whats best to do with your camera over the winter?

[tremblers111]

hi all, as the airshow season finished and the nights drawn in i realize im not going to be out and about as much with the camera, whats the best thing to do with your camera if your only going to use it few and far between? are you better turning it on from time to time or are you better taking the battery out,and charge it up once your ready to use it? or does it just not matter as long as its stored at room temp? im just interested what everyone does as this is my first dslr. thanks any advice welcome

[zacwatson]

Hello,

I agree with The Bossman, use your camera all the time, photograph anything you may just get that one photo!! That's the way I always look at it.

Have a look at some of my photo's here http://www.flickr.com/photos/zacwatsonphotography/ it may just make you think. I think winter time is one of the best seasons to photograph in especially photographing nature so my camera will be out that's for sure.

But if you just want to pack your camera away I'm no expert but I would say take the batteries out the camera, charge them up and then put it all away in your bag or where ever you store it.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me or post here.

Regards

Zac

[Wallace]

Night Photography!

Air show photography is like shooting rats in a barrel, get out there and shoot anything with wings, airliners, military, GA there is a whole lot more to aviation photography than going to airshows.

In fact get out there and shoot anything as Zac has hinted there is a whole world out there that can be photographed and the experience will broaden your horizons giving you a better insight towards next years season.

[KINROTATE]

I just leave mine outside - so it stays wet all year round.....................

[DeltaCharlieKilo]

Winter? What's that?

[tremblers111]

ha thanks for the reply's, sorry i do take pictures of anything i didnt mention that, i also take pictures at civi airports to keep practicing when there are no airshows or exercises on, im going to be working for 7 weeks in a row 7 days a week so almost until xmas, im taking the work while its here as they say, i just wondered if leaving your camera for so long had any effect and was just out of interest as what other poeple do. thanks again for the reply's.

[paulziets]

Tremblers111,

My Canon manual states: When not using the camera, remove the battery. It also states that storing the battery after it is fully charged can lower the batteries performance. My suggestion would be to try and use the battery until it is flat, and then remove it from the camera and store with the protective cover on. Then when you want to use it again, give it a charge and put it back in the camera. However, if you need to use your camera at short notice, you will have a problem if you don't have enough time to recharge.

Regards,

Paul

[POL]

Last time I used my camera was August. Been sat in the bag, with the battery in it (fully charged when I put it in!) - will see what happens in about March when I come to use it again...

[beefsteak]

All three of mine (Canon 400 with the kit lens, 40 with a 100-300 and 550 with my 100-400 mm attatched) sit on the table in my study waiting "For the call" ie anything OTT and I can grab the relavent camera and I'm ready to shoot within seconds, I give them all a good 'spring clean' in April in anticipation of the season to come.
I also go out quite regularly though, over to bomber county, up to Manchester airport and the local parks, lakes and woodland to see what's happening !(Oooer) So thet don't really get much rest, even the 400 gets used for the family group photo at Chritmas !!

[Craig]

Best thing to do with your camera over the winter is to use it! I appreciate you are after some advice as what to do whilst you are working continuously for the next 7 weeks but after then get and take advantage of the winter light. I hate the summer, April to September is the worst time of the year photography wise for me!

[onemac]

Winter provides some of the best light for photography and some of the best backgrounds if there's frost or snow on the ground. Even better is that sunrise/set are at decent times during the day so get yourself back up to Lossie (after your work marathon) and grab some of that superb golden glow that happens

Al

[C24]

You could try this
Take camera with or without lens and instruction notes and two or three Sd cards. Switch on and see what caused the image to be as it is. Histogram, etc
If you have paper and pen handy you can be really ruthless and keep the good images only and build up why they ended up so well. Sounds like school I know but you may find that you it is fun and end up with less editing of the initial image.

Play around with the camera settings, I doubt if you know all there is to know. It will run down the battery too.

[roughcutter]

Use it! Not only will it do the camera no harm, but it will help you to keep current.

[aviationcafe]

Definitely use it!

I've been carrying the camera round with me a fair bit lately, as I never know what I'll capture when out and about (could be a robin, could be a hawk) etc...

and most importantly experiment with the settings!

[Aileron]

Use it as much as you can. I made the mistake of putting mine down last year.
All this year i have had to re-learn everything that i did last year.