GoPro Anti-Fog Inserts: Really Necessary?

[Marty Cerven]

15 bucks for some cardboard? I have not needed these inserts ever. Save your money for a blurfix, or replacement lenses!

You dont need to buy the gopro ones any desiccant packs small enough will do, I got the gopro ones as the packs I used are a bit big and I can only fit them behind the camera but thats where the LCD screen is.

It will depend on the conditions you dive in but where I am in Melbourne Australia a gopro housing will fog up in no time. Huge temperature and humidity variations and air to sea temperature can vary by over 30c in extreme cases. Air temp has dropped over 25c in a matter of minutes with a wind change so these sorts of variable conditions can be prone to fogging.

Another simple alternative that will work every time is to use a plastic bag and put the housing and camera in it, fill it with your tank air and close the housing inside the bag without letting any outside air in. This air is very cool and dry so there is no way the housing will fog up using this method. This method will stop working as soon as you let in any regular air into the housing if you open it so it will need to be redone each time to ensure it works.

Im too lazy to do that method so I use desiccant for insurance purposes, these will also absorb a small leak first rather then the camera so they may end up saving your camera one day too.

 

[krukster86]

So I ended up finding the anti-fog strips at my LDS for less than advertised on Best Buy. Awesome.

 

[Rahotu200]

So I ended up finding the anti-fog strips at my LDS for less than advertised on Best Buy. Awesome.

Fogging of the inside of the camera housing lens is a problem I have encountered when surfing in a temperate climate (New Zealand, 16C water) and especially when filming in tropical climates. To find out the best anti fog options I applied the following six different independent tests and video the results on Rahotu200:


1. Use GoPro 2 as normal - nothing added
2. Tissue paper inserted down both sides and on back of camera (warning - this could easily jeopardise the water seal if a small amount of tissue is on the seal)
3. Heat camera housing and camera with a hair drier to warm then close housing.
4. Add 3 GoPro anti-fog inserts / desiccant strips inside the housing to absorb any moisture in the air and use camera straight away
5. Hold the camera and housing under an air conditioner outlet for 1 minute then close.
6. Insert 3 GoPro anti-fog inserts inside the housing to absorb any moisture in the air and use camera after 17 hours.

These tests were all carried out in Singapore (tropical - 90 miles from Equator c.80% humidity) by submersing the operating Go Pro Hero2 camera in 4 degree Celsius water then removing and trying to film (extreme fogging test). RESULTS AND OTHER ANTI FOGGING TIPS & OPTIONS are on Rahotu200 channel

CAMERA FOGGING IS CAUSED BY - If the air in your camera housing is from: a) a humid environment, b) the camera is on which generates heat and c) and you and take it in to relatively cooler temperature water you are likely to get condensation on the inside of your housing. Therefore as two of the three above variables are a given if the camera is operating you have to remove the humidity inside the housing. In summary the warmed humid air from the camera heat forms condensation on the coldest part of the housing (unfortunately the inside of the lens). Spray solutions just flatten the fog droplets on the inside of the housing which is not the optically best solution.


Happy shooting

 

[albako]

I have been messing around with my GoPro Hero 2 + EyeOfMine in a swimming pool to see how different video settings worked. Although I did not see fog build up inside the case after the few minutes of recording, I was wondering if fogging up inside would be an issue if I take this thing on a dive trip (one coming up in Florida in May). I saw that there are "Anti-Fog Inserts" to suck up moisture for about $15 from GoPro. Does fogging up happen? Are these inserts really necessary? Thanks!

I was in Mexico in March and I didn't have any Anti-Fog inserts so after a few min of recording fog started to appear. you can buy them from gopro or amazon, ebay.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

I've always used these anti-fog inserts and they've worked great. Much cheaper than retail branded stuff.

16 Nofog Anti Fog Inserts for GoPro Hero HERO2 HERO3 | eBay

 

[large_diver]

BTW - you can re-use them. Just follow the instructions for getting the moisture back out

 

[RockyHeap]

the OEM gopro filter absorbers fit perfect, and I never dive without at least 2-3 of them stuffed in the sides/bottom.

They come with a color changing tablet in the pack, that indicates if they're presently moist.


Put 'em in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to evaporate any absorbed moisture, and they're good as new.


I'll gladly pay the $15 for GoPro pads, when I spend $6-8,000 on flying to a trip somewhere? I want insurance.

I've fogged up many times, the Hero3's run HOT compared to my hero 2.

All the "only open/close in a air-conditioned room or blow it out with compressed tank air" has never worked squat for me in a tropical humid location.

Take your camera, turn it and the LCD on, and just let it sit on your computer desk for 5 minutes running, then feel how hot it gets even out of the housing!

 

[Thook]

Most dive boats have a soaking tub with sea water in it to submerge your cameras pre dive. This allows for temperate adjustment for the dive. If you take the time to get everything prepared and put it in the water you should not have a fogging problem. Fogging typically occurs by throwing a camera in a housing that had been sitting out at ambient temperature into water that has completely different temperature ratios.

 

[toozler]

Most dive boats have a soaking tub with sea water in it to submerge your cameras pre dive. This allows for temperate adjustment for the dive. If you take the time to get everything prepared and put it in the water you should not have a fogging problem. Fogging typically occurs by throwing a camera in a housing that had been sitting out at ambient temperature into water that has completely different temperature ratios.

Bucket or not, it will still fog. All these "freezer" and "baby soap" methods are not fail proof. The issue is that humidity inside the housing will condensate on the coldest surface of the housing: the flat glass port.

It's made of glass which is has a higher termal conductivity than the polycarbonate housing, meaning it will exchange heat with the water outside faster than the housing and thus making it colder than the polycarbonate walls (which are most likely just as hot as the camera). It's also the furthest surface from the heat generating camera - the distance is small and could probably be considered irrelevant as to a cause for the temperature difference.

Physics and explanations apart, a solution for the fogging is too damn cheap. For not even $10 you can get a bunch of the antifog inserts and basically reuse them forever. I've had the same set for the last 2 years, got them from here.

 

[Interceptor121]

The issue with fogging is the residual humidity in the housing and on the oring before you close it.
If the air inside had zero moisture nothing would fog in any conditions. However because of limited battery autonomy and shooting style (record the whole dive) lots of people open the housing in a humid environment which then results in condensation
The best solution is to have a completely dry housing before you close it with a dew point much lower than the water you will dive in. In those conditions it is impossible that any fog forms unless humidity is trapped inside the gopro itself (this happens a lot when people take it in and air conditioned rooms and hot environments for example)
The insert only work to take out the residual humidity and trap it in and need time to work, i.e. you can't put the insert right in close the housing and dive they need several hours to be effective and are therefore a waste of time for multiple dives as your housing will fog if there is moisture inside, inserts or not

I think someone posted a tutorial here years ago with a good explanation I will see if I can find it or maybe do a little video of housing preparation