Taking the camera from a warm location inside to a cold outside will not cause condensation. It's when you do it the other way and bring a cold camera into a warm, relatively higher relative humidity inside your home or restaurant that the condensation may occur. If you see you're getting condensation and are concerned, then put the camera in a Zip lock storage bag while you are still outside in the cold air. It has much less water vapor in cold air than in warm inside air. Squeeze most of the air out of the Zip lock before sealing. Then bring it inside and let the camera warm up for an hour or two before opening the Zip lock bag. If you're really concerned, you can throw into the Zip lock a couple of silica gel packets that absorb water vapor.
Put your camera, bag and loaded film, lenses, etc in a blanket, set it outside, bundled up, set it in your cold car, garage or out building and wait about six hours for the cameras, etc to cool down to the outside ambient temperature, the blanket will allow a slow cooling, no condensation to speak of and doesn't cause a 'shock effect' to the kit and systems.
Before you head inside, put your camera, lenses, and backs into a an equally cold camera bag and don’t open them for an hour or so. This will prevent condensation forming on the cold surfaces.
Can I load a roll of Provia at room temperature and just walk outside and start shooting? Are there any gotchas?
The walk from room temperature to 20° - 30° is a big one and cold on warm surfaces will give condensation.
Put your camera, bag and loaded film, lenses, etc in a blanket, set it outside, bundled up, set it in your cold car, garage or out building and wait about six hours for the cameras, etc to cool down to the outside ambient temperature, the blanket will allow a slow cooling, no condensation to speak of and doesn't cause a 'shock effect' to the kit and systems.
With gloves on, I like wool shooters gloves, with a half mit, and finger tips uncovered when folded back, go out, allow them to cool in a minute or two before handling your camera kit and taking photographs.
If you're in a safe area and plan on more shooting in the day or tomorrow, just re-stow your kit in the blanket and cold, so it's ready when you are.
Clean clean trunks are just as good for hiding away kit, as it interior of a car or truck.
When it's time to bring it all inside, keep it in your dry, blanket, put it somewhere away from heaters and allow it hours to warm black up, with no 'fogging' of plastic, metal, glass.
This is what I've done in the past, and other than a roll of brittle, tearing film, I've have had no issues with gear being used in the cold.
For most of my adult life I've lived in Texas and California, but this winter I am staying at a place with average temperatures fluctuating between 20-35F. I have never used my Hasselblad in such conditions. Can I load a roll of Provia at room temperature and just walk outside and start shooting? Are there any gotchas?
Me too; no problem in those conditions and no special precautions taken. I am careful about winding, though, to avoid static or any potential flatness/winding problems if the film is stiffer. Biggest gotcha that I always seem to encounter… slipping on ice and simultaneously trying to securely hold camera and fall at the same time. I have a profound memory of a picture that was never taken.. of me after falling flat on my back in a frozen graveyard with a Hasselblad embedded in my chest.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?