lens condensation

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:qg3Td.6519$OU1.6136@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
>I take a *lot* of photos while riding a bike (pedal-type), keeping my
>camera in my rear jersey pocket. Trouble is, when I remove the camera to
>take a photo, if it's relatively cool, there's a lot of condensation that
>occurs on the lens. After five minutes or so it's usually gone, but...
>
> #1: Is such condensation simply unavoidable, a fact of life that will
> always occur if you take a camera from a warmer environment into a colder
> one?

Unless you live in a climate that is extremely dry, and you don't sweat.

>
> #2: Are there any long-term issues that could occur? For example, spotting
> of the lens, or perhaps even the sensor?

Yes, but they can be cleaned.

>
> #3: Is this something that a "weatherproof" camera would have less issue
> with?

The camera or housing would have to be sealed in a completely dry
environment. It's a bit like when you get a waterproof watch repaired and
every time it gets cold water condenses inside the watch. The repair has to
be done in the proper environment.

If you read the manual it probably says not to take the camera in and out of
warm to cold environments, and probably not to keep the camera inside a coat
and then whip it out for a photo. Condensation has always been around with
regard to cameras, but now it's being exacerbated by the image sensor.
Actually, one thing I read was not to keep the camera warm, but to keep a
spare battery in your pocket. When the cold weather kills the battery in
your camera you can replace it with the warm one, and just keep switching
back and forth as the one in your pocket springs back to life (hopefully).

Hope this helps. Interested in seeing what others have to say.

Sheldon

>
> Thanks-
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Mike Jacoubowsky <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> I take a *lot* of photos while riding a bike (pedal-type), keeping my camera
> in my rear jersey pocket. Trouble is, when I remove the camera to take a
> photo, if it's relatively cool, there's a lot of condensation that occurs on
> the lens. After five minutes or so it's usually gone, but...
>
> #1: Is such condensation simply unavoidable, a fact of life that will always
> occur if you take a camera from a warmer environment into a colder one?

No.

> #2: Are there any long-term issues that could occur? For example, spotting
> of the lens, or perhaps even the sensor?

I suspect what you may be seeing is the air the camera normally sits in
being humid.
The air inside the camera lens then gets humid.
This then condenses when the camera lens cools.
I'd first try either moving the camera away from the source of moisture (you),
or putting it in a moisture impermeable case, with some silica gel.
(tuppaware?)

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

> I'm not sure what camera us are using so I'll just toss out a few
> things...
>
> Being a cyclist myself..... Damn if I've figured out how to carry my Nikon
> D70 around on my road bike... with that said...

Bill: I use either an Olympus D40 (square-shaped smallish 4-megapixel) or a
Fuji 510 (rectangular 5-megapixel that goes as wide as 28mm equivalent)
while actually riding, each of which easily fits into a back pocket. The D40
is the more reliable of the two, because it's far more predictable in terms
of how it's going to focus or set the exposure. The Fuji is nice because, at
high speeds, you don't have a whole lot of time to compose the shot so the
wider lens helps make sure you get the shot.

If I'm looking to get more serious about the photos, I have a small
handlebar bag (Topeak) that's more than big enough for my Olympus 5050 and,
I dare say, a D70 should fit without much trouble (provided the lens is no
more than, say, 3.5" deep). Here's a link to the bag-
http://www.topeak.com/products/bag_017.html. They're about $40, pretty light
weight, very sturdy clamp (will easily support a 3 pound camera+lens) and a
dorky strap that's supposed to make it into a fanny pack that you can remove
with a sharp pair of scissors. It will soon be carrying either a dRebel 350
or 20D, haven't figured out which yet.

--
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"luvjava" <luvjava_delete-this_@cox.net> wrote in message
news:FxcTd.6811$7z6.5062@lakeread04...
> I'm not sure what camera us are using so I'll just toss out a few
> things...
>
> Being a cyclist myself..... Damn if I've figured out how to carry my Nikon
> D70 around on my road bike... with that said...
>
> Going from warm to cool doesn't cause condensation, that would be from
> cool to warm (glass of icewater in warm humid air)
>
> What you might be seeing is the water vapor from your sweat, opposed to
> the fact that you pull it out into the open and the air causing it.
>
> Will it fit in a ziplock bag? I usually carry my wallet or at least my ID
> and a few bucks cash with me on ride, just handy things.. the Ziplock
> keeps the store clerks
> from freaking out when you would hand then a sweat soaked bill to pay for
> that mid-ride gator aid.
>
> How about a under seat bag? Who needs those tools and extra tubes, live on
> the edge....
>
> As far as damage to the camera, I would expect that puting it in an
> environment that there is constant condensation would be bad, and the salt
> from your sweat would be very bad for any metalic parts internally.
>
>
> Just my thoughts,
>
> Thinking about helmet mounted D-70 option (NOT)
>
> Bill
>
> "Mike Jacoubowsky" <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:qg3Td.6519$OU1.6136@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
>>I take a *lot* of photos while riding a bike (pedal-type), keeping my
>>camera in my rear jersey pocket. Trouble is, when I remove the camera to
>>take a photo, if it's relatively cool, there's a lot of condensation that
>>occurs on the lens. After five minutes or so it's usually gone, but...
>>
>> #1: Is such condensation simply unavoidable, a fact of life that will
>> always occur if you take a camera from a warmer environment into a colder
>> one?
>>
>> #2: Are there any long-term issues that could occur? For example,
>> spotting of the lens, or perhaps even the sensor?
>>
>> #3: Is this something that a "weatherproof" camera would have less issue
>> with?
>>
>> Thanks-
>>
>> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
>> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>>
>>
>>
>
>