A camera system includes a lens assembly and image processing electronics internal to the camera housing and thermally coupled to the battery assembly. The battery assembly is sensitive to low ambient temperatures and may become damaged if the temperature of the assembly becomes sufficiently low. The camera system comprises a thermal management system that dissipates heat from electronic components of the camera to increase or maintain the temperature of the battery assembly. The thermal management configures the electronic components in different modes to create a step-wise increase of the resistive heat generated in the camera system and thereby increase the temperature of the components in the camera system.