Indoor to cold outdoor temerature. Camera fogging?

[purpleorbes]

Hello all,

I just bought a nikon d5300 and I am a complete beginner. It is 4 degrees in Indiana right now and before I take my camera outside do I need to worry about it fogging? I know my glasses do so I figured my camera would to.
Any tips on how to prevent this and taking the camera from warm to cold temps and cold to warm temps would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks

 

[Gary A.]

Zip Lock bag it. Or just leave it outside.

 

[Overread]

Your camera is just like your glasses and so can indeed fog up when going from one extreme temperature to another. Generally speaking you leave it a while to get used to the new temperature and the fogging should clear itself; though it can be a pain if you suddenly want to take a shot.

The best way is to store the camera somewhere where its roughly in the same ambient temperature; eg you might be able to leave it in a porch or suchlike before going out to shoot.

 

[purpleorbes]

Thanks for your reply. I was worried that the fogging wouldn't clear and ruin the camera.
Thanks again.

 

[john.margetts]

Taking a warm camera outside should not cause any problems. Bringing the cold camera back indoors will. I leave lens caps on and the camera in a closed camera bad until I've had a cup of tea. By then, it should have warmed up enough not to be a problem. Not as cold here as Indiana, mind.

Sent from my A1-840 using Tapatalk

 

[purpleorbes]

So when bringing it back inside I should have the lens cap on and have the camera inside camera bag?
Thanks for your info. Much appreciated.

 

[nerwin]

If I'm out shooting in the cold and when it's time to go back into a warm environment, I'll put my camera under my jacket for a few minutes and that usually warms it up enough where no condensation will build up.

A big zip lock bag to put the camera works really well.

If you have a sunroom or mud room that isn't generally heated but still is somewhat warm, that would work too.

I've brought my D610 + 16-35 inside from cold weather before with no condensation and that could be mean that it's sealed pretty well, not sure.

Condensation also occurs when you step outside from a cooled building when its hot and humid.

Camera's don't have long life spans in jungles.

 

[KmH]

Taking a warm camera outside should not cause any problems. Bringing the cold camera back indoors will.

Yep.
And just the opposite in the summer - going from a cool, low humidity, indoors out into a hot, humid outdoors.

 

[purpleorbes]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It's my 1st camera and just got it on Friday and I am intimidated by all the settings and afraid to somehow mess it up one way or the other.

 

[jcdeboever]

I second the zip lock bag. It works. I was street shooting recently and it was 20° outside. I put it in a large zip lock bag (learned in Marines) and went in and had a coffee. Never fogged up.

 

[Designer]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It's my 1st camera and just got it on Friday and I am intimidated by all the settings and afraid to somehow mess it up one way or the other.

My advice is to not be overly paranoid about it. Yes, a cold lens will fog over when you bring it in, but so what? I presume you took it outside to take a photo, and are bringing it inside to warm up. A little bit of moisture on the lens will soon evaporate as it warms up, and it's a very small amount on the surface, so you don't need to worry. One thing, though; moisture will hold dust, so eventually (after it has dried, of course) you can dust it off. BTW: Over-cleaning is probably MORE HARMFUL to the coatings than anything else, other than improper cleaning.

Serious moisture, such as dropping it into the lake will ruin a camera, just as it would a cell phone or any other electronic device, but a micro film of condensation on the outside will not ruin your camera. So enjoy!

 

[nerwin]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It's my 1st camera and just got it on Friday and I am intimidated by all the settings and afraid to somehow mess it up one way or the other.

My advice is to not be overly paranoid about it. Yes, a cold lens will fog over when you bring it in, but so what? I presume you took it outside to take a photo, and are bringing it inside to warm up. A little bit of moisture on the lens will soon evaporate as it warms up, and it's a very small amount on the surface, so you don't need to worry. One thing, though; moisture will hold dust, so eventually (after it has dried, of course) you can dust it off. BTW: Over-cleaning is probably MORE HARMFUL to the coatings than anything else, other than improper cleaning.

Serious moisture, such as dropping it into the lake will ruin a camera, just as it would a cell phone or any other electronic device, but a micro film of condensation on the outside will not ruin your camera. So enjoy!

Cleaning the sensor with water isn't generally a good idea either.

 

[paigew]

I have issues every summer with my lens fogging due to humidity/temp. Generally 15-20 minutes is enough acclimation time.

 

[Gary A.]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It's my 1st camera and just got it on Friday and I am intimidated by all the settings and afraid to somehow mess it up one way or the other.

My advice is to not be overly paranoid about it. Yes, a cold lens will fog over when you bring it in, but so what? I presume you took it outside to take a photo, and are bringing it inside to warm up. A little bit of moisture on the lens will soon evaporate as it warms up, and it's a very small amount on the surface, so you don't need to worry. One thing, though; moisture will hold dust, so eventually (after it has dried, of course) you can dust it off. BTW: Over-cleaning is probably MORE HARMFUL to the coatings than anything else, other than improper cleaning.

Serious moisture, such as dropping it into the lake will ruin a camera, just as it would a cell phone or any other electronic device, but a micro film of condensation on the outside will not ruin your camera. So enjoy!

Cleaning the sensor with water isn't generally a good idea either.

Spit is much much better.

 

[greybeard]

A camera reacts to temperature just like a pr of glasses would. Going from a warm house to the cold out of doors, causes no fogging (condensation) but, coming back in the cold camera will make water to condense on the exposed parts from the moisture in the air, just like glasses will when you come back in from the cold. Placing the camera and lens into a camera bag before you bring it inside and then leaving it in the bag until it all warms to room temperature will prevent this condensation.