Lens Fogging Up

[KLManhattan]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am now in Hilton Head, SC and I am experiencing severe lens fogging when going from an air-conditioned house to take pictures outside. It also appears that the EVF shows a foggy image even after cleaning the lens while the rear view finder shows a clear image. Is this normal? Is there any to prevent the lens from fogging up?

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Leica Guy]

My guess is this is normal. I've experienced that same issue on Cape Cod many years ago. Condensation is normal going from cold to hot and humid. I suggest you put the camera in a zip lock bag or possibly just keep it in your camera bag so it changes temp more slowly. Allow time for it to stabilize at the higher temp. It should be fine then. I don't have any experience with internal EVF fogging. It should all clear up within 30 mins at the new temp. Good luck.

[brill64]

+1. keep your camera inside your closed camera bag or in an airtight plastic ziplock bag whenever moving from a warm interior to cold outdoors, or a cold interior to warm/humid outdoors. wait 30mins or more for your camera temperature to slowly equalise, then take it out of the bag. this should avoid condensation.

[Lucena]

Same advice as above...cams hate changing abruptly and need adapting. I protect also using these plastic bags made for frozen food, not the strong ones but the soft ones some supermarkets give you for fish.

[Iduna]

yes, this is normal.

It is a problem with condensation. To avoid this you should leave your camera in the bag for a while until it will adapt to the temperature you want to work in. It is the same effect as with your glasses. If you wear any you'll know.

Therefore you can also stuff your bag with silicagel which will absorb fluid. (you can buy it or use those little pads being added to many device packages. If you Keep those you'll have quite a nice help against humidity.

[jloden]

Yep, this happened to me twice in the past 2 weeks going from indoor A/C to outside during the heat wave we're experiencing currently. It's definitely normal and happens any time you get a major differential change like that. I've had it happen going from cold outdoor shooting to an indoor venue as well. Good reason to keep a plastic bag in your camera bag as others suggested. 

 

If you don't have a plastic bag handy, just wrap your camera in something insulating like spare clothing or a blanket or towel to slow the temperature change. That should be enough to keep it from condensing. Once it normalizes to the outside temp it should be fine to use normally. 

[koray]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Yes this is normal, put your camera in a zip lock bag before leaving AC indoors. K.

[earleygallery]

This isn't a Leica issue, it's an environmental issue.

 

My binoculars are filled with nitrogen to stop them misting up. I don't think they can do that with a camera lens!

[Guest jvansmit]

_{I live in Hong Kong where it's quite humid (98% today !), and have never had to use silica gel or plastics bags. I simply keep my camera in my shoulder bag, and the camera never chills down to air conditioned room temperature even after a few days of not using it, and doesn't mist up when I walk outside.}

 

_{It does mist up obviously if it's been chilled by leaving it outside my shoulder bag but clears within a few minutes walking outside. My spectacles mist up within a second or two of walking outside sometimes.}

[Iduna]

Jonathan,

 

thanks for your hint.

I visited HK 2 years back and we also had no problem. I'l go again in october and won't be worried about the gear so far.