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I finally figured out why my lens elements kept fogging up mid repair
Honestly I had a Nikon 50mm 1.4 on my bench last week that kept getting condensation inside no matter how clean the shop was. I tried everything, new desiccant packs, sealing the bellows, even left it in a dry box for 24 hours. Still fogged up. Then my buddy who works on HVAC units said try checking the grease on the focus ring. Sure enough the old lubricant was off gassing every time I heated the lens with my work light. Swapped to a silicone based grease and the fog stopped completely. Has anyone else run into this or am I just the last guy to figure it out?
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olivers2811h ago
Three screwdrivers and a busted UV filter later I finally figured out mine was just my breath fogging the rear element. Turns out I hold lenses way too close to my face when I'm squinting at the aperture blades.
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abbyc3310h ago
Did you check your breath before you took the whole thing apart? I have a 50mm that fogs up constantly in cold weather, and it drives me nuts. I finally just started exhaling to the side when I'm framing a shot. It's way easier than trying to fix a clean lens every five minutes.
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