Photo Tip Friday ~ No Fog Camera Lens
A nice quenching glass of ice tea on a hot day looks great with random beads of condensation refracting light and glistening in the sun. This same moisture phenomenon, however on our camera gear is not at all refreshing and can be down right annoying. Living in heavily air conditioned and thoroughly humid Florida, I’ve wrestled with this condition on numerous occasions.
Wiping off the lens really isn’t a solution, because it’s cold and the condensation will quickly return. Luckily there’s an easy fix, if you have a little time. Take your hair dryer and warm up the lens(es) and camera body you’ll be using ahead of time. Once they’re warm the condensation won’t be interested anymore. If you don’t have access to a hair dryer, use your body. I’ve wrapped my hands around the lens, placed it under my arm, etc. Once the lens is warm, you’re set to shoot.
Ever had a lens fog up at an inappropriate time? Leave a comment and share your story.
by Kent Weakley
another way to avoid condensing of moisture on cold lenses is to put them into plastic bag and tightly tie it before entering warm room
it works for both – camera and lenses
[Reply]
I had this happen just this summer. However an added problem was the humidity in the air. There was a light fog every morning, everything seemed kind of misty. I guess maybe there’s nothing that can be done with that???
[Reply]
BIGGGGG hair dryer!!!
Just kidding. Fog in the air (not on the camera) can be good. If you’re looking for big landscape scenes it might be a problem. Change your game plan and look for small macros and edges where light and fog are mixing. Pastures and flowers usually look great in fog, especially if you can see the fog fading in with the depth of field behind your subject.
[Reply]
I’ve had this happen quite a few times – however, that’s when I get creative and incorporate the lens fog into my images – nothing like fog on a sunny day.
[Reply]
My main goal was to capture the sunrise. It did look pretty in the fog, because the light rays were very evident, I just had to keep wiping the front of the lens filter to clear it away. We were at the Gulf of Mexico and it was so humid every morning…as my mom says, “Air you can wear”.
I’ll have to look for opportunities to use to fog to my advantage.
[Reply]
AND thank you for your reply and advice!!! I sooo enjoy all of your tips!
[Reply]
Andrzej, wouldn’t you have the same problem once you got the equipment out of the bag though? Maybe I’m not quite understanding your suggestion.
[Reply]
I think so. Once the camera is exposed to humid air, if it’s still cold it will attract the moist to it. The camera really needs to be warm, or at least the same temperature as the surrounding outside air. Now, if you’re using the bag to keep the moisture off the camera while you leave it outside and let the equipment’s temperature match the air, then that would keep it dry until it was ready to be taken out and used.
[Reply]
It’s a problem the other way around: I was out making a timelapse video in a field during and after sunset with the camera very low (a tripod’s centre-column above the ground). As the temperature fell, dew formed and mist completely clouded the lens surface.
I’m keeping it in the timelapse because the way it builds up still looks artistic, but there comes a point where it’s just going to have to fade out (to black or white, as yet undecided).
[Reply]
Great idea! I’m also in Florida, and had something similar happen to me with a beach photo session. My camera bag was in the front seat of my car, and I had the air conditioning BLASTING. Very foggy images. So now, I put the camera bag in the trunk of my car so it gets to be the same temperature as the environment. Works well depending on how long I have to drive!
[Reply]
nice article.. Thanks for sharing
[Reply]