Condensation inside LF camera

[wiggywag]

I was up in some african mountains with my big 7x17" camera in a hot and humid area (rain was on the way) and experienced that it developed some condensation inside the camera, making the screen foggy from the inside. It was very hot inside the bellows. When I opened the camera back, the condensation disappeared. Also the back of the lens got affected, so I needed to clean away the moisture. I wonder if this is normal, and if anyone has any suggestions for how to avoid it? How will the film behave when it is hot inside the camera?

[Leigh]

If you transported it in an air-conditioned vehicle, this is to be expected.

I would put it in the trunk or elsewhere in the vehicle that is not climate-controlled.

- Leigh

[wiggywag]

If you transported it in an air-conditioned vehicle, this is to be expected.

I would put it in the trunk or elsewhere in the vehicle that is not climate-controlled.

- Leigh

The camera had already been out of the car for one day before this happened, but was taken out from a cooler building.

[Bruce Watson]

I wonder if this is normal...

It is, if the surface where condensate formed is cooler than the dewpoint of the air it's in contact with. Happens all the time, but with photography is more often seen in the winter -- when you bring a cold camera inside.

I had this happen in memorable fashion decades ago during a stint as a newspaper photog. They sent me out on a really cold night to cover a gospel convention. Of course there was no parking, so I ended up hiking a mile or so just to get to the church. Camera and I got quite cold. The church where the event was, OTOH, was quite hot and humid, and was packed to the roof with high energy people. When I showed my press credentials they grabbed me and pulled me to a seat front and center. Not only to the action, but to the heat and humidity. I just sat there for like 30 minutes -- I explained to the guy next to me that I was waiting for my camera to warm up. Well, 30 minutes was enough to get the camera to stop dripping, but not the lens. As soon as I took the lens cap off, the front element fogged. Completely. And I couldn't clear it -- it was still too cold, and the room was way too hot and really humid. After an hour I couldn't clear it. Got a good concert out of it, dynamite seats, amazingly good music. But not a single picture for the paper. Boss was hoping mad. The sponsors of the event were mystified -- what was the boy photographer doing up there? But the laws of physics won't be denied. No exceptions, not even a church.

[wiggywag]

But the laws of physics won't be denied. No exceptions, not even a church.

So the lessons learned is, the camera parts like the glass screen, and the lens need time to warm up, and that can take considerable of time...And taking the camera in and out of an air-conditioned car can also cause problem, when hot outside.

I was wondering if I should lay some reflective material over the bellows, like a fly sheet, so the heat does not build up so fast inside the camera. The black color of the bellows does not exactly help when the sun is shining hot.

[DannL]

As already mentioned, the goal here is to keep the temperature of your lens and focusing screen above the dew point. We telescope operators are very aware of the problems of dew on the optics. We resort to using dew-heaters to prevent the accumulation. In the case of my view cameras, if dew is suspected as being a problem (high humidity + hot air temps + cold glass) I resort to propping open the camera back and removing the lens board/lens allowing everything to stabilize to more or less the same temperature. It's interesting to note how much dew can accumulate on the back of the lens before you realize focusing is becoming difficult.

[Vaughn]

Happens to me when I take my camera out of the county to where there is sunshine. The coast here averages 70% RH, and when I take the camera inland to the desert, or Yosemite, etc, the first time the bellows are exposed to direct sun, it heats up and releases moisture into the insides. I'll be focusing and the image on the GG will turn soft and mushy. Inside the camera becomes a sauna! I remove the back and the lens to let the moisture out and I am usually good for the rest of the trip. Fortunately I am usually in a place that is hot and dry, do the moisture on the back of the lens and on the front of the GG usually evaporates on its own without having to wipe them off.

So it is not about dew or any of that -- just moisture being driven out of the bellows material due to the increased temperature inside the camera.

So I would suggest setting up the camera and remove the back and lens occasionally to let the excess moisture out. Double check this right before taking a photo...to insure that moisture has not built up between focusing and clicking the shutter. Keeping the sun from heating the bellows would help -- either something highly reflective, or one's white darkcloth. But I think I'd rather just let the bellows get hot and drive the moisture out and then one should be good for the day. But of course having this happen in a humid climate might work as easily in your case.

[cdavis324]

You could try wrapping the camera in one of those reflective emergency blankets - the ones runners walk around with after marathons.

Also, adhesive holders are the way to go in humid environments. It prevents the film from sagging or popping. I found lots of info in the archives here about making adhesive holders, and I've modified all my 8x10 holders with adhesive.

[hoffner]

When I opened the camera back, the condensation disappeared. Also the back of the lens got affected, so I needed to clean away the moisture. I wonder if this is normal, and if anyone has any suggestions for how to avoid it?

So why don't you just travel with the camera open, i.e. without a lensboard inserted? If you need, put a small spacer under the gg and you are done with the problem. It's not the end of the world.