How to protect a photographic gear against fungus?

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I live in a city near the sea where the relative humidity is sometimes very high.
I currently use a plastic box (with lid) with calcium chloride dehumidifier inside to store my cameras and lenses.
Are there any restrictions on using calcium chloride? What is the proper relative humidity range for storing photographic equipment?
Cheers,
Antonio.

[loosecanon]

I would use silica gel as a drying agent. Calcium Chloride is very effective as a drying agent, but will form a corrosive liquid which could leak onto equipment. Silica gel can readily be regenerated by heat, but not to high as it can degrade.

[Tedxo]

great job mane. I think that there are no restrictions on using calcium chloride

[rpcrowe]

I recommend using a small box or a locker rigged up with a very low power incandescent bulb at the bottom and with your gear on wire shelves above (to allow air flow). The power bulb is dependent on the size of the box or locker. I would use 15-20 watts for a small box and up to about a 40 watt bulb in a standing locker.

This is a total DIY project. Storage units like this are available commercially but, they are quite expensive. I would look around second hand or salvage stores to find a box or locker that would fit your gear, your wallet and your space restrictions.

Don't have the gear in actual contact with the bulb and protect the bulb from breaking.

BTW: the best humidity to store cameras is generally below 45 percent and even better below 35 percent. I don't think that you can get too low for storage....

[DanK]

I spend part of most summers in an area with extremely high humidity. I protect my gear by putting it in a watertight Pelican case with a few canisters of silica gel. I use Pelican silica gel canisters because the gel has a coloring that shows when it has become hydrated (sooner than you might think) and needs to be dried out in the oven.

How well does your plastic bin seal? Unless it is close to air-tight, the humidity will seep in. If you are going to use something like that, you might want to buy an inexpensive humidity meter and keep it visible in the bin.

I've never seen any data on how dry the air has to be to avoid fungus, mildew, etc. I keep our basement at 55%, and while I don't store my photo gear there, we have never had any mildew or other stuff growing there.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I would use silica gel as a drying agent. Calcium Chloride is very effective as a drying agent, but will form a corrosive liquid which could leak onto equipment. Silica gel can readily be regenerated by heat, but not to high as it can degrade.

Buying calcium chloride instead of silica gel is much easier for me, but I thank your advice on a possible leak of a corrosive liquid. I will install the calcium chloride dehumidifier inside a containment basin (all inside the plastic box).
Thanks,
Antonio

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I recommend using a small box or a locker rigged up with a very low power incandescent bulb at the bottom and with your gear on wire shelves above (to allow air flow). The power bulb is dependent on the size of the box or locker. I would use 15-20 watts for a small box and up to about a 40 watt bulb in a standing locker.

This is a total DIY project. Storage units like this are available commercially but, they are quite expensive. I would look around second hand or salvage stores to find a box or locker that would fit your gear, your wallet and your space restrictions.

Don't have the gear in actual contact with the bulb and protect the bulb from breaking.

BTW: the best humidity to store cameras is generally below 45 percent and even better below 35 percent. I don't think that you can get too low for storage....

Richard,
Thanks for your suggestions, but incandescent bulbs are no longer marketed in Brazil.
Cheers,
Antonio.

[Manfred M]

Richard,
Thanks for your suggestions, but incandescent bulbs are no longer marketed in Brazil.
Cheers,
Antonio.

The reason incandescent bulbs were used in the past is that were a cheap and easy to find source of heat. Any low wattage heat sources can be substituted for incandescent light bulbs. All one is trying to do is to raise the temperature of the storage box, which will in turn reduces the relative humidity.

A 20W compact fluorescent bulb will generate about the same amount of heat as a 20W tungsten bulb. Two will put out about the same amount of heat as a 40W bulb. Same idea for LED bulbs. Just get enough bulbs that add up to the same wattage as the incandescent bulbs that Richard recommended. Most of the heat comes from the power supply in the bulb's circuitry.

The problem with the water absorbing chemicals is that they eventually become saturated and no longer function and must be constantly monitord. Electric heat does not have this drawback and should work more quickly.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I spend part of most summers in an area with extremely high humidity. I protect my gear by putting it in a watertight Pelican case with a few canisters of silica gel. I use Pelican silica gel canisters because the gel has a coloring that shows when it has become hydrated (sooner than you might think) and needs to be dried out in the oven.

How well does your plastic bin seal? Unless it is close to air-tight, the humidity will seep in. If you are going to use something like that, you might want to buy an inexpensive humidity meter and keep it visible in the bin.

I've never seen any data on how dry the air has to be to avoid fungus, mildew, etc. I keep our basement at 55%, and while I don't store my photo gear there, we have never had any mildew or other stuff growing there.

I did a performance test of the dehumidifier box. The results are shown in the following images and table (and graphics) below. After 36 hours and 36 minutes, I got 39% Relative Humidity.
Cheers,
Antonio.

The initial conditions were 70% Relative Humidity and 23.6 ºC (74.5 ºF).

[Manfred M]

I did a performance test of the dehumidifier box. The results are shown in the following images and table (and graphics) below. After 36 hours and 36 minutes, I got 39% relative humidity.
Cheers,
Antonio.

The initial conditions were 70% Relative Humidity and 23.6 ºC (74.5 ºF).

As these chemicals absorb more moisture, their ability to do so decreases until they reach a point where there will be no effect on the humidity in the box. It would be an interesting experiment to do a long term study to see how much the efficiency of the unit drops off over time.

I'm into my camera gear quite frequently, often daily, so in my case this system would not work well as I would introduce new moist air several time a day when I am busy shooting.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Manfred,
Cameras that are often used are not attacked by fungi and so do not need special care in that regard. I keep in the box only the cameras and lenses I'm not using.
I think it's a good idea to do a long-term study and I'll try to do it.
Cheers,
Antonio.

[ccphoto]

Since I tend to stay in the southern regions of the USA, I get humidity ranges in the summer months from 70% to 100% and often at the top end of the scale without a cloud in sight. I am far more worried about my gear outside than inside where I keep my temperature around 76F and humidity in pretty much the 50% range without any special lockers.

According to the techs at Nikon, it takes three or four years for mold to affect the lens or sensor quality and I rarely keep a camera for more than 2 years so its never been an issue for me.

[DanK]

Since I tend to stay in the southern regions of the USA, I get humidity ranges in the summer months from 70% to 100% and often at the top end of the scale without a cloud in sight. I am far more worried about my gear outside than inside where I keep my temperature around 76F and humidity in pretty much the 50% range without any special lockers.

According to the techs at Nikon, it takes three or four years for mold to affect the lens or sensor quality and I rarely keep a camera for more than 2 years so its never been an issue for me.

I think the issue arises when the indoor space is not air conditioned and has the same humidity as the outside. I live on the east coast, so humidity is often high in the summer, but I have never bothered with any special storage at home and just leave everything in a cabinet because when the weather is really bad, the house is air conditioned. However, I spend some of each summer in an area that is extremely humid, and I stay in a little house that has no air conditioning. In that setting, the relative humidity is higher when the gear is inside at night, rather than lower. There I do store the gear in a sealed container (a Pelican case) with a couple of canisters of silica gel, which I dehydrate in a toaster oven when the colorant shows it to be hydrated.

[rpcrowe]

I "think" that the cement used on modern lenses is not as readily impacted by fungi as was the cement used for older camera lenses...

I "know" that the leather often used in days gone by for straps, camera cases, and camera body coverings was a breeding ground for fungus... It worries me that some retro camera outfit make use of leather for straps and half cases...

[Manfred M]

The "issue" arises when the conditions (temperature and humidity) are at a level that promote mould growth. It doesn't matter whether the equipment is being used or not. Hot and humid are ideal. Camera equipment, especially zoom lenses, move a lot of air during the zooming process, which can get pumped into the mirror / sensor chamber. This is how the mould spores get into things. Mould by itself cannot propagate without nutrients. They seem to be able to use just about any organic compound as a food source, so the adhesives and lubricants used in cameras are one area of concern, although anti-fungus additives can control this to some extent. Another source of nutrients will be organic matter that enters the equipment along with the air, pollen and other organic particulate matter (pollutants) are the issue. If I recall correctly, relative humidity above 50% and ambient temperatures above 24C (75F) were problematic. Lower temperatures (non-condensing) and lower relative humidity levels are best.

Back in my university days, I remember covering off some of this material in my thermodynamics courses (heating, air conditioning and airflow design). ASHRAE (America Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Engineers) did publish guidelines for things like this, but I no longer have these materials (which would be quite outdated too; that was over 40 years ago).

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I know it's a controversial issue, but ABSORTECH (manufacturer of Calcium Chloride products) claims that Calcium Chloride is a superior choice to Silica Gel.
http://www.absortech.jp/eng/download...silica-eng.pdf

[DanK]

I know it's a controversial issue, but ABSORTECH (manufacturer of Calcium Chloride products) claims that Calcium Chloride is a superior choice to Silica Gel.
http://www.absortech.jp/eng/download...silica-eng.pdf

If you use their products:

“Absorpole and Absortop both trap water in a membrane-protected chamber, which prevents captured water from spilling or re- evaporating into the surrounding air.”


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[rpcrowe]

I found this on beyondphotography.com.my

I suspect that is may be available in regions other than Malaysia...

http://beyondphotography.com.my/prod...t+Aipo+AP-68EX

[Antonio Correia]

I do have photographic equipment varying between 50 years old and recent. The older Olympus Pen and the Rolleicord, are all OK. The not so old 1974 Nikon camera and lenses are also in good conditions.

I found this thread to be quite interesting, after all...
I have looked for a chamber and found one at my usual photo supplier even if my home is not humid as it is warmed in winter time, but I think this is a good, pratical and smart solution.

I have to begin by getting a reader like Antônio, so I can have a clue about the conditions at home.

Then I will made my mind. Thanks Antônio !