Should You Keep Your Camera Gear In A Dry Cabinet?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 เม.ย. 2020
- In this video I describe what is meant by relative humidity and take a look at my dry cabinet, which is an essential piece of equipment if you live in a hot, humid climate. In some countries it isn't necessary to use a dry cabinet. If you're not sure whether to get one or not, this video will hopefully help you to decide.
When I made the video I honestly thought my dry cabinet was 90 litres, but it's actually 120 litres! Sorry about that misleading piece of information, but what I had to say applies as much to a 120l version as it does to a 90l version. My cabinet brand is Ailite, but regardless of the manufacturer I think they are all generally the same. It has a three year guarantee and whenever manufacturers offer a guarantee this long they must be very confident that it isn't going to go wrong quickly. I've been using mine since June 2017 and there hasn't been a single problem so far.
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When I made the video I was convinced that my cabinet was 90 litres, but it's actually 120 litres! I apologise for this, but it doesn't alter any of the information in the video. Whatever the size of the cabinet, they all work the same way. As I suggest in the video, when deciding on size go for something larger than you think you need.
Thanks a lot for this very informational video, Phil! It’s a great resource for those considering a dry cabinet purchase.
Apart from the fact I got the size wrong! Never mind, what I said still applies whether it's 90 or 120 litres. Many thanks for your kind comment!
I'm in Sydney Australia and on average, we have double the rainfall of London each year, which surprises, most people. Fungus in camera lenses, is a big problem in Sydney. I have lost thousands of dollars to lens damage, thanks to fungus in Sydney. I am now building my own dry box. Thanks for your video.
I had no idea that Sydney was that wet. I always think of Aus as being very hot and dry. Building your own dry box is an interesting project. I guess that it shouldn't be too difficult. You just need a hermetically sealed cabinet, and I believe you can buy Peltier dehumidifiers online from places like ALI Express. My original dry box (the one in this video) started to play up recently after 7 years of use. I'm hoping to fix it, as the cabinet is still perfect, but in the meantime I bought a new ShutterB 160 liter unit. Good luck with your project!
@@PhilUKNet Yes it's a big country with different types of climates. We get lots of rain along the Great Dividing range, that runs for thousands of kilometres up the east coast of Australia. We get snow in the summer from time to time, plenty of snow in the winter, floods, droughts and cyclones. As a mater of fact it's raining in Sydney right now and it's been raining for a few days. The prediction is for another month of rain. Hence our terrible problem with fungus. I am married to a Thai lady that I met in Australia and I also love to visit Thailand. Thanks for your reply.
@@CamperKev Thanks for the info! Best wishes to you and your wife!
Very helpful and informative video. Great job, and thanks for making this.
Many thanks for such a kind comment! I'm really pleased to hear it was useful.
Solid useful Info' - Thanks for posting :)
Thank you!
Thanks for the great presentation.
Thank you!
Great info. I lived in the philippines and have similar issues. I'll definitely buy one for myself.
Thanks! Not necessary in certain parts of the world, but very necessary in SE Asia!
Your video was very helpful as I now understand the reasons why someone might need a dry cabinet. I live in a temperate climate (NW Washington) with regular rainfall in the winter, but the summers are fairly dry. I think I might be fine without a dry cabinet here as the temperatures are usually cool quite winter. If cool air cannot hold much as much water, then the water in the air might not be too bad here inside, even with wet, rainy conditions outside. In the summer, our temperatures are not often very hot and we don't get much rain, so that might be okay too. I think I will check with a local camera store to see what they recommend to be sure, but I feel less concerned about the rainy winters than I did before watching your video.
Thanks for your comment, and I'm glad the video was useful. To be honest, it wasn't until I did some research that I understood what relative humidity was. When I lived in the UK, I didn't have a dry box, and my equipment was fine. A few years ago, I retrieved some camera gear that had been sitting in a UK attic for 14 years, and it was perfect. It was very different when I moved to Southeast Asia, where it is hot and extremely humid. The weather here warps wooden doors, and causes lots of rust and mold. I agree with you. You probably won't have any problems where you are, but a quick chat with a local camera store would be a good idea. If they repair cameras and lenses, they will know if humidity in your area causes any issues.
My dry cabinet RH stopped working like 2 years in service but no signs of fungus. Before the 5 year warranty ended I contacted the manufacturer and they sent me a dehumidifier chip but the one sent had a plug in so I had to splice the wires to my amazement it worked. Problem solved. One added benefit of these cabinets is they keep the gear orderly and at hands reach. Before that I stored them in a camera bag which I don’t recommend. I had bags where the fungus attacked and had to throw them away.
My one's almost seven years old and still working perfectly! I think it had a three year warranty. Anything with a one year warranty goes wrong after 14 months, but things with three year warranties usually last a lot longer than three years. The shop told me it can be repaired if/when it goes wrong. And you're right about the storage. Nice molded foam shelved for my longer lens, and it makes organisation a lot better. Mine's getting full now, so maybe time to buy another one! Before the dry box, I kept my gear in a safe and put a disposable dehumidifier box inside, which I replaced when it filled up with water. It kind of worked, but not an ideal solution.
Came for dry cabinet answer, stayed for the RH explanation. Thumbs up!
Thanks! I didn't understand it before, either. Now I understand why a certain level RH in a hot country feels a lot stickier than the same RH level in a cold country. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Hi Phil
I also live in Thailand and from the UK. I have a Nikon 70-300 bought new here, within the first year it developed fungus which I managed to get repaired locally. After that I immediately bought a drying cabinet, which I now store all camera gear, gimbals, drone, and all rechargeable batteries.
All my tools went rusty, even drill chucks within the first year of living here. The heat is super great but the humidity is terrible.
That's right. The heat is fine most of the time, but the humidity is a killer. I think I mentioned in the video that I had to replace three toilet bowls in my house after about 6 years because of rust! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Dry cabinet is a must, tried this brand Ailite recently and the RH is not ideal as it fluctuates way too much btw 41-48 (set to 45%). Been using 2 units Aipo 88Ex in the last 15 yrs, RH has been stable with little fluctuation which is important to me. So I added another smaller one Aipo 38Ex at my office and RH is spot on at 45%-46% all the times. Great video, cheers!
Depends where you live, but yes, in certain parts of the world, it's a must. I haven't seen Aipo in Thailand. Everything now seems to be ShutterB, whereas a few years ago it was all Ailite. I get some variation, but not a lot. It fluctuates a little below what I set, but it never goes above. I assumed this was normal and it doesn't overly concern me. Thanks for your comment!
Phil........good video.............instead of talking about RH levels, you may consider talking more about condensation levels. It is condensation, when mixed with some form of contaminated that wreaks the havoc on camera equipment. keep up the good work.
Thanks for your comment and suggestions!
Your wife is a keeper! Encouraging you to take a larger unit... Mine is still wondering why I need lenses & extra gear for the camera 📸😊😉
Thanks! I'll pass it on. They never understand why we always need more lenses. We never understand why they always need more clothes and shoes! Her wardrobe is far larger than my dry box 😀
@@PhilUKNet same here... 😂
You should store your lenses with lens caps and filters off (in the Dry Cabinet. That way, any humidity tranpped inside can be minimized/removed.
I guess if they form a hermetic seal this would be a problem. The lens caps don't appear to make a very airtight seal, but maybe the lenses. It's a good point and thanks for your suggestion!
keeping the lens exposed to (UV) light keeps fungus away
Good point!
Hi phil..thanks for the video... will follow ur method !! (My setup shown 40% RH 26•C ) hope its A Right setup.. ha ha
Someone else said the gauge wasn't accurate and when I checked, the humidity was higher than the gauge reading. You may want to take this into consideration and lower the setting a little. Thanks for your comment!
What do you do with the camera battery? Remove it before you store the camera inside the cabinet?
Thanks for the video!
It's a good question, but I can only find fairly vague answers. The recommendation for 'long' or 'extended' storage is to remove batteries, but how long is an 'extended' period? In the past I have left standard (non-rechargeable) AA batteries in devices for a long time. The batteries leaked and the acid ruined the devices. When I left my old film cameras in the UK I didn't remove the small internal batteries and after 14 years there wasn't a problem. If the batteries are the type that leak acid I would definitely remove them. Nowadays, I use exclusively Eneloop batteries and they don't exhibit the same problem.
At the moment all of the cameras inside my dry cabinet have batteries. I certainly don't use all off them every day - or even every week - but they do get used every few months. All of the AA size batteries (for flash units, etc) are Eneloops and there are no batteries that will leak acid. With rechargeable camera batteries I have read that it is best to run then down completely and then store them in the camera if the camera is stored for a long time.
True. Always have a bigger cabinet. I made same mistake
We have the same problem with our fridge!
Hi Phil, disappointed to hear that Singapore's humidity is higher than Hong Kong, which means I'd definitely have to get a dry cabinet. The thing is your final point of saying that if the Camera and Lens is going to be used at least everyday for say 10-20mins, would it be ok to store it in the backpack instead? This is because it can get quite of an annoyance if I would have to unload and load the bag everyday. I'd rather just store it in the backpack so it will be as easy as picking up the bag and walking out of the house. Though if this will cause fungus to grow than I guess I've no choice but to store it in the dry cabinet as a means to dry it, essentially using the cabinet as a washing machine.
Singapore is probably the most humid place I have ever experienced. I'm not familiar with Hong Kong. I understand the inconvenience factor and, indeed, with cameras I use regularly I tend to leave them out. Gear can't stay in the dry cabinet all the time because we need to use it, but when it's subjected to humidity there's a risk of mold and fungus. There's not an ideal situation! You probably don't need to store a camera that you use every day, but it probably makes sense to put gear in the cabinet if it's not being used for a while. I never had any of these problems when I lived in the UK, but living in the tropics creates all sorts of problems!
My wife would ask me if I really need to buy a dry cabinet AT ALL.... And even if she agrees with it she would tell me to buy the smallest and cheapest one.
To be honest, I was quite surprised by my wife's suggestion, but she was right! I think their unpredictability is part of the attraction 🤔
Hi Phil, how are you finding the accuracy of the humidity meters on these units? In my tests, I found them different to other humidity meters by 15-20%(3 different portable humidity meters). I set the unit at 40% and then placed 3 different humidity meters inside and noticed my unit humidity meters was off by 15-20%. Have you tried placing a different humidity meter inside and checked to see if it matched the units meter? Thank you.
Well, I hadn't thought about testing the accuracy until I received your comment! After reading your comment I put two temperature/humidity gauges into the cabinet. They've now been there for several hours and that should have been long enough for them to stabilise and settle down. The cabinet gauge is reading 47%, while both gauges inside are reading 53%. Therefore, as you say, there is quite a difference - about 12%. The cabinet is still doing what it is supposed to be doing even if the reading is inaccurate, however if the internal humidity is critical for something this inaccuracy should be taken into account. The Internet seems to recommend somewhere between 35% and 50% for camera gear, in which case I should probably lower the setting of my cabinet by a few %. Thanks for your comment!
@@PhilUKNet I wonder why that is?? Maybe the unit has a meter that gauges between outdoor and indoor to make its assessment? I spoke with another person who informed me they have similar issues. I would also test between the top, middle and bottom levels as the humidity results might differ between levels. Thank you for the quick reply!
@@therenderer4726 I'm not sure. The gauge could be inaccurate or, as you say, the humidity is different in different parts of the cabinet. It doesn't concern me unduly. The external humidity today was 90+% after some very wet weather. As long as the humidity inside the cabinet is at a reasonable level, that's all I care about. If it's a few % out from what the gauge says it's not a big problem for me.
I am now in Philippines. Thanks for this video.
I would imagine that the climate is very similar to where I am in Thailand. A dry box is therefore essential!
@PhilUKNet yes. i was getting my lenses cleaned and they said i should get a dry box because i am getting a little fungus. I'm from LA, USA and never needed one. Looks like I will be buying one.
@manilamartin1001 When I left the UK I left gear in my parents' attic. I retrieved it 14 years later, and it was fine. This is all to do with relative humidity and the fact that warm air can hold more water. The high humidity in Southeast Asia causes all sorts of problems.
Unfortunately i bought a dry cabinet of andbon, is it a good company?
Sorry, I don't know! Mine's an Ailite and I didn't do any comparisons. However, they are quite simple and there probably isn't a lot of difference between brands. You just have the cabinet and inside is a Peltier cooler to control the humidity. I don't know anything about this particular brand, but as long as the general quality of the cabinet seems OK I imagine it is as good as any other brand.
Is it okay for me to put the carrying case together with the camera inside the dry box? or is it a bad idea?
It's not necessary, but it won't do any harm.
Hi can batteries and camera strap be left in the dry cabinet?
I do with mine and it's not a problem. In fact, lower humidity is probably better for these items.
How do they work? I can't find the answer anywhere. They do not work like a normal dehum/air con with an evaporator that gets cold, thus moisture condenses on it. Storing things at high temperatures do not do them any good either, so don't want one if it heat the air to dry it out. Thanks.
I had the same question. My home A/C units take a lot of moisture out of the air and this has to be gotten rid of through pipes. Fridges also remove water from the air, which goes into a tank behind the fridge and then evaporates. I thought it would be the same with the dehumidifier cabinet, but they work differently.
I'm not exactly sure how they work, but I believe they use a thermo-dynamic or Peltier element. Electricity is used by the Peltier element to create a temperature difference. Warm/moist air entering the cabinet comes into contact with the cold part of the element and dehumidification occurs. I'm not sure where the water goes at first, but it seems to evaporate quickly and a fan forces the moist air out of the cabinet. There is no water collection tank in the cabinet or pipe to remove water.
Although the Peltier element creates a temperature difference in order to cause dehumidification it doesn't affect the temperature inside the cabinet. The internal cabinet temperature stays roughly the same as the ambient temperature.
As I say, I have very little knowledge of how it actually works but if you search for thermo-dynamic or Peltier element you should be able to find additional information.
@@PhilUKNet Hi, thanks for the reply. Not sure if I actually need one, as my Canon, bought new in 1987 has lived in a camera bag in a wardrobe for the last 20+ years and is fine. I sort of collect old Zenits & have gotten quite good at repairing them & also a few old lenses (got a TAIR3 coming from Moscow this week :o) Some of the ebay zenits suffered terribly with fungus, destroying the prism and optics (quarantined and just used for spares) Also have a mint copy of the best 35mm mechanical SLR ever built (Nikon FM3a) and the best 35mm film camera ever made (Nikon F6) so really want to ensure they are properly cared for.
Been thinking about a display case for my collection & was looking for something sealed, to stop having to dust :o) so one of these larger cabinets may fit the bill, if looking a little odd.
Further research has indeed confirmed these units use a Peltier unit. Big Clive on the youtube has a tear down of them, they are horribly inefficient, but seem ok for a small cabinet where a proper dehumidifier would be overkill. Ebay are full of diy Peltier kits, so with the addition of a suitable humidistat, could be fitted into any cabinet or box.
@@wibbley1 It depends where you live. I never needed one in the UK, but where I live now in Southeast Asia it is essential. The humidity is very destructive.
I guess you could build your own. The one I have is very well made and after 4 years it is still working fine. Sounds like you have quite a collection of cameras!
this is why i hate the tropic and humidity, even though i'm native south east asian. you can't go anywhere outside without sweating, can't wear nice boots/jacket, everything in your house develop rust and mold, if you go somewhere with a lot of people you are just breathing each other body odor
Tell me about it! You take a shower, get dry, and within 10 minutes you're wet again ... from sweat. In the UK toilet bowls last forever. In Thailand I had to replace three toilet bowls after about 6 years because everything inside had rusted. I've seen wooden wardrobe doors so warped that they can't shut. Nowhere is perfect. From November to March I hated the cold, wet UK weather and long, dark nights. I'm never cold here but, as you say, the heat and humidity do not make for a pleasant living environment. Camera gear is quite expensive, which is why a dry cabinet is essential. I never needed one in the UK. Your body odour comment was interesting. I've lived in Thailand for 17 years and I've never smelt a Thai with body odour. With Westerners it is quite common. Southeast Asian people don't seem to sweat in the same way as Caucasians.
@@PhilUKNet All true what you've said. Me commenting from Bogor, Indonesia.
@@errydm I think the whole of SE Asia is the same! No snow or ice to contend with, but the heat and humidity cause other problems!
@@PhilUKNet Exactly. I once bought a beautiful waxed canvas messenger bag handmade in Scotland (Trakke), and during the first couple of weeks of the monsoon season the bag got mold. So, a big no no for waxed canvas here!
@@errydm We've just being doing some decorating after a house fire (the reason for my TH-cam inactivity recently). I've had to replace curtain rings because of rust and several hinges in kitchen cupboards need replacing, but I can't get the old ones out because the screws have rusted. Last year I had to replace three toilet bowls because all the internal metal parts and screws holding them to the floor had corroded. It's no joke. Leather shoes also go mouldy, just like your waxed canvas bag.
in Drybox cabinet, should I, keep my dslr attaching with lense or , should keep individually?
It doesn't matter really. If you separate them put the plastic caps on the body and the rear of the lens to stop dust entering.
If you have space keep the camera body with lens. If not use plastic lids.
hi i live in philippines my dry cabinet was on 10hrs ago with my cam and lens they said 40-50% humidity only but my dry cabinet was not going down to 50 below what to do? and is it okay to store eneloop batteries?
The Peltier element could have a problem, there may be leak in the cabinet, or it could just be that the hygrometer is giving the wrong reading. I use lots of Eneloop batteries and never put them in the dry cabinet. They're fine. I saw something on-line that said high temperatures can affect batteries, but they aren't affected by humidity. Up to you!
For how long shall i keep lenses and camera in side a dry cabinet?
No one has asked this before, but I just keep them inside the cabinet all the time when I'm not using them.
All the time.
I love your accent
Some people have commented that they don't like my voice. This is the first compliment.Thank you!
Humidity sucks
It sure does!
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@@PhilUKNet 我刚刚买了
@@owen9997 我希望它对你有好处
@@PhilUKNet 谢谢