foggy lens: I was recently in Cancun, and had trouble with lens fog. Every time I went from inside to outside my lens would fog up. I ended up with several photos that looked foggy.

Crad1998

I was recently in Cancun, and had trouble with lens fog. Every time I went from inside to outside my lens would fog up. I ended up with several photos that looked foggy. How to do deal with this problem.? Wife finally found something to wipe the lens but that bothered me, I was afraid I was going to end up with a dirty lens. Thanks

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Outside hot and humid - lens cool from the AC.

Tom DePuy Loc: Waxhaw, N.C.

humidity ..... u need to give the lens time to adjust ...Ive heard wrapping in a towel helps...

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

1) Inside, keep your camera in an enclosed bag where the cool AC'd air cannot touch it. It will stay warmer and reduce the condensation when you go outside. 2) Or, when you go outside, immediately let your camera see sunlight to warm it up. Lastly 3) If you use a protection lens like a sky or UV filter, when inside, keep the filter in your pocket until just before going outside. It will be warm. Once on, it will keep the cold lens front from touching the warm wet air. If screwed on, there can be no condensation in the space between the filter and the lens. Any of these can help to minimize the problem, but I suggest you just raise the thermostat.

Tom DePuy Loc: Waxhaw, N.C.

John Howard wrote:

1) Inside, keep your camera in an enclosed bag whe... (show quote)

I like these suggestions ...never have seen these idea's...I well have to take note of them as I well be going to Hilton Head Island in August and it is very humid at HHI

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Crad1998 wrote:

I was recently in Cancun, and had trouble with lens fog. Every time I went from inside to outside my lens would fog up. I ended up with several photos that looked foggy. How to do deal with this problem.? Wife finally found something to wipe the lens but that bothered me, I was afraid I was going to end up with a dirty lens. Thanks

Its unavoidable when rapidly moving between different ambient temperature and humidity environments.

I'm not aware of any practical solution.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I've never had this problem but I read the other day that it's good to put your lens in a zip lock bag and then in your camera bag until you are ready to use it. If you have a bag large enough to put the whole camera and lens in, that should work too.

LGilbert Loc: Earth

Crad1998 wrote:

I was recently in Cancun, and had trouble with lens fog. Every time I went from inside to outside my lens would fog up. I ended up with several photos that looked foggy. How to do deal with this problem.? Wife finally found something to wipe the lens but that bothered me, I was afraid I was going to end up with a dirty lens. Thanks

This is just a problem of taking a cold lens into a humid environment and having water condense on the cold surfaces. Your goal is to heat up the camera to the outside temperature before exposing it to the humid air. Take a large ziplock bag and put any camera/lens in it you expect to use outside in it. Seal the bag and take it outside and let it warm up to the ambient temperature. As there is little moisture in the bag, there won't be any condensation occurring while you wait for it to come up to temperature. When it is warm open the bag and start shooting.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

Crad1998 wrote:

I was recently in Cancun, and had trouble with lens fog. Every time I went from inside to outside my lens would fog up. I ended up with several photos that looked foggy. How to do deal with this problem.? Wife finally found something to wipe the lens but that bothered me, I was afraid I was going to end up with a dirty lens. Thanks

Store you lens in a plastic bag and place silica gel packs inside with the lens is one way, but the true way it acclimate the lens to the surrounding environment before use so there's no temp differential. In any humid climate though, it's always good to keep non-weather sealed lenses stored in plastic bags with silica gel packs to absorb excess humidity.

exitvisa Loc: richmond bc

I was on a carriabian cruise and set my camera and lens on or near the exhaust vent of our room refrigerator so I could go out at sunrise with no lens /camera fogging issues.

LGilbert Loc: Earth

exitvisa wrote:

I was on a carriabian cruise and set my camera and lens on or near the exhaust vent of our room refrigerator so I could go out at sunrise with no lens /camera fogging issues.

A really good idea!!

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

You just want to bag the lens (works for the camera, too) to keep the humidity from condensing on it during the temperature change. So, you bag it, take it to outdoors, and let it warm up for several minutes, then remove from the bag.