Sony Point-Shoots Bad with Humidity - Very Bad

[MikeFook]

I have lived in Thailand for 7 years now. I have had these Sony Cameras:

DSC-S85
DSC-90 (2 of them)
DSC-H10
DSC-H20

All of them ceased functioning after about 2 years.

I have also had a Nikon D70s and my friend has had Nikon d5000's. These cameras last 3-4 years in Thailand's high humidity - and also fail.

Just a headsup - if you're living in southeast Asia and are considering buying anything other than a professional weather sealed camera, or an underwater camera - don't bother... you're throwing away money.

Looks like my next point and shoot will be the Nikon AW100 waterproof camera if it's all the release says it is.

 

[busch]

How do you store your camera when not in use?

Use desicants and put a 10 watt light in the cabinet where the camera is stored.

--
Busch

Take the scenic route! Life is too short to do otherwise.

http://www.pbase.com/busch

 

[ASR45]

Do you know Dave LLoyd he has lived there for many years, i know he has mmany Fuji cameras including the S100FS which he still uses, as up untill recently had a shop which he sold pictures. What im saying is he never had a problem with humidity with his fuji cams, perhaps its sony dont know. If you go on the fuji talk forum, you might find him there, nice chap im sure he could enlighten you more good luck.
--
Alan.

 

[AntonyJ]

How do you store your camera when not in use?

Use desicants and put a 10 watt light in the cabinet where the camera is stored.

This is a good point. You can't do much about the conditions when using the camera, but in humid countries, cameras should be stored somewhere warm and very dry. Air conditioning dries the air, but taking a cold camera outside will cause vapour to condense onto the camera (inside and out). Special cabinets can be bought (a bit like a humidor for keeping cigars, but the opposite), but a sealed plastic box with silica gel packs (or rice even) to absorb moisture will do. And make sure the camera is warm before taking it outside.

 

[MikeFook]

That's an idea. Who'd have thought a simple camera needs such a thing? I'd not have... would I need that for a d7000 as well that is already weather proofed?

 

[MikeFook]

I don't really use air conditioning - so that's not an issue. I am aware of how that would create condensation and dork the camera up faster. I don't use air in the house - just fans...

Now, throwing the camera in a big bag of rice makes sense - we always have a 50kg bag of jasmine rice laying around. Maybe I'll start doing that.

Thanks, and cheers...

Vern

 

[aaanouel]

At these tropical humid weather (100% humidity the whole year), you'd better use a Deshumidificador and be sure to provide it a good drainage: I usually have to get rid of near 3 liters of water per day. No SilicaGel bags will help.

Dry air is indispensable to avoid the fungi proliferation into the mechanisms, electronics and lenses.

Purchase one and put it in a closed place to store all your camera gear, delicate gadgets, photos, special books and remembering. No other way.
--
aaanouel

Truth is a pathless land.
The dead past darkens the ever living present.
Jiddu Krishnamurti

Please excuse my poor english and orthographic rabbits, I do my best.
Corrections and critics are very welcome.

 

[MikeFook]

I don't know of him. I did just find some of his photos in books on amazon though. He uses Fuji cameras eh? I used FujiChrome way back when and loved the greens and yellows they created on slides...

Anyway - thanks for the reply. Cheers!

 

[busch]

Yes!

--
Busch

Take the scenic route! Life is too short to do otherwise.

http://www.pbase.com/busch

 

[rimshot]

In Central Florida humidity is also a problem..If I'm leaving the air conditioning and going to the Lakefront, I set my camera in front of the defroster and turn up the heat to warm up the camera ... On a cruise ship, I use a hair drier or hand drier in the restroom to warm it up..One time, it wouldn't de-fog. I finally found the moisture between the two lenses on my circular polarizer.. Moisture collects on the cool surface..