Condensation on lens

Hi all,

How do you all deal with condensation on the lens? Do you give it time and hope you don't miss the shot? Do you use a specific lens cloth? Do you use any of the anti-mist cream / sprays on the lens?

Just curious as I am thinking about investing in some anti-mist sprays to make sure my lens doesn't mist up on the various excursions I am taking on my cruise in a few weeks.

I have used Repti-Therm reptile tank heaters for years to keep my gear warm while in the cabin. It is a low-wattage heating pad designed to keep pet reptiles' terrarium tanks at a livable temperature and is perfect for keeping camera equipment above the dew point.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQCKA

I set it in my bag, plug it in and close the flap. When I take the camera or lenses out in the morning, everything is 85°-90° and immune to condensation.

Dave

Although I cannot vouch for it as I have not tried them, I have read that some of those anti-fogging solutions can actually do more harm than good. They might not damage the lens, but they can leave a film of whatever stuff it is made of on the lens.

True, it could be due to incorrect application, as not many of us are prone to read the manual first...

I have never had any issue with condensation inside the lens while in the Caribbean. Any condensation on the outside will dissipate as soon as the camera acclimates to the temperature and humidity.

Thanks for the comments. I have UV filters on the lens.... but I am impatient as I don't want to wait minutes for the condensation to clear up before I want to take a shot....

I don't use any solutions or plug in gear. My method is to simply plan ahead a little bit - in the morning when I wake, I'll take my cold gear and put them in the cabin window, or if I have a balcony, I'll put them there, so that they warm up while I'm getting dressed and ready to go. If I'm headed out to a port, I'll bring the gear bag up to breakfast on the lido, sit outside and let the gear acclimatize. By the time I'm ready to head out, everything has equalized and I can shoot immediately.

I live in the exact same climate most people cruise to, ie: tropics, so I'm very accustomed to dealing with massive heat and humidity and camera gear, and since I love my cold night sleep, my AC at home always drops to 70 while outside it's nearly 100 and nearly 90% humidity...so condensation is a fact of life almost every single day of my life. This method has always worked, every day at home, everywhere I travel...hotels, ship cabins, etc. Just take that morning time when you're having coffee, getting changed, etc to stick the gear in a safe spot outdoors like a private balcony, or in direct sun on a windowsill...and let it acclimatize. Store it in a bag with some dessicant which helps, and if you have a spot inside the house or hotel room or cabin that stays warm (such as next to appliances that get warm, next to AC motors in the wall, right at the front door where the warmer outside hall air slips under the door, in a dryer that's turned off, and so on) stick the camera gear there at night to keep it warm.

I don't use any solutions or plug in gear. My method is to simply plan ahead a little bit - in the morning when I wake, I'll take my cold gear and put them in the cabin window, or if I have a balcony, I'll put them there, so that they warm up while I'm getting dressed and ready to go. If I'm headed out to a port, I'll bring the gear bag up to breakfast on the lido, sit outside and let the gear acclimatize. By the time I'm ready to head out, everything has equalized and I can shoot immediately.

Do you see any problems if you use a blow dryer to warm up the camera before using it in these situations?

Keith

Do you see any problems if you use a blow dryer to warm up the camera before using it in these situations?

 

Keith

My main backup plan when I forget the heat pad is the blow-dryer. As with anything, use moderation but the chance of damaging heat from a hair dryer is small.

Dave

I'd tend to agree with Dave - but I'd say use lower heat, keep it a little farther back, and don't use it in dusty places with the camera body open and exposed as it can blow harmful dust and debris into the sensor chamber. Some light blow-dryer air at a lens from a few feet away should be OK...but you only need to do that if pressed for time - given 10 minutes in direct sun, a camera and lens can acclimatize from a 65 degree room to a 100 degree tropical jungle...I know, because I do it all the time! In the time it takes to sit on my balcony or patio at a hotel or ship cabin and have a coffee or read the ship's daily schedule, my camera gear has equalized!

I have had this problem in cruising in the gulf, any issues in Alaska? Temp difference between the room and outside air will I need to do something?

John

I have had this problem in cruising in the gulf, any issues in Alaska? Temp difference between the room and outside air will I need to do something?

 

John

Never had an issue going out. The only issue you might have is coming in if the temp is significantly cooler outside and your room is warm. This has never happened to me in Alaska but I have had it happen shooting at my sister's near Spokane in the winter. 17° outside and 72° inside works pretty much the same as AC to tropics.

Dave

Hi all,

 

How do you all deal with condensation on the lens? Do you give it time and hope you don't miss the shot? Do you use a specific lens cloth? Do you use any of the anti-mist cream / sprays on the lens?

 

Just curious as I am thinking about investing in some anti-mist sprays to make sure my lens doesn't mist up on the various excursions I am taking on my cruise in a few weeks.

The Ac in the room is one culprit. and how I stop it, is:

camera is wrapped in a towel overnight.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions everyone.

I have had this problem in cruising in the gulf, any issues in Alaska? Temp difference between the room and outside air will I need to do something?

 

John

Shouldn’t be too much of a problem during the cruising season. Most of the time the temperatures won’t be more than 10-15 degrees different outside/inside. In the winter we have the reverse issue of shooting in the cold that can be below zero and then brining the camera inside. I always carry an air tight bag and seal the camera up before taking it in the house and don’t upload the photos for several hours or overnight.

Shouldn’t be too much of a problem during the cruising season. Most of the time the temperatures won’t be more than 10-15 degrees different outside/inside. In the winter we have the reverse issue of shooting in the cold that can be below zero and then brining the camera inside. I always carry an air tight bag and seal the camera up before taking it in the house and don’t upload the photos for several hours or overnight.

Pull the card out before you come in. The small mass of the card warms quickly and the card itself is pretty much immune to moisture (I've accidentally washed mine on more than one occasion :o). You can play with the images while the camera thaws out.

Dave

Pull the card out before you come in. The small mass of the card warms quickly and the card itself is pretty much immune to moisture (I've accidentally washed mine on more than one occasion :o). You can play with the images while the camera thaws out.

 

Dave

Thanks! Makes sense. I'll do that.

Put the camera in a Ziploc bag when leaving your room.. wait couple of minutes and you are good to go.

The simple solution is you can:

1- wait for the fog to dissipate after 10-20 minutes

2-keep your camera in a zip lock baggy the water droplets will form on the outside of the bag instead of on the camera

The Ac in the room is one culprit. and how I stop it, is:

 

camera is wrapped in a towel overnight.

Humph! why didn't I think of that!! :)

I have had this problem in cruising in the gulf, any issues in Alaska? Temp difference between the room and outside air will I need to do something?

 

John

If you have a verandah, take your DSLR camera outside in the morning and leave it outside. Bringing in and out of the temperature changes will cause condensation each time.

For a P@S camera, just keep it in your pocket and take it out for a few quick pictures before placing it back into your pocket. The heat in your hands will keep it warm while its outside for a few minutes.

I took a class about a year ago and the instructor told me to place my camera with lenses in a ziplock bag with a silica pack (unopened ) . When you go from the air condition areas to out on deck wait a few minutes and then take your camera out and begin to shoot . I always had condensation problems and now I don't .

I just open the balcony door a little a put the camera on the floor, camera adjusts in about ten minutes. I then put it in a plastic bag until I debark the ship.

As I posted earlier in the thread, condensation is never a worry if you keep the camera warm. The tiny reptile tank heater is the size of a postcard and keeps my camera bag at about 90°. Plenty warm enough to avoid condensation in any climate.

Dave