Condensation and Fogging on Viewfinder

[tsuacctnt]

This weekend I went skiing up in Lutsen Minnesota. I took my Canon A-1 with

me to snap some photos throughout the day of the beautiful scenery and my

friends falling thier way down the slopes. I didn't have any problems with

the lens itself fogging up but I was constantly fighting fogging and

condensation on the viewfinder, which made it really hard to tell if I had

anything in focus. For the most part I just wore the camera around my neck

with the lens facing out, so I'm thinking the problem was caused by the heat

of my body and perspiration. Anyway, if anybody has any tricks to keep the

moisture and fog off the viewfinder during winter sports I'd love to hear

about them.

[HenryUK]

A trick used by motorcyclists to stop their visors misting up is to wipe a small quantity of washing up detergent on the inside and then polish it dry with a soft cloth. This stops the water vapour that is being exhaled from condensing as a fog.

 

It should be possible to do the same with the viewfinder window of the A-1.

 

Henry

[JAPster]

Hi Chris. Sounds to me like the camera is getting cold, then when you raise the camera near your face, the humidity from your outgoing respiration (from nose and mouth) is landing on the view-finder surface is turning to fog/condensation. I suppose this is also possible if you are stowing the camera inside your ski suit between shooting stops. Perhaps if you could fashion something similar to a surgeons mask, but made from thick leather not thin cloth, that that would adequately block your outgoing respiration & prevent it from getting on the VF surface.

 

Another trick, similar to Henry's suggestion, is try the old SCUBA Diver's technique, and use human saliva. Divers often will spit into their Scuba Mask and wipe it around the inside of the mask, just before they go down. Somehow, though I cant explain it, this keeps the Scuba Mask from fogging up on the dive. Though it sounds a bit gross, perhaps you can modify that technique, and just mix a little of your saliva with maybe 1 Tablespoon of melted snow, and then try applying that on the VF very sparingly with a Qtip, just enough to lightly coat the surface. Then, at the end of the day, clean it off again to prevent permanent buildup.

[franklin_h1]

Usually the fogging comes from your breath as the cold camera is at or near eye level, hold your breath (no really and shoot quickly)

[daniel_kim7]

I go to school in Michigan and I have the same problem. I usually hold my breath when I take pictures. But I recall when my friend bought a pair of binoculars, he also bought anti-fog spray. You might want to try that, I'm sure that'll work on the view finder. Daniel.

[tsuacctnt]

Thanks for all the ideas!