Intense cold, and batteries for DMR and D2

[stuny]

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We’re just back from Churchill, Manitoba where our goal was to see polar bears (goal well met, photos to be posted later this week). Most of the time we were in various vehicles (large tundra rovers or Bell Jet Ranger helicopters), but we sometimes ventured out on the tundra for an hour or two on foot. I kept a spare battery for the DMR and D2 in an inside pocket of my parka. After wandering the tundra for about 90 minutes we reboarded our helicopters (8 of us in three birds) and continued flying. That’s when I found my first DMR battery was nearly flat. Installing the second from the inside pocket of my parka helped but it too showed low charge. The D2 battery still showed full charge even though I had used it for the four prior days and about 200 exposures. Once recharged, and not nearly as exposed as before, the DMR batteries were fine.

If your DMR will be in extreme cold for extended periods of time keep the spare batteries in a pocket close to your skin. That’s what I’ll do for Antarctica sometime in the future.

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[garyp]

Stuart; In addition to the rebuild of the DMR batteries, Michael Bass is working on cables for the Tekkeon batteries. I'm testing one of them for him now and will let you know how it works out.

The Tekkeon batteries are rated for -4 F so with care in keeping them warm, they should work well in the cold [i'm hoping]

[mooky]

My biggest 'fear' in buying a high-end digital; I venture afield for 2 to 3 weeks in different weather conditions but mostly northern North America. Charging digital batteries will/would have to be a solar charger which is fine - but I've heard stories of digital cameras going 'haywire' in cold conditions.

 

Did you encounter conditions where the bodies were out in the cold for extended periods, what was your experience aside from the batteries? Curious.

[stuny]

The bodies were out in the cold wind for extended time (D2 and R8/DMR) with no ill effects.

[Michael Bass]

Get the hand warmer inserts, tear open the package 10-15 minutes before going out into the cold, and use gaffers tape to secure one or two to the camera bottom or side (depending on tripod use or not). I buy these in the hardware store, and by the box they are about $1 or $2 a package (1 pair). When exposed to the air, they give off heat (exothermic reaction), and when out for the day in really cold weather, you should wrap the camera with a rain cover, or other foam lined fabric, keeping the activated hand warmer inside...you will never have a dead battery problem again!

 

The same is true for external packs used in extreme cold: wrap the pack, keeping a hand warmer inside the wrap. These hand warmers stay warm for at least 6 hours, and take up no room at all in your pocket, whether activated, or not. Just like having several spare memory cards, and battery packs, you should keep sever pairs of these hand warmers unactivated in your bag or pouch, ready for use. (I keep several packages in my car emergency kit as well.)

[stuny]

Michael -

 

Thank you.