How to stop my lens fogging up in a swimming pool?

Kamlan 28mm F1.4 MF for APS-C

08/17/2008 04:25:04 PM · #1

I want to take my camera along to my 2-year olds swimming lessons. How do I stop everything from fogging up as soon as I walk into the pool area?

Manic

DJI Mini 3 Pro

08/17/2008 04:35:58 PM · #2

Well, in my experience, condensation happens when you go from cold/dry to hot/wet, so the way around it would be to get your camera as warm as possible before entering the humid air...

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

08/17/2008 04:43:44 PM · #3

If you wipe a cloth with a couple of drops of citrus juice or acid from the peel, it will keep the lens from fogging. It's a scuba trick to keep the mask from fogging. Spit works too, but it's a bit gross.
They make a anti fog for diving masks, and sell it at dive shops. I think that it is just dilute citric acid.
If you don't want to put anything on the lens, use it on a UV filter.
You could try heating the camera a little before going to the pool area. If it has been in A/C, it will be cooler than the air at the pool, and will condense moisture.
Take care around the pool. Some of us were just discussing wet-tronix in another thread about someone's flash.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

08/17/2008 04:50:33 PM · #4

You're allowed to bring cameras into the pool area? Swimming pools where I am don't allow cameras or cell phones. Which is a pity really, cause there are some great shots we've missed.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

08/17/2008 04:58:17 PM · #5

Originally posted by Manic:

...the way around it would be to get your camera as warm as possible before entering the humid air...

Right, any suggestions on the best way to do this? I don't really want to sit the camera on top of the fireplace for a while ;)

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

I don't think I want to put stuff on the lens - it feels like I'm just causing another problem in the long run.

Originally posted by JH:

You're allowed to bring cameras into the pool area? Swimming pools where I am don't allow cameras or cell phones. Which is a pity really, cause there are some great shots we've missed.

So far we are a bit more relaxed in NZ than some other countries. It helps that the class is in a seperate pool and has only 3-4 kids. Other parents have had cameras but they have been P&S's so if I have the 70-200 on it may draw some looks :(

Edit for spelling

Message edited by author 2008-08-17 17:09:10.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

08/17/2008 05:04:17 PM · #6

Originally posted by JH:

You're allowed to bring cameras into the pool area? Swimming pools where I am don't allow cameras or cell phones. Which is a pity really, cause there are some great shots we've missed.

Wow, really? Where do you live? I'm near Washington, DC.

Some of my favorite shots are from pools and water parks. Like this one:

Back on topic, you could try putting the camera in a plastic bag and leaving it in there for a while after you get to the pool, to let it warm up before exposing it to the humidity.

Message edited by author 2008-08-17 17:04:27.

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

08/17/2008 07:25:42 PM · #7

You might try putting the camera in a sealed plastic bag before going in, and let it reach the temp of the pool area before opening the bag.

Prism

Pentax K-30

Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR

08/17/2008 07:51:57 PM · #8

Do you have a camera case or bag? Just leave it in the bag for a while after entering the pool area to allow your gear to come up to the temperature of the room before you remove it from the bag. You could also get a UV filter to put on the end of the lens and use the antifog stuff on the filter rather than directly on the lens. Don't know if this will work for you with the pool humidity but it works for me during our cold winters and going out into the freezing temperatures and then back into heated environments.

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

08/24/2008 04:42:32 PM · #9

Thanks for your advice. I put my camera in a shelf in the hot water cupboard overnight and then wrapped it in a towel and we went to the pool. When we got there I took the camera out and no fogging up - perfect.

The day was overcast so there wasn't as much light coming in from outside as usual so I set the camera to ISO 800 and f/4, put it on burst mode and told my wife (

Quackers) to fire away. We got almost 400 shots and while some didn't work due to the settings (too much movement etc) we got plenty of great keepers for the family album.

Being a proud Dad here's one shot to show off (without editing other than sharpening and SFW):

NathanWert

Canon EOS-90D

08/24/2008 05:54:24 PM · #10

I've never had a problem bringing my camera to the local pool. Heck I print off a bunch of pictures for the kids and parents. We actually had someone come in with an underwater rig and took a lot of photo's of kids jumping off the diving board. He had a wireless hookup and they brought in a computer for the kids to check out the photo's right then.

Mick

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

08/24/2008 08:05:08 PM · #11

Originally posted by Nuzzer:

That's great, but what the heck is a hot water cupboard? :)

Message edited by author 2008-08-24 20:30:06.