Condensation clarification

[Imfreshwater]

Hey there, just getting started with some super simple plastic lens toy cameras and reading a bit I want to make sure I grasp how to avoid getting condensation on the lens or in general. (Even though the cameras are cheap id like to take care of them)

So from what I grasp if I have my camera in my house with the AC on and the temp is 70f with a rh of like 50-55% and I'm bringing my camera outside and its like 86f with 32% humidity and a dewpioint of 52 , do I need to do anything special to avoid condensation or will water not condensate on the camera due to it being above the dew point ?

If it is an issue do I just put the camera in a zip lock in a camera bag and leave outside to warm up ? Is that the best way to acclimate it ?

Now how about going outside to inside with the same temps ? Do I need to place it in a bag and let it acclimate it before putting it back in its storage location ?

Thanks !

 

[cgw]

I'd guess no. Next?

 

[snowbear]

I've heard the plastic bag trick, too, though I've never tried it.

 

[Thiophilos]

Try it.

If you're really worried, use a proxy like some inert household object.

As long as you are above the dewpoint you are OK.

 

[webestang64]

I've never had any condensation problems so I'm not sure what to add.

 

[Rickbb]

Time is what I use.

I go from heated to below freezing and back. Dry warm to raining and fog cold. Anytime you move from one to another you will get condensation. Takes time for everything to equalize, temp and humidity.

When I winter camp, I leave the gear in the unheated truck overnight, (not the batteries they don't like cold). That way they are condensate free in the mornings.

Don't put it in a bag, let it air out, ventilation is needed to dry it. I sometimes take the lens off the body as well to help speed things up. The less mass the smaller the heat sink and the faster the heat/humidity transfer.

 

[Imfreshwater]

Try it.

If you're really worried, use a proxy like some inert household object.

As long as you are above the dewpoint you are OK.

Copy that just keeping it above the dew point makes sense , as far as brining it back inside from being warm I guess just let it acclimate back to temp in the bag and good to go ?

 

[AlanKlein]

Condensation occurs from cold to hot and humid. So if you're outside in the winter and go into a warm humid house, it could condense just like the inside window in your house collects moisture when it;s cold outside. I never heard about condensation going from a hot to a cold room or from a warm home to cold outside.

The plastic bag works but I usually don't bother because the camera is in a case and it warms up slowly. If you still want to use a plastic bag, add a desiccant to the bag to absorb all the water vapor.

Another thing is you can wipe off the condensate with a clean microfiber cloth or lens cloth.

 

[Thiophilos]

Condensation occurs from cold to hot and humid. So if you're outside in the winter and go into a warm humid house, it could condense just like the inside window in your house collects moisture when it;s cold outside. I never heard about condensation going from a hot to a cold room or from a warm home to cold outside.

The plastic bag works but I usually don't bother because the camera is in a case and it warms up slowly. If you still want to use a plastic bag, add a desiccant to the bag to absorb all the water vapor.

Another thing is you can wipe off the condensate with a clean microfiber cloth or lens cloth.

Yeah, agreed.

It gets really cold here in the winter. When I bring a cold camera into the warm house after a shoot, there is potential for water to condense on the gear. However, in practice that never happens. It's because the air is dry inside (relative humidity around 25%) in my house.

It's a whole different situation when I take my room-temperature gear into a greenhouse. My gear including the front element of the lens fogs up right away and makes it impossible to take clear photos. That can be VERY annoying if there are butterflies present that want their pictures taken. I will cradle the lens in my hands trying to warm it up, but it still takes 10-15 minutes for it to clear.

The bit of water that condenses in a situation like this doesn't appear to be harmful, but potentially it could be if it gets inside the gear.

I think next time I do one of these, I will take along some handwarmers and warm the lens up beforehand.

 

[AlanKlein]

Yeah, agreed.

It gets really cold here in the winter. When I bring a cold camera into the warm house after a shoot, there is potential for water to condense on the gear. However, in practice that never happens. It's because the air is dry inside (relative humidity around 25%) in my house.

It's a whole different situation when I take my room-temperature gear into a greenhouse. My gear including the front element of the lens fogs up right away and makes it impossible to take clear photos. That can be VERY annoying if there are butterflies present that want their pictures taken. I will cradle the lens in my hands trying to warm it up, but it still takes 10-15 minutes for it to clear.

The bit of water that condenses in a situation like this doesn't appear to be harmful, but potentially it could be if it gets inside the gear.

I think next time I do one of these, I will take along some handwarmers and warm the lens up beforehand.

If your wife's boiling water and cooking and you bring it to the dining room and set it down on the kitchen table, you may find you get condensate.

 

[Imfreshwater]

Yeah, agreed.

It gets really cold here in the winter. When I bring a cold camera into the warm house after a shoot, there is potential for water to condense on the gear. However, in practice that never happens. It's because the air is dry inside (relative humidity around 25%) in my house.

It's a whole different situation when I take my room-temperature gear into a greenhouse. My gear including the front element of the lens fogs up right away and makes it impossible to take clear photos. That can be VERY annoying if there are butterflies present that want their pictures taken. I will cradle the lens in my hands trying to warm it up, but it still takes 10-15 minutes for it to clear.

The bit of water that condenses in a situation like this doesn't appear to be harmful, but potentially it could be if it gets inside the gear.

I think next time I do one of these, I will take along some handwarmers and warm the lens up beforehand.

Jeez 25% humidity inside , it's like 52% here in the Lehigh valley PA with the AC on all day or neat.

Yeah I was more worried about going from the 70 ish degrees inside to the outside with it being like 85 or whatever but I suppose I could just leave it in the bag to acclimate a bit outside before I remove it. Same thing when I bring it back in ?

 

[Imfreshwater]

Condensation occurs from cold to hot and humid. So if you're outside in the winter and go into a warm humid house, it could condense just like the inside window in your house collects moisture when it;s cold outside. I never heard about condensation going from a hot to a cold room or from a warm home to cold outside.

The plastic bag works but I usually don't bother because the camera is in a case and it warms up slowly. If you still want to use a plastic bag, add a desiccant to the bag to absorb all the water vapor.

Another thing is you can wipe off the condensate with a clean microfiber cloth or lens cloth.

I have some of those dessciant bags for sure, I was more concerned going from my house around 70f and 52-55% humidity to outside where it's warmer, but I think as long as the camera is above the dewpoint outside I shouldn't have any issues ?
Or just leave it outside to acclimate on the bag for a bit? The main reason is I want to avoid fungus formation from it repeatedly getting moist.

 

[Thiophilos]

Jeez 25% humidity inside , it's like 52% here in the Lehigh valley PA with the AC on all day or neat.

Yeah I was more worried about going from the 70 ish degrees inside to the outside with it being like 85 or whatever but I suppose I could just leave it in the bag to acclimate a bit outside before I remove it. Same thing when I bring it back in ?

The relative humidity indoors is 25% or so here in the winter. In the summer it is around 50-55%.

Just keep the gear above the dewpoint. The humidity where you came from doesn't matter when you go outside. Only the temperature of the gear matters, and the dewpoint.

I practically never put my stuff into a plastic bag to acclimate, because I practically never take cold gear into high humidity. I could have used it in the greenhouse, but you can't take pics when it is in a bag, and it will take way longer to warm up. Protection might be necessary if you hang out in too-cold restaurants and then go outside on a hot and humid day. I hate those places that like to "refresh" you when you enter.

If you do put your gear into a plastic bag, keep an eye on it because it can overheat quickly in the sun. Then you will have a real problem.

Leaving gear outside in the cold is unwise. It risks theft and also condensation if you bring it to a warm place.

In most circumstances condensation is not an issue for most of us.

 

[wobe]

Humidity is 80%+ here right now and never usually dips below 70% all year, aircon in buildings is usually set so high people wear sweaters and jackets(!)

No problems so far for me moving cameras between these two extremes that I've noticed (though eye glasses can steam up briefly!)