Will an overnight timelapse ruin a camera?

I'd like to try timelapses and perhaps some over night, I have a 7d which is beyond waterproof but my lens a tokina 11-16 f2.8 is only waterproof on the front element, will dew and moisture in the morning seep into the lens and mess with it? Thanks

Depends all on the temps you leave it out in, it will form dew and moisture if its cold enough through the night. Ive seen my cameras and telescopes form a lot of it in colder temps. You could go to the extreme of wrapping the body and lens up to the front element in a good plastic bag and maybe something wrapped round all that to keep the temp right. I find that the longer the lens is out in the weather the better it is, its the sudden change in temp like taking it back in that can be the killer. Just make sure you seal the camera in a bag after you are done and let it warm up naturally.

dexy101 wrote in post #16236844
Depends all on the temps you leave it out in, it will form dew and moisture if its cold enough through the night. Ive seen my cameras and telescopes form a lot of it in colder temps. You could go to the extreme of wrapping the body and lens up to the front element in a good plastic bag and maybe something wrapped round all that to keep the temp right. I find that the longer the lens is out in the weather the better it is, its the sudden change in temp like taking it back in that can be the killer. Just make sure you seal the camera in a bag after you are done and let it warm up naturally.

I'm in Marin county California, a little north of San Francisco, so it shouldn't get colder then 50 at most

you could tie a thin cloth around the base ring of the lens so that if any moisture drips down it'll be absorbed by the cloth if it actually happens.

jonathanheierle wrote in post #16236825
I'd like to try timelapses and perhaps some over night, I have a 7d which is beyond waterproof but my lens a tokina 11-16 f2.8 is only waterproof on the front element, will dew and moisture in the morning seep into the lens and mess with it? Thanks

I haven't had any issues, but I would ask your question over on Timescapes.org or Timelapse.org.

There are dew heaters that you can get if this is something you are going to be doing a lot of.
http://www.kendrickast​ro.com/astro/dew_camer​acozy.html

If you are not going to do a lot, you can just use the chemical heaters.

I've used my 7D and 11-16 for up to 6 hour startrail shots. The only problems with moisture have been dew/frost on the front element.

jonathanheierle wrote in post #16236869
I'm in Marin county California, a little north of San Francisco, so it shouldn't get colder then 50 at most

I've visited there recently, loved it, you're lucky to live there!

Are you gonna take the pics from the top of the mountains looking down onto the mist?