In January, I traveled to northern Mongolia to visit the Tsaatan reindeer herders. Average January temperatures in Mongolia’s taiga typically range from −20°C to −36°C (−4°F to −32.8°F). During our visit, however, a sharp temperature drop, likely caused by a powerful cold-air mass moving across the region, pushed temperatures down to between −30°C and −45°C (−22°F to −49°F), and at times as low as −53°C (−63.4°F). Similarly, during previous winter expeditions, I experienced temperatures as low as −35°C (−31°F) in the Canadian Rockies and −30°C (−22°F) in Finnish Lapland.
Under such extreme conditions, camera batteries can drain almost immediately because of the cold. I recently came across a potential solution following the release of a new extreme-cold-weather battery from SmallRig. According to the manufacturer, the battery is engineered to discharge reliably at temperatures as low as −40°C without external heating.
Although I have not yet tested this setup in the field, I would like to share it and look forward to trying it during an upcoming winter expedition.
Here’s the setup:
According to SmallRig, this battery is engineered to discharge reliably at temperatures as low as −40°C without external heating. It can also be used as a regular power bank.
This NP-F battery adapter plate connects the battery to the camera power system. It can be mounted behind the camera screen or, as shown in my setup, on the side of the camera.
The dummy battery allows you to continuously power your camera from the NP-F battery through the battery plate. Make sure to select the correct dummy-battery model for your specific camera.