What do pressure changes do to a camera?

ivar

What do pressure changes do to a camera? Some cameras are already weatherproof, cameras in general and lenses are manufactured to tight specs, how much air does come through?

Let's say I take my camera flying for about an hour; pressure goes down, pressure goes up.

Can it 'suck in' dust when the surrounding pressure goes up again? can it damage/shift lens-alignment?



I'm not sure it does, it may not do anything. I was just wondering, if anyone had any more knowledge/info about it :ear

ziggy53

I have not heard of any lenses damaged due to changes in atmospheric pressure, even rapid changes. Yes, there could be an introduction of dust as the lens "breathes", but I have not heard of this being a specific problem.

If anything, some camera cases are sealed well enough that I have heard of them being difficult to open after flying at altitude and returning to sea level (for instance). I have a Doskocil Seal-Tight case with a "pressure control valve" for just that occasion. (I believe that cockpit/cabin pressure is generally at 14,000 feet or better but that some luggage compartments are less sealed, causing more of any barometric problems.)

ivar

ziggy53 wrote: »

(I believe that cockpit/cabin pressure is generally at 14,000 feet or better but that some luggage compartments are less sealed, causing more of any barometric problems.)

It's actually 8000' or lower, so even better. At 14000 you'd be wearing oxygen masks Depending on the aircraft, I guess, but most aircraft cargo compartments are also pressure controlled.

Thanks for the info, Ziggy I didn't think it would cause too many problems, but it was just wondering about it for some reason.

insanefred

ivar wrote: »

What do pressure changes do to a camera? Some cameras are already weatherproof, cameras in general and lenses are manufactured to tight specs, how much air does come through?

Let's say I take my camera flying for about an hour; pressure goes down, pressure goes up.

Can it 'suck in' dust when the surrounding pressure goes up again? can it damage/shift lens-alignment?



I'm not sure it does, it may not do anything. I was just wondering, if anyone had any more knowledge/info about it

You mean, "environmental seals", not weather proof.
environmental seals means nothing to users, no camera except possibly custom batches like what Nikon makes for NASA, are pressure resistant.
It just means that drop of water won't go straight to the circuit board, it will just have one more obstacle.
As for sheer pressure levels, there shouldn't be any obvious changes, thing like temperature, humidity and etc.. will effect the camera first. Unless, of course, what Ziggy says, 14,000'.

ivar

insanefred wrote: »

You mean, "environmental seals", not weather proof.
environmental seals means nothing to users, no camera except possibly custom batches like what Nikon makes for NASA, are pressure resistant.
It just means that drop of water won't go straight to the circuit board, it will just have one more obstacle.
As for sheer pressure levels, there shouldn't be any obvious changes, thing like temperature, humidity and etc.. will effect the camera first. Unless, of course, what Ziggy says, 14,000'.

I know weatherproofing (Canon term; okay, not the same as 'weatherproof', but understandable enough for most I think) doesn't make the camera/lens comletely airtight/pressure resistant/etc, but I was wondering to what degree it does, if any, since I fly regularly with a camera.

The difference, pressure-wise, between ground level and 8000' is relatively small so I'm not to worried, really.
Humidity in the airplane is really low which doesn't affect the camera in a bad way I think. Temperature stays fairly constant, so I'm not worried about those in this case. (14,000' is a 'known' altitude in aviation with regards to oxygen but has to do with requirements only)

NeilL

Make its ears pop!

No, seriously, there's a use for that DP space Richy has been expatiating on - a pressure equaliser button! (Well, doesn't it make as much sense as more megapixels on the APC and a third processor to treat the noise?!)

Neil

time2smile

Never heard of an issue ether, and being a former CAP (Cival Air Patrol) member, spotters have never reported their lens were damaged in flights.

pilotdave

ivar wrote: »

What do pressure changes do to a camera? Some cameras are already weatherproof, cameras in general and lenses are manufactured to tight specs, how much air does come through?

Let's say I take my camera flying for about an hour; pressure goes down, pressure goes up.

I have some experience in this area:



No problems with rather sudden pressure changes... repeated hundreds of times. Tested thoroughly on a Rebel XT, XTi, 50D, and 7D.

They also all do fine when exposed to 120+ mph wind, in case anyone needed to know.

Dave

NeilL

pilotdave wrote: »

I have some experience in this area:No problems with rather sudden pressure changes... repeated hundreds of times. Tested thoroughly on a Rebel XT, XTi, 50D, and 7D.

They also all do fine when exposed to 120+ mph wind, in case anyone needed to know.

Dave

Thanks, Dave, dramatic photo!

Tell me, did you try the print button at the same time?

Neil

pilotdave

NeilL wrote: »

Thanks, Dave, dramatic photo!

Tell me, did you try the print button at the same time?

Neil

Ha, when I find a long enough USB cable, I'll give it a try.

Dave

ian408

I've never looked but the manual might give you this detail in both operating and non-operating conditions. Or maybe the website?

roakey

Though not directly related to your question I once traveled from 7,000+ feet in Colorado to sea level with a Nikonos with a lens mounted. Absolutely no way to get the back open when I arrived (remember when the backs opened on cameras? :-)), and getting the lens off was a bear, but once I did everything was fine.

That was a learning experience!

Roak

dbd

ivar wrote: »

What do pressure changes do to a camera?

I'm not sure it does, it may not do anything. I was just wondering, if anyone had any more knowledge/info about it

Pressure doesn't seem to be required by some cameras:

http://www.myspacemuseum.com/apollocams.htm

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

Photoskipper

I don't think there is any problem with the pressure changes.
My 5D and mark II have been travelling with me for hundred trips without any issue. I carried it from sealevel straight to Tibet (3500 meters or 10,000 ft), all lens (24-105, 70-200 and 17-40) worked fine.

the only problem I had was the lenses got condensation when returned to the tropical island country. Transferred direct from the bag to dry box resolved the problem.