Can fog harm a camera?

12 years 3 weeks ago #221487 by CanonKid
I need some help solving an argument here. If a camera is a weather proof camera and you keep the lens on the camera, can fog harm the camera. *Is it likely that fog will harm the camera?

We have two opinions here and I'm saying one thing, my friend seems to think otherwise.

:cheers:

Canon 7D, 15-85mm, 18-55mm, 70-200mm, 100mm Macro, Sigma 120-300mm, Speedlite 430EX II

A bad day at the race track is better than a good day in the office

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12 years 3 weeks ago #221500 by chasrich
Weatherproof is a funny term... it differs from waterproof. Fog is water suspended in the air. A camera cold from being in air conditioning will condense water on it also. It can fog up the lens or blur it just as rain does. Can it damage the camera? At some point yes. I try to keep my cameras clean and dry at all times. This is true even for my weatherproof camera and even my waterproof camera. Which ever one of you that is thinking it will not harm the camera - leave it in your pants pocket and run it through the wash. I'm not certain at what exact point it will fail but I'm pretty sure it won't make it to spin dry.:rofl:

“Amateurs worry about equipment, professionals worry about money, masters worry about light, I just make pictures… ” ~ Vernon Trent
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12 years 3 weeks ago #221501 by geoffellis
*can* something happen? of course it can. Anything *can* happen.

But have either of you looked at this logically. You are essentially asking us if a weatherproof camera is affected by weather.

I really do wonder sometimes...
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12 years 3 weeks ago #221515 by icepics
How long are you planning to leave it out in the fog?? Long enough and I can't imagine it will do it any good... I've had a lens fog up from going in and out of the cold (try an ice cold hockey rink in the middle of a hot summer!).

Like Rich said before he got busy running his pants and his camera thru the dryer, I'm not sure what it being weather proof means if anything. Waterproof? I don't know, read the manual! LOL how much water is it guaranteed to resist?

Sharon
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12 years 3 weeks ago #221520 by CanonKid
If you are in the fog for lets say 3 hours, what is the likely hood damage could occur to camera?

Canon 7D, 15-85mm, 18-55mm, 70-200mm, 100mm Macro, Sigma 120-300mm, Speedlite 430EX II

A bad day at the race track is better than a good day in the office

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12 years 3 weeks ago #221521 by geoffellis

CanonKid wrote: If you are in the fog for lets say 3 hours, what is the likely hood damage could occur to camera?


that would depend entirely on the manufacturer... and what seals and weather proofing they have done. You arent going to get an answer like "All weather proofed cameras can last at least 10 hours in torrential rain". everything is manufactured and rated based on the components they used. If a product (any product, not just cameras) says its weather proof, its almost guaranteed to tell you exactly how much abuse it should be rated to handle
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12 years 3 weeks ago #221541 by BethanyAnn12
I had a waterproof radio once that I managed to mess up in a steamy bathroom. Fog and steam enters into electronics in a weird way. I would say that the likelyhood of fog damaging something is very high.


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12 years 3 weeks ago #221621 by Henry Peach

CanonKid wrote: If you are in the fog for lets say 3 hours, what is the likely hood damage could occur to camera?


Very, very unlikely. Day after day in a rain forest might be trouble. A walk in the fog won't hurt anything.

Fog makes the world awesomely photogenic. Photographers have been shooting in fog since the beginning. I've taken all sorts of cameras out on a foggy morning. The lens can fog up. They get condensation on them. They've always kept working.

If it's your camera take it out in the fog. If it's someone else's camera you have to follow their rules. :)
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12 years 3 weeks ago #221678 by Alex
The biggest challenge I see in shooting in fog situations is keep your lens free of moisture build up. I always have a microfiber cloth to wipe the glass frequently and removing the moisture there.

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12 years 2 weeks ago #221999 by Joves
As has been said it is doubtful that it will affect the camera at all if is a weather proofed model. You will get lens fogging as was said and if you are using some of the less sealed lenses there could be minor moisture invasion if left out sitting for long periods, which would also be true if shooting in the rain or drizzle.


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12 years 2 weeks ago #222004 by orion
Being an ex-fire brigade photographer..i worked in various weather conditions....mostly water from the hoses, rain, fog and heat...I always carried a black bin liner to put the camera in to keep the camera/lens dry from all the moisture, but have a cloth to wipe anything on the lens...using a flash was a bit of a problem..didnt like moisture from anywhere. And a bin liner doesnt take up much room. Anything can damage a camera....and I was using a 'bulletproof' Hasselblad...lol


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