EOS bodies/lenses & Extreme humidity

[hugh_hill]

<p>Does anyone know how I can protect my lenses/camera from extreme humidity/condensation.as I will be travelling soon to a jungle climate that is very tropical & humid. I believe that if I am not to careful this could later lead to serious issues especially with fungus.<br>

Does anyone here know how best to avoided this if so please share.<br>

Thank you</p>

<p>Hugh</p>

<p> </p>

[peter_e]

<p>When your eye glasses or windows fog up, that is condensation. It is not restricted to the tropics. You get it on any foggy or rainy day on a surface that is colder than the air. Simply avoid that the camera/lens is colder than the ambient temperature, e.g. by taking the equipment from an airconditioned room outside. If you have to do this, place the camera into a sealed plastic bag until the camera has warmed up.</p>

[zml]

<p>Use your equipment (esp. expose it to the sun) and you'll be fine unless your stuff is stored in a very dark and damp/humid place for a long time. </p>

<p>Few places on Earth get as humid and hot as Washington D.C. in July/August and somehow we don't have a "fungus on every lens" situation here... Also, I routinely shoot in hot, humid - and often inclement - weather (Central America, the Caribbean, etc.) w/o any issues. Just take common sense precautions (like not exposing your equipment to salt water, rain, etc., all the time and drying/cleaning it as soon as practical if the stuff gets wet/damp...) but the exact dos and don'ts depend on the quality of your equipment (and your insurance...)</p>

[paddler4]

<p>You might want to consider storing the equipment when unused in a sealed container and including lots of silica gel. I do this in the summer when I spend time in a very humid environment, using a Pelican case. I have no idea whether it is necessary, but it lets me not worry about it, and I have to store the stuff somewhere anyway.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

I live in the tropics and daily humidity is typically 80-90%. yesterday it was 97%. During the past 20 years I've never

had fungus or mold problems with EOS gear. I actually lived next to the jungle for years and, other than lots of critters

and daily rain bothering me, my gear was fine. I stored them in camera bags and used them regularly.

[arie_vandervelden1]

<p>If you're traveling for a month or two, don't worry about it.</p>

<p>If you're going to be located permanently in a humid environment then designing a drying system (dry cabinet, silica gel etc) is a good idea.</p>

[jim_h.2]

<p>Yes , use silica gel and I have a whole cut in my foam storage in my lock cases for the lens and cameras and so far this has worked for me, I take a box of baking soda and puncture the box with needle size wholes all over the top and about 1 inch down the side and the baking soda absorbs the humidity and I carry 3 cameras and about 8 lens that way , and I have been shooting down in the Georgia and Florida swamp that way for the last 3 years I even do that with my laptop, and whether Ive just been lucky or not , I have yet have any fogging or errors on the cameras, with you being in the jungles the humidity is super high so , if you have any power source for fans etc, i would try and open the cases at night and fan dry the equipment, and of course avoid extreme changes of climate that happen within minutes, which can be a tough one with the rain that occurs in jungles, I also put the rubber weather kits that are available for the cameras to help in the sand and extra humid weather,</p>

[William Michael]

<p>Long discussion here, which ends in agreement and lots of other information along the way: <a href="../canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Xbi4">http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Xbi4</a><br />Summary: You need airflow & sunlight. If you use Bags and Silica gel - you need to regularly check & dry the gels.</p>

<p>I have had a few problems with what I conclude is battery contacts / lens contacts upon exiting air-conditioned airports, into humid hot air – a wipe usually fixes.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p> </p>

[hugh_hill]

<p>Guy's what can I say, this is what makes Photo.net the best photographers website out there, it's not just the beautiful pictures or abundance of information but the people like you committed to helping one another for the passion of the art.<br>

I'd like to thank each and everyone of you and hope that this Christmas is a happy & special time for you and all those you hold dear.<br>

Regards</p>

<p>Hugh </p>

[yoshio]

<p>>Few places on Earth get as humid and hot as Washington D.C.</p>

<p>except of course most of the equator regions such as Indonesia or New Guinea or perhaps Northern Australia</p>

<p>to the OP if you are just traveling it will be fine. If you have the chance to visit air conditioning now and then your gear will "dry out" nicely.</p>

<p>A good test is to put cold water in a glass and observe condensation. If it becomes wet and water runs off the outside fast, pooling around the base within a few minutes then its really a saturated moisture environment (like south east asia is). For extended life in this situation an air conditioned room or cabinet for storage is ideal.</p>

<p>HTH</p>

[hugh_hill]

<p>Thank you kindly Yoshio,<br>

For this test of which I am sure to use once in the ideal location to do so, at the moment sadly London is not one of them. <br>

HEH</p>