Keeping Lens safe from Humidity

[hifisiao]

I have thought about it and wonder if anyone keeps their lens in zipbloc bags before they stores it in their dry box or cabinets?

The rationale is that since the zipbloc bags are air-sealed, it acts as an additional protection apart from the dry box. For example, if the silica gel is worn out or that my dry box is not exactly tight, the sealed zipbloc will still keep my lens safe from humidity.

Maybe if zipbloc bags works, I dun even need to store the lens in the dry box or cabinets???

Opinions please. Thanks

 

[yyD70S]

I have thought about it and wonder if anyone keeps their lens in zipbloc bags before they stores it in their dry box or cabinets?

The rationale is that since the zipbloc bags are air-sealed, it acts as an additional protection apart from the dry box. For example, if the silica gel is worn out or that my dry box is not exactly tight, the sealed zipbloc will still keep my lens safe from humidity.

Maybe if zipbloc bags works, I dun even need to store the lens in the dry box or cabinets???

Opinions please. Thanks

Am not sure but I think it defeats the purpose.

I usually don't mix and match too. IE, I don't keep lens hood, flash, etc inside the dry cabinet; camera bodies separated from the lenses. There's a reason why the recommended humidity setting is between 40%-55% - too high and we all know it doesn't serve the intended purpose; too low (and this may occur when you put the body/lens in the zipbloc) and the oil/grease, etc in your camera body may all dry up (don't flame up; just my intuition).

I use the zipbloc only on travels; e.g. in the hotel room, I keep it overnight in the zipbloc in the hotel room safebox... but even then I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do.

Just me thoughts. Experts... pls chip in.

 

[Bernard Ong]

When i first started my photography hobby, i used a ziplop bag and dumped a sock filled with silica gel into it. It worked pretty fine for me.

 

[vince123123]

Assuming that your ziploc bag is 100% sealed (which is the reason why you're using it), when you seal your camera into the ziploc bag prior to putting into the cabinet, you are also sealing in existing moisture and spores from the enviroment - your dry cabinet cannot remove the moisture in the bag and accordingly, you may have a little breeding bag of spores and fungus within a dry enviroment - think of it as building a colony dome for humans in Mars.

I have thought about it and wonder if anyone keeps their lens in zipbloc bags before they stores it in their dry box or cabinets?

The rationale is that since the zipbloc bags are air-sealed, it acts as an additional protection apart from the dry box. For example, if the silica gel is worn out or that my dry box is not exactly tight, the sealed zipbloc will still keep my lens safe from humidity.

Maybe if zipbloc bags works, I dun even need to store the lens in the dry box or cabinets???

Opinions please. Thanks

 

[blive]

Is your camera only for storage and viewing? Nowadays, equipment are made to withstand some abuse. the best way to keep your stuff in good working condition is to maintain them properly and use it more regularly.

So just take out your camera and equipment, go and shoot more, and worry less!

Most of the time, my D50 is in my bag ready to go out for shoots. My F65 is now sitting in the dry cabinet, but it used to be in my bag most of the time, and I don't have any problems with fungus on both camera and lenses at all, even now.

 

[pigs_can_fly]

Am not sure but I think it defeats the purpose.

I usually don't mix and match too. IE, I don't keep lens hood, flash, etc inside the dry cabinet; camera bodies separated from the lenses. There's a reason why the recommended humidity setting is between 40%-55% - too high and we all know it doesn't serve the intended purpose; too low (and this may occur when you put the body/lens in the zipbloc) and the oil/grease, etc in your camera body may all dry up (don't flame up; just my intuition).

I use the zipbloc only on travels; e.g. in the hotel room, I keep it overnight in the zipbloc in the hotel room safebox... but even then I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do.

Just me thoughts. Experts... pls chip in.

You don't really need to keep in a dry box or ziploc bag when in the hotel room. Just keep the aircon running, your cameras will be ok. The humidity in airconditioned environment is usually between 40%-60%.

Depending on where you visit, not every part of the world is like Singapore where the humidity is around 70%-80%.

 

[espn]

I just love these threads :bsmilie:

Another one on thirsty hippo will appear again, then another one on tupperware, then back to ziploc again... :bsmilie:

 

[JediForce4ever]

For hotels, I just put straight into safe.No fungus will grow in the Aircon.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

For hotels, I just put straight into safe.No fungus will grow in the Aircon.

real anot.. my room 24/7 on air-con, so dun buy dry cabi, dio fungus, i can sue u anot... :think:

 

[JediForce4ever]

real anot.. my room 24/7 on air-con, so dun buy dry cabi, dio fungus, i can sue u anot... :think:

Quite true...Becos CP, and all Camera shops got no Drybox.From what I heard, aircon there is kept low 24/7.

 

[blive]

I just love these threads :bsmilie:

Another one on thirsty hippo will appear again, then another one on tupperware, then back to ziploc again... :bsmilie:

:thumbsup: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: Yeah, you have been around long enough to see these threads popping up again and again.

 

[espn]

:thumbsup: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: Yeah, you have been around long enough to see these threads popping up again and again.

*cough cough* I tiko.. erm I mean ah pek liao you know

 

[earthlings]

To me, as long as I can keep humidity low, any method is find especially when one travel overseas.

 

[hifisiao]

Maybe like what another forumer said, put some silica gel inside the zipbloc bag too. How to know if the bag is sealed or not? I suppose if the silica gel wears out real fast is already indication that the bag is screwed?

Assuming that your ziploc bag is 100% sealed (which is the reason why you're using it), when you seal your camera into the ziploc bag prior to putting into the cabinet, you are also sealing in existing moisture and spores from the enviroment - your dry cabinet cannot remove the moisture in the bag and accordingly, you may have a little breeding bag of spores and fungus within a dry enviroment - think of it as building a colony dome for humans in Mars.

 

[blive]

To me, as long as I can keep humidity low, any method is find especially when one travel overseas.

Well, when I travel, I don't even worry about humidity, cause I will be busy trying to take photos. Other times, I keep in my camera bag and clean the lenses & cam body regularly.:vhappy:

 

[kitkat]

real anot.. my room 24/7 on air-con, so dun buy dry cabi, dio fungus, i can sue u anot... :think:

"Generally" , the humidity is lower in air con room as the eveporator coil condenses water vapor from the process air, removing the water vapor from the space and thereby lower the relative humidity. Whether all air con room humidity is similar as the dry cab setting (40%-60%) , it is hard to say.

 

[SilentWave]

IMO it defeats the purpose of using a dry box if you store your lenses in Ziploc bags. If you buy a good dry box to start with and especially if the dry box is stored in an air-conditioned room, you should not need to worry about doing extra things when storing your photography gear.

 

[JediForce4ever]

"Generally" , the humidity is lower in air con room as the eveporator coil condenses water vapor from the process air, removing the water vapor from the space and thereby lower the relative humidity. Whether all air con room humidity is similar as the dry cab setting (40%-60%) , it is hard to say.

Also, if the room is kept at a low temperature, fungus wont grow...But i dunno how cold is cold.

 

[pigs_can_fly]

real anot.. my room 24/7 on air-con, so dun buy dry cabi, dio fungus, i can sue u anot... :think:

First of all, you have to understand that fungus will only grow in a certain condition. The air-conditioner (itself), is a big dehumidifier. So, the humidity will be low (40%-60%).

Try getting a hygrometer and measure the humidity in your room.

If you have an attached bathroom and you just came out from the a bathe, the humidity might increase. It will drop after a while once the air-con starts liquidifying the moisure from the air. The so-called "air-con water" is actually the liquidified moisure from your room.

Hospitals, Data Centres, Art Galleries, etc keeps their humidity using air-conditioners. Sometimes, these centres refer it to "Climate Control". Essentially, it's playing around with temperature and humidity.

You don't really need a dry box if you are able to keep your humidity within control in a room using any method.

Hope this explains.

 

[blive]

But he wants to sue if he kena fungus due to your advice??? Is he paying you for advice?