I had blurry photos with 1.4III and 200-500 and I live in the tropics. In my case that TC just wasn't sharp with the 200-500, although it is very sharp with the 300 PF and 500 PF. So you may need to experiment to see which issue it is.
Are Lens Hoods Wrecking Your Photos In Cold Weather?
- Thread starter Steve
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
I had blurry photos with 1.4III and 200-500 and I live in the tropics. In my case that TC just wasn't sharp with the 200-500, although it is very sharp with the 300 PF and 500 PF. So you may need to experiment to see which issue it is.
It's very well known indeed partly because in "technical astro" with dedicated camera and telescope you're dealing with focus and image stability requirements that even the most critical BIF shooter might find staggering. Dig into some astro forums and you'll see that we're obsessed with the stability of the glass and tube materials. What I call "technical astro" creates the need to have a deep understanding so there's a lot written and the basic principles will translate. Temperature equilibrium of your equipment is important and any air temp differentials in the air between the front of the glass and the subject will have some impact as well. (Shooting across a cool lake or warm pavement for example).
I think mini-tube currents accurately describes what's happening here. I didn't think about it much for wildlife photos. Removing the hood would allow the air to move and also disrupt any potential little boundry layer against the front element.
Thank you Steve for an excellent video and instructions regarding heat waves trapped in a lens hood produced by a warm lens. I'm sure this has happened to me even recently and I appreciate you sharing it with me. It's funny because as an amateur astronomer I should have known this because it definitely is something that astronomers are familiar with but I forgot about it when it came to my wildlife photography haha. So thank you very much for sharing this and it will be something I keenly keep in mind as I continue photography in cold weather. Great job both explaining the issue and in analyzing it accurately!
It was a lot more than an elementary explanation, so great work Sherlock. The video was very clear and informative.---as usual. Thanks
Dmacfarl
Active member
I ran into that a few years ago in Florida near Bradenton. I couldn’t figure out why my images were so blurrry ! Doh ! Coming from Alberta, this is rarely an issue…
JanH
Active member
Hello Steve,
Thank you so much for posting this video - it helped me solve a puzzle when I took my tamron 100-400 out in the cold (>-20 C) on my new Z6II and couldn't get good focus (before running back in the warmth). I began to doubt the camera/lens, but it turned out to be heat distortion. Going on (longer) walks the camera and lens were functioning great.
I saw your comments over at NR regarding vitriolic mails, and just want to say, thank you for all your great work and for staying with it in spite of such nastiness.
Thankfully, it's not nearly a the level Peter gets. Mine are mostly nasty comments on YT videos that I just delete (or report - that happens with the nastier ones). However, I have found that the photographic community is overwhelmingly a wonderful group of people. Just gotta ignore the crazies!
Great video, Steve. Amazing to think this can affect the IQ but I guess when you think about it, it does make sense.
Safe travels, Jake.
@Steve I had a chuckle last weekend. I was out shooting eagles in the freezing cold and was chatting with another one who started taking about your video. Then I saw another photographer carrying his lens hood detached from his camera. I just envision seeing groups of people all walking around carrying their lens hoods now 
Pulled out the old thermal imager for this.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
OMG - I wish I had those images when I did the video!!!
Now that's cool! Would be interesting to see how long it would take the entire lens to match the ambient temp.
Wonder how much of an effect does the temps of the internal elements have on IQ, or is it just the air temp differences that we have to worry about?
FWIW, I don't really see any difference when the hood is off between cold and warm gear. However, I like cold weather about as much as I enjoy root canals, so I only shoot in the cold a few times a year (usually when it's snowing or when there's a really cool species).
ajrmd
Well-known member
I think
As a chronic “root canal” shooter, I think the more intriguing aspect is that one doesn’t anticipate the impact that this has on cold weather imaging as the air is usually clear whereas when one is shooting in hot weather conditions, the atmospherics are usually apparent. Unless it is sleeting, I don’t usually use a hood in winter unless I’m traipsing through brush.
With you on that, shooting in the cold here in WI is miserable
I try to tell myself that I'll find something unique out there, but most of the time I find nothing except frozen fingers and less gas in my car. So my question was regarding the overall temperature difference between the internal lens elements and outside air temps: will a large differential impact image quality?
I don't think it will - at least as far as I've experienced.With you on that, shooting in the cold here in WI is miserable
So my question was regarding the overall temperature difference between the internal lens elements and outside air temps: will a large differential impact image quality?
Good timing for me to read this today. Just arrived in Toronto for a 3-week visit which will include looking for some Snowy Owls up around Barrie.
Love the cold weather, personally. But I’m scheduled for a root canal when I get home…
Love the cold weather, personally. But I’m scheduled for a root canal when I get home…
Then there is the issue of shaking from the cold; we have nasty feel like temps happening right now. We will not be doing much except going to work if the vehicles start. No picture taking for a few days lol. I normally LOVE the cold but this is too cold for even this Ice Queen
Areas of the Alberta Canada will have -63F (-53C) feel temps Saturday night.
We are -58F (-50C) feel temp in Lethbridge Saturday night. Edmonton shows feel temp of -76F (-60C)!
Areas of the Alberta Canada will have -63F (-53C) feel temps Saturday night.
We are -58F (-50C) feel temp in Lethbridge Saturday night. Edmonton shows feel temp of -76F (-60C)!
I have friend in Calgary that sent a photo of himself at the end of a short 9km xc ski outing yesterday in Fish Creek Park in Calgary .... "The Frost King" would be an apt description. Balmy here in Boise, Idaho by comparison we are under a winter storm warning the high todayh 20f.
I was just discussing the struggles of photography in frigid temperatures with a friend and BCG member in a "what's app" group.
Like most, I despise the way the cold makes my feet and fingers feel, but I absolutely love the way a cold and snowy landscape creates the opportunity to produce "minimalist" images of nature. I live in MN, and we are heading into the -10's F (-23C for my non US brothers and sisters on the forum) this week, and I am taking the weekend to get my brain ready to endure a few sunrise shoots. I always leave my house regretting the decision, shiver and whine to myself about how stupid I am for sitting in the cold for two hours, but in the end, often celebrate the 3 or 4 unique images I managed to make because I chose to endure the discomfort. The older I get, the harder it is on the body... yet, I continue to push myself to embrace the opportunity that a cold winter offers.
Regarding the hood off tip, this has been a game changer for me. I was skeptical when you (Steve) posted the video, but I also knew I had a disturbingly high out of focus rate when doing winter shoots. I now begin my winter shoots with the hood off and put it on once I've been outside for 30 minutes or more. Unfortunately, on snowy days one must pick their poison... heat distortion or snow on the lens... I tend to leave the hood on when it snows.
bruce
Like most, I despise the way the cold makes my feet and fingers feel, but I absolutely love the way a cold and snowy landscape creates the opportunity to produce "minimalist" images of nature. I live in MN, and we are heading into the -10's F (-23C for my non US brothers and sisters on the forum) this week, and I am taking the weekend to get my brain ready to endure a few sunrise shoots. I always leave my house regretting the decision, shiver and whine to myself about how stupid I am for sitting in the cold for two hours, but in the end, often celebrate the 3 or 4 unique images I managed to make because I chose to endure the discomfort. The older I get, the harder it is on the body... yet, I continue to push myself to embrace the opportunity that a cold winter offers.
Regarding the hood off tip, this has been a game changer for me. I was skeptical when you (Steve) posted the video, but I also knew I had a disturbingly high out of focus rate when doing winter shoots. I now begin my winter shoots with the hood off and put it on once I've been outside for 30 minutes or more. Unfortunately, on snowy days one must pick their poison... heat distortion or snow on the lens... I tend to leave the hood on when it snows.
bruce
Last edited:
Parts of FCP are so pretty in the snowy weather, not sure that I would be ambitious enough to xc ski though, tobogganing yes lol. I spent many years calving and riding horse back in this cold, cannot say that I miss the calving part. I love the cold down to about -40-45.
Do you have a humid cold there?
Where I am in southern Alberta it is a very dry cold, so it actually feels quite a bit warmer than where the humidity plays into the temps. Even the bit of humidity we get at -20-25c makes me wish for colder temps to dry the air, it just feels warmer at -40 and it's dry enough that the snow doesn't stick and melt to you
Our cold depends on the direction of the wind. Once the arctic air mass settles in, it's dry and still. If we get west and south winds it's damp and miserableDo you have a humid cold there?
Where I am in southern Alberta it is a very dry cold, so it actually feels quite a bit warmer than where the humidity plays into the temps. Even the bit of humidity we get at -20-25c makes me wish for colder temps to dry the air, it just feels warmer at -40 and it's dry enough that the snow doesn't stick and melt to you
