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Nikon HGL 8x42. Fog-free? (1 Viewer)

RJElse

RJElse

Well-known member
Hi all

I've recently bought a pair of the Nikon HGL 8x42 bins, which I think are superb, but I just have one query about them. The specification describes them as fog-free, but I don't really know what this means.

For instance, when I take them indoors out of the cold weather they still steam up. Also, on extremely cold days the eye pieces steam up a little just through the warmth of my face when I hold them up to my eyes.

Does anyone know if this is normal, or whether there is some sort of problem with the binoculars?

Cheers

Richard
 
Fog free means they are filled with some kind of inert gas, usually dry nitrogen, to prevent internal fogging. This can take ages to clear and renders your bins pretty much unuseable.
The kind of fogging you're experiencing is external fogging, which, as far as I am aware, no manufacturer can prevent. It usually clears in a few seconds/minutes. Practice holding the eyecups a little distance from your eyes, or for shorter periods, to avoid missing any birds!
 
Cheers Steve, for clearing that up (no pun intended). I wonder if any manufacturers are working on a way of preventing external fogging.
 
im sure that is pretty much impossible. its a pretty small issue to deal with, and can easily be avoided if you hold your breath. just dont turn blue...
 
A lady in Black & Lizars in Edinburgh told me that binoculars that are gas-filled clear quicker than those that are not.

Michael.
 
I wonder if any manufacturers are working on a way of preventing external fogging.
Click to expand...

There are a variety of external fog-eliminating products on the market. I have yet to try them so I cannot comment on their effectiveness.

A lady in Black & Lizars in Edinburgh told me that binoculars that are gas-filled clear quicker than those that are not.
Click to expand...

I do not know for sure but could that be related to how the gas inside the binocular regulated temperature in relation to how it is normally regulated in the outside air?
 
RJElse said:
Hi all

I've recently bought a pair of the Nikon HGL 8x42 bins, which I think are superb, but I just have one query about them. The specification describes them as fog-free, but I don't really know what this means.

For instance, when I take them indoors out of the cold weather they still steam up. Also, on extremely cold days the eye pieces steam up a little just through the warmth of my face when I hold them up to my eyes.

Does anyone know if this is normal, or whether there is some sort of problem with the binoculars?

Cheers
i see that bausch and lomb pre moistened lens cleaning tissues, say on the pack that they are anti fog . might be worth a try, i always carry pre moistened tissues with me but i have not tried b and l s.
Click to expand...
 
I know my wife rubs a little of my shaving cream on the bathroom mirrors and it remarkably keeps them from fogging.

I don't know if a permanent treatment of some kind could be used but please don't go rubbing Barbasol on your bins, use a product designed for them like the Bausch & Lomb stuff.
 
Some Bushnell binoculars claim to have an anti-wetting coating that means less fog, or less prominent fog - Rainguard. In practice, all sorts of things might affect the amount of fog. When I looked at this by putting binoculars in the fridge and seeing how long they stayed fogged I noticed that the biggest effect seemed to be how long the binoculars stayed cold.
 
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