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How to Take an SLR Camera From Warm to Very Cold Air

Today's digital cameras are just as much computers as they are cameras. With their sophisticated electronics, ultrasonic motors, processors, digital sensors and memory cards, protecting them from moisture is an important consideration when you're transporting your equipment. Moisture and condensation will form when you move your equipment from any location with a significant change in temperature. While cold air is typically dry, warm air has moisture in it. When your camera is in a warm environment, moving to a cold one could cause condensation.

Things You'll Need

Lens cloth
Hand towel
Plastic zip-lock bag
Camera bag

Instructions

- 1
  Before moving from a warm environment to a cold one, turn your camera off if possible. Unless you need to use you camera immediately when you change locations, turn it off, leaving the battery and memory card inside the camera.
- 2
  Place the camera inside a plastic zip-lock bag and put the bagged camera inside a padded carrying bag. If you are able to gradually decrease the camera's temperature, you will lessen the possibility of condensation forming on the camera and lens.
- 3
  Use a small hand towel or lens cloth to wipe away any condensation that begins to form on the camera when you expose it to the change in air temperature. Professional-grade and even some high-end "pro-sumer" grade of digital cameras have weather sealing in them to prevent water from entering into the camera. When you are drying your camera, be sure to dry the areas around the buttons and dials where condensation could enter.

Photography