On July 31, 2025, DJI unveiled its first panorama camera, the Osmo 360, offering a fresh option in the action panorama camera market at a price of 2999 yuan. However, within a week of its release, the Osmo 360 faced controversy over the "fogging" issue, which is not uncommon among other panorama camera manufacturers.

Recently, some users have reported lens fogging after prolonged shooting with their newly purchased Osmo 360. According to user accounts, "After mounting the camera on the front windshield of a car and recording in 8K50fps format for some time, white mist appeared inside the Osmo 360's panorama lens."

For first-time action camera users, fogging inside the camera may seem perplexing. DJI advertises the Osmo 360 as supporting up to ten meters of waterproofing and having good airtightness, so how could there be water mist inside? However, for seasoned photographers, lens fogging is a common occurrence.

Lens fogging occurs when water vapor in the air condenses on the lens due to cold temperatures. Air always contains a certain level of humidity. When humid air comes into contact with a cooler surface, the water vapor turns into tiny water droplets, forming the "fog" we see.

Examples of this phenomenon abound in daily life: taking a chilled cola out of the fridge on a summer day and seeing the bottle quickly cover with water droplets; or walking from an air-conditioned room to a hot outdoor environment and seeing glasses fog up. In the DSLR era, photographers would often cover their cameras with plastic seal bags when moving between environments with large temperature differences to prevent lens fogging.

So, how does this water mist enter the camera's interior?

For non-waterproof cameras, the camera body and lens do not form a fully sealed space. While they have a certain degree of dustproof and moistureproof design, they are not airtight at the waterproof level. There are channels for airflow between the camera/lens interior and the outside world, allowing water mist (moisture) to enter naturally.

The situation with waterproof cameras like the Osmo 360 is more intricate. The camera achieves a certain degree of airtightness when all waterproof covers are closed. However, users must open these covers to change batteries or charge, temporarily breaking the airtightness and allowing outside air to enter.

The reason for the "fogging" of the Osmo 360 camera becomes clear: When changing batteries, the camera temporarily loses its internal airtightness, allowing a small amount of "moisture" to enter. Under normal circumstances, this moisture does not condense into water droplets (water mist) and does not damage the camera. However, the compact internal design of the panorama camera generates significant heat, while the car's air conditioning continuously cools the camera's shell and lens, creating a temperature difference. When moisture encounters these temperature differences, it naturally condenses into water mist. In fact, this phenomenon is more likely to occur in small, highly airtight devices because internal moisture cannot escape during operation.

So, as users, how can we prevent the appearance of "water mist"? Here are some suggestions:

Firstly, avoid storing the camera in humid environments. For cameras, an air humidity exceeding 50% can be considered humid, necessitating the use of a desiccant box. Xiaolei personally maintains the air humidity of his electronic desiccant box, where he stores cameras and lenses, at around 40%—higher humidity may cause mold, while lower humidity may crack the camera's rubber and leather parts.

When using the camera, also pay attention to temperature changes. As mentioned earlier, professional photographers often cover their cameras with seal bags when moving between environments with large temperature differences. This practice also applies to small electronic devices like smartphones, cameras, and tablets.

Secondly, if the device will experience significant temperature differences with the outside world during use, and this cannot be avoided, consider operating the camera in an "open" environment. For instance, in a safe setting, open the camera's waterproof cover to enhance heat dissipation and promote internal air circulation, thereby reducing the temperature difference between the camera's interior and the outside world.

Ultimately, lens fogging is not a novel issue in photography. By paying closer attention to storage humidity, temperature difference control, and daily maintenance, it can largely be avoided or mitigated. As consumers, we also look forward to more intelligent anti-fog solutions in the future, solving the problem of lens fogging once and for all and truly enabling cameras to "shoot immediately, anytime, anywhere".