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Pro tip: Check your dew heater battery before a cold night out
I was out near Sedona last weekend trying to get a long exposure of the Orion Nebula. Everything was set up perfect, my camera was dialed in, and I started a 5 minute shot. About 2 minutes in, my lens fogged over COMPLETELY. I forgot to plug my portable power bank into the lens heater strap. The temp dropped to 38 degrees and my whole shot was ruined, just a big white blur. I had to wait almost an hour for the lens to warm up in my car and clear, and by then the clouds had rolled in. I felt so dumb for not doing a simple gear check. Has anyone else had a small mistake like a dead battery wreck a whole imaging session?
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maxp681mo ago
Totally feel your pain. I once drove two hours to a dark site only to find my intervalometer was dead, no spare batteries in the bag. Just sat there in the cold watching perfect skies. That kind of small oversight just guts you. It happens to everyone, but man, in the moment it feels like the universe is just messing with you.
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michael8801mo ago
Honestly, calling a ruined shot a "whole imaging session" feels a bit dramatic. Couldn't you just wipe the lens with a cloth and start over after a few minutes instead of waiting an hour in the car?
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