Today I want to write a short note about fungal growth on DSLR camera and lens. What is a DSLR camera?You’ll be enlightened here.As I wrote before, there are now an increasing numbers of mommies that use DSLR to shoot their kids photos and some even make money from it!
Let say that you have spend RM1.5k and above for one camera body. And another RM400++ for camera lens. And another RM600+++ for speedlite(read:flash). And if you owned two camera bodies, two or three lenses and one speedlite, you do the math!Mind you, it is about the money!When you have spent a handful of RM(I have friends who invest more than RM10k for his cameras’ equipment) to photography gadgets, you must know how to care for them. If this points is to be ignored, you will get fungus growing in your camera! A living mouldy thingy inside my camera?NO!NO!!!!It will affect your camera and lenses to work properly and might jeopardize your photos as some black splotches mark stain in them!Plus, it is quite costly to send for repair at the manufacturer.
Buy a hippo!
Yes, it is simple!!!!Go to the zoo and get yourself a hippopotamus?NOT! Actually my hubby and I came to a simple idea to build a humidity free or low humidity environment to our DSLRs. It was so easy. Get yourself an airtight box or container and buy a Thirsty Hippo ( a moisture absorber). Put your camera inside the container. Check when the Thirsty Hippo is supposed to be full(until the water reach the red mark at the moisture absorber container). Change to a new Thirsty Hippo after that. This is what we do for now being. Actually we want to buy a dry box for our DSLRs but don’t yet have the luxury to buy one 
.You know, after doing this, I came across a professional photographer’s blog (sorry I forgot to copy the blog address)which says the same about using Thirsty Hippo!!!
Get a Thirsty Hippo.
Get an airtight plastic container.
Wallah!This is me and my hubby version of our own dry box using a Thirsty Hippo!
Buy a digital hydrometer/hygrometer!
I have not yet buy one,and most probably not going to, since I am aiming to buy a dry box.But if you are on a tight budget and resolves on using Thirsty Hippo/ airtight container for a long period of time, this little gadget is useful!It can measure the percentage of humidity in your airtight box or container so you know precisely when to change the moisture absorber.
This is a digital hydrometer.Taken from here.
Buy a drybox!
If you have some extra budget, a good branded one-tiered digital dry box/dry cabinet costs about RM400 and above. A manual one costs about RM200 ++. But I’m aiming to a two-tiered dry box since I have 2 camera bodies ,3 lenses, and a speedlite ,so I have to save more!
This is a example of a dry box.Picture taken from Shashinki.com.
There you have it! A simple solution yet an important one to rid of fungus from your cameras and lenses!Please share if you got other tips yeah?Adieu!
thanks awak for sharing this very informative articles
hawa pertmuffin´s last [type] post ..Jantan Dayus! Kau memang keji!
[REPLY]
catlina Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 5:00 PM
hawa: thanks…i’m just sharing my two cents..:)
catlina´s last [type] post ..Outstation di Empress Hotel- Sepang@ Salak Tinggi
[REPLY]
wah! I have a DSLR but it kinda just lies around most of the time.. alamak! I can’t even remember where it is (I so rarely go anywhere that requires the DSLR’s presence..uhuhu)..
but having fungus grow on it was not a possibility that I had considered.. thanks for sharing ..
ni baru photog sejati ni ..hehe
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Waiting on ice
[REPLY]
catlina Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 5:02 PM
hidayah: jgn biarkan it just lie around lagi ye..nanti berkulat DSLR tu..sayang tau…:) my friend had also experienced this fungal growth in his DSLR, and it effect his photos…luckily i belum kena lagi cam ni…sempat belajar dari pengalaman org..i use to think the DSLR can be put anywhere, everywhere tau..
catlina´s last [type] post ..Outstation di Empress Hotel- Sepang@ Salak Tinggi
[REPLY]
alamak…i never think bout it before. better tell my sis to buy thirsty hippo for her cam..
dbalkis´s last [type] post ..Cute Funny Eating Baby ContestMari Join
[REPLY]
catlina Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 5:03 PM
dbalkis: yep u better!
[REPLY]
ive been thinking of getting one of those drybox. now u just gave me an idea of a cheaper version
its still work right? must try!! 
::Ida::´s last [type] post ..This just bring good old memories -
[REPLY]
ida: yes it still work..tapi after a few months kena tuko thirsty hippo tu
[REPLY]
I never thought of the idea of using thirsty hippo and the container.. Thanks for this article!! It’s really really helpful
ajjah´s last [type] post ..a small gift from 3fs
[REPLY]
ajjah:you’re most welcome..glad to share..:)…
catlina´s last [type] post ..Mama- saya lapar
[REPLY]
wow, tq cat… like it…
[REPLY]