Antartica trip recommendation

mmroden

Hi all,

A friend of mine is going on a trip to Antarctica in two months, and he wants to take a canon ixus point-and-shoot. I'm desperately trying to get him to reconsider his camera selection, because I think that the mechanical guts of the thing will freeze and he'll be camera-less.

Am I right there? If I am, would something like an underwater camera be a better bet? (I've tried to convince him to borrow my d300 and assorted lenses, because I think it's definitely for a good cause, but he will hear none of it.)

Thanks!

Art Scott

tell him to take your D300 and lenses....can't go wrong....oh and a few of the instant handwarmers to keep in bag with lenses and bodies...............

cmason

mmroden wrote:

Hi all,

A friend of mine is going on a trip to Antarctica in two months, and he wants to take a canon ixus point-and-shoot. I'm desperately trying to get him to reconsider his camera selection, because I think that the mechanical guts of the thing will freeze and he'll be camera-less.

Well, the IXUS actually has no mechanical bits, unlike a DSLR. It is an electronic shutter, not mechanical shutter.

The biggest issue in cold is condensation that occurs bringing the camera back in from the cold. Google around you can read of strategies including use of ziploc bags and other things. Antartica is cold, but most tours go in summer, and of course, you don't get stranded in weather like in March of the Penguins.

That being said, I dont think the cold will have a serious impact on a DSLR either.

ChrisGardner

The Antarctic summers at the Peninsula (I assume that's when/where your friend is going) are not very cold. The weather is variable at the Peninsula and the surrounding islands and can actually be quite wet (weather sealing is always good). Freezing should not be a problem - I've taken DSLRs and point-and-shoots to East Antarctica (much colder) and I've never known anyone to have a problem. The biggest problem there is keeping batteries warm in the cold...condensation isn't even a problem there because it is so dry.

I would say that any camera is fine, but it's always a good idea to take a backup!

mmroden

cmason wrote:

Well, the IXUS actually has no mechanical bits, unlike a DSLR. It is an electronic shutter, not mechanical shutter.

The biggest issue in cold is condensation that occurs bringing the camera back in from the cold. Google around you can read of strategies including use of ziploc bags and other things. Antartica is cold, but most tours go in summer, and of course, you don't get stranded in weather like in March of the Penguins.

That being said, I dont think the cold will have a serious impact on a DSLR either.

The lens assembly isn't mechanical? It's been a while since I've handled these smaller cameras.

He is going in the summer, as it's two months from now.

As for the cold having an impact, when I read Michael Reichmann's experiences, there have definitely been slr failures from the cold and such:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/antarctica-2009-worked.shtml

Hence the question, and why I'd think that a waterproof camera might be the way to go with those kinds of problems with expensive gear.

ziggy53

Chris, you should have linked back to your Antarctica post :

http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=119982

The newer lithium battery compositions are less influenced by bitter cold so they might require less care regarding the cold. I would be more concerned about returning a camera from bitter cold into normal room temperatures. Putting the camera in a bag or wrap should be used to prevent condensation.

[Deleted User]

I don't know what kind of a camera to take but I would not take a trip to Antartica and only bring ONE camera

Scott_Quier

How about recommending your friend read Michael Reichmann's post about what worked for him in 2007 and again in 2009?

He's actually been there a couple of times and has lead photo expeditions wherein the various photographers bring all sorts of different equipment.

bloomphotog

Excerpt from the above linked article:

" No Nikon bodies (mostly D700s) failed in any way." Yay!

+1 for reading the first-hand experience articles.

I think a Canon G11, S90, or LX3 would be great point-and-shoots for the trip. If he can swing an SLR a used D40 and 18-200 ($700, used) would be a nice setup. I'd suggest a Pelican case for transport and storage during the trip. Higher end memory cards may also be in order.

mmroden

Yeah, those articles are what prompted me to suggest the d300, since it has weather sealing similar to the d700. I don't think that the d40 or the 18-200 are weather sealed, but correct me if I'm wrong.

It's just so disheartening to see a non-photographer go off to an amazing location so blithely... I mean, who doesn't want to drop another $3k on top of the cost of the trip just for some photos? Am I right?

bloomphotog wrote:

Excerpt from the above linked article:

" No Nikon bodies (mostly D700s) failed in any way." Yay!

+1 for reading the first-hand experience articles.

I think a Canon G11, S90, or LX3 would be great point-and-shoots for the trip. If he can swing an SLR a used D40 and 18-200 ($700, used) would be a nice setup. I'd suggest a Pelican case for transport and storage during the trip. Higher end memory cards may also be in order.

bloomphotog

mmroden wrote:

It's just so disheartening to see a non-photographer go off to an amazing location so blithely... I mean, who doesn't want to drop another $3k on top of the cost of the trip just for some photos? Am I right?

I'm with you! I'd be all over a few new lenses and a backup D700!

Every DSLR camera is "weather sealed" to a certain extent. Nikons are known to have superior weather sealing throughout the lineup. The D3P is almost submersible! I would say the D40 is at least as rugged as the Canon 5DMK2, which is fine 95% of the time. .....now I'll sit back and wait to get flamed for comparing a $300 DSLR to the might 5D...lol. Think about it...less weight, less buttons, less body seams, less electronics....

cmason

of course, there are always options to protect your camera gear, regardless of whether it is weather sealed:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=rain&ci=15293&N=4294205295


{edit updated with better link}

bloomphotog

cmason wrote:

of course, there are always options to protect your camera gear, regardless of whether it is weather sealed:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=rain&ci=15293&N=4294205295


{edit updated with better link}

+1, those look nice!