camera fog: During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning? If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car?

keith k

During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning?
If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car? What about on a cruise?

Thanks
Keith

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

How about a soft cloth? Or simply waiting a few minutes?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

keith k wrote:

During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning?
If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car? What about on a cruise?

Thanks
Keith

If moving from cold to hot / humid, place the equipment in a large zip lock bag before heading out of the A/C. Let warm the 20- to 30-minutes inside the bag where the condensation can't form directly on the cold equipment. Keeping in the car trunk is good for car travelling. You may have to hold and wait on the cruise. Expel the air from the bag before closing and leaving the A/C so there's less to warm while you wait through the temperature change.

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

You could wrap it in a towel about an hour before heading out to shield it from the dry cold. Then unwrap outside.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

For the sake of photography, I tend to set the auto a/c a bit warmer than most would like it. The interior of my car is cool but not cold. This alleviates a lot of the fog issues which concern most people.
--Bob

keith k wrote:

During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning?
If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car? What about on a cruise?

Thanks
Keith

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

keith k wrote:

During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning?
If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car? What about on a cruise?

Thanks
Keith

I’ve never had a problem ……ever with lens fog in the summer months. We have been on 14 cruises, including S American and no problem going from air conditioning to deck or shore. However, I have never used any camera in sub zero conditions either. More problem with sudden rain showers in tropical areas so I take a two gal plastic bag in my bag.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

keith k wrote:

During the summer months, what is the best way to deal with lens fog when you got in and out of air conditioning?
If you are travelling, do you store the camera in the car? What about on a cruise?

Thanks
Keith

I keep my cameras in the car year round, in a box made just for them, the bottom is covered with lawn chair pads and the gear is covered with moving pads from Northern Tool, that way they don't get too hot or too cold I haven't had any problems with condensation since I built the boxes. also the boxes one for camera gear and one for tools and what ever you want to keep out of sight. The boxes are covered with moving pads also, Murphy thinks this is cool too he can ride sitting down and see out all windows!!

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

are the photos more important than the AC.

cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina

In SC during summer high humidity most of the time. Around the house place it outside in shade before using. In the car I place on back seat floorboard on 24"x 10" beanbags where cold air is not blowing on camera.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

During the summer here in SE Texas early mornings are 78 to 80 degrees with 90% humidity. By 10am it's in the mid to upper 80s heading to a typical upper 90s temp. My glasses fog up the second I open the door to go outside. I transport my photography gear in good quality photo backpack with all zippers closed and throw it in the backseat of the truck. By the time I get to the shoot, my gear has warmed up enough to open the backpack with no condensation problems at all.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I carry a small, portable, handheld fan to blow air across my lenses when I am in a hurry. https://www.amazon.com/Aluan-Handheld-Powerful-Adjustable-Rechargeable/dp/B07DDDLSRL/ref=sr_1_11?crid=YZZSTEAVVGKI&dchild=1&keywords=handheld+fan&qid=1627916099&sprefix=handheld%2Caps%2C261&sr=8-11

photoman43

CHG_CANON wrote:

If moving from cold to hot / humid, place the equipment in a large zip lock bag before heading out of the A/C. Let warm the 20- to 30-minutes inside the bag where the condensation can't form directly on the cold equipment. Keeping in the car trunk is good for car travelling. You may have to hold and wait on the cruise. Expel the air from the bag before closing and leaving the A/C so there's less to warm while you wait through the temperature change.

Yes, this is the best way. In Texas where I live, you often have to do this on fall and winter mornings too. If your camera bag is in a car, open the zips to expose the lens to the warmer air, but make sure the lenses are in zip lock bags. (And your gear is protected from falling out.)

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Physics is not only a good idea...it's the Law! And they are the laws that we cannot break. Condensation will occur on a surface that is below the dewpoint temperature and will continue to do so until the surface of the object rises above the dewpoint temperature.

A perfectly dry camera lens that is cool (a relative term in its own right) will condense moisture in the air on it when exposed to the moist air and there is nothing that we can do about it other than wait for our gear to acclimate (rise in sensible temperature). When the temperature of the lens warms the condensation will cease to occur. By the way, it's the same reason that my Better Half tells me to put a costar under a chilled beverage to keep from putting a ring of water on the table. Ever notice that a warm beer has no condensation on it compared to the cold one sitting next to it?...Same reason.

montephoto

CHG_CANON wrote:

If moving from cold to hot / humid, place the equipment in a large zip lock bag before heading out of the A/C. Let warm the 20- to 30-minutes inside the bag where the condensation can't form directly on the cold equipment. Keeping in the car trunk is good for car travelling. You may have to hold and wait on the cruise. Expel the air from the bag before closing and leaving the A/C so there's less to warm while you wait through the temperature change.

I have done the same procedure as CHG_CANON for many years as a pro photog, going outside for portrait sessions after the indoor portion of the session for high school seniors.

When I was in a bigger hurry, I would use the plastic bag trick along with warming up the camera/lens with a hairdryer on LOW, before placing the camera/lens in the bag. This will warm the camera and lens to help reduce the condensation problem. I would not use the high on the hair dryer - ever.

montephoto

kpmac wrote:

I carry a small, portable, handheld fan to blow air across my lenses when I am in a hurry. https://www.amazon.com/Aluan-Handheld-Powerful-Adjustable-Rechargeable/dp/B07DDDLSRL/ref=sr_1_11?crid=YZZSTEAVVGKI&dchild=1&keywords=handheld+fan&qid=1627916099&sprefix=handheld%2Caps%2C261&sr=8-11

Don't forget that the internal lenses are also getting condensation on them because they are cold too. A fan blowing across the front lens element doesn't solve the internal condensation problem. Letting the entire lens warm up inside of a bag is preventing all condensation and is better for you and your lens.