I have a Sony 400mm 2.8 on backorder and I'm wondering if I should get a dry cabinet or case for mold prevention.
How do you manage humidity when storing large telephoto lenses?
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not me...........
Subutai
Member
I do, but it's not necessary. If you have AC in your house and the humidity stays below 70% then you will have nothing to worry about. Fungus spores are on practically everything. It takes the right conditions for the spores to come out of their dormant state and to begin to grow.
70% for 3 days or more is all it takes for spores to start to come out of their slumber. However, as long as they are regularly exposed to levels below that (recommendation is 45% relative humidity) or UV light via the sun, the spores will not be able to grow and will never be a problem.
Most lenses that have fungal growth are old vintage lenses that are left in a garage or warm closet with little to no airflow which is basically the perfect conditions for fungi.
70% for 3 days or more is all it takes for spores to start to come out of their slumber. However, as long as they are regularly exposed to levels below that (recommendation is 45% relative humidity) or UV light via the sun, the spores will not be able to grow and will never be a problem.
Most lenses that have fungal growth are old vintage lenses that are left in a garage or warm closet with little to no airflow which is basically the perfect conditions for fungi.
In Alaska our inside humidity runs so low that it's not a problem. When I travel south I store my lenses in a drybag with desiccant packs. The desiccant changes color when no longer effective and is easily reconditioned in oven or microwave.
I do because I have a collection of old cameras. It gives me a convenient place to store them.
I have a 120L Ruggard cabinet purchased from B&H. I live a short distance from Lake Michigan and the humidity/dampness can be an issue. The cabinet also keeps my stuff out of multiple camera bags and allows me to pick and pack what I need for each day out. The cabineT does lower the humidity inside and it keeps the cats off my gear.
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Thanks for all the replies. Just the kind of information I was looking for. I live the Santa Barbara area where it's not all that humid. Taking the lenses out and using them regularly will probably keep them OK. Maybe I'll throw desiccant pack or 2 in my camera bags.
Waldo3
Member
All my gear is locked up in a massive browning gun safe which has a dehumidifier in it.
MikeJ
Well-known member
Some of mine is also locked in a giant fire-proof gun safe (sadly, 400mm and 600mm don't fit), but a dedicated cabinet has me wondering...
I live in western Wisconsin, near the WI/MN border. When I come back in from winter treks, I place my photo equipment in ziplock bags while I'm still out in the garage, before I bring them in the warm house. I usually leave them in for an hour or two. I'm wondering if a dry cabinet would make that step unnecessary?
Side benefit - more room for more guns! No one must ever let my wife know...
I’m in the uk. I wonder how many photographers here use a dry box or similar.
in London, and rage hum it’s is 70-92%
weather-and-climate.com
in London, and rage hum it’s is 70-92%
Check Humidity in London by Month | Accurate Insights
Get updates on average humidity in London by month. From the most humid month, November, to the least humid month, April, know everything
weather-and-climate.com
I have a large gun cabinet with two Browning heat sticks in it to keep the humidity low. Ambient room temperature is 72 deg F and the temperature in the cabinet is only a couple of degrees higher. Is your dehumidifier electronic as in the previously cited 120L Ruggard cabinet?
A Stack-On cordless dehumidifier works but it has to be recharged by plugging it in to the wall outlet fairly often.
Bill
I wrap my gear in soft bath towels when coming in from the cold and letting them warm up. Got this tip from a high end pro (can't remember who or when). The towels catch any condensation and avoid issues. Also do the towel wrap when taking gear from an air conditioned indoors to a humid, hot outdoors.Some of mine is also locked in a giant fire-proof gun safe (sadly, 400mm and 600mm don't fit), but a dedicated cabinet has me wondering...
I live in western Wisconsin, near the WI/MN border. When I come back in from winter treks, I place my photo equipment in ziplock bags while I'm still out in the garage, before I bring them in the warm house. I usually leave them in for an hour or two. I'm wondering if a dry cabinet would make that step unnecessary?
Side benefit - more room for more guns! No one must ever let my wife know...
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MikeJ
Well-known member
Interesting - I might have to try the towel idea! I have ONE giant ziplock back that barely fits my 400mm, doubt it would fit the 600mm.
The backordered Sony 400mm f/2.8 that started this discussion has shipped! It should be here Monday. I'm very excited.
luckmurph
Well-known member
I do and have learnt the hard way!! I live in Cornwall in the UK, in an old stone cottage, humidity in winter inside the house is around 75%
A few years ago i went to sell a couple of lenses and a camera body worth around £2500 and the company buying them found fungus inside and etched onto the glass s obviously wouldn't buy them! so they are now worthless!!
so having upwards of £16000 worth of cameras and lenses & with a Z9 on the way there's no way i want that to happen again so i have 2 dry cabinets set at 42% humidity
When i open the door the humidity shoots up to around 60% depending on how long the door is open!
So for me a definite need, i still periodically check my Equipment and fingers crossed alls good!
A few years ago i went to sell a couple of lenses and a camera body worth around £2500 and the company buying them found fungus inside and etched onto the glass s obviously wouldn't buy them! so they are now worthless!!
so having upwards of £16000 worth of cameras and lenses & with a Z9 on the way there's no way i want that to happen again so i have 2 dry cabinets set at 42% humidity
When i open the door the humidity shoots up to around 60% depending on how long the door is open!
So for me a definite need, i still periodically check my Equipment and fingers crossed alls good!
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Very interesting thread. Earlier I had been looking for some type of shelving or something to help store my lenses, especially my big telephotos, in part because one of my cats just knocked my 600f4 over causing damage to the VR. :-( I hadn't really been considering the humidity aspect, but I live about 70 yards from the Pacific Ocean and in a city nicknamed Fog City - humidity even indoors is often quite high. And while it's not entirely clear exactly what caused it, my D850 was recently declared "unrepairable" by Nikon due to corrosion damage. (I'm still annoyed with Nikon and their responses to my repair, but that's another story .... )
After reading this thread, I'm now seriously considering a Ruggard cabinet, which would solve both my cat problem and any potential humidity issues. Unfortunately, it's looking like to fit my long lenses and other equipment, I might be looking at the 600L. But compared to the cost of my equipment, that seems like a more than reasonable option.
One thing though, now I'm trying to puzzle through some of the physics - and I'm wondering if there will be any issues with grabbing my gear out of a low humidity environment and going right outside to a high humidity environment and starting to shoot.
After reading this thread, I'm now seriously considering a Ruggard cabinet, which would solve both my cat problem and any potential humidity issues. Unfortunately, it's looking like to fit my long lenses and other equipment, I might be looking at the 600L. But compared to the cost of my equipment, that seems like a more than reasonable option.
One thing though, now I'm trying to puzzle through some of the physics - and I'm wondering if there will be any issues with grabbing my gear out of a low humidity environment and going right outside to a high humidity environment and starting to shoot.
I commented above about wrapping a camera/lens in a towel when going from a cooler indoor to a moist warmer outdoors or a cold outdoor to a warmer damper indoor setting. The towel will trap the moisture until the camera/lens reach similar temps. Keeping the gear in a camera/lens case or bag when transporting gear would provide the same protection while allowing the gear to equalize temp. The wrap (towel.bar/case) will trap the moisture. It has worked for me in different climates.
Good info, thanks. Unfortunately I'm periodically in the situation where I look out the window, see something I want to take a picture of (whales, dolphins, unusual birds, unusual weather, beautiful sunset, etc), grab my camera, go out and immediately start shooting. No real time for acclimation.
I understand. I missed many shots when living in Saudi Arabia because of condensation when I went from the A/C house to the very hot outdoors. And no, it was not a dry heat because I lived on the Red Sea coast in Jeddah where it was hot and humid. Though some days, when working from home, I would put the camera outside, in the morning where I could see it and have it ready if the opportunity arose. Sometimes I just had to shoot through the patio door because there was no other way.
Johan P Strumpfer
New member
I have researched this over the last two years. In short if the ambient humidity is above 60% you can expect fungus to grow (and electronics) to corrode). I live less than 1 km from the sea and monitored my indoor humidity over the last winter (winter rainfall area). The humidity ranged from 60 to 80 or more %. My equipment vwas/is stored in safes with large bottles of silica gel which are reactivated weekly. From this coming winter Southern hemisphere) I will be using a dehumidifier and air cleaner combination (to catch spores) set to 45% humidity. Hopefully the in-cabinet dessicant will then last longer. Best thing I did was to monitor the indoor humidity over a long time. Using the dessicant started some years ago after detecting fungus on four lenses.
Keeping camera equipment/lenses inside a camera bag inside a safe guarantees fungus. Don't ask.
A long time photographer neighbor (i.e. same weather) of mine keeps his equipment in sealble plastic bags with a dessicant packet inside the bag.
Keeping camera equipment/lenses inside a camera bag inside a safe guarantees fungus. Don't ask.
A long time photographer neighbor (i.e. same weather) of mine keeps his equipment in sealble plastic bags with a dessicant packet inside the bag.
Drbobcameraguy
Active member
I do know fungus can spread. I'm sure you have researched it after your devastating fungal attack. I would definitely make sure there is no equipment with fungus in my dry cabinet
Roy
Well-known member
Although I've considered one its dry here so I've spent the money on more gear instead.
But I always dry off my gear before putting it back in the bags.
And all my bags have silicon packs to absorb moisture.
Fungus is the second worst cause of camera gear becoming useless right after dropping it...
Rohinton Mehta
Member
I know that some people -- for whatever reasons -- just don't like humidity controlled cabinets. I stay in Mumbai, India and I have several friends who have not kept their photo equipment in such humidity controlled cabinets and later, repented. I have four such cabinets for my equipment and never regretted.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not pack in too many items; leave enough room for the internal air to circulate.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not pack in too many items; leave enough room for the internal air to circulate.
ccirelli
Well-known member
My dry cabinet is one of the best pieces of gear I ever purchased - and it didn't cost a lot. Absolutely love it. So much easier than swapping gear that I'm not carrying that day between multiple bags, and safer than just placing things up on shelves.
This is the one I have, I paid $129 last December when it was on sale at B&H:
Ruggard EDC-50L Electronic Dry Cabinet (50L)
This is the one I have, I paid $129 last December when it was on sale at B&H:
Ruggard EDC-50L Electronic Dry Cabinet (50L)