Seeking advice regarding camera gear for the arctic

[Bowser]

Hello folks!  

I'm moving to the high arctic (think 76.5 degrees north latitude) and I'm looking to get a camera that is durable and will survive the conditions up north and in the hands of a neophyte.   I can see myself getting into the photography hobby the more I browse these forums, but there's so much to learn!  Would any of you be so kind as to offer some advice for gear (what has or hasn't worked for you), tips and tricks for photographing in such a harsh environment?

I want to be able to do a bit of everything (landscapes, people and wildlife... ie polar bears from a safe distance!).  I also want to try to avoid messing around with lenses if possible, especially when its -30C out there.

Some cameras that I have looked at which I'm interested in terms of features and price point:
Canon Rebel T1i
Nikon D90
Canon 20D (used)

Things I've read or been told so far:
- Get extra batteries or an external power source tucked away in an inside jacket pocket (I kinda like the latter)
- Tuck the camera back into one's jacket between shots (not sure how that will work out for me since my parka isn't *that* spacious for a camera body and lense)
- Buy a really high end pro camera since they're weather sealed (is this true?, and going broke doesn't appealing either  >< )
- Go to some place warmer! (I'm afraid that's not an option!)

Oh I noticed a restricted forum "Antarctic Expedition Workshop" I'd be curious to see what the folks there have to say, how can I get access to it?

Thanks!

[DarkPenguin]

Beats me but you might ask the guy who started this thread ...

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=18236

[Bowser]

Beats me but you might ask the guy who started this thread ...

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=18236

Thanks DarkPenguin  I'll check it out!

[Roger Calixto]

Well at least you'll have plenty of light reflected off that snow for some nice shots... for that 6month day you'll get up there =)

If you're on a budget I'd consider a Sigma zoom for your wildlife, like the 80-400 or 50-500. Cheaper that Canon L glass but still worthwhile from what I've read.

Make sure you post some images or start a blog!

KT

[wolfnowl]

Battery drain can be an issue when it's cold, so carrying extra batteries is a good idea.  Depending on how cold it is and how many layers you have, you can zip down your parka a bit and tuck just the camera body in there, leaving the lens sticking out.  If it's cold enough, wear gloves inside your mittens so that you can remove the mitts, have some dexterity and not freeze your fingers.  As much as possible, try not to breath on the viewfinder, LCD or lens surface as the condensation on your breath will freeze instantly to any surface.  Before coming inside, place camera, lens, etc. inside sealed Ziplock bags or even wrapped in a towel if you have to.  Weather sealing isn't as much an issue when it's really cold as it is when it's wet.  Really cold snow is remarkably 'dry'.  Yes that sounds like an oxymoron, but if you fall through the ice or something silly like that (you have to be really dumb to do it seven times in your life, like I have), rolling in snow will wick some of the moisture from your clothes.  Glare on the snow demands a polarizing filter, but you're more likely to get snow blindness if you're out on a cloudy day than a sunny one.  The wind can really blow up there (no tree to stop it), so even a tripod with well-spaced legs can be blown over.

There are all kinds of winter survival tips and things, but they don't fit here.

Mike.

P.S.  If you're still there in the summer time, you'll have a whole new set of challenges, like clouds of bugs.  To make a photograph you'll have to set the camera on a tripod, compose and focus, and walk away from it, using a remote to trigger the shutter.  How many bugs?  Enough to cause caribou stampedes.  Some CWS biologists once estimated it at as many as 9000 bites/ minute.

[framah]

Go to the forum of  Landscape and Nature Photography and find "Home Sweet Home @ 50 Below"

Send off an email to the guy who started that as he lives way up in the north in Alaska and would be the perfect one to ask.

The Antarctica site is restricted to only the people who went on the trip there.

[mas55101]

Hello folks!  

I'm moving to the high arctic (think 76.5 degrees north latitude) and I'm looking to get a camera that is durable and will survive the conditions up north and in the hands of a neophyte.   I can see myself getting into the photography hobby the more I browse these forums, but there's so much to learn!  Would any of you be so kind as to offer some advice for gear (what has or hasn't worked for you), tips and tricks for photographing in such a harsh environment?

I want to be able to do a bit of everything (landscapes, people and wildlife... ie polar bears from a safe distance!).  I also want to try to avoid messing around with lenses if possible, especially when its -30C out there.

Some cameras that I have looked at which I'm interested in terms of features and price point:
Canon Rebel T1i
Nikon D90
Canon 20D (used)

Things I've read or been told so far:
- Get extra batteries or an external power source tucked away in an inside jacket pocket (I kinda like the latter)
- Tuck the camera back into one's jacket between shots (not sure how that will work out for me since my parka isn't *that* spacious for a camera body and lense)
- Buy a really high end pro camera since they're weather sealed (is this true?, and going broke doesn't appealing either  >< )
- Go to some place warmer! (I'm afraid that's not an option!)

Oh I noticed a restricted forum "Antarctic Expedition Workshop" I'd be curious to see what the folks there have to say, how can I get access to it?

Thanks!

I was in the Arctic during 3 winters.  I used Leica's and had no problems at all.  One year I carried an M6 around outside my parka in blizzards and still had no problem.  I used R6's for long and wide lenses and M's for 35 and 50.

[Ken R]

The New Canon Mark III's have a MUCH better battery life and weather resistance compared to the 30/40/50d series , the 5D/II and the Rebel series. I dont have much hands on experience with Nikon DSLR's but from what i have read online the 300d and the 700d have quite good weather resistance and decent battery life while still being somewhat compact. The D3 series is even better. The only problem is that the bigger Canon 1 series and Nikon D3's are larger/heavier cameras and more expensive. But for rugged outdoor use in all weather conditions nothing beats them.

You MIGHT get by with the cheaper cameras but its pretty risky in extreme weather. I for example have used my cheap Olympus E410 dslr in the high Rockies (12-13k ft high) in high winds with snow blowing around and the camera worked fine BUT I only took the camera out for brief moments to take some photos and tucked it back in my bag. The battery drained pretty quickly even though I only took a few shots. After the week trip I havent had to use the camera in extreme weather again. For continuous use in harsh weather you need a decent camera. I wouldnt count on a Rebel or 20/30/40/50d , 5D series surviving very long if continuously exposed to harsh weather. Lenses to need to be able to keep the weather out.

[Plekto]

Beats me but you might ask the guy who started this thread ...

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=18236

Here's the relevant quote from him:
My camera(s) were constantly encased in ice. Very thin layer of ice on all controls. (Mamiya RB 67 was KING & Pentax K1000 was KONG!). NO batteries will last out here in this unforgiving enviorment. I haven't used a light meter since 1973...
****

Note how he used manual film cameras.  Antarctic sightseeing is a few hours and tolerable for most decent equipment.  Weeks or months *living* out in the arctic... Digital dies.  It's only a matter of time.  I'd honestly trust an old Rollei TLR more than a D50 at 30+ below for months on end, sorry to say.  That said, I'd first off consider 120 film as a large piece of film that's scanned will give good results.  Big scenery begs for bigger film/formats.  35m film cameras kind of suck for the dramatic scenery and aren't as good as a typical DSLR.  But 120 film easily matches a DSLR, and slide film is excellent.  120 is also small enough and cheap enough to be practical, since you're not taking action shots.

My take on film is if you HAVE to shoot film, 50 rolls of 120 don't take up much more space than 50 rills of 135...

Also, unless you live where there's a photo lab(big IF), you'll have to develop yourself or take the film to a lab once every few months.(slide film is more stable as a rule here)  You can do B/W yourself, though, and if you do, it's pretty painless to DIY.  The guy above develops his own film as well.  There's just no other option, really.  That is, unless you carry back a bunch of film to get developed in a large batch.  A good water-tight and light-fast case to store 50-100 rolls of film is a godsend.  

You also mention 76.5(Greenland/Ellesmere), which leaves very very few places other than a military base or small settlement.  If it's cold, and I mean really really min-boggingly -50+ cold, your only option might be special equipment or sheet film (4x5).  I've heard stories of film and plastic spools cracking and breaking just operating the the mechanisms on a camera at 40+ below.  LCD screens certainly will stop working well before you get to 0F.  At 20+ below, they'll crack and shatter.  At 40 below, only a few types of batteries will even work.  Most DSLR batteries will just turn to a brick inside. (literally "brick" themselves - heh)  NIMH and Li-Ion just don't work that cold.  Lithium batteries, OTOH, will work to -55F.  So your light meter and motors might work for a few rolls.

http://www.covalentassociates.com/Li-ion%2...ure%20Range.pdf
Consumer batteries just aren't formulated for extreme cold.  Most list a minimum operating temp of 5C.  Things get dicey at 10 below, and at 40 below... its possible that when you thaw it, it's still going to be dead.  

I'd also send an email to Discovery Channel and ask them what they used for their Ice Road Truckers and similar series.  they had a lot of equipment die, of course, but they probably know what digital camera might survive better than most of us here, given how many they've gone through over the years.