got people use tupperware or lock lock as dry box?

[ahbian]

hey thanks treetrunk, lonarciso, af2373, horizon-grazer, cleonbus, byson and xtin88 for your advice and warm welcome.

yup am looking at some models from digicab. guess i'll go down to take a look after work.

No. Product Unit Price
1.
AD-050 with delivery
S$168.00
2.
DB-036 cash & carry
S$118.00

DB-036 is the smallest size we have, therefore it is only cash and carry,
you may want to make your purchase at the followings dealers:

MS Color(AMKHub) Alan Photo/Edison/Orient Photo/Song Brothers(Sim Lim Square)
Photocam(Peninsula Plaza), (John 3:16/Alan Photo /Song Brother (Funan It Mall)TK Foto(Shaw Tower)
Mustafa (Mustafa Centre/Serangoon Plaza)NTUC Extra(AMK Hub/ Jurong Point)
Parisilk Store (Katong/Holland/Bedok/Transit Rd.)

Carrefour for one, does home delivery for purchases above $150. My friend bought the digicab + groceries from them to make up the amount. You can consider if you have no car to take the digicab.

 

[bobgosling]

he said it's fine just that when the silica gel turns pink have to fry it in a wok.

Please please please tell your friend NOT to dry Silica Gel in a Wok that is also used for cooking food.

Silica Gel is carcinogenic !!! ( It can cause cancer )

 

[benleong84]

yes i do keep my stuff in a dry box.
but like many CSers here, i believe that frying the silica beads will have no positive effect on health, no amount of money saved will be enough for lung cancer treatment.

i have a practice of using a bottle per 2 months, and discarding the contents for a new bottle when its depleted and used.

hope this helps.

PS: i'm using a lock'n'lock box.

 

[Blur Shadow]

I started off with Tupperware... No shame in that. Just more time-consuming to maintain.

 

[ed9119]

ya no shame in using tupperware or anything that keeps the content sealed

just one advise when you are using silica gel beads........ first couple of months sure you will be Siao On and keep it fresh

half a year or 2 LATER ...... you might start getting lazy or forgetful ........ THATs when your equipt will get into problems with fungus

the undried sweat from your camera strap alone is going to turn your beads pink very very quickly and kill your equipt

 

[Bryson]

If you're thinking of getting a dry-box and save up money for a dry-cab like i do, you can get it at MS colour at AMK hub for $23 which i'm getting tomorrow.

 

[satayman]

wow! thanks guys for all your invaluable tips...even health ones too :thumbsup:

 

[sinned79]

half a year or 2 LATER ...... you might start getting lazy or forgetful ........ THATs when your equipt will get into problems with fungus

the undried sweat from your camera strap alone is going to turn your beads pink very very quickly and kill your equipt

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thats what i am saying. Actually no need half a year later, i think for some, after 1-2 months will get tired of it. :bsmilie:

Again my motto:

Dun buy a DSLR if you cannot afford a dry cabinet! :bsmilie:

 

[sinned79]

yes i do keep my stuff in a dry box.
i have a practice of using a bottle per 2 months, and discarding the contents for a new bottle when its depleted and used.

hope this helps.

PS: i'm using a lock'n'lock box.

let see if u can keep doing this one year later.

Just note for the newbies again.

If you decided to do this method.

Please note that the amount of silica gel varies to achieve the required level.

If you have one body and one lens, the amount to put is different with one body and 3 lens.

Too much cannot (become too dry), Too little cannot (not effective).

So why have so much headache over this?

Just get a dry cabinet to solve your problem and put your concentration on shooting instead of doing 'calculation' after each shoot.

 

[hotwork77]

how much does his equipment worth now?

and how much does your equipment worth now?

It is not so much as how much it is worth in B&S. It is the perceived worth of the equipment to the owner.

I have a wooden camera handed down by my grandfather. It does not worth a cent in the B&S. However, the body has been molested by famous people who made history before I was even born.

 

[sinned79]

It is not so much as how much it is worth in B&S. It is the perceived worth of the equipment to the owner.

I have a wooden camera handed down by my grandfather. It does not worth a cent in the B&S. However, the body has been molested by famous people who made history before I was even born.

Thats not what i meant.

What i meant was probably that fella's film camera (i assume it should be the case) is only worth a few hundred bucks, but if the camera kana fungus, he can just buy a new digital camera without feeling any pinch since its high time.

But TS's camera may cost a few thousand bucks, repair not worth, buy new one heartache.

Get it?

 

[hotwork77]

Please please please tell your friend NOT to dry Silica Gel in a Wok that is also used for cooking food.

Silica Gel is carcinogenic !!! ( It can cause cancer )

Bludder...Silica Gel not carcinogenic lah. You can check CAS No: 112926-00-8 which state that it is not hazardous. The dust however can cause repiratory reaction in some people.

I dry silica gel in microwave oven set in high for one minute.

 

[sinned79]

Bludder...Silica Gel not carcinogenic lah. You can check CAS No: 112926-00-8 which state that it is not hazardous. The dust however can cause repiratory reaction in some people.

I dry silica gel in microwave oven set in high for one minute.

ermm i think used Silica Gel is carcinogenic. :dunno:

 

[hope107fm]

I have been using tupperware (large size that accommodates one dslr with kit lens and one additional lens) and a bottle of silica gel for years. Just buy a new bottle of gel when old ones turn pink - no hassle. No problems with fungus so far.

 

[sinned79]

No problems with fungus so far.

Have you gone through the microscope?

Fungus takes years to build before its visible under the eyes.

It may be just a little speck of spot which you will not notice and think its just dust.

This is just a misconception (" If you can't see it, means its 'OK' ") that most ppl have.

 

[hotwork77]

Thats not what i meant.

What i meant was probably that fella's film camera (i assume it should be the case) is only worth a few hundred bucks, but if the camera kana fungus, he can just buy a new digital camera without feeling any pinch since its high time.

But TS's camera may cost a few thousand bucks, repair not worth, buy new one heartache.

Get it?

Ahya... you don't get it. That film camera is his pride an joy even if it has no value. Got fungus then got fungus lah. Still can take picture what.

I also got film camera, now no value. Don't know where got sell film. But everyday still take it out and pretend take a picture and kiss it good night. This is everything to a old man like me.

:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[sinned79]

Ahya... you don't get it. That film camera is his pride an joy even if it has no value. Got fungus then got fungus lah. Still can take picture what.

I also got film camera, now no value. Don't know where got sell film. But everyday still take it out and pretend take a picture and kiss it good night. This is everything to a old man like me.

:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

u also dun get it.

Imagine u spend thousands to get a camera and kana fungus, yes, still can take picture, but the fungus will affect your picture quality for sure and also, do u think its ok to repair? Fungus cannot be removed totally FYI.

anyway no point to drag this discussion.

if u want to risk your equipment that is worth thousands, its your choice!

my motto is always the same, dun buy a DSLR if you cannot afford a dry cabinet (to protect your equipment).

 

[sinned79]

I have been using tupperware (large size that accommodates one dslr with kit lens and one additional lens) and a bottle of silica gel for years. Just buy a new bottle of gel when old ones turn pink - no hassle. No problems with fungus so far.

Btw i am a dry box user way back in 2002 also to keep my pns cameras before i switch to dry cabinet when i get my DSLR last year.

Waiting for the gels to turn pink then change is too late. Based on my experience and observation, when the gels turns nearly pink, you should change already cos the PH level already rapidly increases.

Just another note to dry box users:

i. How long can you keep up with this change of silica gel procedure (like ed mentioned on this thread), what if suddenly for a period you are so busy that you forget? Keeping an air tight container with your expensive equipments with high humidity level is suicidal!
ii. How do you know if you put in the correct amount? Like hope107fm, i believe, he used the whole bottle, but i think thats overkill and will cause the drybox to be too dry. Remember the point i say? Too much is not good (too dry), Too little is not good (not efficient).
iii. Health problems? This i don know.


So why not just get a $100 odd dry cabinet to save all these headaches??? Makes sense right?

 

[bullseyez]

That must be the best reason to buy a camera ever :bsmilie:

Careful not to use too much silica gel if you use an airtight container. The rubber stuff will crack if it gets too dry. Don't worry about the humidity too much for now, my dslr goes into the dry cab less than 1 week per year probably. I only put the stuff I rarely use in there. As long as you use it often, fungus should not grow within 10 years or so. Get it after you have a bit more equipment.

can you be more specific on too dry? Im keeping my equipement in dry box all the time with silica gel and the reading is 30(forgot wat is the unit, haha)

 

[sinned79]

can you be more specific on too dry? Im keeping my equipement in dry box all the time with silica gel and the reading is 30(forgot wat is the unit, haha)

too dry as in you put too much silica gels then needed. and the reading goes much lower then your 30. Actually for dry cabinet, the recommended level is 45-55. I think your 30 is too dry already. But I am not sure for dry box u need how much allowance, for dry cabinet u need to +/1 5-10 so the reading should read at least 40-45 to be safe.

the side effects of too dry can includes:

1. as mentioned, rubber will crack (Note: this is not an immediate effect, it only happens when u keep for too long under dry condition)
2. oil on your lens will dry up and hence when u focus, it may gives you problem.