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Steve
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 02:34 pm: | 
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What is the best way of preventing deterioration (corrosion, lens "fungus", leather mildew etc) when a camera is not in use?
My first thought was to put the camera in a plastic bag with a bag of desiccant (eg. silica gel crystals). This should take care of damp-related problems, but is it possible that too dry an atmosphere could actually be harmful to leather, as it can be to wood?
Are there better options? |
Harlee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 04:26 pm: |
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Make sure you remove the battery! |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 05:59 pm: |
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The use of silica gel packs will not cause any longterm problems. However it is most important that the equipment is cleaned properly, before any methods of preservation are used.Sweat from fingers can cause havoc to metal parts during long term storage, but note that real leathers like nothing better than the natural oils on ones hands. After cleaning I apply a microwax polish(Renaissance Microwax) to all the metal and plastic/leather parts of all my photographic equipment.This archival grade product protects against corrosion and stops fingermarks appearing.Wipe out the battery compartment as well as removing the battery.Store the battery in a plastic container and not with the camera! If you are determined to use plastic bags, then the only choice for long term preservation are nylon bags.Nylon is completely impermeable to organic vapours but PVC bags allow a variety of molecules, that are potentially harmful to foams and plastics to pass through. My personal choice is food grade 'Tupperwear' containers (no nasty migrating plasticisers) and silica gel packs. However I must say that I have a number of items on open display in a well ventilated living room and these show no signs of corrosion or fungus.Putting cameras and lenses in damp unventilated wardrobes, cupboards or store rooms is the biggest cause of deterioration during extended storage |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 07:09 am: |
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I add a cautionary note.
Yesterday I was given a Minolta 7000 AF in what appeared to be on first glance mint condition. It was in an unmarked ever-ready case and the local charity shop wanted it checking out.The battery compartment forms a grip on the righthand end of the camera and is covered in/made from 'softgrip plastic'.On removing the ER case the reason for the donation came clear,the soft grip was turning into a sticky goo.It was possible to scrape off layers of the plastic with a finger nail.Obviously the plastics used exhibit unstable chemistry.The camera itself functioned perfectly with batteries installed,but unless perfect replacement parts were found it is just a source of spares.
Perhaps the rarity of some future 'classic' cameras will be because most of them disintegrated before our eyes and not because the electronics have fried.No matter how you store them this degradation will just continue,a camera that ages with it's owner! |
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