When taking winter photos, photographers and their photo equipment always come up against limits. This is the best way to protect your equipment. We have put together a few tips for you, so that you can work relaxed even in low temperatures outside.
Winter clothing for photographers
Probably all photographers who have ever tried to shoot with gloves know the problem that the shutter release is difficult to feel and the grip of the camera suffers greatly. Finger gloves with cut-off fingertips offer a good compromise between a sufficient sense of touch and protection from the cold. You should also make sure that you don’t put on too much clothing so that you don’t start sweating unnecessarily. With several breathable garments on top of each other according to the onion-skin principle, you are well equipped against cold and moisture.
Winter photo equipment
Batteries tend to discharge faster than usual at low temperatures. Therefore, make sure to carry enough spare batteries with you. It is best to carry them as close to your body as possible to keep the batteries warm.
Also note that your camera equipment can fog up quickly when changing from cold to warm and condensation can form. Therefore, allow enough time for your equipment to slowly adjust to the different temperatures. Otherwise, take pictures with an unintentional soft focus.
You can clean your lenses and filters afterwards with suitable lens cleaning cloths. Only take the lens off the camera after a short warm-up phase to minimize the risk of sensor fogging. Some photographers swear by simple plastic bags in which they pack their camera after entering a warm room to prevent these problems. This way, even in winter, you can sell a lot of photos without being limited to the studio.
If moisture gets into the camera
Turn off the camera immediately, remove the battery and memory card, and let everything dry properly. In most cases, this will not harm your equipment. However, if the moisture does not evaporate, you should consult a specialist.
Since extreme cold will sooner or later damage any camera, you should not expose your equipment to severe sub-zero temperatures for unnecessarily long periods of time. The recommended operating temperature and tolerances are often noted in the “Technical data” section of your camera’s user manual.
