SL3 in cold weather

[ALScott]

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We loved Yellowstone so much two months ago we are going back in January.  We agreed while there we wanted to see it in winter.  I am curious if there are any precautions that should be taken in extreme cold.  How much are these batteries affected by cold.  We will have M11P and Q3 with us also so any info on those also appreciated or I can ask in those forums.  

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[jaapv]

Just keep a spare battery in a warm pocket. Take care with condensation when you take a cold camera indoors. Have a good trip and post some photos. 

[LeicaR10]

Al,  Good to hear you enjoyed Yellowstone NP.  January can be an amazing time there, weather dependent of course.  It does get very cold there.  You really need to have layered clothing, very warm boots and mittens with hand warmer inserts.  You can use gloves, but you will find them cumbersome and mittens are way better, plus  you can put a warmer inside.  You can find photographer mittens that allow the top half of the mittens to be pulled back to do camera work, then pull them back over.  Boots are very important of course with wool inserts.  As for the cold for the M11, the batteries do very well in the cold.  You need to keep the battery in your parka if there are long breaks between photographs.  I most highly recommend you take a freezer bag(s) to put your camera and lenses in when you go in and outside the lodge. (I always put my gear in a Eskie cooler for insulation too) The temperature extreme can cause condensation to form on the sensor and worse the M lenses.  The bags allow the camera and lens to acclimate slowly.  All from years of experience in severe winter environments.  If you still have the SL3 system and long telephoto lens, you might get lucky to get photographs of the wolf packs or lone wolf.  Of course the bison always make great photographs with the snow and geysers.  Last, below is a an article written by a photographer based on his M11 experience at Grand Teton NP in winter.  Whatever you do, dress warm or you will not enjoy Wyoming winter photography.  r/ Mark

Try:  https://om.co/2023/02/05/why-modern-leica-m-is-a-great-landscape-camera/

[ALScott]

We absolutely loved every bit of YNP and GTNP and can't wait to get back.  I hunt and know mittens are the way to go but what I have for Alabama weather will be woefully inadequate.  We have to buy a lot of warmer clothes for this trip.  The SL3 is definitely going and the 150-600 I got for the first trip.  Plus, I am taking a 70-200 on this trip as I now know that I can get close enough to some things that the 70-200 will be ideal due to size and lighter weight.  Great article.  I really, really enjoyed shooting with the M11P when we were there before.  I used it alongside the SL3 with the 150-600 for when I wanted wider shots, shorter lens.  I was torn between a 75 or 90 for the M11P and the article is now swaying me back to the 90.  I want to use the M11P for some wildlife too, mainly bison.

On the freezer bags are y'all talking about plain old, standard zip loc bags?  Just put the gear inside those before going inside for the night?  Is condensation as big of a concern with the SL3 and lenses?  I have four batteries for the SL3 and Q3 and that worked great in October.  

[jaapv]

Electric shoe heaters and heated gloves are quite effective 

[LeicaR10]

Al,  Yes, the ordinary freezer bags, Zip Loc type.  Definitely put inside the bag before heading out and most certainly when coming back in to the warm lodge.  Yes for the SL2/3 etc and lenses.  Even though they are weather sealed, the extreme and rapid temperature change can and does cause condensation.  Been there, seen that happen even though I warned my student clients to use the bags.  Some people don't listen and like to learn the hard way.  The batteries you listed will work fine if you keep them in your parka as Jaapv and I suggested.  Jaapv's recommened electric shoe heaters and gloves work best with either small wind turbines or solar panels....cheeky humor from Oz.  Let me know if you need any more ideas. Just drop me a PM.  r/ Mark

PS  Don't forget to pack your chargers.

Edited December 2, 2024 by LeicaR10

[beewee]

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I hike and ski a lot with my Q3, SL2-S, and now SL3 and haven’t had any issues with batteries in the cold. Just keep the spares on the body so they stay somewhat warm as others have mentioned but if you’re doing a lot of exercise like XC skiing, I’d avoid an inside pocket since your body can generate a lot of moisture.

I don’t normally use Zip Lock bags for warming up the camera. Usually, it’s so dry in the winters when you’re in the mountains that humidity in a lodge, cabin, hut, etc. isn’t really an issue. It wouldn’t hurt, but I haven’t ever found the need. If you’re near the ocean like being on a cruise in Alaska, Norway, or Antarctica, that’s a bit of a different story and that I would recommend using a Zip Loc bag but even then, if it’s rainy and the camera is wet already, it’s better to leave it out to dry than to seal it in an airtight bag.

Edited December 2, 2024 by beewee

[RoySmith]

Wear several layers. Wool underwear (Icebreaker is the best) then one or even 2 fleece layers then a good shell outside. If you’re cold add another layer. Boots and mitts are much warmer if they have a bit of room inside. We have dry winters, but single pane windows always have frost on the inside, so putting a plastic zip lock bag around the camera while you are outside before you bring it indoors is highly recommended. I take the memory card out before the bag goes on if I want to look at and process the photos right away.

 

[vkdev]

I'm used to temperatures around -40C. Where I was born, children go to school at this temperature.
But we are talking about the camera. Leica is a piece of iron. Piece of very cold iron. You need good gloves.
It is worth setting automatic shutdown as soon as possible (for example – 10 sec). have several batteries. when you return from the cold, do not take the camera out of your bag, but leave it in the bag for a while.
photo was taken at a temperature of -36C. SL2S + Pana 16-35

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[Stuart Richardson]

1 hour ago, vkdev said:

I'm used to temperatures around -40C. Where I was born, children go to school at this temperature.
But we are talking about the camera. Leica is a piece of iron. Piece of very cold iron. You need good gloves.
It is worth setting automatic shutdown as soon as possible (for example – 10 sec). have several batteries. when you return from the cold, do not take the camera out of your bag, but leave it in the bag for a while.
photo was taken at a temperature of -36C. SL2S + Pana 16-35

 

Lovely photo! It does not get nearly that cold here, but does get down around -20C at times here. I have lived here 16 or 17 years with multiple S, SL and M cameras and never had an issue bringing the cameras inside to outside or back. I do, however, leave the cameras in the camera bags once I return. You are not going to be able to use the camera if you go from extreme frost into room temperature, for example. But my experience is also like beewee...the humidity inside in Iceland is often desert like in the winter. Truly down to 5-10%, as abundant hot water means that people often have the heat on pretty hot while leaving the transom windows open for ventilation, so all the moisture escapes.

In any case, I think if you want to be extra cautious, you can Mark's advice, particularly if you are planning on being outside for very long periods before going directly into a warm building. At least for me it has not been an issue, however. Another reason it may not be as big of an issue for me, is that the gear usually warms up a bit more gradually in the car first. So it might be -20 outside, but it comes back to a car that might be 0 or 5 degrees depending on how long it has been left, then up to 10-15 as driven, and finally from 10-15 to 18-22 in a house. Staying in a camera bag the whole while. Below is the S006 after some work in the cold. I had the camera for seven years without issue (from this anyway).

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[vkdev]

By the way. I'm wondering how to properly and quickly cool the camera? I want to shoot during snowfall, but the snow melts on a warm camera. Wind blows snowflakes onto the lens and snow melt and spoil the picture. at a temperature of about -3C - -5C degrees, the camera cools down for 40 min or more.

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Edited December 7, 2024 by vkdev

[ALScott]

I am going to try Sea to Summit dry bags which will be easier to close and much more durable than zip loc bags.  I already had a few from other hiking trips that the Q3 and M11P would fit into.  I ordered one for the SL3 with a 150-600 or 70-200 on it.  It is very dry in Yellowstone, or it was on our last trip.  My lips told me that by day two.  They were gruesomely chapped.

Edited December 7, 2024 by ALScott

[beewee]

17 hours ago, vkdev said:

By the way. I'm wondering how to properly and quickly cool the camera? I want to shoot during snowfall, but the snow melts on a warm camera. Wind blows snowflakes onto the lens and snow melt and spoil the picture. at a temperature of about -3C - -5C degrees, the camera cools down for 40 min or more.

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I normally just take the camera out as soon as I’m on location. Keep the lens cap on if it’s snowing to keep the snow from melting on the lens. That way, when you’re ready to shoot, the camera is already close to ambient temperature or at least below freezing so the snow doesn’t stick on the camera.

[hoolyproductions]

Usually snow is still pretty damp until around -3 to -5, and gets properly powdery around -7, where this is less of a problem (and the camera cools down even quicker). I've shot many times in blizzards and it freaks me out when the EVF fills with snow like that but so far so good, has not caused any problems. I find the hood is (more or less) enough to keep the worst of it off the lens, particularly if it is properly cold.

[lecycliste]

I’ve used SL2 and SL3 down to 21F, and they’re rated to 14F / -10C. Most LUMIX S lenses are similarly cold-rated.