Anti-condens'n fluid and cleaning

I recently purchased a S45 and Canon's U/W housing for it. It comes with anti-condensation fluid to eliminate fogging of the front element of the housing. How do I apply this? The instruction manual doesn't explain how to apply this to the lens. I do not want to damage this front element.

I tried putting a few drops in and swirling it around, but this didn't completely coat the inside surface. Consequently I used my microfibre lens cleaning cloth to coat the inner surface of the front element as well as possible. This resulted in a number of interference rings visible from the anti-condensation fluid. There has got to be a better way of applying this stuff. Also, I'm not too excited about getting the anti-condensation fluid all over my lens cleaning cloth.

Secondly, now that I'm home again, what's the best way to clean this front element? Lens brush, then regular lens cleaning fluid and tissue followed by a lens cleaning cloth? This is how I clean my SLR lenses when they are badly soiled (usually just the brush then breath and the lens cleaning cloth suffices). Any advice on either/both of these issues is greatly appreciated.

By way of thanks for your advice, here's one of my first attempts at U/W photography...

Cheers,

Bruce

Hello,

First, really nice shot.

I use the S30 with the same housing for few months, I found that the antifog fluid that came with the camera didn’t help very much against the fog, but make a lot of dirt that if you don't dry it carefully can be seen in the pics.

The things that help me avoid fogging are: Silica gel bags inside the housing and I'm trying to close the housing in a dry place.

Thanks for the comment on the photo Alto. However, I've discovered that I've got to change the battery between dives so closing the case in a dry spot only works for the first dive.

Doesn't anyone have any positive feedback on how to successfully use the anti-condensation fluid? Or, is everyone else in Alto's camp and avoids the stuff? I'm hoping to have some experienced users weigh in on the matter; please...

I have used this technique in situation wherein I cannot find a 'dry room' in a boat. very effective.

First U need a transparent plastic bag, about the size of a large pillow. then put the cam & housing inside the bag, squeeze out the air inside, fill the bag with scuba air halfway, then mount cam & close the housing.

easier said than done. practice, practice practice.

the fluid that came with the housing... great mask defogger

I use the anti fogging fluid in my WP-DC 300 regulary (at least once a day). I put on drop on the port glass (inner side of course) and use lens cleaning paper to polish it in until I don't see anything of it anymore (I need two papers normaly).Ssomtimes there iare small traces at the edge of the glass but since the edge is not used opticaly it doesn't show on the photos.

I additionly use a Silicia Gel Pack.

Simon

I'm new to all of this and can't offer any advice, however I have a question.

Did you use some other light source for that photo, I'm looking to get that kind of quality from diving in good conditions in malasyia. Thats a great photo.

cheers

Dec

Thanks Simon, I'll have to try the lens tissue papers, that sounds like the answer to me.

As for my photo, I only used the built-in flash. This was my first attempt at bringing a camera underwater. I do alot of fine art landscape photography (with film-based SLR) and greatly enjoy diving while on vacation, so thought I'd try to cheaply take some underwater photos. While I got a fair amount of pictures that I'm pleased with from the S45 and its U/W housing, nevertheless I can see the limitations of the built-in flash. These are: slow flash recycle times (missed a number of shots with great potential b/c of this), backscatter, low flash intensity yields very short range, and of course that on-camera flash look that I'd rather avoid. Still, considering that an underwater strobe assembly would cost me almost as much as the camera and its housing, this was a great investment and provided me with a ton of enjoyment and a few great pictures.

- Bruce