Leaving a digital camera in a cold car during work.

[Kronos]

I'm thinking I want to take my camera along with me so that I always have it on me, but with <20 degree weather I don't think it's a good idea, am I wrong?

[mattchase]

as far as I know, the cold won't hurt the camera. The side effects I am aware of are the battery will die faster, and you risk condensation forming if you take the camera into a warmer environment.

Anybody else know anything?

[JB]

Matt mentioned what I was going to...errr...mention. It's the condensation thing, and since batteries could be exposed to it, you could create a short within the camera itself. Here's my advice for cold weather:

1) Remove the batteries

2) Put the camera in a brown paper bag--like those grocery bags you get at the store when you always want plastic. The paper will absorb the condensation (or most of it anyway).

3) When you put the batteries back in the camera, be sure there is no condensation on the batteries.

This is for extreme temps of course.

[JoePhoto]

Camera should not be stored in a car - period. Theft risk.

If you must store in cold weather - remove betteries because, as Matt said, they will be affected. Use a sealed zip lock bag for storage in cold, and also when transporting into a warm environment. This is what allot of nature photographers do to combat condensation.

[Kronos]

I may just do it once or twice then and not make a habit of it, plus it will be the CP 5400 which can fit underneath the seat with ease and out of site.

Thanks for all the answers guys!

[no-tec]

Did you know putting dead batteries in the freezer draws out the remaining power enabling it for a little bit more of use?

[Happy Hopping]

Someone told me if moisture gets into the lens, you write off the lens. i.e, the lens doesn't last forever. The hot and cold inside a car, such as the heat vent and the cold temp. is bad as it is easier to create those moisture, vs. a dry place like your house. So I'll say the above should be taken into consideration.

[marokero]

As Joe mentioned, theft plays a big role in my decision of not leaving equipment in a car, cold OR hot weather. That being said, I heard somewhere you could purchase silica crystals that change color when they've absorbed as much moisture as they can, signaling that it's time to dry'em out in the oven for re-use. I don't know where I can get that, but I'd like some of that to put inside my camera bags :)

As an aside, I've left my E-10 in a fridge, inside a zip-lock bag, at temperatures nearing 25F for about two hours. Did that on purpose since the camera was going back for major warranty service the next day No harm came to it, and little condensation formed as a result of gradual room temperature aclimatization (is that a real word?).

[Kronos]

I didn't think warranties covered condensation?

[Talvan]

Back to the basic question.

Is leaving a camera in a cold car a bad thing?

Aside from the obvious risk of theft. There is no real harm in leaving a camer in a cold car. A point taken that has already been mentioned is about the definet risk of condensation inside the lens when moving the camera to a warmer more humid envirnment. Although bettery life does suffer from cold weather, one good thing about shooting in a cold envinment is NOISE, or in this case, lack thereof. How can this be you say. Simple, the noise is the by product of heat building in the imager. Since the camera is in below standard temperatures the imager doesnt get as hot and therefor produces less noise. This is also why, generally speaking, CMOS sensors have less noise than CCD imagers. because they use less power, and there for generate less heat. No a tremendous amount of difference mind you, but just enough to tell. Um, did I stray of topic here? :wtf ah well, happy shooting