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Tips for preventing fungus on enlarger lenses?

Julie McLeod

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Ottawa, Ontario
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I'm going to be setting up a darkroom in the basement in the coming months. I've been cautioned that fungus will potentially affect enlarger lenses in basement situations and though it doesn't seem to be a damp environment, I don't want to take any chances. What's the best way to prevent fungus? Remove the lenses and put them in a sealed ziploc bag?

Thanks.
 
What I would do is just store them elsewhere and bring it down to the basement when you need them.
 
I keep my lenses in my basement darkroom here in damp New England. I have a dehumidifier in the darkroom, and another for the rest of the basement, both set to 40%. The one the darkroom is on a shelf, arranged to drain into the sink. No problems yet.
 
mehguy said:
What I would do is just store them elsewhere and bring it down to the basement when you need them.
Click to expand...

That might have been an okay solution but I just tested and the humidity is the same in both the basement and upstairs so that's not going to work!
 
photog_ed said:
I keep my lenses in my basement darkroom here in damp New England. I have a dehumidifier in the darkroom, and another for the rest of the basement, both set to 40%. The one the darkroom is on a shelf, arranged to drain into the sink. No problems yet.
Click to expand...

Is 40% relative humidity a pretty good target to avoid fungus? I don't have the air conditioner running today and the humidity in the house is now around 45-46%.
 
You can store all of your lens in a box with packets of silica gel, or you move to Arizona, today about 9%.
 
Julie McLeod said:
Is 40% relative humidity a pretty good target to avoid fungus? I don't have the air conditioner running today and the humidity in the house is now around 45-46%.
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I have no hard data, but 40% feels comfortably dry. Without the dehumidifiers it's about 80% humidity down there in the summer. That definitely feels damp and I'd worry about fungus and mold in general.

It's just a hunch, but I'd expect lenses to less susceptible to mold and fungus than lots of other darkroom items like enlarger bellows and enlarging paper.
 
It's an unwritten convention of photography Julie never to leave lenses of any kind in a darkroom, not only because of dangers from humidity, but also chemical fumes .
 
Paul Howell said:
You can store all of your lens in a box with packets of silica gel, or you move to Arizona, today about 9%.
Click to expand...

Silica gel sounds like a less drastic solution.


Okay, those are good points. I think it's only going to be a concern in the Fall and Spring, when we aren't heating or air conditioning. I think a dehumidifier sounds like a plan.

benjiboy said:
It's an unwritten convention of photography Julie never to leave lenses of any kind in a darkroom, not only because of dangers from humidity, but also chemical fumes .
Click to expand...

Thank you for that tip, Ben.

ic-racer said:
Humidity 55 or less.
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Great, thanks.
 
Julie-if possible, store your lenses and paper outside of the darkroom. Not only for fungus but, if you do any sulphide toning, the toner can fog your paper.
I have a dehumidifier running full time in the lens/ paper room (directly outside of the darkroom). In DC's hot, humid summer, it's removing about 3.5 - 4 gallons of water every 24 hours. I don't run one in the darkroom while working- only after sessions. I don't like the noise, and it will actually suck up the water from your chemicals ( probably only noticeable during long sessions, though).
 

Those are useful suggestions and quite doable. Thanks.
 
The humidity indoors during Ottawa's winter will probably help.

Air flow also helps. If you seal up your lenses in a humid environment, fungus is encouraged. If your lenses are open to the air in a busy hall way, not so much.
 
MattKing said:
The humidity indoors during Ottawa's winter will probably help.

Air flow also helps. If you seal up your lenses in a humid environment, fungus is encouraged. If your lenses are open to the air in a busy hall way, not so much.
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Hi Matt. In the months where the inside humidity might be high, would keeping lenses in a box with a desiccant be preferable to open air storage?
 
Dear Julie,

The humidity number you gave are super. If it stays that way you will be fine.

Enjoy your new darkroom,

Neal Wydra
 
photog_ed said:
I keep my lenses in my basement darkroom here in damp New England. I have a dehumidifier in the darkroom, and another for the rest of the basement, both set to 40%. The one the darkroom is on a shelf, arranged to drain into the sink. No problems yet.
Click to expand...
+1
 
I use a dehumidifier set to 40%, two UV-C sterilizer lamps, and an air conditioner when necessary to keep fungus at bay. Without these, my space would be growing mushrooms like a cave. Fungus likes darkness with humidity above 60%. 60% humidity at 85F is a whole lot more water in the air than 40% at 70F. Follow exposure advisories with UV-C lamps.
 
mehguy said:
What I would do is just store them elsewhere and bring it down to the basement when you need them.
Click to expand...

+1

I might add that a darkroom is a bad place to store anything because of the humidity.. Keep film and paper somewhere .
 
ziploc bag n desicant packs. be sure the packets have been dried before throwing m in.

BTW your enlarger is at risk as well.. condensers, filters, etc.
 
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