Preventing Phone Shut-Down During Cold Weather Photography

[PoorInRichfield]

One of my favorite times of the year to take photographs and shoot video is winter. After a fresh snow, the world becomes a photographer's dream as everything is coated in a blanket of white. Combine that with amazing sunrises and sunsets, it's the time of year to get those cameras out!

However, my phone (aging Pixel 2) is a bigger cold weather sissy than I am. As most of you probably already know, a phone's battery drains quickly in cold weather and if it's not nearly topped-off battery wise, it'll turn off even with 1/3 of a battery left. In addition, most phones have some kind of temperature sensor that will actually shut the phone off if it gets too cold. I missed a shot of a rare train two weeks ago when I was all ready to take a picture of it and my phone shut-down just as the train passed by me.

For those of you who successfully use your phones outdoors for extended periods of time, how do you do it?

There are several videos showing the use of hand warmers taped to the back of the phone to at least keep the phone warm in your pocket. Is that the only hope? If I was the inventor type, I'd be drawing-up plans for a heated phone case right now (much to the horror of manufacturers that had problems with their phone catching on-fire )

This photo was taken with my Pixel 2 at a local park as I was hiking just before sunset...

 

[eric002]

One of my favorite times of the year to take photographs and shoot video is winter. After a fresh snow, the world becomes a photographer's dream as everything is coated in a blanket of white. Combine that with amazing sunrises and sunsets, it's the time of year to get those cameras out!

However, my phone (aging Pixel 2) is a bigger cold weather sissy than I am. As most of you probably already know, a phone's battery drains quickly in cold weather and if it's not nearly topped-off battery wise, it'll turn off even with 1/3 of a battery left. In addition, most phones have some kind of temperature sensor that will actually shut the phone off if it gets too cold. I missed a shot of a rare train two weeks ago when I was already to take a picture of it and my phone shut-down just as the train passed by me.

For those of you who successfully use your phones outdoors for extended periods of time, how do you do it?

There are several videos showing the use of hand warmers taped to the back of the phone to at least keep the phone warm in your pocket. Is that the only hope? If I was the inventor type, I'd be drawing-up plans for a heated phone case right now (much to the horror of manufacturers that had problems with their phone catching on-fire )

This photo was taken with my Pixel 2 at a local park as I was hiking just before sunset...

View attachment 329834

Now, see there is a beautiful beautiful picture! Good job!

 

[anon(40376)]

Hiking/snowshoeing last March with my Pixel 4XL; no problem with cold weather (at least for the phone).

Used to carry a Nikon DSLR, but not on trips like this...not at 73 that's for sure.

 

[PoorInRichfield]

Hiking/snowshoeing last March with my Pixel 4XL; no problem with cold weather (at least for the phone).
...
Used to carry a Nikon DSLR, but not on trips like this...not at 73 that's for sure.

Thanks RETG... a used Pixel 4XL is on my shortlist of replacement phones for my Pixel 2. I've been using my Sony dSLT for winter photography and videos because it doesn't shut down like my phone does, however, I found my phone's built-in image stabilization makes for much nicer and easier to shoot videos than my expensive camera!

 

[Mooncatt]

I would stick with the hand warmer idea with a rubber band to hold it on.

I would take the warmer off before stowing the phone in a pocket, though. Being insulated with the warmer on may risk overheating the battery.

What train was it you tried to capture, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Chuck Finley69]

Wouldn’t a separate pocket type portable charger plugged in only after phone battery drained also help?

 

[ManiacJoe]

In cold weather like that, I am normally shooting my DSLRs where I can keep an extra battery in my inside pocket.

The handwarmer and rubber band idea is a good one. Otherwise, I would keep the phone in my inside coat pocket when not actively using it. (Waiting for the train would be "not active".)

 

[PoorInRichfield]

In cold weather like that, I am normally shooting my DSLRs where I can keep an extra battery in my inside pocket.

I also want to be using my Sony SLT-A77 (basically a dSLR) for winter photography and video, but I'm finding my Pixel 2 actually shoots better video! (That is, "better" if it doesn't shut down due to battery and cold issues.) The image stabilization in the Pixel seems to work really well for video as I'm currently doing a lot of train videos (I.e., fast moving objects.) My Pixel also shoots 4k were as my camera is too old for 4k. Hence, I can sometimes just pluck a good photo out of the video my Pixel shot and the photo is good enough for screen display.

I just shot a video with my Pixel 2 of a train at about 30 degrees F and it didn't shut-down, thankfully. I left my camera in my coat pocket until absolutely necessary, made sure it's battery was nearly fully, and had a power bank plugged in "just in case". By the time the entire train went by, my hand was nearly frozen from holding the phone, so perhaps keeping the phone "juiced-up" is helpful.

Here's a frame from today's video capture (not very centered or processed... plucked right from the video)...

 

[ManiacJoe]

Cool photo!

I am surprised that 30F would be causing a usage problem. (Battery charging should be OK from 0C-30C.)

Last time I was doing any cold photography was in Alaska at -20F with my DSLR a few years ago.

 

[Mooncatt]

That is a great shot, all things considered.

As for your DSLR and video, that doesn't surprise me. Most of them are not geared towards video, even if they have those abilities. I personally shoot Pentax, and while they technically have video, it sounds like it was added almost as an afterthought.

 

[Morty2264]

What beautiful pictures! My Honor 8 would turn off during cold weather. My S10 seems to perform well under cold conditions. What about using those touchscreen gloves? That's terrible that you missed that special train shot!

 

[methodman89]

Wouldn’t a separate pocket type portable charger plugged in only after phone battery drained also help?

Exactly

 

[PoorInRichfield]

Wouldn’t a separate pocket type portable charger plugged in only after phone battery drained also help?

It certainly does as it's my understanding that if the phone's built in battery is below 50% capacity and one is shooting photos or video (which is apparently battery intensive), the phone may shut down if it can't get enough "juice" from the battery. This has happened to me a lot.

The other issue is that Pixel phones are designed to work in a temperature range above freezing as stated in the product literature (I lost the link to this info, but it's out there.) As such, it seems like part of cold weather photography has to include "tricking" the phone into thinking it's warmer outside than it is. I'm wondering if one tapes a hand warmer to the back of a phone, but the front of the phone is still cold, will it still shut down? I suppose this is an annoying experiment I could try once I buy some handwarmers.

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm wondering if one tapes a hand warmer to the back of a phone, but the front of the phone is still cold, will it still shut down? I suppose this is an annoying experiment I could try once I buy some handwarmers.

Since the temp sensor is interior, warming up one side of the phone while the other side remains exposed should still raise the core temp a decent amount, hopefully enough to prevent the phone from shutting down, so it's definitely worth a try.

 

[Morty2264]

Since the temp sensor is interior, warming up one side of the phone while the other side remains exposed should still raise the core temp a decent amount, hopefully enough to prevent the phone from shutting down, so it's definitely worth a try.

That's a pretty awesome way to explain that - thank you for sharing!

 

[PoorInRichfield]

I'm happy to report that my "new to me" Pixel 4 XL got tested yesterday when it was quite below freezing on my photo and video shoot. The phone didn't shut-down once despite my fingers feeling like they were going to freeze off. So either my Pixel 2's battery is just weak and not capable of providing enough power in colder temperatures or the Pixel 4 has some magic juju that helps it keep working in the cold.

 

[Morty2264]

I'm happy to report that my "new to me" Pixel 4 XL got tested yesterday when it was quite below freezing on my photo and video shoot. The phone didn't shut-down once despite my fingers feeling like they were going to freeze off. So either my Pixel 2's battery is just weak and not capable of providing enough power in colder temperatures or the Pixel 4 has some magic juju that helps it keep working in the cold.

That's so awesome that your Pixel 4 held up like that! Some phones seem to be better used to it than others, eh?

 

[Santtu Sammakko]

I missed a shot of a rare train two weeks ago when I was all ready to take a picture of it and my phone shut-down just as the train passed by me.

That's exactly what happened to me today! I was so frustrated... ._.