Kilimanjaro National Park Travel Forum

Hi,

We're planning on doing a mini documentary of our upcoming climb on Kili, and I've been trying to figure out the best way for us to pack our photo and video equipment. We're not trekking with a production crew so it would just be us climbers with the gear. I've read various tips that the freezing temperatures at the summit can damage camera equipment....and yet I've also seen some stunning photos on the summit.

Would we be able to do some filming in those temperatures?
(Would we even have the strength to do so?? ;-)

Any advice from those who experienced the climb would be appreciated!

Thanks everyone,

G_G

hi gg, been a long time. i may have found something here. check it out. gg, when are you going? i am going to kenya for 3wks in oct. talk soon
david

http://www.destination.co.za/tanzania/kitlist.html

Hey D !

Thanks for the link! There's some great info in there about camera care. Also very good info on the various Kili routes!

I'll be traveling through Europe first but plans are to be back in Africa in time for the start of the great migration! That's in October isn't it?

Back to Kenya for you, D? Sounds like life is taking you in the right direction.....Hope all is well.

I hope we can get the footage of the summit climb on film !!

Thanks and take care,

G_G

hi gg,oct is good-but things are always a big maybe-even now the herds are doing silly things.all you can do is go-hope for the best. thats what i did last oct-i have a croc taking out a wildebeast! late sept oct they start heading back-supposed to lol.
gg, i will be in kenya from sept 30th till oct 22nd.
but i have a problem-because of my overtime being taken away before xmas-i dont have the money to do a real safari. so i have to wing it-see what happens. i dont think i will be able to go to the mara.
gg, when are you in nairobi?
this time we have to meet.
d

Hey D,

I love to watch the wildlife, but I don't think I could stand to watch a croc take out a wildebeest up close. I'd make a handbag outta him! :-))) Just kidding.


I can't believe our dates will cross AGAIN this year! I'll still be in Europe while you're in Africa. I'm shopping this week for all the gear. We're camping at the Serengeti after we take on Kili.

I'm sure we're bound to meet up one day ..... somewhere in the African savannah or lush hillsides!!! I wanna go gorilla trekking next !! ;-)))

Thanks,

G_G

ok gg,your not passing through nairobi at all then while i am there?
if i can get a handle on the funds for the gorilla thing-maybe we can do that.i'm afraid though i think it will be like a yr away. if you remember gg, things going on here.we'll see.
write soon
d

hey geisha, when r u climbing?
i leave charlotte dec 2nd for kenya and will be there in tanzania
dec 28th and hope to be on the summit new years, i would really like to
see your picsturs. i just got a nikon d80 and was beginning to get worried
on what the freezing temps would do to the camera.
what have u found out about video equipment, i have a cheap
camcorder bought 3 yrs ago that i plan to make a mini doc too.
I really concerned about the camera though.

i plan to take the rongai route.
here is a very gud site for all u need to know about the climb and when,
and what to chose and difficulty.
http://www.africatravelresource.com/africa/E/tanzania/accommodation/N/T65-kilimanjaro/01.htm#

found it very useful

Most digital cameras operate pretty well below freezing. After all, unlike old mechanical cameras that were full of moving parts and needed to be “winterized” with special oils and other tricks, today’s digitals are almost entirely electronic. There are virtually no moving parts, aside from zoom and shutter button, so less to freeze up.

So, the problem is not with the camera. It’s with the battery. In cold weather the battery’s little electrons start to move every more slowly, eventually grinding to a complete halt if they get cold enough. And when that happens the camera ceases to operate.

That said, I’ve used pretty modern cameras (film-based, but with plenty of electronics) down to minus 20 F or so without many problems. The trick, and you’re already onto this, is simply to keep the camera as warm as you can. For a compact digital camera, that isn’t much of a problem. There’s bound to be a pocket that can hold it, or you can hang it next to your chest in a case with a neck strap and zip a jacket over it. Leave the camera out in the open for 40 to 50 minutes, and, depending on the temperature, it will shut down.

The other thing to do is carry spare batteries and keep the batteries warm. After all, that’s really the objective. Keeping batteries in a pocket will keep them at pretty close to body temperature, and they’ll work just fine. Then, swap the batteries out of the camera every hour or so. This is easier and more affordable with a camera that uses batteries such as AA size, versus one that uses a proprietary (and, expensive) battery. But for any camera it’s always possible to buy an extra battery or three.

You cannot avoid exposing a camera stored beneath your jacket to some moisture if you are an active person. On the wrong day, that moisture can freeze up your zoom lens, screw up your autofocus or fog up your lens surface.

An even worse problem might develop if you shove a camera that's been out in freezing temperatures under a warm jacket or into any other warm place right away. Condensation collects immediately on the body and the lens outer surface and - worst of all - might even form on the inside of the lens barrel itself. Little green things that can etch glass might someday grow on the inside lens surfaces from moisture trapped in the lens barrel.

So how do you keep your camera going when you're out in winter? It's easy. Just keep your camera outside your jacket and let it become as cold as the outdoors. Most modern 35mm cameras will operate just fine, even in sub-zero temperatures, as long as their batteries continue to provide power. Your focus - pun intended - should be how to keep your batteries working, not how to keep your camera warm.

Keep Your Powder Dry

Several ways exist to do just that. The easiest and cheapest method is to keep a spare set of the batteries that your camera requires in a pants or shirt pocket. Be sure to wipe off any moisture before you put them in your camera.

A better way is to use the rechargeable nickel metal hydride, nickel metal cadmium (nicads) or other reusable battery products designed by the camera manufacturer of your chosen equipment. Many models of modern cameras have rechargeable batteries available that work for a long time, even in sub-zero temperatures.

You can also buy generic batteries that perform well in the cold. Lithium or rechargeable nicad battery sizes are available that will fit many camera models. Lithium batteries perform better than alkaline batteries in lower temperatures but are not rechargeable.

Rechargeable AA size nicads which fit many cameras are available at Radio Shack and many hardware stores. Be sure to check your camera manual first about the use of such batteries if you decide to go with generic rechargeables, as voltage differences might make a difference in proper operation. But no matter the battery type you use, for the average winter day, keep a spare set warm and you should be able to shoot when you want to.

If it's really cold, well below zero, I also take the batteries out of my camera and keep them warm in a pocket until needed for shooting. That method - first developed out of necessity while on a seven mile hike in 20 below zero weather in Baxter State Park in Maine - gives you two chances to keep your camera going.

What happens if your camera dies because the batteries did get too cold? Try taking them out and warm them up in your pocket. If you have a camera that has only a tiny battery to operate its meter, you can sometimes warm that up by rubbing it between your hands for a few minutes.

When You're Done

You should always bring your camera up to temperature gradually when you come in from the cold. If you're getting in a car, at the very least put your camera gear in the back seat and cover it with something to protect it from the heater. I put my cameras inside a waterproof plastic case so that they're not exposed to condensation as they warm up gradually. A tightly sealed plastic trash bag works just as well, by collecting condensation on the outside of the bag.

And as always, catch yours in the good light.

You cannot avoid exposing a camera stored beneath your jacket to some moisture if you are an active person. On the wrong day, that moisture can freeze up your zoom lens, screw up your autofocus or fog up your lens surface.

An even worse problem might develop if you shove a camera that's been out in freezing temperatures under a warm jacket or into any other warm place right away. Condensation collects immediately on the body and the lens outer surface and - worst of all - might even form on the inside of the lens barrel itself. Little green things that can etch glass might someday grow on the inside lens surfaces from moisture trapped in the lens barrel.

So how do you keep your camera going when you're out in winter? It's easy. Just keep your camera outside your jacket and let it become as cold as the outdoors. Most modern 35mm cameras will operate just fine, even in sub-zero temperatures, as long as their batteries continue to provide power. Your focus - pun intended - should be how to keep your batteries working, not how to keep your camera warm.

Keep Your Powder Dry

Several ways exist to do just that. The easiest and cheapest method is to keep a spare set of the batteries that your camera requires in a pants or shirt pocket. Be sure to wipe off any moisture before you put them in your camera.

A better way is to use the rechargeable nickel metal hydride, nickel metal cadmium (nicads) or other reusable battery products designed by the camera manufacturer of your chosen equipment. Many models of modern cameras have rechargeable batteries available that work for a long time, even in sub-zero temperatures.

You can also buy generic batteries that perform well in the cold. Lithium or rechargeable nicad battery sizes are available that will fit many camera models. Lithium batteries perform better than alkaline batteries in lower temperatures but are not rechargeable.

Rechargeable AA size nicads which fit many cameras are available at Radio Shack and many hardware stores. Be sure to check your camera manual first about the use of such batteries if you decide to go with generic rechargeables, as voltage differences might make a difference in proper operation. But no matter the battery type you use, for the average winter day, keep a spare set warm and you should be able to shoot when you want to.

If it's really cold, well below zero, I also take the batteries out of my camera and keep them warm in a pocket until needed for shooting. That method - first developed out of necessity while on a seven mile hike in 20 below zero weather in Baxter State Park in Maine - gives you two chances to keep your camera going.

What happens if your camera dies because the batteries did get too cold? Try taking them out and warm them up in your pocket. If you have a camera that has only a tiny battery to operate its meter, you can sometimes warm that up by rubbing it between your hands for a few minutes.

When You're Done

You should always bring your camera up to temperature gradually when you come in from the cold. If you're getting in a car, at the very least put your camera gear in the back seat and cover it with something to protect it from the heater. I put my cameras inside a waterproof plastic case so that they're not exposed to condensation as they warm up gradually. A tightly sealed plastic trash bag works just as well, by collecting condensation on the outside of the bag.

And as always, catch yours in the good light.

GREAT advice Henry!

I wish I couldn've read these tips before I "tested" things out with my camera on my recent hike up to 14,000 ft. The batteries in my camera DID freeze overnight so I couldn't get the shots I wanted during our hike the next morning.

I will take your advice up with the crew on Kili, though!

Thanks for the tips!!

G_G

where were u at 14,000 feet? if u have any pics.
post some on ur page. when r u going to kilimajaro?
i would really love to see those pictures especially.
take care

Hi Henry,

We hiked up White Mountain recently which is located in California (just south of Yosemite Valley). This was a climb to help prep us for Kili. I think I may have managed to take one photograph before my batteries froze in my camera, but our cameraman was able to get some footage on film.

It was a really fascinating hike up this mountain which is home to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (a sanctuary for 4,000 year-old plants!). It felt like we were on another planet!

We'll be combining that footage of White Mountain with the film footage from Kili, so maybe you might be able to see it all on DVD! ;-)

I just hope our equipment doesn't FREEZE !!!!

I'll keep you posted,

G_G

sounds like ur bound to have a superb time.
in kenya plan to climb mount logonot. a decent
5 hr hike up a volocanic mtn in the rift valley.
was lookin at mt kenya but i hear there is a level
of difficulty and repellin to get to the top.
y go 2rd of the way n not reach the roof. guess
i can do mt kenya another day.
after the climb head down to lamu or mombasa.

have to run. when is ur climb?
do u have a website where u will post the pics.
will let u know when mine comes up.
for now bin cyclin and plan to hike in ashville NC
in 2 weeks to test my new hiking boots that cost
me a fortune.

have a fab day n take care