Should I worry about humidity

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

Get yourself a cheap workable Tupperware box. Throw in some Silica Gel
crystals. Store your digicam inside the box when not in use. That will kepp
the fungus out of your lens.


"Matt Silberstein" wrote in message
om...
I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

Get yourself a cheap workable Tupperware box. Throw in some Silica Gel
crystals. Store your digicam inside the box when not in use. That will kepp
the fungus out of your lens.


"Matt Silberstein" wrote in message
om...
I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

(Matt Silberstein) writes:

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am

I take photos on tropical islands. Going from an air conditioned hotel room
into hot, humid air makes for condensation on the surfaces. If you have the
lens uncovered, you'll get a fine mist on its surface, too.

concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

No, I've had that problem. Generally, I'd expect the condensation to be on
the surface, but I was taking photos with a Nikon FG in 100% humidity, and
the camera locked up. Taking it back to the motel and leaving it open in
the room for awhile brought it back to life. My assumption is that some
moisture got into the printed circuits. I don't know what effect that would
have on a digital camera, and I don't think New York days will be that bad,
but I have no clue what kind of seals your camera has.

My suggestion is to take it out into the heat and humidity in its case and
let it warm up to something like ambient temperature before taking it
out. The issue would be condensation, and if you've got equalized temps,
that should not happen.
--
Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed
Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@
http://www.PhilipStripling.com/ | my domain is read daily.

Phil Stripling wrote in message ...
(Matt Silberstein) writes:

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am

I take photos on tropical islands. Going from an air conditioned hotel room
into hot, humid air makes for condensation on the surfaces. If you have the
lens uncovered, you'll get a fine mist on its surface, too.

concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

No, I've had that problem. Generally, I'd expect the condensation to be on
the surface, but I was taking photos with a Nikon FG in 100% humidity, and
the camera locked up. Taking it back to the motel and leaving it open in
the room for awhile brought it back to life. My assumption is that some
moisture got into the printed circuits. I don't know what effect that would
have on a digital camera, and I don't think New York days will be that bad,
but I have no clue what kind of seals your camera has.

My suggestion is to take it out into the heat and humidity in its case and
let it warm up to something like ambient temperature before taking it
out. The issue would be condensation, and if you've got equalized temps,
that should not happen.

I had worried more about decay that simply having a problem shooting
at that moment, but your advice is reasonable either way.

Phil Stripling wrote in message ...
(Matt Silberstein) writes:

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am

I take photos on tropical islands. Going from an air conditioned hotel room
into hot, humid air makes for condensation on the surfaces. If you have the
lens uncovered, you'll get a fine mist on its surface, too.

concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

No, I've had that problem. Generally, I'd expect the condensation to be on
the surface, but I was taking photos with a Nikon FG in 100% humidity, and
the camera locked up. Taking it back to the motel and leaving it open in
the room for awhile brought it back to life. My assumption is that some
moisture got into the printed circuits. I don't know what effect that would
have on a digital camera, and I don't think New York days will be that bad,
but I have no clue what kind of seals your camera has.

My suggestion is to take it out into the heat and humidity in its case and
let it warm up to something like ambient temperature before taking it
out. The issue would be condensation, and if you've got equalized temps,
that should not happen.

I had worried more about decay that simply having a problem shooting
at that moment, but your advice is reasonable either way.

Phil Stripling wrote in message ...
(Matt Silberstein) writes:

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am

I take photos on tropical islands. Going from an air conditioned hotel room
into hot, humid air makes for condensation on the surfaces. If you have the
lens uncovered, you'll get a fine mist on its surface, too.

concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

No, I've had that problem. Generally, I'd expect the condensation to be on
the surface, but I was taking photos with a Nikon FG in 100% humidity, and
the camera locked up. Taking it back to the motel and leaving it open in
the room for awhile brought it back to life. My assumption is that some
moisture got into the printed circuits. I don't know what effect that would
have on a digital camera, and I don't think New York days will be that bad,
but I have no clue what kind of seals your camera has.

My suggestion is to take it out into the heat and humidity in its case and
let it warm up to something like ambient temperature before taking it
out. The issue would be condensation, and if you've got equalized temps,
that should not happen.

I had worried more about decay that simply having a problem shooting
at that moment, but your advice is reasonable either way.

"Hornbill" wrote in message ...
Get yourself a cheap workable Tupperware box. Throw in some Silica Gel
crystals. Store your digicam inside the box when not in use. That will kepp
the fungus out of your lens.

Thanks. I had not even thought of fungus. (I admit I try very hard to
avoid thinking about fungus.)

"Matt Silberstein" wrote in message
om...
I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

"Hornbill" wrote in message ...
Get yourself a cheap workable Tupperware box. Throw in some Silica Gel
crystals. Store your digicam inside the box when not in use. That will kepp
the fungus out of your lens.

Thanks. I had not even thought of fungus. (I admit I try very hard to
avoid thinking about fungus.)

"Matt Silberstein" wrote in message
om...
I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?

When visiting Kauai I purchased some desiccant packs (in plastic) at a
local camera shop. I stored the camera and lenses in sealed ziplock bags
with desiccant in each bag. This had the additional advantage of helping
to protect the gear from sudden downpours that chased us around the
island during our stay.

Yes the humidity is a killer and I didn't want to risk fungus in any of
my camera gear. Our beach towels left to 'dry' outside smelled like gym
lockers in about an hour.

(Of course the condensation does have its advantages -- when we had
drinks on the lanai the cold drinks quickly formed puddles of
condensation. Soon we were beset upon by thirsty geckos that actually
climbed onto the sides of the glasses and lapped up the water. At first
we thought they were some sub-species of alcoholic geckos that were
stalking our mai tais, but it was only the water they were interested in.)

The desiccant packs I purchased are the type that turn pink when the
desiccant is saturated, and you can recycle them in a microwave oven
(carefully). When recycled the desiccant turns blue.

Pretty cool if you ask me! I think I will store my gear this way all the
time. (and dont forget to check the desiccant periodically. Gear stored
in a ziplock bag with a saturated desiccant package would probably be
destroyed faster than gear left in free air).

Steve



Matt Silberstein wrote:
"Hornbill" wrote in message ...

Get yourself a cheap workable Tupperware box. Throw in some Silica Gel
crystals. Store your digicam inside the box when not in use. That will kepp
the fungus out of your lens.


Thanks. I had not even thought of fungus. (I admit I try very hard to
avoid thinking about fungus.)


"Matt Silberstein" wrote in message
.com...

I know enough to keep my camera (Sony 707) out of the rain, but I have
started to wonder about humidity. It gets pretty damp here in NYC in
the summer, should I avoid taking it out when it is high humidty? I am
concerned about the camera, not on how humidity might affect photos? I
figure there I won't have sharp temp changes, so I won't get
condensation, but the moisture might affect the electronics anyway. Am
I getting paranoid?