My film camera seems foggy when looking through lense?

Question

Help!
In the middle of a photo project and I was outside in middle of cold weather and very light rain. Now today, I look through my camera and it's foggy. Even after I switched lenses, it's foggy. I clothed off both sides of the lense and the viewfinder, and even looked inside with lense off. Even with lense dry, it looks foggy. Can I shoot? I really needed to. I can still focus, even with the fog, but how will the pictures come out? (This is not a digital camera, so I won't know until I develop).

Answer 1

Buy a new one!

Answer 2

Great answer Edwin! Non-professional lenses are often not weather sealed and condensation can easily be inside your lens. I will second his suggestion to put your lens in a case with desiccant, it will absorb any moisture that may be inside of the lens. This is important as fungus can grow inside your lens which will render it useless, a common plague in lenses as they age. I don't think its the viewfinder, but just to be safe, put the camera in with the lens and the desiccant. A couple of days and they should be fine. Also, never use a solution that contains alcohol to clean anything on your lenses or camera. Use a mild, diluted soap. Don't use handsoap or dishwashing liquid as they contain an anti-grease agent which will also hurt coatings and eat lubricating oils. Use a further diluted bubble soap, like the kind used by kids to blow bubbles, and a clean microfiber cloth. Or you can by a cleaning kit from a camera shop.

EDIT:

A soapy solution is all that comes in the "lens cleaning kit", if you looked at the ingredients. It is true, a UV filter is best always left on a lens, but there does reach a time when the lens will have to be cleaned and I have found that bubble soap works more often than not when used with a clean microfiber cloth. To each his own, I suppose.

Answer 3

First, IGNORE "Farris H" and anyone else who suggests using rubbing alcohol on your lens or any other part of your camera. That is one guaranteed way to ruin the coating on your lens. Not to mention the possibility of the alcohol getting into lubricated parts and diluting the lubrication. Mark as "Very Dumb Idea".

Second, unless you are a trained camera repair tech, IGNORE "sydney_22_f" who suggested removing the focusing screen. The Minolta XK series cameras (and the pro grade Canon and Nikon) had user-replaceable focusing screens. All others require substantial disassembly to access the focusing screen.

It sounds as though you have condensation on the focusing screen and it should clear off in a day or two.

Of course, there could be condensation inside the lens and that's a more serious problem. Place the lens in a plastic bag with a few packets of desiccant for a couple of days. If it doesn't clear, you may be in the market for a new lens.

Before shooting in the rain again, invest in a cover for your camera. FotoSharp (fotosharp.com) offers a nice one. While you're visiting their site, check out their Day & Night Exposure Guide. Excellent tool if you're interested in low light photography.

EDIT:

I must disagree with "MixedMojo" about using any soapy liquids. If you absolutely positively must use any liquid then buy a lens cleaning kit - and read and follow the directions. In 36 years I've never used any type of liquid for lens cleaning. All my lenses are protected by a UV filter unless I'm using a polarizer.

Answer 4

The lens is an integral part of your kit and if it is foggy it needs urgent attention.

I would take it to a serviceman and see if they can dry the lens out for you. If water vapour is left in there you'll have mould in no time and then you can kiss your expensive glass good bye.

When photographic equipment is subjected to extremes of heat and cold condensation forms just the same as it does on the inside of a car when its cold outside. I guess if you lens has condensation so does your camera.

Your equipment should be kept at a fairly regular and constant temperature. I would go so far as to put your camera in a rain jacket for wet weather and make it a woolly jumper for very cold weather particularly if you work outdoors a lot.

Answer 5

Edwin and Mixedmojo have it correct. I am appauled at all of the other misleading answers. You probably have condensation on your focussing screen or mirror or viewfinder. If your viewfinder (the part you put your eye up to) is removable (slides up very very easily) you can clean that. Dont do anything you arent comfortable with.

As a side note. When your looking in your camera dont try to clean the shutter (behind the mirror). It gets itself out of the way to take the picture so anything on it would be out of the way too. If your shutter is metal DONT EVEN TOUCH IT, the metal will be incredibly thin and easy to bend or kink, creating a need for another camera. If you truly suspect your camera needs an internal cleaning, take it to a pro camera shop. A good cleaning shouldnt cost as much as a new camera.

Answer 6

if it's a ttl or slr camera with an interchangeable lens, it won't affect your pictures. There is a mirror in the camera where the image is reflected off so you can see it in your viewfinder, maybe that got dirty after the fog got it all humid and wet...

Also, check that you didn't accidentally adjust the optic focusing thing, it's there for people with glasses to adjust the viewfinder. Maybe it's just blurred a little bit...

Answer 7

It sounds like you may have condensation inside the lens from being out in the rain. Don't know whether a visit to the local camera shop will be a help or not. Do you have another lens you can use in the meantime?

Answer 8

I'll bet there's moisture on one of the elements inside the viewfinder box.

Wait another day and if it isn't gone, take your camera in to the repair shop.

Your pictures will not be affected.

Answer 9

are you out in the fog?
:)
look at the lens Nr the body of the camera. place the camera in a dry place for a few hours with the lens off
hope this helps
M

Answer 10

I think I would rewind the film soon to, open the back, take lens of. Condensation, it'll be good.

Answer 11

It must be the mirror or focusing screen that is foggy. They would not affect the image on the film.

You should be able to remove the focusing screen to check both sides. (Sorta inside the eyepiece).