feb104 from Lloyd Erlick,
On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 08:31:30 -0600, John
wrote:
...
My questions are as follows;
1) Is there an authoritative guide to lens care ?
I'm sure there is; I'm commenting on your other questions ...
2) Does high heat levels cause lens separation ?
I'd be very surprised if heat from weather on planet earth would do
this. I'm only going on Shirley's word, here, though -- surely the
manufacturers would make sure their lenses survive tropical
conditions.
3) Can the environment around the lens be too dry ?
Probably, but you might not want to pay for the electricity to achieve
it...
4) Would the inclusion of a fluorescent lamp in the humidor produce
enough UV to stop any fungus ?
I'd be surprised if this helped significantly. Mildew is a prime
suspect, and it is essentially stopped by dryness. Spores are
everywhere always, part of the dust we breathe, so we can only control
the conditions in which they might or might not grow. (Or, make your
home a clean room. Send your kids away...).
5) Are there any other concerns I should have ?
Humidity and temperature are the keys. Toxics and radiation, well, if
you must.
I've seen silica gel in the supermarket, sold as an odor absorber,
near the cat supplies. In two kilogram containers, for under ten
bucks. Pack it up in some sort of small metal containers suitable for
putting inside lens containers, and store the lenses nice and dry. You
could rotate your numerous packs of gel after drying them in the oven.
Maybe make a double system by putting the lenses in their individual
containers with gel packs into a larger humidor (great term!) that is
also airtight and full of dessicant.
My darkroom was in a basement for decades, and I never had it air
conditioned (never had mildew in my lenses, either, although it did
get the bottom drawer of my clothes, the most distant point from the
dehumidifier). I used a dehumidifier in the wet season. It had nowhere
near the elecrical draw of an a/c, and in fact was the tool that made
it possible for me to utilize the square footage downstairs, so it was
justified. I'd even go so far as to say use two dehumidifiers if the
space is even slightly large. The electrical cost will not be that
much greater, because each machine will run a bit less; the 'dryness'
will be more evenly distributed, though. (Obviously a dehumidifier
needs to run all the time, not just when you're there...).
My best advice to protect lenses is to have a relatively tight room
and run a dehumidifier in it. It's not that expensive.
And -- the lecture continues -- a relative humidity (RH) readout
device is a necessity. I've seen them for fairly little money at Radio
Shack. Usually it will show the time and temperature as well as the
relative humidity (spend the extra for the one with the extra large
letters, plus the date and day of the week, and the messages from your
mother). It provides the feedback necessary for your brain to direct
your hand in the adjustment of the little control knob on the
dehumidifier. This is essential, but cheap. (Also a necessity in the
dry season, when I have to run my humidifier...).
An even longer treatment of this subject appears on my website, under
the 'technical' heading of the table of contents.
regards,
--le
ps - a point to consider is that mildew seems to like sealed, or at
least closed, containers. Perhaps because there is no air movement
inside, and the slightest trace of moisture never goes away. Maybe
your humidor should have an air circulator, maybe filtered. (Bring the
air out of the humidor, incinerate it, cool it, circulate back to
humidor.) (Make it a walk-in.) (Rent me a room in it.)
pps - part of the reason I know some of this is that I know someone
who is sensitive to mildew and moulds. In his case, exposure to mildew
and leaf mould causes personality alteration. Not for the better,
either. Spores, mould, mildew - real fun guys.
_______________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits,
2219 Gerrard Street East, unit #1,
Toronto M4E 2C8 Canada.
---
voice 416-686-0326
http://www.heylloyd.com
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