In April and May I’ll be trekking through the Khumbu region of the Himalayas for a couple weeks then climbing a peak known as Kyajo Ri. Kyajo Ri stands just over 20,000′ and will be the highest I’ve been on this planet without zipping along at 600MPH in a plane. I’m getting rather excited thinking about the trip which causes my analytical planning mind to kick in. I love this part of my mind because I can turn it on and off as needed so it doesn’t get too consumed with the minutia that can get in the way of actually enjoying a trip.
But for a while I let this part of my mind spin as it felt it needed. It quickly grabbed on to one point of the altitude: How will my camera equipment fair? After posting my query on Twitter I got a few responses but no answers. Most people, like Outside Magazine’s Gear Girl writer Stephanie Pearson, were curious about the same thing. Stephanie is also heading to Nepal this Spring, covering Expedition Hanesbrand’s Climb With Us attempt on Mount Everest. While she will be remaining at basecamp to relay events on the mount through the Climb With Us website, she was also interested in how her camera would hold up in those conditions.
On our last trip to Nepal, Dave Ohlson of Ursus Films was along creating a documentary using professional high definition video equipment when the altitude question was first posed. His camera faired well on their attempt of 23,494′ Pumori to the West of Everest, although the expedition stopped short of the summit when an emergency situation involving a member of the expedition getting hit by ice caused a retreat off the mountain. Before the retreat, Dave noted his camera worked well but he was concerned about his harddrives functioning at altitude.
With no definitive answer in front of me, I decided to give Canon’s Support site a try. I sent the following question using their simple form:
“Hello, I have a climb of a 20,000′ peak in Nepal planned for May, 2010. I currently own a 5D and a T1i. I also may purchase a 5D Mark II before the trip.
My question has to do with altitude. I’m not asking for a guarantee, but I am curious to know if there is anything I should know about altitude and these cameras. I do not plan on switching lenses (28-300mm L and 16-35mm L) to avoid dust and moisture on the trek and climb.
This trip will be part of a multi-country project and I’m curious to know how the Canon equipment will stand up to the altitude.
thanks
pwc”
A day later, this is the response I received:
“Dear Mr. Carey:
Thank you for your inquiry about using your Rebel T1i, 5D, and lenses while in Nepal. We value you as a Canon customer and appreciate the opportunity to assist you.
I wouldn’t worry too much about altitude, but I would be concerned about the cold. The working temperature range for your camera and lenses is 32-104F. The working humidity is 85% or less.
The risk of using the equipment below 32 degrees Fahrenheit is that the lubricants inside the camera and lens could get too cold and may not function properly. This could cause internal malfunctions. However, there are many reports of our equipment being used successfully in sub-zero temperatures.
If you have to use the camera and lenses in temperatures below 32 degrees, we recommend keeping them under the coat when not in use to keep the body temperature within the operating temperature range.
The other concern is that the battery will discharge rapidly at colder temperatures. The solution to this problem is to have several fully-charged batteries available. Use one in the camera and keep the others warm in an inside pocket. As the power drops, swap the batteries around. The warm battery will keep the camera going, while the cold battery will regain some of its power in a warm pocket.
The 5D Mark II uses a newer battery (LP-E6), so it will not be possible to swap batteries between the 5D and 5D Mark II. You’d need to bring extra batteries and charger. The 5D Mark II is a good choice though.
We hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your EOS Rebel T1i, 5D, and lenses.
Thank you for choosing Canon.
Sincerely,
Erik
Technical Support Representative“
I was impressed that an intelligent human was on the other end of Canon’s form and not only answered my initial question but took the time to look at the entire situation, suggesting sound advice for helping my camera equipment come back in working order. And more importantly, help me to bring back some wonderful photos, I’m sure.
Thank you Canon for the support!
If you’d like to hear more about my trek and climb to Nepal, subscribe to The Carey Adventures for updates as the date gets closer. I will also be offering a unique opportunity for you to get involved in the climb, posted next week on this site. Until then, photos from last year’s trek can be found on Hidden Creek Photography. Stay tuned!!
Peter,
FWIW, I didn’t have any issues at 16-17 thousand feet in Bolivia but the temperatures weren’t that severe. I only encountered below freezing during and right after sunsets while that high…
R(etc… )
Peter, That is an impressive answer from Canon support. Also, some years ago, I used my Canon camera (EOS1000 and EOS300 but film) at 19500 feet and -25 degrees Celsius with all the aspects of keeping it warm that you discuss and it stopped working for around an hour on the key trekking day (but suddenly sprung to life – maybe it got a little warmer though it was still ridiculously cold) over the main pass (Teschi Lapcha) but was excellent the rest of the time. I carried spare batteries but the batteries lasted better than I imagined (I walked with them in my pockets). I didn’t lose too many shooting opportunitites though it was worrying at the time.
I’m impressed by their response – and it’s potentially useful info for my trip to Greenland, too, so thanks for asking them