Taking Your Phone and Camera Into the Cold

Snow and ice make for great photos, but cold weather is hard on electronics. A little preparation keeps your devices working for the whole trip.

Keep batteries warm

Lithium-ion batteries lose capacity in the cold, and a phone can shut down even when the indicator shows charge remaining. Keep your phone in an inside pocket close to your body, and carry spare camera batteries there too. A battery that has gone flat in the cold usually recovers once it warms up.

Avoid condensation

Condensation is the bigger risk. Bringing a cold camera straight into a warm room makes moisture form on and inside it. Before you go indoors, seal the camera in a plastic bag and let it warm up slowly before you open it.

Gloves and touchscreens

Touchscreens do not respond to most gloves, so pack a pair with touchscreen-compatible fingertips, or use the camera's physical buttons.

Snow and spray

Finally, protect against snow and spray: a water-resistance rating helps, but wipe devices dry before putting them away.