Hallo all,...
I am relatively new to camera and seek your advise on fungus protection. I have Panny GX1, a kit lens, 14mm lens and 20mm lens.
Initially I started off by buying a transparent air-tight container and put silica gels in it. I bought a RM 38 (SGD 15) thermohygrometer to monitor the humidity. When fresh, the silica gel produce result of about 40 - 45 RH. After awhile it gets to 50 then to 60 RH.
I changed my method now. Please advise if I am doing it correctly or its the wrong approach.
I am from Penang, Malaysia,...as you know is hot and humid. My camera is always in my bedroom, every night I switch on the air-condition from
9pm to 2am with self timer off.
In the bedroom with air-cond switched on, my thermohygrometer gives a reading of low 40 RH, which I thought is the ideal humidity for camera storage. So what I do is, when air-cond is switched on, I left the air tight container open, when humidity is low enough, I close the air-tight container with all my gears inside + the thermohygrometer inside.
In the following morning, the thermohygrometer shows increase in temperature to about 30 C,...but the humidity remains the same.
Is my new method a good method? I don't have to buy dry box or silica gels,...or bake the silica gel.
However, I do have concerns of condensation -
1. Every night with my gears in air-tight container, with air cond from 9am to 2pm,...then becomes warmer....Will I risk condensation on my lense and body?
- Or condensation happens only if there is a rapid / sudden change of temperature of object vs. environment? Meaning when my air-cond is switched off at 2am,...the temperature increase slowly and gradually,...thus my gears will not face condensation.
2. Keeping my gears in air-tight container for several days with low humidity of low 40RH,....means when temperature outside the container changes,....I will still not risk condensation,....because the humidity is low inside?
I intend to use this new method because of two reasons -
- I always switch on the air cond at night without fail,...anyway,....all I need is switch it on once,...then air-tight the container for many days with humidity remaining the same.
- I have the feeling of confidence and security that whenever the air-cond is switched on,...humidity will be good for camera storage.
I don't feel secured using silica gels,...I mean we have to always look at RH readings,...and color of the gel,...how pink is considered too pink??
By the way,....I always do random check on my thermohygrometer,...by taking it outside of aircond room and back inside to see the changes on the readings....and if it shows reasonable or logical amount of changes,....then I know it is functioning. At a cheap cost of SGD 15, it may not give accurate readings,...but at least I know it "functions",...if in air-cond room it shows humidity of low 40 RH,...when in non-Air cond environment it shows about 60RH,...and when it is going to rain or raining outside,...it goes up to nearly 70RH when the reading is captured indoor.
Hope to get your feedback and advise on my new method of fungus prevention -
Other than condensation risk,...what other risks do you foresee with this method of mine?
I am relatively new to camera and seek your advise on fungus protection. I have Panny GX1, a kit lens, 14mm lens and 20mm lens.
Initially I started off by buying a transparent air-tight container and put silica gels in it. I bought a RM 38 (SGD 15) thermohygrometer to monitor the humidity. When fresh, the silica gel produce result of about 40 - 45 RH. After awhile it gets to 50 then to 60 RH.
I changed my method now. Please advise if I am doing it correctly or its the wrong approach.
I am from Penang, Malaysia,...as you know is hot and humid. My camera is always in my bedroom, every night I switch on the air-condition from
9pm to 2am with self timer off.
In the bedroom with air-cond switched on, my thermohygrometer gives a reading of low 40 RH, which I thought is the ideal humidity for camera storage. So what I do is, when air-cond is switched on, I left the air tight container open, when humidity is low enough, I close the air-tight container with all my gears inside + the thermohygrometer inside.
In the following morning, the thermohygrometer shows increase in temperature to about 30 C,...but the humidity remains the same.
Is my new method a good method? I don't have to buy dry box or silica gels,...or bake the silica gel.
However, I do have concerns of condensation -
1. Every night with my gears in air-tight container, with air cond from 9am to 2pm,...then becomes warmer....Will I risk condensation on my lense and body?
- Or condensation happens only if there is a rapid / sudden change of temperature of object vs. environment? Meaning when my air-cond is switched off at 2am,...the temperature increase slowly and gradually,...thus my gears will not face condensation.
2. Keeping my gears in air-tight container for several days with low humidity of low 40RH,....means when temperature outside the container changes,....I will still not risk condensation,....because the humidity is low inside?
I intend to use this new method because of two reasons -
- I always switch on the air cond at night without fail,...anyway,....all I need is switch it on once,...then air-tight the container for many days with humidity remaining the same.
- I have the feeling of confidence and security that whenever the air-cond is switched on,...humidity will be good for camera storage.
I don't feel secured using silica gels,...I mean we have to always look at RH readings,...and color of the gel,...how pink is considered too pink??
By the way,....I always do random check on my thermohygrometer,...by taking it outside of aircond room and back inside to see the changes on the readings....and if it shows reasonable or logical amount of changes,....then I know it is functioning. At a cheap cost of SGD 15, it may not give accurate readings,...but at least I know it "functions",...if in air-cond room it shows humidity of low 40 RH,...when in non-Air cond environment it shows about 60RH,...and when it is going to rain or raining outside,...it goes up to nearly 70RH when the reading is captured indoor.
Hope to get your feedback and advise on my new method of fungus prevention -
Other than condensation risk,...what other risks do you foresee with this method of mine?
