If only I had my camera.

[Just-Clayton]

There are so many time I wish I had my camera and yesterday was one of them. I was delivering my route and heading back to my truck. I look up above me about 30 feet in a tree was a large hawk. Usually they fly off when I get that close. Also around 20 minutes later near sunset, I see a halo around the sun and a sun dog. I see the sun dogs all the time but, never with my camera. I wouldn't have taken my camera yesterday anyway. The truck doesn't even get over freezing on these cold days.

 

[Marilynne]

I know what you mean. You got close to the hawk because you didn't have the camera. Just like when we were scuba diving, we'd always see lobster when it wasn't lobster season, but had trouble finding them when the season started.

Yesterday I saw an osprey going in to a swoop, but I was on the other side of the tree line, by the time I got there, he already had his fish. That's the way it works.

Maybe you should get a good point and shoot for those days.

 

[BackdoorArts]

I know you hate leaving gear in a frozen truck, but I suspect that if you can survive the camera can. One camera and one lens will do just fine, even if it sits in 20 degrees all day - just ease the transition back into warmer environments by sticking it in a 5 gallon ziplock bag first to keep moisture from getting in. And keep your battery in your pocket until you need it as it can discharge or stop operating properly when it gets too cold. The mechanicals of the camera and lens should be fine.

The biggest mechanical issue I hear in really cold weather is with plastic mounts, so for folks shooting with the less expensive DX glass (55-200, 18-55, etc) be careful mounting and unmounting because cold plastic can crack far more easily.

 

[Just-Clayton]

I have a quantaray lens that doesn't like the cold. The barrel gets stiff and freezes up. Maybe I will chance it today.

 

[BackdoorArts]

I have a quantaray lens that doesn't like the cold. The barrel gets stiff and freezes up. Maybe I will chance it today.

That's a different story. Some optics behave better than others in extreme temps.

 

[weebee]

I keep my Nikon S3500 in my coat pocket, not my daily choice. But I don't want to keep my D3100 in a freezing car.

 

[Just-Clayton]

Everything worked out today. No hawk, ring around the sun or sun dogs. Just, windy and cold.

 

[BackdoorArts]

So does that mean you had your camera and it would have worked fine, but you didn't have anything to shoot, or that you didn't have your camera, but because you had nothing to shoot everything worked out fine?

 

[Just-Clayton]

I had my camera. Shot during my lunch break. Stood in the shade to get the best lighting shot. Froze while standing in the shade to get the best shots. Since I was froze then, the camera was feeling my pain. But, I did get some nice pictures.