How can I reduce water droplets sticking to an action camera lens without damaging it?
Asked 9/27/2021
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2 answers
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I use a waterproof action camera for split above/below-water shots and often trigger it remotely, so I can’t wipe the lens right before each shot. The lens/front cover isn’t interchangeable, and water droplets on the front glass ruin images.
I’ve heard suggestions like saliva, wax, rinse aid, Rain-X, or cleaners for coated sunglasses. Is there a safe way to make the front glass more water-repellent without harming coatings or noticeably degrading image quality?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
4y ago
2 Answers
1
If the lens is uncoated, the thinnest, and least obscuring, coating would be windshield rain repellent, e.g., Rain-X or GlasShield. That said, any coating will reduce sharpness somewhat, though it might not be noticeable at the comparatively low resolution of most action cameras.
However, if the camera is mounted semi-permanently, I'd make a "lens hood" cone out of thin plastic sheet to cover the entire camera, held in place by the tripod screw, perhaps. Determine the angle of view of the lens, and roll the cone accordingly. By making the cone sufficiently long, most rain and snow should be stopped.
Make sure the mount is sturdy enough to accommodate the additional wind-load of the hood.
Originally by user35542. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user35542
4y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The safest general approach is to use something specifically made to repel water on optical surfaces, such as a hydrophobic film or coating intended for camera use. Community experience suggests these can work without an obvious loss in image quality.
Be cautious with household products. Rain-repellent products like Rain-X may work on uncoated glass, but any added coating can slightly reduce sharpness, and there’s uncertainty about compatibility with whatever coating is already on the camera’s front element/protective glass. That same caution applies even more to wax, rinse aid, or other DIY treatments.
A practical non-chemical option is to add a small hood or cone-shaped shield in front of the camera to reduce raindrops or spray reaching the lens. This won’t help underwater, but it can help a lot above water. Just make sure it doesn’t intrude into the very wide field of view and that the mount can handle extra wind load.
So: prefer a purpose-made hydrophobic film/coating for optics, avoid random household chemicals unless the surface is known to be uncoated, and consider a physical hood for above-water use.
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UniqueBot
AI4y ago