How long does it take for fungus to grow?


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Teegongkia

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Aug 13, 2007
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Based on past unhappy experience from experienced photographer, how long for fungus to grow in len if not kept in Dry Cabinet? .........Just curious?
 

Really really depends on the conditions that the lens is placed in.
1. If its placed in a sunny area thats got a draft of wind and is relatively dry, then it'll take a long time or even not grow fungus.
2. If its placed in a dampish area thats dark and dampish like say a toilet then it'll probably not take too long.

Somehow the place where you stay also seems to have some effect. My friend who stays in Bukit Timah (Toh Yi Drive, I think) complains of fungus on everything like CDs, clothes, his piano etc... things that just sit about without movement for a long time. Even with his dry cab, one of his lens kena fungus.

For me, its pretty weird. Before I did photography, my dad kept his old lenses in a dry box for almost 20+years. When the dry box konked out and he lost the key to it for some time (the key is irreplacable type) it was just sitting there for about 10 years without the dehumidification. When he finally found the key, I opened it and inspected the lenses for him. Some got bad fungus, some little and some not at all. So its just relative to the lens type and condition. No way for sure to tell how long before any fungus will grow.
 

Oops that seems like bad news for me cos I also stay near Toh Yi area. However, seems strange that fungus still grow when lens kept in dry cabi which has almost constant humidity?? I certainly don't have this problem with my lens...
 

If it is humid, it may take a few weeks to grow fungus. But if some dehumidification is in place, eg silica gel, it may take months before fungus is visible.
 

Oops that seems like bad news for me cos I also stay near Toh Yi area. However, seems strange that fungus still grow when lens kept in dry cabi which has almost constant humidity?? I certainly don't have this problem with my lens...

The dry box isn't air tight, so when the dehumidifier isn't powered, the RH inside slowly rises. High RH + stagnant air is a better environment for fungus than high RH + constantly moving air, like on your desk near an open window.
 

Used to live close to East coast beach, no need to be long, few weeks it's took to take the fungus to find it's way to grow inside lens. From then $ well spend on electric dry cabinet rather than service centre....:bsmilie:
 

btw just curious . can i jus put silica gel in my bag only instead of a dry cab?my room no place to put already.bought my camera for 2 months leow now quite worried.:think::what:
 

btw just curious . can i jus put silica gel in my bag only instead of a dry cab?my room no place to put already.bought my camera for 2 months leow now quite worried.:think::what:

It's a short term solution. Unless you use your cam everyday, I wouldn't want to store my cam like that. Besides, once the gel is 'full' of water, then you have to either change it or restore it to its dry state - very troublesome.

You've spent at least over a thousand dollars on your equipment, what's another 100 odd to protect it?
 

hmm ... all my telescop equipment i just put in the box or bag.... so far have not seen fungus hmm ....my eye pieces still okay hmmm i wonder ......how long it will take haha
 

btw just curious . can i jus put silica gel in my bag only instead of a dry cab?my room no place to put already.bought my camera for 2 months leow now quite worried.:think::what:

get the cheapest dry cabinet...cost $100...cheaper then a trip to service centre for repair and perament damage to the opticals...
 

any picture to teach me how to see fungus?
 

i juz bought 1 today. 60L@S$166 including delivery. no free gifts though but 70L@185 got free cleaning kit and a tent for takin still life pic.
 

any picture to teach me how to see fungus?
I've got lots of lenses with dead fungus (etched). The best way to check is to use a high intensity light source like sunlight (careful though, you might cauterise your eye instead). Better to be using a halogen table lamp. Somehow flourecent, no matter how bright dosen't show the fungus as easily. When i checked with my halogen table lamp I could clearly see fungus all over the internal elements. When to shop to get it checked and the guy could not see anything. (Shop light is flourecent). So I told him to get a desk lamp and the fungus all appeared.
 

I've got lots of lenses with dead fungus (etched). The best way to check is to use a high intensity light source like sunlight (careful though, you might cauterise your eye instead). Better to be using a halogen table lamp. Somehow flourecent, no matter how bright dosen't show the fungus as easily. When i checked with my halogen table lamp I could clearly see fungus all over the internal elements. When to shop to get it checked and the guy could not see anything. (Shop light is flourecent). So I told him to get a desk lamp and the fungus all appeared.

thanks bro...
 

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