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Later this year i have a 3 week hike in the Himalayas, Mainly camping as we climb to over 21000 feet, It will be very cold as we get up to altitude, I will be taking a Nikon Dslr, How would you recommend charging the batteries? I would like not to have to use a battery grip with AA batteries due to weight, Is it possible to charge the Nikon battery via a solar panel on my backpack?

Dave

Dave Courtenay wrote:Later this year i have a 3 week hike in the Himalayas, Mainly camping as we climb to over 21000 feet, It will be very cold as we get up to altitude, I will be taking a Nikon Dslr, How would you recommend charging the batteries? I would like not to have to use a battery grip with AA batteries due to weight, Is it possible to charge the Nikon battery via a solar panel on my backpack?

Dave

21,000' for a flat lander is pretty extreme; unless a Sherpa is carrying all your gear, I would trade in my dslr for something light weight with easily carried spare batteries.  A battery pack to charge the batteries may be an option (cold will also rob the charge).  Two people I have known have died from edema.  My brother lived in Nepal for a number of years and he told horror stories of flat landers and their gear.  A manual film camera may also be considered.

Worth checking out those photographers that frequent the Arctic Dave.

Morten Hilmer is one I know that shows a youtube which showed one sequence of charging batteries in a tent in the Norwegian Arctic circle... but wasn't solar powered.... small unit and easy to carry as he had towed his tent etc in snow shoes up the mountain, so weight was critical.

Vincent Munier will be worth a look up... as will be David Yarrow

Dave Courtenay wrote:Later this year i have a 3 week hike in the Himalayas, Mainly camping as we climb to over 21000 feet, It will be very cold as we get up to altitude, I will be taking a Nikon Dslr, How would you recommend charging the batteries? I would like not to have to use a battery grip with AA batteries due to weight, Is it possible to charge the Nikon battery via a solar panel on my backpack?

Dave

Not the Dx batteries. Yes for the others. You can get a usb charger for an EN-EL15. And you can get a solar panel that have USB outlets.

Maybe the best advice would come from the organization / leaders of the hike.
I spent 2-3 weeks at 8,000 last year...I found altitude sickness to be a very real and dangerous thing.
GL

Dave Courtenay wrote:I would like not to have to use a battery grip with AA batteries due to weight, Is it possible to charge the Nikon battery via a solar panel on my backpack?

Dave

The weight of the battery grip would probably be less than a charger (efficiency of charger on backpack would be dubious anyway) and lithium AA batteries are light and long lasting. You could probably carry several sets that would weigh less than a solar charger IMO. I would also recommend not using auto focus and VR to conserve battery power.

Joe

1lb at sea level will feel like 5 lb at 15,000 and like 15 pounds at 20,000. I wouldn't dream of taking a DSLR but rather would take something small and light that gives good image quality and can be USB charged from a supplemental battery like those that can give a cell phone several charges

E.J. Peiker wrote:1lb at sea level will feel like 5 lb at 15,000 and like 15 pounds at 20,000.  I wouldn't dream of taking a DSLR but rather would take something small and light that gives good image quality and can be USB charged from a supplemental battery like those that can give a cell phone several charges

Totally agree with the weight issue. The way you phrase your question makes me wonder if you've sent time hiking at high altitude? Hiking at and above 15,000 feet is very different than hiking at lower altitudes. If this will be a new experience for you you should hike above 15,000 ft before you go to see how your body reacts to very high altitude. The number one item you'll want at altitude is clean water. A heavy camera is probably the last thing you want. Dehydration and altitude sickness are the number one concerns when hiking at high altitudes.

signgrap wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:1lb at sea level will feel like 5 lb at 15,000 and like 15 pounds at 20,000.  I wouldn't dream of taking a DSLR but rather would take something small and light that gives good image quality and can be USB charged from a supplemental battery like those that can give a cell phone several charges

Totally agree with the weight issue. The way you phrase your question makes me wonder if you've sent time hiking at high altitude? Hiking at and above 15,000 feet is very different than hiking at lower altitudes. If this will be a new experience for you you should hike above 15,000 ft before you go to see how your body reacts to very high altitude. The number one item you'll want at altitude is clean water. A heavy camera is probably the last thing you want. Dehydration and altitude sickness are the number one concerns when hiking at high altitudes.

Last year i hiked to Mount Everest base camp and trekked up Kala Pattar which is around 18500 feet, I have been at altitude a few times without any issues, I carried my Nikon D800E with 2 lenses without problems, The difference is that on the Everest Base Camp trek you mainly stay in Tea Houses where you can charge at cost your batteries, This trip will be different, mainly camping, I will trying to summit Mera Peak at over 21000 feet, It will be a tough trek but do not think a Dlsr will be my main problem, I am fit and am already hitting the gym and hiking at distance and have another 10 months before i leave, Thanks for every bodies input, I have plenty of time for more research

Dave

If that is the case Dave, have you thought Medium Format? lol

Dave Courtenay wrote:Later this year i have a 3 week hike in the Himalayas, Mainly camping as we climb to over 21000 feet, It will be very cold as we get up to altitude, I will be taking a Nikon Dslr, How would you recommend charging the batteries? I would like not to have to use a battery grip with AA batteries due to weight, Is it possible to charge the Nikon battery via a solar panel on my backpack?

Dave

I have been using 14 watts foldable solar panels for years for all my Himalaya treks: Brunton or Flexcell brands, connected to a PowerGorilla battery. From that battery at nights I recharge the camera batteries via a car charger.

Si i am looking at these

http://www.corethird.com/solar-power/ma ... panel.html

https://www.adorama.com/ncunk1.html?gcl ... 7AQAvD_BwE

Thoughts?

Dave