Cold temperature effect on camera and lens performance

[FlyingSquirrel]

Looking for advice from folks who have real-world experience using DSLR plus telephoto lens for wildlife in cold temperatures.

I have two 7D mk II cameras, and Canon 500mm f4 IS II (and 1.4x). The camera is listed to operate in temperatures down to 32 F. I can't find reference for temps for the 500mm.

What I've noticed on a few occasions when going out in very cold conditions around freezing temps (in some cases hovering above freezing, sometimes below freezing, and in some cases perhaps closer to 28 F) is that my rate of well-focused wildlife images is very low. For example, with owls in flight, the properly focused rate is something like 1%. Also, some images seem to overall just seem soft, like there is some kind of haze over everything (I deleted all of the shots already since this happened at least a month ago).

I did try changing various settings on camera, including AF settings, but nothing seemed to work. I believe this has also happened with both of my 7D mk II bodies.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences (again, with telephoto lenses and similar equipment, and moving subjects, in cold temps). If so, any ideas what exactly is causing the AF issues, or the fuzzy looking images? Camera malfunction due to the temps? Would using the camera in temps below its rated 32F cause these issues? (also, could these temps permanently damage the camera?) Expansion of electronic components, optical alignment, or image sensor issues due to cold? Does the lens have lubrication inside that is perhaps sluggish due to the cold? I'm grasping at straws here.

I will say that, as far as I can recall, I have NOT had similar issues in warmer temperatures (for example photographing bald eagles in July)

Thanks for any insights you can offer.

[Shadowman]

Hi Matthew,

Have you considered/eliminated bulky clothing, shivering, shutter speed, and atmosphere as source of soft images?

[chauncey]

I have found Canon customer service to be quite helpful...1-800-OKCANON

[Manfred M]

I don't shoot Canon, but I can't see their gear being much different than anyone elses. I do a a lot of cold weather photography, including some limited wildlife work and have never run into the issues you describe.







In my non-wildlife work in cold weather I have definitely shot in temperatures in the -25C / -13F range without any problems with the camera equipment. Frostbite was my biggest issue.

That being said, the lubricants used inside lenses and camera parts will become more viscous and this could slow down focusing and strain the autofocus motors.

[Donald]

I've never shot in the extreme cold weather experienced by some people on here, but have shot in situations below freezing; e.g. -5, -10c and have never had problems. I generally don't requite fast focusing, but that said, I've never noticed a problem with focusing speed on my lenses (24-70 L; 70-200 f4 L; 100-400 MikII L)

[NorthernFocus]

Sounds like fogging(i.e.condensation), Matthew. Do you perceive it when looking through the viewfinder? Even if you can't see it, it may still be enough to bother the AF. Aside from the obvious external fogging, there are one or two possibilities for internal fogging. Does the Canon 500mm have a protective lens element that is removeable? If so that is a potential place to get air/humidity in the lens. The other possibility is in the space where the filter inserts. The second is low likelihood because of the dynamics of how it cools when exposed to ambient conditions.

The only problems I've had with fogging have been external. If you're riding around in a vehicle and shooting out the window, turn off the heater and keep a window down while riding between shooting spots

Other than that I can't think of what would cause what you describe.

[Manfred M]

+1 to Dan's comments.

What I have found is that warm, moist air can get trapped between my lens cap and lens front element or in my camera bag, so when I take the lenses out I can get a light layer of condensation / frost form when they get out into the cold air. This can occur on both the front and back lens elements.

I will let the lenses "condition" by removing these and leaving them off while I head out to the shoot. In general, by the time it takes me to get to the shooting location, everything has cleared. I will pop front and rear lens caps on the lenses before bringing them inside again because this traps the relatively dry outside air in those cavities and I get minimal condensation from the relatively humid inside air on these surfaces while the lenses warm up to room temperature.

If I am driving and notice frosting on the lens elements, I will used that car heater to blow on the elements and evapourate the moisture.

A thin film of frost or condensation on the lens surfaces will definitely affect your autofocus and clarity (even if you get a sharp focus).

[NorthernFocus]

When I went up to shoot polar bears another photographer and I chartered a boat by ourselves so we could control what, when, where, and how we would shoot. One of those control issues was that we asked the guide/captain to shut off the cabin heater. He thought we were crazy until we explained the issue with fogging. But being on a boat he immediately understood because fighting condensation on the windshield of a boat is a constant problem. But it did make for darn cold shooting.

It's not intuitively obvious for those not accustomed to working in cold conditions. You even have to direct you breath away from the camera/lens when you're in the field. The good new when shooting long lenses is that that issue resolves itself as long as you are behind the camera. Then you just have to worry about the viewfinder fogging

It's very frustrating to have an experience like Matthew describes when you miss rare opportunities. And shooting wildlife virtually all opportunities are unique and therefore rare.

[Thlayle]

Matthew,

How long are your sessions in the cold? I have seen a post (from David Kingham, I believe) about setting a camera/tripod out overnight and finding it covered with frost by morning. Even in this case, he didn't report any permanent damage to his camera or lens. I don't recall what he said of the images on the card from that session.

Myself, I have recently done some shooting outdoors in temps around freezing or below with my Canon with a telephoto -- no problems with sharpness.

[rpcrowe]

In addition to fogging (mentioned above) another problem that can happen in cold weather shooting is reduction of battery power from very cold batteries. When I know that I will shoot in the cold, I will carry an extra battery or two in a shirt pocket beneath my outer garment. That will keep the batteries warmer than the ambient temperature.

[Polar01]

I found out one method of fogging, and I like others shoot in the winter. It happened after shooting at one spot them moving on foot to another spot, when I set the tripod up with the camera still mounted and removed the lens cap the front glass had just a faint touch of fog on it. It was the result of putting the lens cap in my coat pocket, it warmed up the plastic enough so when I put it on the front of the lens it warmed up the air between the space of the cap and the front element and when removed a couple of minutes later the cold air hit that air pocket and formed some fog on the lens. Now I pull the lens cap out of my pocket and let it adjust before being placed on front of lens.

Cheers: Allan

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Matthew,

I'm sure the answers (plural) are due to a combination of factors.

I was also going to mention reduced battery capacity as no-one else had - until Richard covered it in post #10, along with the good advice to keep any spares next to your body, not in a pocket of the camera bag.

Reduced battery capacity will slow down AF, further compounding the extra viscous lubrication issue, possibly resulting in not achieving an AF lock before the shutter trips. Add to that the possibility of rear element fogging (I'm assuming you'd notice and deal with filter and/or front element fogging).

Also consider if the owls are white against a white sky, causing lack of contrast issues which AF relies upon to work effectively (read quickly).

With all the advice in this thread, I hope they'll be some tricks you were missing, enabling matters to improve next shoot now you know what might be the causes.

Good luck, Dave

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I'd like to know how long you all acclimate your cameras to the cold for before shooting.
When we'd move satellites from one part of the shop to say a test chamber, they were always fearful of condensation developing inside the electronic boxes. We'd do dew point determination tests to make sure that wouldn't be a problem. Lately we've had rain here (yay!) and cooler than normal temps and I've been hesitant to take my cameras out to go shooting for fear of having condensation developing inside them that I can't see. Same goes for the lenses too.

[george013]

I had only problems with a cold camera entering a warm room. Never going out in the cold with a relative warm camera.
When entering a warm room with a cold camera you might put the camera in a plastic bag before entering that room. But do that outside, in the cold.

George

[AlwaysOnAuto]

You're right George, warm going to cold shouldn't be a problem, it's the other direction that is. Thanks!

[FlyingSquirrel]

Thanks a lot to everyone for all of your tips and advice. Even with such great answers, I can't yet say with certainty what my issue is. I will need to do further testing, so hopefully the rainy weather ends soon and I get a clear day to get out again. If I uncover anything useful, I'll post the info here.

In reply to a few of the points:

I have not noticed any visible condensation on any lens surface, external or internal (I do get the fogged up viewfinder sometimes if I accidentally breathe on it. Most of the time I exhale away from the camera as Dan suggests). As recommended, I am always careful when bringing gear indoors from the cold outside. (I just leave the camera bag or pelican case shut for several hours or even overnight, so the temperature shift is very gradual).

Shutter speed and other basic settings are not the issue. I'm using 1/2000 or faster, which should be good to get a reasonably sharp image of an owl.

I usually watch the battery power indicator meter on the camera, and when it gets down to around 1/3 power I change to a new battery.

In a few rare cases, it is very possible that atmospheric distortion is causing the AF issues and softness. When it's really cold, and the sun is out on the field, there is a chance for thermal waves (as far as I know, anyway). But it's probably only an issue in a small percentage of the shots. And I'm not shooting over a very long distance. On the other hand, in summer, atmospheric distortion is a common / big problem.

Thanks again!

[Manfred M]

You're right George, warm going to cold shouldn't be a problem, it's the other direction that is. Thanks!

Actually it is both ways. Yes, a cold camera coming inside will have condensation form on it, but warm moist air trapped inside of a lens cap / end cap or between a filter and a lens cap are also a problem in sub-zero weather. The issues that Dan, Alan and I mentioned are real too. Ice / condensation need a surface to form on and the glass elements of lenses do this quite nicely.

[rpcrowe]

Dave,

Good advice regarding the lubrication. The U.S. Navy had a winter-over detachment in Antarctica (where it gets pretty darn cold). The standard procedure for equipment used in that environment was to remove all lubrication from the mechanical shutters we used in those days. I have been out of the Navy for longer than digital photography was used in the Navy. I don't know what the procedure for cold weather photography is for Navy cameras and lenses...

Manfred,

A story about fogging... I had the opportunity to enter the butterfly preserve at the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park early, before the general public was allowed in. I walked from the gate of the park to the butterfly preserve, a distance of about a half mile to a mile, with the camera equipped with my 90mm Tamron Macro Lens caried on a neck strap. The temperature was rather chilly but, not really cold. Probably about 50 degrees F.

I didn't realize it but the enclosed butterfly preserve was kept at about 85 degrees F. with high humidity. The lens fogged up immediately and by the time that the lens had warmed sufficiently to no longer fog, the doors had opened and the crowd of spectators jammed in.

The next year, I had the same opportunity to get into the preserve prior to it opening to the general public. This time, on the drive from my home to the Safari Park I had my car heater on high. Then, on the walk from the gate to the butterfly preserve, I carried the camera beneath my outer garment. When I removed the camera from under the coat, it was close to the temperature of the preserve.

I guess that the trick is to keep your equipment close to the ambient temperature at which you will be shooting.

BTW: for all... I don't carry my lens caps in a pocket of a garment because of the lint and other stuff that can attach itself to the cap and then be transferred to the lens. This is one way to keep a lens cap handy...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Ca...EAAOxyoeBSBEeV