How do I prevent moisture from building up on my lens in humid areas and wrecking my shots? what can I expect from my camera in extreme cold?
hello everybody,
I was just wondering if someone could fill me in on camera care tips in extreme climates. I have been thinking of making the jump to a semi pro camera but I worry about it just getting destroyed. My old camera had this horrible habit of moisture building up on the lens so all my photos had these yellow looking spots on them. is there something I can put on the lens to prevent this? Whats a great starter camera to use on holidays that won't cost a fortune and way a thousand pounds? Any advice would be great thanks.
Cheers
Reply to this Hello Ryan, this is a very good question. I can comment more on extreme heat than cold. I found that moisture was more of a problem when going from an air-conditioned car or room into very humid conditions - it was the temperature change that did me in on these occasions.
If you have a DSLR with a removable lens, it is easy to detach the lens and give everything a wipe - including the mirror. I suspect that what you describe is more likely to happen on a compact camera where nothing is removable.
Having said this, yellow spots is not something I've encountered with humidity - so it could be something more sinister that is impacting your camera. Usually, my photos end up being very foggy - a good effect in some instances, but not in most.
There are a few recent threads asking about new cameras on the photography forum. Basically, you should be able to get a very good starter DSLR (including lens and memory card) for less than 400 pounds.
Reply to this It depends on how 'extreme' the cold is you are talking about is. I got good results with my digital camera in Antarctica to temperatures as low as -60 F, but I generally had to keep hand warmers strapped to it at all times to prevent freezing the LCD - That actually happened to a friend of mine. As far as you don't breath on the lens the cold isn't really a big problem. Going from an air conditioned room (or the inside of a warm parka) to a hot or cold place will always build up moisture, so I put my camera in a sealed plastic bag and wait to use it until it has gotten to the same temperature as the environment.
Reply to this I also use the plastic bag technique to help minimize AC / humidity related moisture on the lens. Another thing I picked up that seems to work pretty well is to store my camera equipment in the hotel bathroom at night since it tends to be warmer in there. Good luck with your camera purchase!
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