Condensation Lens

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cargo

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Gary
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Hi all.

Probably in the wrong section here but thought you people in this section would know the answer.
Question:
Yesterday I went out into the snow, here in Manchester. Longest I have had the camera outside in wet conditions. Got snowed on for a good hour or two. When home I dried off (the body) with paper kitchen towels and left the camera turned off in the dining room. So a warm house.All looked ok. Some time later I took the lens cap off and held the camera to my eye the view through the lens was hazy. I took the lens off and the back of the lens was condensed. So I left it off and turned the camera face down. Left it that way for some hours.All seems well now.
Is this normal ? should I being doing something else ? I thought the camera wouldnt get moisture inside ?

Canon 6d with the 50mm 1.8 (the cheap plastic lens one)

Gaz
 
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As you focus, you are pumping outside air into and out of the lens and camera. Same applies to a zoom lens when you change the zoom. That air will have been damp.
 
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Cameras are not gas tight there moisture laden air will get in. If your camera/lens is cold and you bring it indoors where the air is usually quite humid then expect condensation. Leave your kit in an airy room and the condensation will disappear.
Common occurrence. Nothing to worry about.
 
john.margetts said:
As you focus, you are pumping outside air into and out of the lens and camera. Same applies to a zoom lens when you change the zoom. That air will have been damp.
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Thanks John.
arclight said:
Cameras are not gas tight there moisture laden air will get in. If your camera/lens is cold and you bring it indoors where the air is usually quite humid then expect condensation. Leave your kit in an airy room and the condensation will disappear.
Common occurrence. Nothing to worry about.
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Cheers Doug. You put my mind at rest.

Gaz
 
Hi Gary

As has been said, yes you can get condensation due to the quick and different temperature changes - if I've been out in the cold / wet etc, when I get home, I leave the camera and lens in my kit bag zipped up and allow it to come to temp slowly, never had a problem and although it can be a real pain as wanting to look at photos if i've not taken the card out prior to coming in.
 
andyred said:
Hi Gary

As has been said, yes you can get condensation due to the quick and different temperature changes - if I've been out in the cold / wet etc, when I get home, I leave the camera and lens in my kit bag zipped up and allow it to come to temp slowly, never had a problem and although it can be a real pain as wanting to look at photos if i've not taken the card out prior to coming in.
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Thanks Andy. Are we saying if the camera is left in a bag that moisture I saw on the back of the lens would not occur ? Or it would but left alone would just evaporate ?

Gaz
 
•

Condensation appears on colder objects any time a warmer air
—that may be more humid than cold air— is coming in contact
with the objects, say a lens. At the same time, the indoor air will
warm up the object and lose some of it's humidity on the colder
surface.

Using gear in the Canadian Arctic has only negative effects on
the useable energy of the batteries that should be kept warm and
the films. Cards are not really affected by the cold.

When ready to go back in, I used to put every single piece of gear
in a separate and sealed plastic bad as it was still outside and cold.
Sealing less humid cold air in the bag meant that once inside, the
condensation will deposit on the bag not on/in the gear.
 
Have this issue in the cold weather. I use camera kit at work and if it is really cold and I have mistakenly left my kit in my vehicle it is a nightmare to get rid of condensation if I have to go into a building. Seems no way to speed up the process of demisting . Now try to remember to bring kit inside and put in heated van cab if going to work inside somewhere. If I have been outside in the cold, bringing it in I leave it in our unheated but warmer bag store and bring it into the warmer office later.
 
I went out yesterday in the snow, when I got back I dried it off and put it back in my bag with silica packets inside like I allways do as advised .When I looked later the viewfinder had water inside it,s gone today but was a bit worried. I went out today and bought a pack of them plastic covers to keep things dry in the future. My camera is a Nikon 3200.
 
snooks said:
I went out yesterday in the snow, when I got back I dried it off and put it back in my bag with silica packets inside like I allways do as advised .When I looked later the viewfinder had water inside it,s gone today but was a bit worried. I went out today and bought a pack of them plastic covers to keep things dry in the future. My camera is a Nikon 3200.
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You'd be better putting it in your sealed plastic bag with the siilca before bringing it in - the condensation would then form on the outside of the bag and not on your camera - which is "trapped with cold air" inside the bag and comes to room temp slowly.
 
cargo said:
Thanks Andy. Are we saying if the camera is left in a bag that moisture I saw on the back of the lens would not occur ? Or it would but left alone would just evaporate ?

Gaz
Click to expand...

Hi Gary

As has already been said, any condensation would be on the outside of the sealed plastic bag, the camera and trapped cooler air come up to temp more slowly and you shouldn't have any issues.
 
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