The Cheapo Way for Beating Fungus to your Lens


limwsv

New Member
Jul 19, 2011
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I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.
 

save $2 a day, in 3 months u can get a dry cabinet
 

u want to spend $100 odd to buy a proper dry cabinet, or u want to risk your precious lenses to get fungus and costy u a hefty sum to repair it? Do your sums.

for me i definitely wun want to save that $100 odd to protect my lenses which costs over $5k.
 

limwsv said:
I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.

Too leceh. Everytime need to keep lens have to bring out vacuum. If bag tear still have to spend money to get new one. Dry cabinet just open door, put in and close door. Prefer dry cabinet any day
 

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I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.

Are you sure about this claim of yours that partial vacuum = low humidity as well?

Furthermore, such bags aren't exactly airtight. Over some time you will see that air will leak into the bag somehow. And voila... fungus grows on your lenses.

Just save up and get a dry cabinet.
 

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I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.

so troublesome every time u want to access your equipment :what: keeping back after u use is another chore...

i may be paranoid here but i find the vacuum cleaner nozzle quite dirty also... wait kena dust on sensor even more troublesome.
 

I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.

The word partial vacuum is subjective. What you have is probably a few psi atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is about 760mm or 14.7psi, the vac may put you a few psi below, its a long way from zero.

Additionally, you have created compressive forces where the bag contacts the camera since the inside is at a lower pressure. Careful it doesn't distort anything. A 1 psi pressure difference over 1 square inch surface (25mm x 25mm) is 1 lb or 500g. If you get 5psi, you get 5 lbs or 2.5kg acting on a 25x25mm space.

The humidity may not be lower, its a percentage of moisture vs air. True that the moisture content is lower, so is the air content, as a ratio its still the same unless you extract moisture while leaving the air behind.
 

I suspect that your suggestion might actually work to a degree, even though it is a bit of a hassle. There are vacuum boxes available on the market for photographic gear. I remember one from a few years ago in which you sealed the box, then repeatedly pressed a plunger on the lid to pump out the air (there was a built-in pressure gauge). Relative humidity might not go down, but absolute humidity would, and I think that would be more important. Plus the fact that most fungi (not all) need oxygen to grow.
BUT, there is a possibility that storing your gear in a partial vacuum may increase the rate of evaporation of the lubricants inside. This will eventually lead to a thin film of lubricant being deposited on all the surfaces, which would be especially bad for lenses.

Oh yeah, and what qystan said about compressive forces may be significant too -- in a rigid vacuum box, the pressure inside and outside your gear is the same, therefore no stress. The walls of the vacuum box take the strain. In your setup, the plastic bag is in direct contact with your gear and does not absorb any of the strain.
 

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There was a Damp Chaser product. It's a heater rod like those you find in pianos.

Stick it in the cupboard and the warmth keeps things dry. Downside is the elevated temps isn't good for batteries.

Books used to grow fungus n mold every year end. Used the heater n problem went away. Also stored a pair of 7x25 bino and a 90mm scope and eye pieces in it. Been like 10 years, no fungus, rubber parts are also ok.

Got a dry cabinet since I restarted photography last year. Now all the optics live there. It's cooler.
 

If the air was humid then the remaining air left in the bag should also have water in it. So how does it make a difference?
 

I have found a cheapo way to prevent fungus. And all it cost is a bit of electricity and a locknlock vacuum bag.

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water

- Put camera and lens in locknlock vacuum bag.
- Suck out as much of the air as possible.
- Voila, don't think fungus can grow in partial vacuum and low humidity.

BTW.... trying to find out if the camera lens has lubricants that will dry out in the bag. However, since I take the camera and lens out once in a while... maybe I can get away with it.
I have heard people using silicon gel, thirsty hippo, rice, charcoal, also got vacuum bag, you are not the first one.

tho the efforts on these is applaudable, but there already have a device design for us, is very convenient and affordable, it is call Dry Cabinet.

we should put our energy and creativity in something more useful and relevant to us, like taking photos.
 

(1) Humidity is water in the air.
(2) No air = No water
Sorry, but that's simply wrong. The air is just one possible carrier of water vapor. Water vapor can also exist without air (have a look into space), then bound to other carriers.
Your method only removes a big portion of the air; a smaller portion remains inside, including the humidity. Both are trapped, stagnant .. perfect for fungus to grow. At least you could put in a small bag of Silica gel as it is done when preparing goods for shipping using this method. And: You don't create a vacuum, it's only a slightly lower air pressure.
Have you really compared the costs of a dry cabinet and your method? Including all purchases? I doubts so..
 

y so stingy? You can afford to spend $1000+ camera and more for lens but scrimp on dry cabinet...Are the body and lens you selling kept in the way you described??
 

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A cheap way is sun them every few days. But remember to keep before it rains.;p
:bsmilie:
Believe most have seem how medical halls do this to prevent their herb from turning mouldy.:D
 

Your cheapo way might become the most expensive way. Its false economy to spend thousands on camera equipment only to scrimp on something that cost less than a hundred dollars.