Using view camera at subzero temperatures

[jvuokko]

Hi,

It's winter again, bit too early and it's way too cold.
The temperature have already dropped below -19 degree celsius.. Which means that the operating of camera can be quite difficult.

I can protect myself against coldness, even operate camera with good gloves and all my shutters seems to work fine.
The real PA is the ground glass that will froze immediately after I breath under the focusing cloth.

Any tips for keeping it from freezing? As the GG is real glass, I guess that some alcohol based solution could be used for preventing the freezing.

[vinny]

Breath through a short length of flexible tubing. Surgical type.

[GPS]

A woolly/acrylic mask over your nose/mouth will hold the condense on itself at least for a moment. Double layer of it will also help.

[GPS]

The car windows defrosting liquids also help.

[Heroique]

I use a bandana over my nose to deflect my breath down and away.

(BTW, I can’t get the recent “snorkel” idea from the Water’s Edge thread out of my head. :p )

Do your darkslides freeze shut in snowy Finland? Mine do here. I’ve learned (the hard way) that if I can’t pull-open my darkslides, then keeping the GG free of frost just doesn’t help me at all.

Some darkslide lubricants I’ve heard mentioned:

Waxes, anti-stat solutions, 99% alcohol, graphite, “Brillianize” product (“America's #1 Rated Anti-Statics Cleaner & Polish for Plastics, Glass & All Hard Shiny Surfaces”), Teflon aerosol dry lube, fabric dryer sheets, static guard spray – also, smoothing edges with fine-grit sandpaper…

[Michael Graves]

Sitting in front of the fireplace with a snifter of brandy and a nice pipe also prevents the ground glass from freezing. But I suppose that defeats the purpose you pursue, doesn't it?

[Jimi]

Sitting in front of the fireplace with a snifter of brandy and a nice pipe also prevents the ground glass from freezing. But I suppose that defeats the purpose you pursue, doesn't it?

Mmm... Armchair LF-ing. :D

[Eric James]

I made this from a rescue mask and used it successfully when I shot in Alaska. It's a bit clumsy when louping the glass and trying to fine tune tilt etc, but it worked. Although it doesn't make the bold fashion statement of my mouth-breather mask, my preferred method is to hyperventilate before diving under the cloth.

[zenny]

I made this from a rescue mask and used it successfully when I shot in Alaska. It's a bit clumsy when louping the glass and trying to fine tune tilt etc, but it worked. Although it doesn't make the bold fashion statement of my mouth-breather mask, my preferred method is to hyperventilate before diving under the cloth.

Interesting device you created, Eric. Quite an appropriate tech! :-)

[Jay DeFehr]

A re-breather is ideal, but expensive. A view camera is just too problematic for me to use in the arctic, and I don't want to risk my LF lenses to that hostile environment. I've been using my kodak No 1 Jr, instead. Sir Ernest Shackleton used something very similar in Antarctica when he had to abandon his larger, heavier cameras.

[Sirius Glass]

Save you energy by not breathing. Then the ground glass will not fog up. Your eyes will fog up instead. :)

Cheers

[Heespharm]

Go to a pharmacy and buy a nebulizer mask with tubing... The whole is small but should be useable for a short time

[tgtaylor]

Do your darkslides freeze shut in snowy Finland? Mine do here. I’ve learned (the hard way) that if I can’t pull-open my darkslides, then keeping the GG free of frost just doesn’t help me at all.
…

That's interesting...something I have never thought of or experienced before reading this post.

Since readyloads are now kaput, I usually load my holders at home in a mild climate before heading up to the high country and keep the film and gear stored in the trunk where the temperature change is gradual and constant. So I imagine that is why I have yet to experience the phenomenon of frozen film holders. Also, I store my holders in f64 or Calumet cases which keeps the snow out. But then again I may have heretofore been lucky.

Perhaps someone with more experience in this area can post.

Thomas

[Keith Pitman]

Depending on your camera, you could use a reflex viewer.

[cyrus]

Uuughh! Been there, done that!
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=22043

[ki6mf]

Culprit is the warm breath hitting the cold GG. How about draping the top of your dark cloth over your head and camera and not wrapping your head and camera inside the bag created by the dark cloth this may held the warm air dissipate. I wonder if a commercial product like RainX would keep the condensation from clouding the GG. On a related note when coming in from the cold remember to take your lenses off and place them in plastic zip lock bags to led condensation take place on the bag and not inside your lens.

[jvuokko]

I made this from a rescue mask and used it successfully when I shot in Alaska. It's a bit clumsy when louping the glass and trying to fine tune tilt etc, but it worked. Although it doesn't make the bold fashion statement of my mouth-breather mask, my preferred method is to hyperventilate before diving under the cloth.

I have seen a bit similar device sold for winter motorcycling - it prevents goggles from fogging.
However it was like elephants trunk :)

Not bad idea after all. Perhaps you get a lot of audience when photographing on crowded areas, though :)


I haven't (yet?) encounter frozen darkslide but I can imagine that it's quite possible.


The hood with lens or reflex hood would help, but they're not easy to found for my field camera.

I think that I'll try some anti-freeze solution first and then... snorkel/elephant's trunk :)

[GPS]

...

I prefer to hold my breath, but if you're into tilts, then it gets to be bothersome.

So do I Van, but one should not forget to prop one's nostrils too, otherwise they betray you...:) I learned that when observing meteorites at freezing nights with binoculars.

[vickersdc]

LOL. Now all we need is some sponge ear plugs to stuff up our nose (leaving enough to pull them out). Yu got to look real funny with them in your nose and a snorkel in your mouth when you get out from under the dark cloth.

Yep... it's important to suffer for your art :D

[RichardRitter]

I have a sheet of clear lexan Velcro fast to the ground glass frame. The plastic is also waxed with rain x. when it frost up I take it off and wipe off the frost. I also remove it to check the final focus. I have used this to 10 below F.

Also make a good ground glass cover.

[icanthackit]

Yep... it's important to suffer for your art :D

I totally understand this.

This time of the year is NOT a good time to take up LF as I have. I was out for maybe 5 or 6 hours last weekend shooting for the first time. It wasn't as cold this particular day, but consider that much of the snow is still around from our "blizzard" in the mid-west US the other week, and realize that I got quite a bit of snow in my boots.

I ended up wrapping my scarf around my nose and mouth, but I actually had more problems with my glasses fogging up than my ground glass.

I just got a new camera, different from the press camera I took out the other week, and I'm definitely not taking it out in this cold weather for a while. It's a Cambo scx. Not the kind of thing I want to lug around in the cold...

[Robert Hughes]

I ended up wrapping my scarf around my nose and mouth, but I actually had more problems with my glasses fogging up than my ground glass.
Sounds like much of the last 2 months here in Minnesota. I don't consider it suffering - rather, just another nice day.

Take the camera and hope for the best, just like any other time of year.