UGH any secrets for fixing the fog up?? I live in south Texas - the most humid place on earth!! Of course my cameras live inside in the air conditioning. When I take them out in the...

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

I live in south Texas - the most humid place on earth!! Of course my cameras live inside in the air conditioning. When I take them out in the morning they totally fog up. It takes up to 30 minutes for the lens to be clear. So on planned shoots I set them outside for an hour or so before I go, but sometimes my donkey is doing something hilarious and I want a picture NOW. Any tips?

MontanaTrace

Bring the donkey in.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Is there a place in the house not included in the AC? Garage?
Or is there an outbuilding where you could keep your gear?
Is the main purpose of the AC to dehumidify the inside air?
Or does it cool (a lot) as well?
Is it a possibility to turn the temp up a few degrees?

I don't know your part of the world, so the above may be completely off the mark.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

TommiRulz wrote:

I live in south Texas - the most humid place on earth!! Of course my cameras live inside in the air conditioning. When I take them out in the morning they totally fog up. It takes up to 30 minutes for the lens to be clear. So on planned shoots I set them outside for an hour or so before I go, but sometimes my donkey is doing something hilarious and I want a picture NOW. Any tips?

Be kind to your donkey, move farther from Hell.

Heh, I visited Houston once. As we landed the guy in the seat in front of me loudly cracked, "Yep, it's Houston... The wheels touched the ground and the windows fogged up!" He was right too, they did.

Anyway, here is Ghod's country we have to worry about that when we go inside. Same problem though.

Put your camera in a kitchen sized plastic trash bag. Squeeze all the air out of it, and twist the top a couple times. Do that inside, and then take the camera outside. The difference is there will not be any condensation on the camera, it will all be on the outside of the trash bag. In a few minutes the contents of the bag will warm up to ambient temperature (or at least above the Dew Point), and the camera can then be removed from the bag.

You really do not want fog forming on the camera every time you use it outside. It may get on the inside surfaces of the viewfinder or inside a lens, and that can leave a film which may be corrosive over time.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

I missed a BEAUTIFUL shot last Friday on the river because my zoom was in the bag in my truck. I had driven for an hour to get there with the A.C. on and it was about 98 degrees with 90% humidity.

I saw a big Bald Eagle grab a fish and ran to my truck to get the telephoto so I could photograph him feeding. By the time the lens was mounted he was on a sailboat starting to strip the fish. Off come the lens cap.... and the lens instantly fogged over.

I missed everything because some Laughing Gulls mobbed him and he flew off with his catch. :(

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

Apaflo wrote:

Be kind to your donkey, move farther from Hell. br... (show quote)

Good tip - Thanks, I'll try it. I figured it was not good for my camera to get fogged up all the time, that is one reason I asked.
I have a friend that built a case outside for his cameras - so that they are never in the air conditioning. But I can't imagine that is good for them either. It's 90-100 percent humidity here all year.

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

CHOLLY wrote:

I missed a BEAUTIFUL shot last Friday on the river... (show quote)

I can't tell you how many shots I have missed over the years -- or they are just gross and fogged up.
Good luck next time

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

Morning Star wrote:

Is there a place in the house not included in the AC? Garage?
Or is there an outbuilding where you could keep your gear?
Is the main purpose of the AC to dehumidify the inside air?
Or does it cool (a lot) as well?
Is it a possibility to turn the temp up a few degrees?

I don't know your part of the world, so the above may be completely off the mark.

That's funny that you would ask what purpose the AC is for! Shows how nice it must be where you live.
Today it will be 92 with a "heat index" of 110. Humidity at about 98%.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

TommiRulz wrote:

Good tip - Thanks, I'll try it. I figured it was not good for my camera to get fogged up all the time, that is one reason I asked.
I have a friend that built a case outside for his cameras - so that they are never in the air conditioning. But I can't imagine that is good for them either. It's 90-100 percent humidity here all year.

You could make up a sealed styrofoam box, and keep it supplied with desiccant. That would need to be stored in a warm place, but because it is insulated it could spend short periods of time (maybe all day) in an air conditioned house or vehicle.

I'm not sure how much desiccant one might go through keeping it dry all he time, but probably not too much.

That's the only way I can see having a camera ready to go in an instant while driving around in an air conditioned vehicle.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Place camera and or lens in sealed large size baggie, do this in your dehumidified house. Keep them somewhere that the AC doesn't cool them since it is the cool camera/lens that is condensing the moisture from the humid air. It also needs to be a secure location. Do you have an enclosed porch that isn't AC'd? I don't think just keeping them on the porch without being in a bag is a good idea, the humidity is not good for them either. I had a lens start growing mold in the humidity of Vietnam.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

You NEVER want to let that happen! Moisture may condense inside the cameras as well as outside. It may do irreparable damage. Keep your equipment in an air-tight case or even in zip-lock bags while it warms up. This simple technique stops the moisture from condensing n your valuable equipment. If your camera and lenses have had condensation, you should put them in an air-tight container with some silica gel packs to help dry things out. These can be "recharged" in the oven.

http://www.amazon.com/Dry-Packs-Dehumidifier-Moisture-Indicating-Canister/dp/B00IT6NDTC/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1434539941&sr=8-23&keywords=silica+gel+packs

Helge Loc: Sarnia, ON, Canada

TommiRulz wrote:

I live in south Texas - the most humid place on earth!! Of course my cameras live inside in the air conditioning. When I take them out in the morning they totally fog up. It takes up to 30 minutes for the lens to be clear. So on planned shoots I set them outside for an hour or so before I go, but sometimes my donkey is doing something hilarious and I want a picture NOW. Any tips?

I live in the Great White North :-) and have run in the opposite problem going from the cold outdoors to a hot humid inside a Butterfly conservatory, took over an hour before I could take pictures.
Here is a link regarding this problem on DPreview: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3247286
Possibly putting your equipment into a Pelican Case and keep it in the warmest pat of your home. Maybe keeping it in the car if it's in a garage.
Also Pelican has Peli Desiccant (SILICA GEL)
http://www.pelican.com/miscellaneous.php
Another is to use an Anti-fog glass/lens cleaner like KleerVu. You may have to use it on your eyepiece and LCD screen too.
http://www.kleervu.com/product-category/kleervu-anti-fog-cleaner/?gclid=CjwKEAjwtYSsBRCDx6rM1v_uqmsSJAAZgf2qrxbwEd9Rg0VuDGmq4czqhGOHtT6xYLp1doZeSRZtVhoCsjLw_wcB
Good Luck from The Great White North!! Hope you figure this out!!

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

sb wrote:

You NEVER want to let that happen! Moisture may co... (show quote)

Thanks for this link!! I'm always looking for silica gel packs for things around here. This is a great idea!! THANKS so much!!!

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

sb wrote:

You NEVER want to let that happen! Moisture may co... (show quote)

I hope you meant put the silica gel packs in the oven to "recharge" them, and NOT the camera. LOL

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

Helge wrote:

I live in the Great White North :-) and have run i... (show quote)

Thanks - nice to know I'm not the only one dealing with this.