My camera's manual warns about sudden changes in temperature, but there are a few cases when I can't see how to avoid this.
These include entering a reptile house in a zoo, or a trip to tropical house such as in the Eden Project, where the outside temperature is 15° C and inside it's 38° C.
On a recent trip, I did not take my SLR but I saw many others with them, although the lenses were all steamed up initially and unable to get a shot.
Will the sudden change in temperature harm the camera beyond just fogging up the lens? Are there any precautions to take against this possible harm?
Answer
Condensation is the biggest risk, and prevention is always better than cure. One thing I do prior to entering such environments is to place a lens cloth over the front element, and heat it with the heat from my hand prior to entry -- the target is to get the front element above the dew point for the area you're going into.
With the specific case of the Eden Project, the trick is to go into the arid Mediterranean house first where the humidity is lower than the rainforest house (but the temperatures are generally similar).
If anything, I'd suggest SLR (and bridge) cameras are easier to remove condensation from the lens (but it would take longer to warm through). It would be a "very bad idea" to change a lens inside an area with elevated humidity, as humid air could then condense all over the place.
It is worth remembering that some SLR cameras have professional quality weather sealing
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