FUNGUS! Advice sought with Paypal claim / learnings for everyone!

[Tricky]

Good morning AP world :)

Last month I bought a Canon EF 50 f/1.8 Mark I lens on eBay, the earlier version with a metal mount and distance window; some of you may recall an earlier thread (see here (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=19850)).

Whilst the pictures in the eBay advert were terrible (hence it was always a bit of a gamble), when the lens first arrived I was chuffed as externally it looked perfect. However, as I got to use the lens I was a bit disappointed with the pictures: they lacked a bit of contrast and the sharpness wasn't as crisp as I'd been expecting from a prime lens, even a cheap one (certainly they weren't as good as my 60mm macro lens or 24-105L).

Then, about a month after I first got it, I noticed something strange when changing lenses one day. I shone a torch through the lens and immediately saw the tell-tale spider's web of fungus infestation - linked below are four pictures which show it clearly. Once seen, never forgotten. I haven't seen too many good pictures of lens fungus before, and it took a lot of experimenting to get the captures below. Notice that, depending on how deeply into the lens elements I focus when taking the picture (eg pictures 1&2 versus pictures 3&4), the visible shape of the fungus changes; this clearly suggests the fungus is on several different layers/depths.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/Tricky999/fungus1.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/Tricky999/fungus2.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/Tricky999/fungus3.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/Tricky999/fungus4.jpg

Anyway, I've reported the transaction to eBay who have in turn forwarded it to Paypal. Paypal requires that the buyer and seller communicate to try to resolve the issue, but the seller just wasn't interested, claiming that the lens didn't have any fungus when he sold it. So, the claim has been escalated to Paypal for dispute resolution. I am actually quite interested to see how well Paypal works in this situation, ie whether the buyer protection that they advertise so strongly really comes through. Ultimately we're only talking $150 here, so for me its more the principle of the thing. The eBay description for the item showed a question from another interested bidder which specifically asked if the lens had fungus, which the seller answered 'no the lens is perfect'. So, I think I have a pretty strong case that the product didn't match the advertised description.

My only concern is the buyer claiming that the fungus may have appeared in the 4-5 weeks since I bought it (you have 45 days to report an item to eBay, so well within that). The fungus looks well advanced to me, so I figure it might have taken many months or even years for it to progress to the current level of infection. Certainly, my other lenses have no such fungus and they have been stored in the same conditions. I'm thinking that, as part of providing evidence for my claim, I might be required to provide some sort of expert opinion from a photographic expert or even a camera shop who state that, in their opinion, the fungus would have taken longer than 5 weeks to develop to the current state. Has anyone obtained this kind of expert opinion before? Or, even better, is there anyone amongst you suitably qualified to give this kind of opinion based on the photos alone? Any other advice you might have about the Paypal claims process would be gratefully received.

The whole process has taught me quite a few learnings, which I thought I'd share with you:
Always pay with Paypal (rather than direct bank transfer or COD), it gives you the best chance of recovering something if the transaction goes pear-shaped
Always ask an eBay seller the explicit question "does it have any fungus" (as well as is it mechanically sound, any scratches etc). If the seller answers that its clear, then you have much stronger grounds for claiming on Paypal if the lens does turn out to have fungus
Always check for fungus immediately when you buy a lens on eBay, just shine a torch through it
I did quite a lot of web-research on fungus, some of which is conflicting. I think there's a lot of myths out there. From the research I did, based on the most reliable and technical-looking sources, I concluded the following about fungus:

- Fungus spores are everywhere, but they are not a problem providing humidity is below ~70%
- Where humidity is above 70% for a period greater than 24 hours straight, there is a risk of fungus developing
- If you break the 24 hour cycle of >70% humidity for a period of time, then fungus won't have started to grow and you have effectively reset the clock back to 0 hours, ie another 24 hours straight would be required for it to start to grow
- As such, having had one lens with fungus near your other equipment is not likely to have contaminated that equipment unless humidity has been high (thank god)
- keeping lenses in a sealed box or case with a silica satchel might seem like a good idea, but unless you really know what you're doing, you could be creating conditions that the spores enjoy.
- don't keep lenses in leather cases, they are particularly bad for promoting fungus growth
- synthetic bags are best for storing your equipment, or store kit out of its bag altogether
- most airconditioners keep room humidity pretty low. So the best bet for protecting your kit is to always keep it in a room that is air-conditioned regularly, in a part of the room that is relatively open (ie not a cupboard!), so the 24 hr streak is being broken daily
- I've read that you can kill fungus by leaving your lens in direct sunlight, but this just stops the progress. It won't remove fungus that's already there and etched into the glass. I'd also be concerned whether this might damage the lens.

In the short time I used the 50mm I also learned that it's focal distance is too close to my 60mm macro, so I'm going to be looking for a 30mm f/1.4 Siggy or a 28mm or 35mm Canon to give me a 'standard' lens view on a cropped sensor.

Anway, I hope the above is of some interest and use to you, it sure took a while for my two fingers to type out! :D I'll report back on how this turns out, in due course.

Have a fungal-free festive season! :xmas31:
Tricky

[Seesee]

Some great ebay buying tips there Tricky, sorry about your misfortune with the faulty lens. I reckon that one is too far gone to rectify myself, the sun may help, but it will come back I think .

I've often wondered about the possibility of fungi spore being transferred to other lenses, or worse still the sensor in a camera.....I'd chuck it and put it down to experience. :(

I have bought a few items on ebay and no dramas so far, but one thing I avoid is buying any lenses/camera from tropical high humidity regions like FNQ. I never leave any of my lenses or cameras inside bags at all , always out in fresh air for ventilation. Never ever pack gear away if there is any chance of moisture, even sweaty hands on gear may be enough to set off fungi growth if packed away.

[ricktas]

Sorry to say, your lens looks past its use by date. I will be interested in the update from paypal as well.

This is the risk we all take when buying second hand lenses. Keep it away from all your other camera gear. Spores are tiny and if they are also on the outside of the lens, they can move to other gear.

[mbong]

Thanks Tricky for sharing your experience, this is my first time looking at the fungus in the lens (they are very nasty!) :)

[Jcas]

Hmmm, that is a shame, did the seller have a good feeback rating????

I have never seen fungus on glass before either, so thanks for sharing the info, and i wish you luck with your claim.

[Buddah]

Hi Tricky

I understand your concern about the situation. You did good hunting down that particular lens but hope the experience doesn't cruel your expectations of what that piece of glass (plastic?) can do.

On one hand, your potential loss isn't that great but on the other the seller could have ended up with the wrong person to pass a dodgy lens to. Following on from Julie's email, is it worth naming and shaming the seller? (I assume you might have already passed on positive feedback before you discovered the fungus so maybe the eBay feedback rating isn't much of a guide in this case).

[Kym]

I'm wondering if the fungus was not noticable to the seller and the Brisbane climate triggered the growth?
Don't know much about fungus living in Adelaide. But i assume its worse in the tropics.

[jdreamer]

So, do you guys buy a dry box to prevent your gears growing fungus?

[J.davis]

Did you ask the Credit Card Company to stop payment so you could lodge a claim, I have heard this is better than a PayPal dispute. Best of luck with the dispute.

[twofruitz]

I'm wondering if the fungus was not noticable to the seller and the Brisbane climate triggered the growth?
Don't know much about fungus living in Adelaide. But i assume its worse in the tropics.

My photography gear just sits around in the house; and i've never had any fungal problem. I think the trick is to buy a good bag and leave it in a well ventilated space in the house for the best gear longevity.

[trigger]

I have a large 60L storage box for all my gear.

1. I put about 6 packs of scilica gel in the box.
2. have 2 bags of them in my camera bags
3. Every 3-4 months I expose the box in bright sunlight.

Works for me... better prevention then fungus :D

[Tricky]

Thanks to everyone for their comments and thoughts. :food04:


Hmmm, that is a shame, did the seller have a good feeback rating????

Yes, the seller had a 99.8% positive feedback rating on 400+ transactions...



You did good hunting down that particular lens but hope the experience doesn't cruel your expectations of what that piece of glass (plastic?) can do.


The 50 f/1.8, both Mark I and II, represent fantastic value for money. I've borrowed one before and been very impressed, I guess that was why I was a bit :confused: why my copy just wasn't delivering quite the same standard. I'd definitely buy another one, except that I've already got a 60mm which is super-sharp and therefore a 30/35mm would probably fit my lens line-up better.


Hi Tricky
On one hand, your potential loss isn't that great but on the other the seller could have ended up with the wrong person to pass a dodgy lens to. Following on from Julie's email, is it worth naming and shaming the seller? (I assume you might have already passed on positive feedback before you discovered the fungus so maybe the eBay feedback rating isn't much of a guide in this case).

You're right, I had already passed on a positive feedback rating before I found out. I don't think there's anyway of withdrawing the rating once you've given it? Provided Rick is OK with me doing so on this forum, I'd be pleased to name and shame the seller in due course, once the dispute is settled (not sure if I prejudice my case in any way by naming the seller before then). If I win the dispute, then I guess I'd really just be stating a fact: seller XXX sold a good which proved not to match its description.


Did you ask the Credit Card Company to stop payment so you could lodge a claim, I have heard this is better than a PayPal dispute. Best of luck with the dispute.

The payment had already long gone through: it went from my bank account via Paypal to the seller, no credit card involved. Thanks for your best wishes :)


I'm wondering if the fungus was not noticable to the seller and the Brisbane climate triggered the growth?
Don't know much about fungus living in Adelaide. But i assume its worse in the tropics.

The seller also lived in South East Queensland, just 80km south of me. The date code on the lens suggests its May 1988 vintage, so plenty of time for it to have caught fungus prior to my 5 weeks of ownership! :D

[TasAnna]

Bummer about your experience with this. I have bought many items through ebay, especially as I live 120km from the nearest major store of any kind, and have generally had good results, but it is very much buyer beware.

What Paypal will ultimately do can depend a lot on the returns policy originally listed by the seller. In one transaction I did via paypal the item i received was a completely different model to the one advertised. The seller claimed it was a better model and paypal/ebay seemed to accept that explanation. As it was a registered Australian business I was able to take things further and ultimately got my money refunded. I still have negative feedback on my account due to the seller though, and paypal/ebay were useless in the whole process.

It will be very difficult for you to prove the fungus was there when you received it, without some expert (read expensive) analysis of the fungus. As the seller was Australian you do have recourse through Australian Trade Practices law which state that any goods offered for sale must be fit for the intended purpose they were designed to perform. A lens with fungus is not fit for use as a lens and therefore cannot be legally sold in Australia. Again though, the onus will be on you to prove the fungus existed before you purchased it.

Best of luck, and I will be interested in the outcome with paypal.

[Tricky]

It will be very difficult for you to prove the fungus was there when you received it, without some expert (read expensive) analysis of the fungus. As the seller was Australian you do have recourse through Australian Trade Practices law which state that any goods offered for sale must be fit for the intended purpose they were designed to perform. A lens with fungus is not fit for use as a lens and therefore cannot be legally sold in Australia. Again though, the onus will be on you to prove the fungus existed before you purchased it.

Hi Anna, sounds like you have a legal background? Thanks for your comments and insights into ATP law.

Fortunately, the "Paypal buyer protection" isn't just about adjudicating between buyer and seller, there's an 'insurance policy' element too. I suspect Paypal deals with a lot of cases which involve one party saying "it worked fine when I sent it" and the other party saying "it was broken on arrival". Which party does Paypal find in favour of? I'm expecting/hoping that in 'dead heats' such as this, Paypal makes ex-gratia payments out of their own pocket to reimburse the buyer, effectively acting as an insurer and part of their cost of doing business.

Extract from eBay/Paypal's site:

What is PayPal Buyer Protection?
PayPal Buyer Protection is designed to increase buyer confidence on eBay. When PayPal is used to pay for a qualified listing on eBay, PayPal Buyer Protection provides up to C$1,250, or US$1,000 (coverage amount depends on the currency of the original PayPal payment), of coverage for the buyer at no additional cost. PayPal Buyer Protection covers non-delivery of tangible items and tangible items that are received significantly not as described.

If anything, I believe my case is stronger than a dead heat, as there is a reasonable argument that the fungus on a 20 year lens has not suddenly materialised in the last 5 weeks (stored in the same conditions as 4 other lenses which have not developed fungus).

[Tricky]

Resurrecting this thread from the archives to provide you with an update on my Paypal case...:) :) happy to report that I received notification today that Paypal has found the case in my favour (6 weeks after their own self-imposed deadline) and that the seller has agreed to refund my payment for the fungus-filled lens (presumably on pain of eBay sanction or other action from Paypal). As I understand it, if the seller had not agreed to refund, then Paypal would have paid me anyway and where possible sought to recover the funds through the seller's credit card issuer (wonder how that works?).

A condition of the refund is that I return the fungal lens to the seller and provide proof of registered postage; I have done so today, so should hopefully be refunded next week. Given the seller has already proved his less than honest traits, there is a good chance that he will attempt to re-sell the lens on eBay, this time taking care not to make any statement regarding whether the lens has fungus (maybe even stating 'sold as seen, no returns', to be sure). SO BE WARNED, if you see an EF50 1.8 Mk I for sale on eBay in the near future, particularly from a seller called 'fasty7307' (guess he could easily change his ID?) then be very cautious...

Now trying to decide whether to get another 50/1.8, or maybe a Sigma 30/1.4, or there's rumours of a Canon EFS 30/2.0...

[Lines]

Good to hear that the issue has finally been resolved. I'd go either the 30mm's as like you've mentioned, the 50mm on a crop is an odd length that can easily be covered with the far superior 60mm Macro.

Shortly after our bidding war for that Mk 1, I picked up a Sigma 28/1.8 and although it's more expensive the cost is offset by the amount of time it spends on the camera.

Nath.

[clm738]

Congrats. Glad when you get your money.

[Ronbo]

For Paypal to recoup the funds from the seller is to do what's called a charge back...simply put they run a credit through on their behalf since they store all information of credit cards or bank accounts. In Paypals case they would probably simply withhold funds from transferring until they get their money back.

In essence it's the long arm of big brother reaching out to touch someone.

Once a charge back is initiated there is not much the account holder can do.

Congrats on winning your "case". :th3:

[umajo]

i didn't like your chances but i am happy you ngot results well done :th3:

[Tricky]

Thanks guys. Whilst I felt I had a strong case, I too am pleasantly surprised that justice was done... :)

[gordon_l34]

Evening All, What are your thoughts on what I am using. At present the humidity is 68% but my gear is stored at 42% in a Wonderful drying cabinet.

Regards,
Gordon.

[Tricky]

From my (limited) understanding of fungus, if the humidity is kept at the sort of 42% level you mention, then there should be no opportunity for fungus to start growing.

What does the cabinet look like - do you have any pictures? And what did it cost? What is it primarily intended for?

[Wantone]

Congrates Tricky, i didn't think you had a strong case esp because it's an ebay purchase. One of them buyer beware things.

The Wonderful dry cabinets looks interesting, i've been thinking of getting one too from http://www.cameras.net.au/index.php?cPath=36 , i'm currently using silicon bags but they don't last very long.

[DanNG]

Im using a wonderful dry cabinet - works a treat and is good peace of mind.. humidity up here gets crazy... changes dramatically from day to day. The cabinet keeps it nice and stable and is a doubles as a nice safe place to keep gear.

[Tricky]

Im using a wonderful dry cabinet - works a treat and is good peace of mind.. humidity up here gets crazy... changes dramatically from day to day. The cabinet keeps it nice and stable and is a doubles as a nice safe place to keep gear.

Out of interest, where did you buy the dry box? I think Photocontinental has them, but couldn't see them listed on their website. Thanks.

[Kym]

Humidity... My weather station was showing 15% on the w/end. Got up to 40% at one stage. Adelaide - good place to keep cameras! ;)

Great news on the outcome!

[Paper_Mache_Man]

I'm surprised there isn't some additive they can include in the lens that kills off fungus. It wouldn't need to be on the glass, it could just be a coating on the body/aperture blades + other non optical parts.

If we can make agent orange surely we can kill some fungus spores. :)

[DanNG]

Out of interest, where did you buy the dry box? I think Photocontinental has them, but couldn't see them listed on their website. Thanks.

from cameras.net.au - freight was not to expensive, the cabinets are quite small. :th3:

[Tricky]

from cameras.net.au - freight was not to expensive, the cabinets are quite small. :th3:

Thanks Dan, I'll check them out. :)

[gordon_l34]

Good Morning,

I have a Wonderful AD 108 as shown on page 16 of the current Photographoc Trader. Wonderful's address is www.drycabinet.com.au Photo Continental are the Brisbane agents.

I have had fungus removed from a Pentax M 50mm f1.4 lens by f16 at Margate. Their address is www.f16cameraservice.com.au

Regards,
Gordon.

[kwokask]

I also have a Wonderful dry box - I dealt directly with them and they even gave me a discount without me asking for it!

[peterb666]

ECS in Sydney sell the 27 litre Wonderful Dry Cabinet for $275...

Wonderfule Dry Cabinet from ECS (http://www.cameras.net.au/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=174)

I did lose 1 lens (a Nikkor 35mm lens from memory) to the fungus. Actually sold it on eBay but it's condition was declared in big letters. It wasn't very bad and still took great photos but unfortunately, it wasn't economic to have cleaned. I was getting rid of my Nikon gear and would not have made back the cost of cleaning.

I have contemplated getting the above cabinet but with the current humidity in Sydney, I would want to crawl into it myself.

[Tricky]

Thread lives again :D

Nine months on, my own approach to safe storage of equipment:

- Craftech air / water tight hard case from bunnings ($60)

- Re-useable silicon beads in a metal case ($20) which turn from blue to pink as they soak up moisture. Once pink, 3 hours in the oven at 150'C dries them out and back to blue again.

[peterb666]

Thread lives again :D
- Re-useable silicon beads in a metal case ($20) which turn from blue to pink as they soak up moisture. Once pink, 3 hours in the oven at 150'C dries them out and back to blue again.

From where did you get your silicon beads?

[Tricky]

From where did you get your silicon beads?

Can't remember where I bought mine, but here is a link to one I found through a quick google. The silica desiccant is generally marketed as the Pelican 1500D - you'll find lots of other places to buy online if you google 'Pelican 1500D silica'.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/pelican-desiccant-silica-gel-1500d/tool-bag/

[peterb666]

Can't remember where I bought mine, but here is a link to one I found through a quick google. The silica desiccant is generally marketed as the Pelican 1500D - you'll find lots of other places to buy online if you google 'Pelican 1500D silica'.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/pelican-desiccant-silica-gel-1500d/tool-bag/

Thanks. I did a search and checked them out and they seem ideal. Better than that, I found the same units not repackaged as Pelican 1500D here... http://www.silicagel.com.au/prod1.htm

Little more than half the price of most of the Pelican ones.

If you want to buy 2 or more, it works out cheaper on eBay ... eBay Store (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260536068139&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

[Tricky]

Thanks. I did a search and checked them out and they seem ideal. Better than that, I found the same units not repackaged as Pelican 1500D here... http://www.silicagel.com.au/prod1.htm

Little more than half the price of most of the Pelican ones.

If you want to buy 2 or more, it works out cheaper on eBay ... eBay Store (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260536068139&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

Yeah, mine's not branded Pelican either. Can't honestly remember what I paid, but at less than $15 they are indeed ideal for the job. Coupled with one of the cheap yellow bunnings hard cases (Pelican knock-offs) you've got primo anti-fungal digs for your lenses for less than $75... :th3:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/Tricky999/Craftright_sm.jpg

[peterb666]

That's the sort of thing I am looking at getting. I am going to use the money I was going to put into a larger and fancier flash and then after 4 attempts of ordering the flash from BHPotovideo the price has gone from USD159.95 to USD199.95 plus a minimum USD41 postage. I use a flash so little that I am going to go for a cheaper item or wait and instead deal with my storage issues.

The above case looks very much like the Kincrome ones.

BTW, how long does the pack last before you need to recharge it in the oven?

[Tricky]

The above case looks very much like the Kincrome ones.

As I recall, when researching the Bunnings 'Craftech' case, I came across some branded 'Kincrome' that looked very similar. I suspect these Pelican knocks-offs have had more branding aliases than a Samyang / Vivitar / Rokinon / Bower / Polar / Sakar fisheye :D


BTW, how long does the pack last before you need to recharge it in the oven?

Surprisingly short period of time. With regular opening and closing, they last literally two or three weeks before turning bright pink (of course it depends quite a bit on the prevaling weather). I can offer only one insight into how long they last with no opening: I had a three week busy period at work when I didn't open the case at all; when I eventually did, the silicon was still pretty blue (but not oven-fresh dark blue).

The fact that a (relatively) big pack of silicon like that only lasts 3 weeks indicates one thing pretty clearly: the usual crappy little silicon beads in paper bags which I've often seen photographers use in the bottom of their bags (myself included, not that long ago) are doing absolutely nothing to remove moisture... they will be fully saturated already and are probably acting as a humidifier in your bag... :eek:

[tim71]

G'day Gordon,

how much did f16 charge to remove fungus from your Pentax M 50mm? I have few of my Grandfather's old Takumars to clean. Probably cheaper to buy another lens but its the sentimental value as well.

cheers,

Tim

[peterb666]

That's certainly more than 5 weeks fungus growth. I have lost 1 lens to fungus. It could have been repaired but the repair cost exceeded the value it would add to the lens so I sold it with the fungus declared in the listing.

I also had all my Agfa cine film damage by fungus. None of the old Kodacrome was affected.

I now store my lenses that I don't use regularly in a clear plastic box with a rubber airtight seal and have a silica-gel brick inside the box. Gives peace of mind and the setup cost less than $20.

[tim71]

G'day Peter,

yes I would say Tricky's lens has had years of growth. As an experiment I have left some old hanimex lenes (with fungus) lying around unprotected in a gargage in humid Brisbane for years and its hasn't grown that much.

You may be able to get silica gel cheaply from a compounding chemist.

Silica gel can last days or months before it needs drying, depends on the humidity, I would check it at least fornightly in summer.

I have bought lots of sistema air tight food containers to store my gear in. I would be abit concerned about storing gear (long term) in the foam inserts in a pelican case as foam attracts dust and water both favourites for fungus. You could spray scotchguard on the foam to protect against this. I live in constant humidty above 70% so am fighting an ongoing battle to keep both mould and fungus at bay. We have found that scotchguard works well to stop mould so may slow down fungus; not that I would spray it directly on your lenes.

have a look at this link for extra fungus fighting options

http://www.mypentax.com/Fungus.html

cheers,

Tim

[tim71]

Sorry Peter,

just realised that you store in plastic containers like me and that Tricky uses the pelican type case with foam

cheers,

Tim

[peterb666]

G'day Peter,

yes I would say Tricky's lens has had years of growth.



Couldn't agree more. Looked worse than what I experienced after 15 years of lens storage in Nikon cases. I couldn't imagine you would get that much growth in even the most humid environment in less than 5 years but I would be inclined to say even more.


You may be able to get silica gel cheaply from a compounding chemist.

This is what I use 40g Silica Gel Bricks (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Silica-Gel-Dehumidifier-Reusable-40-gram-unit-/260597416027?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item3cacd1005b) I bought 2 of these and have only used the one. The other is still in it's sealed packaging. The silica gel is in a metal container with a view window. When the silica turn from blue to red, you whack it in the oven for a couple of hours at around 150 deg C. I haven't had to do that yet. I brick is good for 3 cu ft which is about 85 litres. I am using a 10 litre clear plastic box and can see through to the lid to the silica gel indicator window. Neat. I check it weekly.


I have bought lots of sistema air tight food containers to store my gear in. I would be abit concerned about storing gear (long term) in the foam inserts in a pelican case as foam attracts dust and water both favourites for fungus. You could spray scotchguard on the foam to protect against this. I live in constant humidty above 70% so am fighting an ongoing battle to keep both mould and fungus at bay. We have found that scotchguard works well to stop mould so may slow down fungus; not that I would spray it directly on your lenes.

The Sistema containers are what I am using. I just have a single 10 litre rectangular container which fits everything at the moment. That's one of the advantages of Micro Four Thirds. I will get another 10L container later if I have the need.

Last summer in Sydney was the most humid I remember, ever. I have lived in Sydney for 48 years and it was appalingly bad for humidity even though there were not that many extremely hot days. Having already lost a lens from my old SLR, I thought that prevention was better than cure. Especially as a couple of my current lenses were complex zooms with 12 plus elements and I have a bucket load of old glass, some over 50 years old and I want to keep them crystal clear.

I think the Pelican foam should be OK as the cases are purposed designed as a dry case. Note that Pelican sell exactly the same bricks that I have linked to above but at around $25 a pop rrp. I simply didn't have the $250 plus for the Pelican case I wanted and tried to by a dry box made by Wonderful which even had a built in humidity meter. The cost was about $100. I got stuffed around by the store when I tried to order it so went down the DIY path for something similar (sans the humidity meter)

My current house is relatively mold free as it is cross-ventilated, has timber floors and no leaks. I use to live in an old brick semi-detached house which had none of the above and that's where my Nikon lens suffered. The Agfa filmstock absorbs moister and was crap. I didn't know better at the time and it was much cheaper than Kodak. Cine film was pretty expensive and when I first started, you could only buy a couple of film cartridges out of a day's pay.

[tim71]

G'day Peter,

thanks for the feedback, I think I might chase down some of your silica bricks from the site you recommended http://www.silicagel.com.au/categories/Silica-Gel-Dehumidifiers/ they look good.

cheers,

Tim

[peterb666]

That's the same mob that sells on eBay. Check the postage on each. I think I bought from their web site rather than ebay as it was cheaper buying 2 that way. If buying a single unit, I think eBay was cheaper. I note they have a 'coming soon' on Humidity Indicator Cards. Might check that out in a few weeks.

[FotoHijinx]

Learn something new everyday - fungus on lenses - guess I still have a lot to learn!

Great thread - glad I read it.

[para]

I'm wondering if the fungus was not noticable to the seller and the Brisbane climate triggered the growth?
Don't know much about fungus living in Adelaide. But i assume its worse in the tropics.

I keep all my camera gear in dehumidifier to avoid fungus as it is quite common up here in n qld

[peterb666]

Coupled with one of the cheap yellow bunnings hard cases (Pelican knock-offs) you've got primo anti-fungal digs for your lenses for less than $75... :th3:


Unfortunately, Bunnings don't sell those cases anymore. It was a once-off job lot and it was a ripper of a deal. The cases are quite similar to the largest of the Kincrome cases which are around $175 but not that easy to source. Kincrome case (http://www.justtools.com.au/prod5046.htm)

[Robert Horler]

I am in the South West of WA where the humidity levels are rising annually (ETS required)
Is there anyone out there in WA that has fungal experience on lens.
I can cure fungus on cabbages but fungus on Camera lens is all new to me ;-)

[Tricky]

Whaheyy, thread returns from the dead! :)


Unfortunately, Bunnings don't sell those cases anymore. It was a once-off job lot and it was a ripper of a deal. The cases are quite similar to the largest of the Kincrome cases which are around $175 but not that easy to source. Kincrome case (http://www.justtools.com.au/prod5046.htm)

Maybe one day they'll get them in again. I think enough people on AP are looking out for them that should they come in, we'll sound the alarm!

I actually bought a genuine pelican case on eBay a couple of weeks ago. Its exactly the same dimensions as the Bunnings case, brand new, and cost me $170. Interesting to look at the two cases side by side. Not much difference, though the Pelican does seem a bit more solidly built, cushioned handle etc.

[Psneddon]

Another story on the side of fungus...

Was at a mates place playing with my camera and his dad pulled out his old Pentax film camera, the fungus was so thick you couldn't see through then lens. they were stored in an un airconditioned house in a leather bag.

[bort]

Maybe one day they'll get them in again. I think enough people on AP are looking out for them that should they come in, we'll sound the alarm!


I was out at Bunnings today (Carseldine) and picked up a couple of these. They had 2 sizes, smaller was $69, $85 for the larger.

So they definitely come in every now and then.

[peterb666]

I picked one of the cases from Bunnings 3 or 4 months ago. Mine was branded Kinchrome.

[Blackberner]

Hi Kym.

I was about to ask a question about fungus and humidity and storage of camera gear but saw this thread instead.
I also live in Adelaide, do we need to worry about dry storage here for our camera gear ??