Here's another practical tip for surviving winter photography. As anyone who wears glasses knows, bringing a cold object suddenly into a warm area causes immediate condensation. The same is true for cameras, but the consequences can be deadly for electronic cameras in particular.
So, when you are bringing your cold camera back into your home or studio, be sure to warm it slowly by keeping it in a case. Also, placing your equipment in airtight bags will greatly reduce condensation.
Condensation caused by bringing a warm camera into the cold air is generally not as significant. However, the same rules apply: cool the equipment as slowly as possible. If possible, leave the equipment in a cold place long before you need to use it, removing any batteries to preserve their power (see Tip #9).
On a similar note, if you are like me, you will have a problem with fogging your viewfinder with your breath. The only way that I have found to prevent this from happening altogether is to hold my breath (no kidding). When I have to breathe, I exhale forcibly through my mouth, in a direction away from the camera. Anti-fogging solutions help, but don't seem to work 100% of the time. If you try one of these, be sure not to use it on your optics (lenses). For the same reason, never try to blow snow off of a cold camera or lens - the ice that forms instantly will tell you that it was a very bad idea.
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