[ronald_durst]

So i get home tonight and there's this spider on a web hanging by where i park the car. I break out my camera and walk out into the 81% humidity and everything fogs up. My lens glass, my uv filter. Everything. Is there anyway to prevent that? Anyone got any tips? Thanks

[stewart_photo]

While it really isn't going to help with quick, impromptu, shots of something like your spider, the traditional method is to allow time for the camera (with lens attached) to equalize with the temperature and humidity of the shooting environment before trying to use it. Prior to that, leave the lens cap on, and perhaps camera in bag, to avoid direct sudden exposure to the environment. Otherwise, you'll have to wait even longer for the resulting fog to disappear.

Of course, if someone has figured out a quicker, reliable, method to do this, I'd like to know about it as well.

stewart

[gpaual]

While it really isn't going to help with quick, impromptu, shots of something like your spider, the traditional method is to allow time for the camera (with lens attached) to equalize with the temperature and humidity of the shooting environment before trying to use it. Prior to that, leave the lens cap on, and perhaps camera in bag, to avoid direct sudden exposure to the environment. Otherwise, you'll have to wait even longer for the resulting fog to disappear.

Of course, if someone has figured out a quicker, reliable, method to do this, I'd like to know about it as well.

stewart

ran into that problem the other day myself......heat here has been outrageous, and camera was laying on sofa under a/c.......ist thing in the a.m. i was out the door with camera ....caught the lens fog wiped it, and shot the pic as fog was reasserting itself......could have some useful possibilities.........

https://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/index.php?n=3027

oh ya.......tip......keep the lens equal in temp to the outside temperature.....

[FotoPete]

Yes, do keep the lens equal temp to outside temp. The fog is from the humidity outside condensing onto the much cooler glass surface. Do use caution as this can encourage mold/fungus growth/condensation marks.

NOTE : DO NOT USE FILTERS. A lens must BREATHE. If you smack a filter onto the front, the air gets trapped between filter and front element!

[raz-0]

I was thinking that geting some hot-hands or equivalent and sticking one in the camera bag before hitting the out of doors might do some good.

Haven't tried it yet, but was considering the following for an upcoming trip where this will likely be an issue.

[bdavis]

NOTE : DO NOT USE FILTERS. A lens must BREATHE. If you smack a filter onto the front, the air gets trapped between filter and front element!

Good grief. Maybe lenses ought to be designed with GILLS!! You've got a serious filter phobia, my friend.



The only surefire way I know of to prevent fogging of glass is to avoid rapid shifts in temperature. Easier said than done; I've made genius moves like waltzing into a greenhouse only to have to sit and wait out the fogging. Bring along a microfiber lens cloth.

[FotoPete]

Filters usually do more harm than good unless you using creative filters for the effect.

[darkstorm82]

well you could try using a big ziploc bag, that is what i do when i come back from a winter shoot (before going in the house), its kinda the same as when you go from cold/dry A/C to hot/humid temperature... humidity will form on the outside of the bag while its warming up and when your camera is about the same temperature as outside you can take it out of the bag...

works great for winter, but i dunno if it would work as good for this.. you could try

[Rolly]

You may take the camera from a warm environment to a colder one with some impunity. It's the reverse process which causes the problems of condensation.
Perhaps we should ask Pentax to include a heating coil in the next evolution like one gets in warmed auto and toilet seats.
It would complement the GPS, beer fermenter and coffee machine suggested by some other posters a while ago.

[bdavis]

Filters usually do more harm than good unless you using creative filters for the effect.

Whatever. This isn't a filter debate thread, so it is inappropriate to get into this topic with you here, and I wouldn't do it regardless. I was just commenting on your apparent irrational fear (or is it animosity?) towards filters, because you seem to feel the need to interject your opinion on the stupid things every. single. time. you feel it tangentially relevant to the topic at hand. The fear mongering is tiresome, because the problem with most images is not the equipment--it is the photographer. Very few photographers are good enough to have the quality of their images solely impacted by a silly thing like a filter.

[NaClH2O]

The only surefire way I know of to prevent fogging of glass is to avoid rapid shifts in temperature. Easier said than done; I've made genius moves like waltzing into a greenhouse only to have to sit and wait out the fogging. Bring along a microfiber lens cloth.

Agree with Beth here. Nikon makes a specially coated "fog" microfiber cloth that is slightly better than the plain old vanilla kind. I've tried every which way I know of to prevent condensation, but nothing seems to work particularily well except for good old "sit down and wait". The "fog" micro fiber cloth will let you get a shot off or maybe 2-3 but it will still fog back up until your equipment has acclimated itself to the new environment. One thing I've found helps in winter where a relatively short walk (15 minutes or under) outside is necessary and that's to wrap camera and lenses in some sort of "jacket". I have a tight fitting neoprene(sp?) camera case and the "slingshot" lens cases that work pretty well if I going from warm to cold to warm again in the winter, as long as I'm not spending a long time out in the cold. I've walked into a "tropical" set greenhouse after 15 minutes in sub freezing temps with no problem as long as camera and lenses are bundled up and cozy.

NaCl(give time, time is the only sure cure)H2O