Hi Phil, I'm Marcia (Hawkowl) whom Mike referred to in the a/m question. Almost all my photography is outdoors (birds & animals) and I live in a climate where winters are usually below 0C and this winter it was -10C to -15C and, for several days, -20C! I usually take photos from my car, using it as a blind and resting my camera on a beanbag with window open...can be very cold! While waiting, I keep my camera on my lap and under a blanket and when outside, I have to keep my camera under my coat. As soon as I expose my FZ200 to the cold, it simply won't focus properly, although after many half-presses, I sometimes get lucky.
A good part of the problem is the battery. Once you get down to about 0°F, Li-Ion batteries normally can't deliver the current to operate the camera. It may take some time for the battery to cool off. Keeping the camera on will help heat the battery due to its internal resistance and heat generated by the electronics. Some will bring extra batteries that are kept warm in a internal pocket.
I do carry extra batteries in my front pocket but leaving my camera on doesn't work for me even in good weather because I spend too much time waiting and observing. Also the batteries seem to drain much faster in the cold weather.
The solution I came up with for my car was to insert an old, metal velveteen-covered hand-warmer (where you light a punk and insert it between the warmer covers) into an old toque which then went into an old quilted heating pad cover. This contrivance was set on my window bean bag and the camera on top of all and covered with a scarf! It might be primitive but it worked for hours!!
.....btw, the smell from that punk permeated the whole car and had me thinking antihistamine!
I've been thinking of making some kind of a 'proper' wrap that could utilize a throw-away handwarmer product call HotHands.....still thinking on the how!
The mechanical elements of the camera may also "freeze up". I never experienced this, but there was a recent post where it was noted a FZ200 had problems focusing in cold weather.
Perhaps this is what's happening when I am attempting to half/press the shutter?
There are lens heaters designed to prevent condensation and frosting. But these are designed more for astrophotography and require a sizable power source. There are also body socks that can help insulate the camera. Not particularly useful for a walk around solution as the controls are covered up.
LOL..I almost always have my heavy, metal Nikon 1.7 TC attached to my camera and it's always ice-cold so I made a body sock for it by doubling up two cuffs from my wool socks. It seems to help somewhat in not getting cold as quickly and transmitting that cold to the camera....if nothing else, my hands stay warmer!
In really cold weather, I attempt to warm the camera by keeping it in a inside coat pocket. Only practical with a fairly small camera. I took my TG-3 on a winter hike where we hit temperatures of -10°F. I got lazy and stuffed it in a external coat pocket. An hour later, it wouldn't power on. I did have a spare battery buried deeply in a shirt pocket.
Even with a fully-charged battery, my FZ200 didn't want to focus when cold! :-(
Regards
Marcia
