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Anti fog for my camara

RobR

Paddler
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
49
Location
Victoria BC
I carry a water proof Nikon coolpix point and shoot in my life jacket pocket and I have ruined literally hundreds of pictures over the last couple of years with water drops and/or fog, I was just wondering what others do to prevent this from happening.
 
Good question! I'm waiting for the magic solution (for use on the next trip!).
Cascade Glacier.JPG
 
[QUOTE="Astoriadave, post: 89710, member: 41" You really do not want to alter the interference coatings on lenses by adding anything.[/QUOTE]
On my Coolpix S30, it looks like the 'window' over the lens is plain glass. I can see the coatings on the lens elements 'inside' that window. Other cameras may be different?

coolpix.jpg


Anyway, usually I have one hand on the paddle when I pull out the camera, so I'd be unlikely to take the trouble to wipe the lens if I needed to extract a chamois. Like RobR, I'd prefer a 'pretreatment' that would do the job..or at least help.
 
I have never tried a water repellant chemical. I am not 100% sure my window is not coated. So, not keen about smearing it regularly with a glycol ether (RainX is a mixture of 90+%water, isopropyl alcohol, and 2-butoxyethanol [Ref:MSDS]).

What I found (with my Olympus TG-5, a small/thin compact):

1. Prevention: I try to keep my camera as warm as possible by keeping it against my chest, away from wind and spray (to minimize cooling, hence condensation, and direct salt water contamination) between PFD and wetsuit, lens toward body (camera is tethered to PFD). The other advantage is that it keeps the battery happy.

2. Monitoring: I try to systematically check the window for droplets or fog when I pull out the cam. It's an habit now.

3. Cure: 1 or 2 quick tongue wipes! Not perfect, but most of my pics have to be taken very quickly. No time to pull out lens cleaning gear. It does work quite well for me.

Whitish deposit on window? This is salt cristals → Use very moist tongue, no pressure or a couple of drops from water bottle. Camera probably need a little fresh-water shower as well.

I still carry easily accessible lens cleaning material . If it's too messy, I stop and clean.
 
I have never tried a water repellant chemical. I am not 100% sure my window is not coated. So, not keen about smearing it regularly with a glycol ether (RainX is a mixture of 90+%water, isopropyl alcohol, and 2-butoxyethanol [Ref:MSDS]).

What I found (with my Olympus TG-5, a small/thin compact):

1. Prevention: I try to keep my camera as warm as possible by keeping it against my chest, away from wind and spray (to minimize cooling, hence condensation, and direct salt water contamination) between PFD and wetsuit, lens toward body (camera is tethered to PFD). The other advantage is that it keeps the battery happy.

2. Monitoring: I try to systematically check the window for droplets or fog when I pull out the cam. It's an habit now.

3. Cure: 1 or 2 quick tongue wipes! Not perfect, but most of my pics have to be taken very quickly. No time to pull out lens cleaning gear. It does work quite well for me.

Whitish deposit on window? This is salt cristals → Use very moist tongue, no pressure or a couple of drops from water bottle. Camera probably need a little fresh-water shower as well.

I still carry easily accessible lens cleaning material . If it's too messy, I stop and clean.

some good Ideas here thanks
 
I always keep one of those Canadian Tire brightly coloured microfiber cloths in my deck bag. It works great to wipe my camera if it gets fogged or water droplets. It dries quickly at camp and can be used for a multitude of other drying jobs like sunglasses, GPS screen cleaning, etc. In all cases, a few drops of drinking water followed by a wipe will remove most salt deposits on devices exposed to the elements
 
I always keep one of those Canadian Tire brightly coloured microfiber cloths in my deck bag. It works great to wipe my camera if it gets fogged or water droplets. It dries quickly at camp and can be used for a multitude of other drying jobs like sunglasses, GPS screen cleaning, etc. In all cases, a few drops of drinking water followed by a wipe will remove most salt deposits on devices exposed to the elements
Thanks WGalbraith this sounds like a great solution.
 
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