Oh wise ones - what to do about lens fogging [ title edited as suggested ]

**aslyfox** · 03-19-2019, 05:38 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by darylk

Very cool! It's a small world with a few Pentaxians!

my wife is originally from Mapleton Iowa and we go there every year around the 4th of July

when they go north to shop over the 4th of July, I head south to the Omaha Zoo

I hope the high water is not bothering you folks

**darylk** · 03-19-2019, 06:02 PM

Thanks Allen.
Omaha and Council Bluff's have fared pretty well because of the upgraded levee systems following the flood of 2011. Unfortunately, many other communities in Nebraska are under water. Pretty sad.

SharkyCA · 03-20-2019, 03:00 AM

Originally posted by aslyfox

Oh wise ones

I take a lot of photos at zoos.

A common problem is going into a tropical rain forest exhibit and the lens and view finder fogging up.

This happened even if the lens is in a back pack

Any thoughts on how to deal with prevent this and/or how to speed up the " adjustment " time to defog the lens and view finder

Thanks

There are a lot of "anti-fog" agents for eye glasses and diver masks available, if using one of these I would imagine it would be safe for your lens as well as your eyes, given the proximity of the viewfinder to your face!

I have no affiliation with this product or experience with it.
https://youtu.be/MJ4PbcIGISc

victormeldrew · 03-20-2019, 06:35 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by SharkyCA

There are a lot of "anti-fog" agents for eye glasses and diver masks available, if using one of these I would imagine it would be safe for your lens as well as your eyes, given the proximity of the viewfinder to your face!

I have no affiliation with this product or experience with it.
Prescription Glasses Protection & Eye Glasses Anti-fog - YouTube

I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants.

SharkyCA · 03-20-2019, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by victormeldrew

I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants.

I don't think a solution for your glasses, that MUST BE SAFE for your eyes would HARM YOUR CAMERA!

photoptimist · 03-20-2019, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by victormeldrew

I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants.

I'd second that warning. Any detergent or surfactant is likely to degrade the water-repellant properties of the seals and o-rings. Moreover, on exposure to oxygen the film of anti-fogging chemical will oxidize into an organic acid which may damage the AR coatings.

P.S. Saline solution is 100% safe for human eyes and 100% deadly for electronics.

victormeldrew · 03-20-2019, 10:25 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by SharkyCA

I don't think a solution for your glasses, that MUST BE SAFE for your eyes would HARM YOUR CAMERA!

Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant.

None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth.

SharkyCA · 03-21-2019, 04:02 AM

Originally posted by victormeldrew

Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant.

None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth.

So are you saying a soft cloth is the only acceptable cleaner for your lens and NO LENS CLEANERS SHOULD BE USED?

Perhaps I should back out of this thread and leave the advise to the Professionals, here is the link!
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/how-to-c...ns-and-filters

---------- Post added 03-21-19 at 07:37 AM ----------

Originally posted by SharkyCA

So are you saying a soft cloth is the only acceptable cleaner for your lens and NO LENS CLEANERS SHOULD BE USED?

Perhaps I should back out of this thread and leave the advise to the Professionals, here is the link!
How to Clean Your Lens and Filters | B&H Explora

P.S. I should also have stated "I have a UV filter on ALL my lenses which negates the worry of LENS COATINGS"!

jack002 · 03-21-2019, 07:00 AM

"Safe for your eyes" -- why did you use those words about what people put on glasses? I don't put glasses on my eyes, they don't touch my eyes?

Glasses lenses and camera lenses are vastly different in how they should be treated.
Glasses do not have delecate coatings or seals around them that hold out water and dirt. Very different.

SharkyCA · 03-22-2019, 06:48 AM

Originally posted by victormeldrew

Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant.

None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth.

Originally posted by photoptimist

I'd second that warning. Any detergent or surfactant is likely to degrade the water-repellant properties of the seals and o-rings. Moreover, on exposure to oxygen the film of anti-fogging chemical will oxidize into an organic acid which may damage the AR coatings.

P.S. Saline solution is 100% safe for human eyes and 100% deadly for electronics.

Originally posted by victormeldrew

I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants.

Originally posted by jack002

"Safe for your eyes" -- why did you use those words about what people put on glasses? I don't put glasses on my eyes, they don't touch my eyes?

Glasses lenses and camera lenses are vastly different in how they should be treated.
Glasses do not have delecate coatings or seals around them that hold out water and dirt. Very different.

I got a lot of push back on my suggestion "anti-fog agent" "why would you say safe for eyes"!

Well lenses for glasses in some cases are coated and yes it is possible to damage the coatings on them if you use "isopropyl alcohol" https://sciencing.com/remove-antireflective-coating-eyeglasses-7631108.html

As for safe for the eyes some solutions release fumes that could cause your eyes to water and sting when pressed against the view finder, although the following link is about safety and swim goggles I would be careful what I used on my viewfinder or binoculars. Corneal injury by anti-misting agent in swim goggles: a case report. - PubMed - NCBI

I hope I have been a little more thorough in my response to Allens inquiry about lenses and viewfinder fogging up on entry to greenhouses.

What I had also stated in an earlier post that I have "uv filters" on all my lenses, so perhaps a solution is to coat the UV filter with "anti-fog" agent
rather than put it directly on the lens if you are worried about damage to the lens coatings, although I would think this would be addressed by those that manufacture the agent for use on photographic lenses.

What is an "anti-fog agent?" Anti-fog - Wikipedia

03-20-2019, 03:00 AM	#33
SharkyCA Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 806	Originally posted by aslyfox Oh wise ones I take a lot of photos at zoos. A common problem is going into a tropical rain forest exhibit and the lens and view finder fogging up. This happened even if the lens is in a back pack Any thoughts on how to deal with prevent this and/or how to speed up the " adjustment " time to defog the lens and view finder Thanks There are a lot of "anti-fog" agents for eye glasses and diver masks available, if using one of these I would imagine it would be safe for your lens as well as your eyes, given the proximity of the viewfinder to your face! I have no affiliation with this product or experience with it. https://youtu.be/MJ4PbcIGISc Last edited by SharkyCA; 03-20-2019 at 03:07 AM.

03-21-2019, 04:02 AM	#38
SharkyCA Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 806	Originally posted by victormeldrew Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant. None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth. So are you saying a soft cloth is the only acceptable cleaner for your lens and NO LENS CLEANERS SHOULD BE USED? Perhaps I should back out of this thread and leave the advise to the Professionals, here is the link! https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/how-to-c...ns-and-filters ---------- Post added 03-21-19 at 07:37 AM ---------- Originally posted by SharkyCA So are you saying a soft cloth is the only acceptable cleaner for your lens and NO LENS CLEANERS SHOULD BE USED? Perhaps I should back out of this thread and leave the advise to the Professionals, here is the link! How to Clean Your Lens and Filters \| B&H Explora P.S. I should also have stated "I have a UV filter on ALL my lenses which negates the worry of LENS COATINGS"! Last edited by SharkyCA; 03-21-2019 at 04:16 AM.

03-22-2019, 06:48 AM	#40
SharkyCA Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 806	Originally posted by victormeldrew Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant. None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth. Originally posted by photoptimist I'd second that warning. Any detergent or surfactant is likely to degrade the water-repellant properties of the seals and o-rings. Moreover, on exposure to oxygen the film of anti-fogging chemical will oxidize into an organic acid which may damage the AR coatings. P.S. Saline solution is 100% safe for human eyes and 100% deadly for electronics. Originally posted by victormeldrew I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants. Originally posted by jack002 "Safe for your eyes" -- why did you use those words about what people put on glasses? I don't put glasses on my eyes, they don't touch my eyes? Glasses lenses and camera lenses are vastly different in how they should be treated. Glasses do not have delecate coatings or seals around them that hold out water and dirt. Very different. I got a lot of push back on my suggestion "anti-fog agent" "why would you say safe for eyes"! Well lenses for glasses in some cases are coated and yes it is possible to damage the coatings on them if you use "isopropyl alcohol" https://sciencing.com/remove-antireflective-coating-eyeglasses-7631108.html As for safe for the eyes some solutions release fumes that could cause your eyes to water and sting when pressed against the view finder, although the following link is about safety and swim goggles I would be careful what I used on my viewfinder or binoculars. Corneal injury by anti-misting agent in swim goggles: a case report. - PubMed - NCBI I hope I have been a little more thorough in my response to Allens inquiry about lenses and viewfinder fogging up on entry to greenhouses. What I had also stated in an earlier post that I have "uv filters" on all my lenses, so perhaps a solution is to coat the UV filter with "anti-fog" agent rather than put it directly on the lens if you are worried about damage to the lens coatings, although I would think this would be addressed by those that manufacture the agent for use on photographic lenses. What is an "anti-fog agent?" Anti-fog - Wikipedia Last edited by SharkyCA; 03-22-2019 at 07:22 AM. Reason: Add comment

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03-19-2019, 05:38 PM - 1 Like	#31
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,583 Original Poster	Originally posted by darylk Very cool! It's a small world with a few Pentaxians! my wife is originally from Mapleton Iowa and we go there every year around the 4th of July when they go north to shop over the 4th of July, I head south to the Omaha Zoo I hope the high water is not bothering you folks

03-19-2019, 06:02 PM	#32
darylk Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Blue Hill, Nebraska Photos: Gallery Posts: 494	Thanks Allen. Omaha and Council Bluff's have fared pretty well because of the upgraded levee systems following the flood of 2011. Unfortunately, many other communities in Nebraska are under water. Pretty sad.

03-20-2019, 06:35 AM - 1 Like	#34
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	Originally posted by SharkyCA There are a lot of "anti-fog" agents for eye glasses and diver masks available, if using one of these I would imagine it would be safe for your lens as well as your eyes, given the proximity of the viewfinder to your face! I have no affiliation with this product or experience with it. Prescription Glasses Protection & Eye Glasses Anti-fog - YouTube I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants.

03-20-2019, 10:05 AM	#35
SharkyCA Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 806	Originally posted by victormeldrew I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants. I don't think a solution for your glasses, that MUST BE SAFE for your eyes would HARM YOUR CAMERA!

03-20-2019, 10:18 AM	#36
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,128	Originally posted by victormeldrew I personally would be careful as a lot of anti-fogs are just detergent solutions, which are not likely to be good for lens coatings or lubricants. I'd second that warning. Any detergent or surfactant is likely to degrade the water-repellant properties of the seals and o-rings. Moreover, on exposure to oxygen the film of anti-fogging chemical will oxidize into an organic acid which may damage the AR coatings. P.S. Saline solution is 100% safe for human eyes and 100% deadly for electronics.

03-20-2019, 10:25 AM - 1 Like	#37
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	Originally posted by SharkyCA I don't think a solution for your glasses, that MUST BE SAFE for your eyes would HARM YOUR CAMERA! Nonsense. A saline solution is perfectly harmless for your eyes but I would strongly suggest you don't spray any onto your camera. Anyway, none of these things are designed to be sprayed onto your eyes, they (at most) are to be sprayed onto glasses, or goggles, then wiped off, then placed near the eye, so eyes are irrelevant. None of the things they are designed to be sprayed on are either electronic, metal, rubber, or coated in highly expensive optical coatings that the manufacturer says in no uncertain terms should only be cleaned with a soft dry cloth.

03-21-2019, 07:00 AM	#39
jack002 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Missouri Photos: Albums Posts: 727	"Safe for your eyes" -- why did you use those words about what people put on glasses? I don't put glasses on my eyes, they don't touch my eyes? Glasses lenses and camera lenses are vastly different in how they should be treated. Glasses do not have delecate coatings or seals around them that hold out water and dirt. Very different.