HI, I'm a complete newbie that just bought my digicam

[mongoose]

Since I have read about fungus infection and dry box, plus even silicon gel, can someone pls advise me what to do with those silicon gel? is it to fill into the dry box and soak the camera into it or etc? I'm really noob in this and hope to protect and prevent my newly aquired cam from fungus growth.

And secondly, I noticed that there are few version of dry box, those which has power input and others which are just like any plain tupper-ware plastic case/box, and my gosh, these plain looking dry box w/o power source is also much more costlier than what I saw for normal pressurised plastic box, which I now would like to try using these cheaper option rather than those camera's shop's plain dry box, so will it also be feasible in prevention?

Thank you all for assisting in advance, I'm glad that there is such a local community around that can resolve some newbies query. :thumbsup:

 

[bernards]

I found an airtight tupperware. Bought one of those dehumidfiers from Daiso for $2. (Selling as some Thirsty Hippo thingy in other supermarkets.)

I'll probably upgrade to a cabinet later. But for now works well.

http://www.oxy.co.kr/eng/product/hama/ha_sub01.asp

 

[mongoose]

I found an airtight tupperware. Bought one of those dehumidfiers from Daiso for $2. (Selling as some Thirsty Hippo thingy in other supermarkets.)

I'll probably upgrade to a cabinet later. But for now works well.

http://www.oxy.co.kr/eng/product/hama/ha_sub01.asp

so, you just buy those normal pressurised container and use this thristy hippo, but how long must replace the hippos again?

what about silicon gel? what do they do? how to make use of it to prevent fungus?

Thank you.

 

[The_Cheat]

I put my digital camera and filters into a lock&lock tupperware, and place the silicon beads into a small paper boat within the tupperware. The silicon beads are available with any phtography shop. Think I bought mine at $3.80 for a 500g bottle, which could easily last me for a long time. Dehumidifier are tidy, but are expensive and not really that re-usable.

 

[steely]

Newbie here too, I put my DC and the few accessories that I have in a unused Samsung minifridge ( sealed environment :bsmilie: ) that I have with a container of elephant ( must be a relative of the hippo :bsmilie: )

Guess as long as it fits the principle - a Dehumidified sealed enivironment, whatever floats your boat goes

 

[zaren]

i find that using a dry box/cabinet is very convenient... no need to check of the silica gel crystals need to be replaced/heated etc. get a 2nd hand one if cost is a concern.

 

[bernards]

so, you just buy those normal pressurised container and use this thristy hippo, but how long must replace the hippos again?

what about silicon gel? what do they do? how to make use of it to prevent fungus?

Thank you.

It's a lock&lock tupperware same as cheatchu79. The principal is the same. adsord the moisture in the box so it's dry. The thirsty hippo adsorbs the moisture and dumps it into another section below. When it's considerably full, just throw it away and put in a new one. Silica gel beads will adsorb the moisture and hold it. When the beads turn colour to deep purple, put it in a microwave oven and heat it up. It'll become dry again. Silica gel should last you quite some time. Maybe two or three years, probably more.

Does the thirsty hippo thingy work? Yes, it does. I have a Nikon dry box that has a hygrometer. (I hope I called it right.) It's used to store my MiniDV tapes. I used to use silica gel, but every two or three months, I'll need to heat it up to reactivate the beads. After I changed to the thirsty hippo, the hygrometer shows that the box is just as dry. Except now it's maintaince free. How long will it last? I have no idea. Easily a few years for something the size of a tupperware? From this experience. I decided to save the $100 to $200 I would need to spend on a dry cabinet and spend the money on accessories instead.

Lock&Lock tupperware from NTUC - $5

Dehumidifier from Daiso at IMM - $2

 

[mongoose]

It's a lock&lock tupperware same as cheatchu79. The principal is the same. adsord the moisture in the box so it's dry. The thirsty hippo adsorbs the moisture and dumps it into another section below. When it's considerably full, just throw it away and put in a new one. Silica gel beads will adsorb the moisture and hold it. When the beads turn colour to deep purple, put it in a microwave oven and heat it up. It'll become dry again. Silica gel should last you quite some time. Maybe two or three years, probably more.

Does the thirsty hippo thingy work? Yes, it does. I have a Nikon dry box that has a hygrometer. (I hope I called it right.) It's used to store my MiniDV tapes. I used to use silica gel, but every two or three months, I'll need to heat it up to reactivate the beads. After I changed to the thirsty hippo, the hygrometer shows that the box is just as dry. Except now it's maintaince free. How long will it last? I have no idea. Easily a few years for something the size of a tupperware? From this experience. I decided to save the $100 to $200 I would need to spend on a dry cabinet and spend the money on accessories instead.

Lock&Lock tupperware from NTUC - $5

Dehumidifier from Daiso at IMM - $2

I just bought a pressurised container which is so claimed and a can of these aka "thirsty hippo" type of dehumidifier, all costs less than $5. However, when I open the can of dehumidifier, it seem to be filled with a layer full of "small rocks-like" white particles, so is these the same as what is yours?

Seriously, I was comtemplating buying a electrical dry box which is selling from MS color for about $80 30litres I think, yet eventually settled for these DIY options. Maybe, someone can explains about those silicon gels, is it really "gel" form or "beaks" like?

 

[stressmage]

http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/02-15.pdf

take a look at this..

i have been handling blue indicator silica gel with bare hands. hope nothing go wrong

 

[bernards]

http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/02-15.pdf

take a look at this..

i have been handling blue indicator silica gel with bare hands. hope nothing go wrong

Hazardous waste?! Woa. This is serious. :nono:


mongoose,

Yes that is correct. It's got white beads in the upper compartment and an empty compartment below. The lower compartment will start to fill with water over time.

 

[bernards]

BTW. Since it becomes wet. I have no idea if the water will leak if it falls on it's side. It has never happended to me. But I take caution.

 

[The_Cheat]

I'm quite skeptical about the report of the hazardous nature of silicon beads. Then again, I'm acquainted to the laboratory environment and are handling chemicals easily 100X more hazardous than the innocent little beads... :bsmilie:

 

[eurox]

Lock&Lock tupperware from NTUC - $5

Dehumidifier from Daiso at IMM - $2

Which lock&lock tupperware is it ? would you mind taking a pic of it and post here ?

thankie

 

[The_Cheat]

Which lock&lock tupperware is it ? would you mind taking a pic of it and post here ?

thankie

Not home yet, so cannot take photo of the tupperware...

Anyway, here's a picture I found online for the tupperware:

Hope this helps...

 

[Poon]

Best way is to move to a very dry climate like mine, don't need a drybox. :blah: :blah: :blah:

 

[Poledra]

DO NOT immerse your camera into the silicon beads. Experts (and certainly not me ) say that it's bad for the camera body.

I guess any type of dehumidifier (Thirsty Hippo, silicon gel, whatever) and an airtight box will do fine..

But the most ingenious way of preserving your camera body I've ever seen is placing silicon beads at the bottom of a huge glass jar and put the camera body + lens on a shelf above the silicon beads in the bell jar. There is a huge glass lid for the bell jar and it's really heavy.
It belongs to my friend Raphael and his ancient Nikon manual body is still in top shape.
The last time I had a sneak peek at his camera, it took 15 mins or more and the 2 of us to open that jar... He hasn't opened it for quite some time.

 

[weeguy]

hmm, does anyone have a picture of the Dehumidifier from Daiso?

 

[Splutter]

I think one of the best way to do it is just to grab a fistful size of silica gel and put it in a stocking. It'll last abt 2weeks or more, depending on the size of the air tight container and how frequent u open it. DO NOT cover the entire camera with silica gel as they tend to crack over time, (especially if u reheat them to reuse) and the powder may get into the camera's more sensitive parts such as the sensor, lens etc. Essentially, whatever works fine, but this is the cheapest method. I heard from some ppl that the thirsty hippo container cracked and the liquid that leaked out was actually sticky, so it might actualyl dmg ur camera even more! :think: In the long run however, it might me more worth while to get a digital cabinet as its more convenient, and as a general rule of thumb, the tendency of u owning more electronic gadgets will increase and not decrease ;p

 

[Spectrum]

Since I have read about fungus infection and dry box, plus even silicon gel, can someone pls advise me what to do with those silicon gel? is it to fill into the dry box and soak the camera into it or etc? I'm really noob in this and hope to protect and prevent my newly aquired cam from fungus growth.

And secondly, I noticed that there are few version of dry box, those which has power input and others which are just like any plain tupper-ware plastic case/box, and my gosh, these plain looking dry box w/o power source is also much more costlier than what I saw for normal pressurised plastic box, which I now would like to try using these cheaper option rather than those camera's shop's plain dry box, so will it also be feasible in prevention?

Thank you all for assisting in advance, I'm glad that there is such a local community around that can resolve some newbies query. :thumbsup:

I have few plastic bottle filled with silicon gel to give away(if you want it) for free. It turns pink already(moisture present in it). So you have to heat it dry till it turns darker blue before using it again. Just PM me if you need it, OK?