Need some help with lens fungus prevention

I live in Hawaii where as you can image there is moisture all around us. I was looking to get some thoughts on how you prevent lens fungus? There are some blogs that have some opinions on them, I was hoping to get some direct feedback from more experienced photographers. Well let me take that back, all the information I could find was out dated, so perhaps some new prevention methods would be great.

Thank you for help.

Brad

You might want to get otr make a dry box. Then there are the Silica bags you can buy for in the bag. But for home storage the dry box is the best solution.

Thank you, now are there any methods for when I'm out in the field? I'm only home late at night as I work a couple jobs and always out in the elements.

At the time I got them, a couple of the manual lenses I collected had very faint hints of fungus formation in the edges. I figure since fungus wants a damp environment, I got silica gel pellets at Micheals (a craft store chain), which works as a desiccant. I fill up fuji film canisters 1/4 way full, poke holes in the lid with a tack, and store them with the lenses. So far no new fungus growth. Maybe not necessary as I live in a moderate environment, but better safe than sorry. I change out the pellets a couple times a year or so. If Hawaii is constantly humid, I'd change the pellets more often, and include humidity test strips. I heard somewhere leaving the lens with aperature wide open in direct sunlight for a day can kill fungus spores, but I wouldn't subject a lens to that for fear it would get too hot....

There's a flickr buddy of mine that collects HUNDREDS of manual lenses, and he's had his share of fungus riddled lenses. Strange but true, he takes these lenses apart and uses cold-cream and zippo fluid to remove fungus. I asked him if it effects lens coatings, and he swears up and down it's completely safe. Take it for what it's worth. Here's his process:

www.flickr.com/photos/indianadinos/page33/
www.flickr.com/photos/indianadinos/page32/

Yasko wrote: At the time I got them, a couple of the manual lenses I collected had very faint hints of fungus formation in the edges. I figure since fungus wants a damp environment, I got silica gel pellets at Micheals (a craft store chain), which works as a desiccant. I fill up fuji film canisters 1/4 way full, poke holes in the lid with a tack, and store them with the lenses. So far no new fungus growth. Maybe not necessary as I live in a moderate environment, but better safe than sorry. I change out the pellets a couple times a year or so. If Hawaii is constantly humid, I'd change the pellets more often, and include humidity test strips. I heard somewhere leaving the lens with aperature wide open in direct sunlight for a day can kill fungus spores, but I wouldn't subject a lens to that for fear it would get too hot....

There's a flickr buddy of mine that collects HUNDREDS of manual lenses, and he's had his share of fungus riddled lenses. Strange but true, he takes these lenses apart and uses cold-cream and zippo fluid to remove fungus. I asked him if it effects lens coatings, and he swears up and down it's completely safe. Take it for what it's worth. Here's his process:

www.flickr.com/photos/indianadinos/page33/
www.flickr.com/photos/indianadinos/page32/

He takes the lenses literally completely apart? What about aligning the glass elements back up? I may be talking out of my butt, however I never have had a lens apart before. Frankly I wouldn't know how to even open one!

Vahrenkamp wrote: He takes the lenses literally completely apart? What about aligning the glass elements back up? I may be talking out of my butt, however I never have had a lens apart before. Frankly I wouldn't know how to even open one!

Well, remember those are vintage lenses, most of them 40+ years old. All prime lenses with very simple construction compared to today's zooming autofocus lenses which have epoxy seals and electronics. I wouldn't consider taking apart my modern lenses. Let a repair facility do that. I have no doubt I could take apart and re-assemble my old takumars with a jeweler's screwdriver and a lens plunger though.

Yasko wrote:

Vahrenkamp wrote: He takes the lenses literally completely apart? What about aligning the glass elements back up? I may be talking out of my butt, however I never have had a lens apart before. Frankly I wouldn't know how to even open one!

Well, remember those are vintage lenses, most of them 40+ years old. All prime lenses with very simple construction compared to today's zooming autofocus lenses which have epoxy seals and electronics. I wouldn't consider taking apart my modern lenses. Let a repair facility do that. I have no doubt I could take apart and re-assemble my old takumars with a jeweler's screwdriver and a lens plunger though.

Ok, that makes sense. I wouldn't take a new lens apart myself

This only happens on older lenses, right?

Not necessarily. Older lenses are much more prone to it though. Looser tolerances let more moisture and dust in. Modern weather sealed lenses shouldn't get it all unless you immerse them in water.