Lens cleaning question

[ls_dragons]

Here is a situation I keep facing and am wondering how you guys handle it. I live in a very warm and humid area. So you are out for a morning photo exploration -- in your air conditioned car. You see the opportunity for a photo -- stop and grab your gear. Frame the shot and what you have is a lens with fog -- the transition from air conditioned car to warm humid morning air has created a condensation on your lens surface!!!!!!!

What do you do except wait?

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by ls_dragons

Here is a situation I keep facing and am wondering how you guys handle it. I live in a very warm and humid area. So you are out for a morning photo exploration -- in your air conditioned car. You see the opportunity for a photo -- stop and grab your gear. Frame the shot and what you have is a lens with fog -- the transition from air conditioned car to warm humid morning air has created a condensation on your lens surface!!!!!!!

What do you do except wait?

I'll first say that I have not tried any of these suggestions
- keep the camera in an insulated bag or one of those mini insulated coolers
- keep the camera in the trunk (less convenient, but could work)
And/or just take advantage of the steamed glass for some creative photos

[mshockley]

ummmm, suffer without the air on?

[ldenne]

Originally Posted by mshockley

ummmm, suffer without the air on?

thats what i do when its humid out - i driving with the windows down till i am done shooting for the day then use the a/c on my way home

[ishootRAW]

Move to Alaska and wear a parka.

No really. If it's just the front element why don't you just wipe if off with a lens cloth?

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by ishootRAW

Move to Alaska and wear a parka.

No really. If it's just the front element why don't you just wipe if off with a lens cloth?

Matthew, I think it would continue to re-steam even after a wipe down.

[Chip]

It's warm and humid where I live, too. Windows down is the only solution that I've found. And as soon as I get in the car, I open the camera bag and take the lens cap off so that the gear starts becoming acclimated to the humidity.

[BryanC]

Originally Posted by autofocus

I'll first say that I have not tried any of these suggestions
- keep the camera in an insulated bag or one of those mini insulated coolers
- keep the camera in the trunk (less convenient, but could work)
And/or just take advantage of the steamed glass for some creative photos

Yes, a big zip-lock type plastic bag works great and it folds up to almost nothing when not in use.

Originally Posted by ishootRAW

Move to Alaska and wear a parka.

No really. If it's just the front element why don't you just wipe if off with a lens cloth?

Condensation will keep forming until the camera/lens temperature evens out to the air temperature.

You really don't want to keep letting condensation form on your camera and lenses. Those water gremlins can migrate to the insides of things. That's not good for electronics and can promote fungus in a lens. The plastic bag trick works great, if you allow for the time to let the temperature even out with whatever environment you are bringing it into. It takes a little time.

The bag is great if you have been shooting in one extreme environment and are bringing it into another and are not planning to shoot right away; from either heat to cold or from cold to heat. In your situation that you described, if you wanted to be able to shoot right away, you'll have to keep the camera acclimated to the outside. I have done the 'in the trunk' thing, but more often, as Michelle suggested, I have sucked it up with no a/c or heat, until I was done. Then, it went into the plastic bag.

[mrteacherdude]

I recently had the same "problem" while on vacation in Mexico - 95 degrees outside in 95% humidity, AC hotel room at about 65 degrees and dry. This led to massive amounts of water on the lens surface (and my glasses) the instant I went outside. I think this also led to small amounts of persistent condensation somewhere inside the camera or inside the lens. Ulitmately my stategy was to plan ahead and be patient. I would wipe off the front element (several times), allow the camera to equilibrate with the outside conditions (5 to 10 minutes or so sometimes), and then wipe the front element again. I purposely restricted my activities in such away that I wasn't trying to get a shot of the lizard running across the top of the water as soon as I crossed the pathway from my room (I never did get him actually running on the water ) or some cool bug right outside, etc.

But since you are jumping out of the car when you see something, I think the suggestions by autofocus are reasonable strategies. I would add that I did shoot a few pics while something was covered with condensation, and the effect was kind of interesting; kind of dreamy looking. The other suggestions by mshockley and Idenne of driving without your AC is probably the most logical if you are looking for quickly getting shots without needing to get the camera out of the trunk or ice chest. Of course then you will be dealing with sweat dripping off your face onto your viewfinder and back of camera...

edit - just noticed some other posts while I was writing this. I like the plastic bag idea; wish I would have thought of that while I was in Mexico.

[ishootRAW]

I obviously don't live somewhere very hot.. I did not think of the fungus aspect. That could indeed be a problem. Anyone want to join me in starting a company to make "camera warmers"?