What temperature to keep the DLSR Camera?

[nishi57]

I have read this on one of the threads but don't remember where. I wanted to confirm if its required to keep the DSLR camera (XTi) in a certain temperature (It sits in my room, in my travel case). I live in MI (It gets pretty cold in the winter months), does the camera wear off if exposed to cold or moisture?? The following months will be where I can use my camera and take pictures of snow (I have couple of ideas), however since the weather will be cold do I have to cover it with a cloth (So that it stays warm, when I take it out).

Comments will be helpful.

Nishi

[TheObiJuan]

Your camera will be fine. A range from 32-115 is acceptable.
It's designed to work in colder and hotter but would last longer if you kept in in the mean.
Just don't leave it to the elements.

[Prospero]

As long as you keep your camera packed when you are not shooting, it will stand those temperatures just fine. You don't need to pack your camera in a cloth.

Things that might happen with your camera is that the battery may run low due to the low temperature and the LCD screen may get very slow.

I took my Nikon D50 skiing a couple of times, and it stood these temperatures just fine. I did the same with the point and shoot, and besides having to warm up the bateries sometimes when I wanted to shoot, it worked fine too.

Only once, I experienced some trouble with getting the point and shoot to work. It was below -20 degrees Celcius, the day after the coldest night in Tirol, Austria for years, and somehow the memory card started malfunctioning. I guess, there was a slight bit of moisture on the contacts which had frozen. Aflter cleaning the contacts the camera worked again...

About the moisture, be sure to blow the snow of your camera before packing it. Also, when you come from the outside, keep your camera in the bag until it is warmed up. If you don't do that, you will get lots of condensation on the camera (especially the lens). I don't think it is enough to cause damage, though.

The ObiJuan, nice signature :D

[nishi57]

Thanks for the comments.

[Razr]

Thanks for the comments.Any problems you might face come when you bring the camera/lenses indoors from bitter cold: heavy condensation.

Workaround: Ziplock bag the lens, camera-etc. before you come in to hold off condensation. Leave the bag with bagged components in the coolest place in the house (usually mudroom) by the outside door.
If no mudroom, by an outside door-even an outside facing window until the gear warms up to near or room temperature.

Remember, all you really want and will use when you get home is the cards, which you can keep in their cases in your pocket and walk them inside with no hassle.