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Winter: How to Protect Your Gear
Janine van der Kooij - Vink
Protect your gear! It’s cold and damp outside again
Winter is a beautiful season for photography, but your equipment feels less enthusiastic about it. Cold and humid weather conditions can damage your valuable gear. That’s why it’s important to properly protect your equipment. We’ve gathered a few useful tips so you don’t run into any unpleasant surprises.
Tip 1: Protect your gear against moisture
Moisture and electronics don’t mix well. That’s why it’s important to properly protect your valuable equipment. In winter, there is not only rain or snow, but also a risk of condensation. Imagine wearing glasses and walking from outside into a warm room in winter—your glasses fog up. The same happens to your camera. Due to the sudden temperature change, condensation can form on and inside your camera. That’s why you should let your camera gradually adjust to room temperature in its bag when you get home. This helps prevent condensation.
Tip 2: Choose the right accessories
Heading out when it’s raining or snowing? Use a rain cover to keep your gear dry while shooting. If you’ve opened your camera bag in the rain, the inside of the bag may become damp. To keep it as dry as possible, you can use moisture-absorbing silica gel, for example.
In our range, we have various accessories that are useful when photographing in rain or snow, such as rain covers, maintenance products and backpacks.
Tip 3: Never blow on your camera in the cold
Are you outside in the cold and something lands on your camera, such as a fluff from your clothing or a snowflake? Do not blow on the camera under any circumstances. Your warm breath can cause condensation on the camera. In cold temperatures, this condensation can freeze, potentially causing damage. It is also not recommended to keep your camera under your jacket. It can be very humid between your skin and your coat. When you take your camera out to take a photo, any trapped moisture can freeze and cause serious damage.
Tip 4: Keep your batteries warm
Keep your batteries warm. In cold weather, batteries drain faster. That’s why it’s recommended to bring multiple batteries when you go out and to keep them as warm as possible. Store them in your trouser pocket or inside jacket pocket and only place them in your camera when you start shooting.
Tip 5: Prepare well
Good preparation is half the job. Before heading out, carefully consider which gear you want to use so you avoid changing lenses and accessories in poor weather conditions. You may even be able to transport your camera in your bag already fitted with a rain cover.
Tip 6: Insure your equipment
No matter how well you prepare and how careful you are, accidents can still happen. That’s why it’s wise to insure your equipment. With the Kamera Express Care Plan, your camera, lenses and accessories are insured against damage, theft and loss. This allows you to shoot and film worry-free, even in winter! Who wouldn’t want that?
