Ski touring recommendations - Northern Sweden

[tvrfrost]

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Hello all,

I am off ski touring in Northern Sweden in a month and this is the first time I am taking my M10 with me. Probably with my 50mm elmar f2.8 and 28mm elmarit, keep my lenses small!

I've done several of these trips before with my Leica CL, which was just small and light enough to fit in my trouser pocket (big pockets). However, it's a little too exposed and venerable for my M. 

I'm expecting the temperatures to be between 0 and -10, so no issues there. My CL held charge for the whole trip and I didn't need my spare battery but I will take a spare with me.

My question is, does anyone have any recommendations and experiences for carrying the M10 whilst ski touring with a back pack for a week? I would prefer to keep the camera as accessible and safe as possible.

Thanks,

Frost

[Jan Jurgensen]

Hello Frost,

I have taken my M cameras along for skiing in Norway many times - bringing the 50mm f2.8 Elmar like you. No wide angle, better take a few a few pictures and sew them together in post processing. I kept the M in the front pocket of my anorak. The camera will not swing from from side to side. In the case of a fall it is well protected - and I have never been hurt by the camera. The spare battery should travel in some warm, inner pocket.

Wishing you much fun with skiing and photography.

Jan

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[didier]

For ski touring or climbing I used to put my M + elmar 50 and cron 28 in a small Loewepro bag I always kept attached next to my hip with the belt of my back back.

So it was fast and easy to get, well protected and not cumbersome.

Didier

[jaapv]

Don’t expect the battery to perform well below zero Always keep a spare in a warm place. 

[tvrfrost]

Thanks all for the recommendations!

I normally keep my batteries in my midlayer pockets so they will be nice and warm. Good point on the stiching.

Hopefully get some good pictures along the kungsleden  

[tvrfrost]

I have returned from my 8 days in the arctic circle and thought I would update my experiences should someone in the future find it useful.

I took with me: 3 batteries, my M10, cleaning kit, UV filters, polarising filter, 28mm f2.8 and my 50mm elmar-m. All carried in a Peak design everyday sling. 

Carrying

During the day I kept my M10 in my chest pocket of my jacket with no issue. On the more extreme weather (30+ m/s wind) the camera got put away safely inside my jacket with the camera strap across my body (no room for swinging with a backpack on) and my camera back went in my backpack . Access was pretty easy and one of the best things about the M10 is how easy it is to operate with heavy gloves on.

Battery life

I took about 450 pictures and used 2.5 batteries worth. Half of one battery was used up taking photos of the northern lights in about -15 degrees C. This was over 8 days, but not many photos were taken on the 8th day as the weather was so bad.

Lenses

Jan is complete right, just use the 50mm and stitch the photos together. However, on the evening where we had the Aurora I was very thankful to have the 28mm with me. In all I only used the 50mm apart from that one occasion. The elmar-m 50mm fitted with ease into my pocket without the hood* and is a 'cheap' enough lens that I wont cry too long if something happened to it. 

*I did take the hood with me and it was useful on the windy/snowy days to keep the lens clean.

I hope someone finds this information useful.

David