Cameras and lenses have mechanical components that need to move smoothly, did you know inside the lens or the camera is also oiled so that mechanical movement is smooth and not dragging? Now if you place the camera and lens in a very dry area (humidity is too low) then this risks mechanical functions can be dragged and disturbed.
What is the Ideal Humidity Number?
Figures around 40 - 50% RH (relative humidity, relative humidity) are ideal for cameras and lenses according to various articles. The safest rule is to check your lens and camera manual, look for the ideal operating range words, then check the recommended humidity range. Now for long-term storage, divide the number by two.
For example, the ideal operating humidity for the Canon 5D Mark II is 85% or lower. Then the ideal storage is around 35 to 45%.
Some of the Best Storage Methods
Here are some storage methods you can do to maintain the condition of the lens and the camera to remain optimal and excellent.
Buy a Special Dry Cabinet or Dry Box, a dry cabinet is a special cabinet that is designed to store electronic goods like the photo above. You can buy it at a camera shop or a large home appliance store. Depending on the specifications, we can adjust the humidity numbers in the storage space as desired.
Silica Gel and Airtight Box, For an inexpensive alternative you can use an airtight box that is commonly used to store and put some silica gel bags. You can also buy special silica gel with a color indicator to find out the water content in the gel as in the photo below. When the silica gel in the box is saturated with water, you can plug it into electricity to dry it again.
I recommend not buying a camera storage box that has a heating element, the risk of the element getting too hot is quite large. When the heater gets too hot, the sensor inside the camera can be affected by the sap.
