
Always enjoy your posts. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Happy new year!
Thanks, Jeff!
Thanks for the interesting article, Rob. We used your tips today, shooting this morning's hoar frost at 18 degrees.
Two observations from a northern Michiganian: (If I were a Michigander, my wife would have to be a Michigoose, and there's no point being sexist . .
1) I carry spare batteries in my outer pants pocket, which is covered by my jacket, and warmer than an outer jacket pocket, but still easily reachable. Usually nylon-faced canvas brush pants, "Maloney" style wool pants, or an insulated coverall protect from wading and kneeling in snow.
2) Chemical handwarmers (I've used Grabber Mycoal warmers) require oxygen for their exothermic chemical reaction, so they'll peter out in a deep pocket. They also leave a fine black residue. If warming batteries with them, I'd keep the batteries in a sealable snack-size plastic bag, to keep that fine dust out of my camera innards.
Thanks again for your enlightening posts!
Dave
Good info, Dave. The warmers do indeed require oxygen, though I am finding they are warm enough in an outer jacket pocket (insulate) that they keep the batteries good. I have never seen the black residue -- good to watch for, though. You would have to get the warmers warm before putting them in a plastic bag, though, because of the oxygen issue.
I have read in the past anything above 86 degrees causes degrading of Lithum-ion batteries life and or charge level. Might want to keep the heating level at a watchful level. Google, batteries and heat.
Good point, Claude. It is my understanding that it is long term storage at high temperatures that affects lithium-ion batteries, so short term exposure should do them little harm. Otherwise, folks living in places like Phoenix would never be able to shoot outdoors when it is hot!
Those "rechargeable chemical" handwarmers with the little piece of metal are full of a supersaturated acetate salt solution. They work well, leave no residue, need no oxygen, and are solid after use. They must be boiled to "recharge" and my old ones couldn't be microwaved because of the metal. SCUBA divers like them. The $.99 ones that need oxygen are based on the oxidization of iron (hence any black dust). I saw a box of them in a Walgreens drug store recently. I recently bought a pair of "pop-top" gloves that had 3/4 glove fingers and a mitten-like cover. Even the thumbs opened up. $8 at JC Penny's. They were being marketed to smart phone users. They totally made my recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.