Zoo = condensation

[FrostQ]

How do you guys deal with condensation when photographing in zoos? I went to the zoo this past weekend when the outdoor ambient temperature was around -5C. The lens would fog right up and beads of water left on the filter if I didn't wipe it down. The viewfinder would fog up too and it wasn't accessible to dry by hand...so it was really hard to get a good shot indoors...any tips?

[Jeff2909]

When I go in or out in the winter, I have my camera in a large zipp lock freezer bag and it stays in there until it changes temp coming or going and any condensation forms on the out side of bag not your gear. It takes a few min, which give you time to look the place over for the best shot.

[sirockalot]

thats a great idea about the ziplock bag thing. that should work excellent for when comming in from the cold, but it would do nothing for when you go out into the cold. theres no humidity in the air when its below freezing, so there is no moisture to form condensation. but when you come in from shooting outside in the winter, a ziplock bag till it warms up should do the trick. but i would guess that if you put the camera back in the bag and let it warm up in there would work just as well too....