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How to prevent Your GoPro from Shutting Off When it Gets Cold in 2023

Introduction: What is the Problem?

This article is going to show you how to prevent your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold in 2023.

GoPro cameras have been a staple of the action camera market for more than 10 years now. They are known for their durability and high-quality video capabilities. This year GoPro has released what they say is the best camera at preventing cold weather issues.

However, in recent years, GoPro cameras have been experiencing a number of problems that makes them unusable. The most common issue is the camera shutting off or freezing during use. Personally I have struggled with the Hero 10 Black in particular with this issue, from what I have heard the Hero 11 has resolved this issue with an Enduro battery.

The GoPro shut off problem has been a huge headache for many winter sports people that use Gopro’s, like myself I went to Mammoth on a bluebird pow day and my GoPro struggled to get through the below freezing temps and it shutoff every time within 30 seconds of recording.

Are GoPro’s supposed to work in cold temps?

For the Hero 11 Black when using the Enduro battery, there is no change in camera behavior when it reaches 32°F (0°C). This should be a huge win for our winter sports fan’s using the Hero 11 for their winter of 2023 when preventing your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold.

GoPro suggest that the GoPro Hero 10 Black battery detects that it is 32°F (0°C) or lower, the camera turns off both the front and rear displays. Should show a notice on the rear LCD to indicate this is happening

For the Hero9 Black, Hero8 Black, and Hero 7 Black the GoPro community suggests that Image Stabilization in high-performance modes draws a lot of power, and in cold temperatures the battery is not able to keep up. Because of this, HyperSmooth and Standard Stabilization are not available in the following high performance modes when operating in very cold temperatures (32°F/0°C or lower). This is what I encountered with my Hero 10 black at mammoth. Switched it to a lower resolution and lower frame rate and it worked wonderfully.

What does GoPro Suggest?

Directly from the GoPro community they give the following explanation, “Camera battery performance is severely decreased in cold conditions.” So it is clearly a battery problem in preventing your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold.

GoPro doesn’t have a formal low-temperature rating for any of our cameras or accessories/mounts, but we do have information on how cold weather affects the camera, as well as a few tips on how to get the best performance out of your camera and batteries in cold weather.

The best way for preventing your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold is to keep the camera in an interior pocket before filming; this uses your body heat to keep the unit warm. Note:This applies to secondary/backup batteries as well. 

Here is 4 tips to prevent your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold

  • Leave the camera on (in standby). This is generally better than powering the unit off for an extended period of time. One-Button Mode (while convenient for helmet-mounted shots), might mean that during the lift ride to the the summit (powered off), the camera’s temperature drop’s too low for maximum efficiency.
  • Use the camera in the Protective Housing to help retain the heat given off by the camera during operation.
  • If the case fogs up when you you use a Protective HousingAnti-Fog Inserts can alleviate the issue.?
  • Use newer batteries. Older batteries that have been used quite a bit have a much harder time in cold weather. 

What Causes a GoPro to Shut Off When it Gets Cold?

The reason cold weather hurts performance is because most batteries work through an electrochemical reaction, which sends power signals to your terminal ends. This chemical reaction slows down in colder weather, weakening your battery’s power, ultimately leading to a shorter lifespan. You can avoid this by warming your batteries while not in use or when they’re charging. This is why I always carry several batteries on me in the snow and have had to even keep them between my base-layer if I am on the mountain all day.

A GoPro camera should work in any weather conditions, but when it gets cold, the battery life is shortened. This is because the cold temperature reduces the battery power and it’s also because of a chemical reaction that happens when you use a lithium ion battery in cold temperatures.

The lithium ion battery works by having a positive and negative electrode on either side of a liquid electrolyte. The electrodes are usually made out of metal oxide compounds like lithium cobalt oxide or manganese oxide. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, these compounds are not able to react with each other as efficiently as they would at room temperature. This reduces the amount of electricity produced by the battery and can lead to an early shut off if you’re using your GoPro in low temperatures for long periods of time. Keeping it warm will prevent your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold.

Tips from our team in winter conditions for preventing your GoPro from shutting off when it gets cold

The cold weather can be a challenge for any camera, but it is especially difficult for a GoPro. The cold weather can cause the battery to drain faster and the camera to shut off more often.

Here are some tips on how to keep your GoPro from shutting off in the cold:

– Keep your GoPro in a warm place before you go out into the cold. This will help keep it warm and ready to use when you need it.

– If you are going out into the cold, make sure that your battery is fully charged before you leave. This will help ensure that your battery doesn’t die while you’re out there.

– If possible, use an external power source like a car charger or power bank so that your battery doesn’t drain as quickly in the cold weather.

– Keep your GoPro covered with something like a jacket or hat so that it stays warm and protected from snow or ice buildup on its lens

Key Takeaway

The key takeaway from this article is that GoPro knows that this an issue for winter sports lovers and cold weather users, so they have been putting a ton of effort into this but with the ever improving camera year after year it’s no shock that it has been only getting better.

I remember getting a hero 7 black way back and it didn’t do well at all so definitely have been improving. Holding the batteries in a warm spot has definitely helped me and I am sure with the Hero 11 Black the Enduro battery should be a dead zone killer and not crash. I am very excited to test that myself in the winter up in Mammoth as temperatures drop heavily there and I will be able to provide an update to the blog.

Originally posted 2022-11-16 16:41:41.

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