No, the UV was meant to protect film during the film era. today, UV filter is totally useless with digital sensor. it just that, the market for UV is hard to die because people are not educated that UV has no what-so-ever function for digital sensor. but they get it for a simple protection for the lens. not just against knock, but WIPES, when u cant find proper cloth to wipe, using ur cloth(baju( is the best and fastest way, thus, the filter usually let u guys wipe as hard as u wan, coz it is expandable.

usually, what people look for is MC filter, the multi coated, to prevent flare (those who got UV only, will add flare to ur photo, go test it~) and cut down lightsources (a little like ND or CPL effect) some people notice when using MC filter, they got 1/3 drop of speed... but live with it.

try not to open during rainy day, and keep the container in dry places. those drier/silica gels are not 100% proven reliability. use at own risk.

silica gel is much more realiable then thristy hippo, thristy hippo turns into water after a period of time, imagine this, a container of water in ur dry container/box/tupperware... -______________-

superb88: it is Not recommend to store in bag even with silica gels. silica gel works on a small radius area. during raining days, Relative Humid can reach up to 90%(or more, coz my RHread max out at 90%lol) whole room(ur house room, even u didnt open ur window!) and bags (especially leather) are breeding ground for fungus!

octopus lifetime warranty covers the same way of lifetime warranty of PC memory, its Not your Lifetime, but that product Lifetime, if the product stop, and a new come to replace, that product just lost its lifetime warranty.

also, duely note that, the lifetime warranty provides if u carry the drybox back to the shop... its not like dell where they send agent to collect from you

always open
in-out, costly for keep changing the dehumidifier every month or so.

short term storage, 2-3 month open once, okay....

long term 1 year storage, big NO NO.

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Added on November 19, 2010, 8:47 pmjsut Mail them for quotation.

This post has been edited by ieR: Nov 19 2010, 08:47 PM

tashiha, usually when new brought drybox needs at least 2 days to stabilized. also, check if ur drybox is directly in front of the airconditioning, and leave "Space" behind the drybox for air circulation for 'bringing away moisture' from the 'dehumid unit'

if this go on for a week, consult ur dealer.

jagged, makoshark, like kmarc said, there is no DATA for it. but, recently, i DID heard a lot of that issue, it seem today, camera are affordable and people buy and becomes a Passive shooter (camera stored for 2-3 weeks to months). and yea, base on my theory (my opinion, some might differ) yea, leaving it too long will 'suck dry' the plastic.

leaving a wet sponge is big No. if ur thristy hippo already filled up, u are adding More moist inside, which favor spore to grow.

opening it 2-3 days is Good. but if u do not have the time, then (read #)

leaving it open or not tightly close is also another issue, too much moist in rainy day. and u might forgotten ur silica might filled up quickly then u thinks.(read#)

# read this: from one of my experienced friend (using this technique for more then a year) is to POP several small needle hole on the container (dont use tupperware, ur mum will kill u) so it can breathe... but downside, u have to check ur silica every week, to see if it filled up with moist and change(or cook it) when necessary.

anyhow, in all other method u can DIY, get a drybox. there is small drybox enough for a camera body and 4 lens and a flash, only around rm300. i think its the 12-15L model

its better leaving it attach, or less detach it. because each time u detach, u risk of having dust going inside the camera or lens.

any dobi provide "dry cleaning" service.

the silica will filled up before ur rubber is dry up. so its safe.

FYI some silica dont change color.

fungus grow only in humid and no air circulation places.

so fungus do not grow if u put ur lens on the table with ceiling fan turned on. problem is, yr lens will be covered with dust. so to put in closed area, less dust, but risking fungus.

if u use ur lens everyday, fungus dont really grow, those people who tell u fungus very tough, the toughest fungus type i know is called mushroom, and they dont grow in lens.

keneshiro: everyone has diff opinion of rubber and glass in drybox. rubber will dry up, and glass will grow fungus if not dry enough. its a very subjective debate. i have friends who do not have drybox, but leave their camera on the table or bed (or dinner table -___-)

filter, unless its aluminum frame filter, yes, it will BIND(or BOND) with the aluminium thread on the lens. some are brass frame so it wont bind with the aluminium threads.

fungus grows if its store over 3-4 months, or the store is really humid. but most store, are dry, and inside shopping center, although its 'cold' in fact its really really 'dry'. people who works in shopping center u notice they have dry skin.

not advisable.... but drybox is not everything la... if u take ur camera out and shoot at least one every week, should be fine.

which brand is ur drybox? most possible is, put ur drybox out in the sun for 30min. the sponge might be overfilled with water that the drying unit cant push more water 'out' hence keeping ur box wet(high in humid)

remember to leave some space behind the drybox, it need a little air circulation behind the box to bring away excessive water/moisture

littleway: yeap, thats the water that causes the RH cant drop, if u have enough space behind (mine is 5 inch from wall) the water will be erm 'dry away' from the air circulation from the room. the more u open, the more moist u bring into the drybox, and the drying unit will suck out more water to stuck at the sponge and without proper spacing from the back, the sponge water cant escape.

bruntalsoul: time to change ur thristy hippo? those thristy hippo are NOT consistent, so i have no comment about it.

are u sure its fungus or just dust? if its underwarranty, u can send it to nikon center for cleaning service

well thristy hippo has no industrial statement how much "moist" it will suck up. so its inconsistent. its not like super moist sucker that till 20%RH.... or constant 40%RH.... it just suck as much as long as it can. how strong? no idea. that why i no comment. to me, investing in drybox is very worry-free and i even plan to get a 2nd drybox as my first is filling up. and use the 1st as daily open drybox, and other as long storage drybox...

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Added on January 1, 2011, 4:42 pmahh,, u can try walk up to nikon center and ask for a quote, sometimes, u are lucky, they will give a FOC service! but dont put ur hope too high. or u can go to nikon thread ask around where usually they send to 3rd party people to service?

This post has been edited by ieR: Jan 1 2011, 04:42 PM

not recommend if ur place rains a lot lately and u plan to store the bag for a period of time.

yes u can warp cloth and sponge and bubble rap.... nothing wrong, just be more careful lor, dont careless... bag drop rate are very low.

wiping it with cloth its okay. the original optic coating do not scratch that easily. but please get a filter to protect your optics. the filter can range from cheap ones... where u can replace it when it is badly scratched, or the expensive ones, where is high resistant to scratch. just wipe the filter, no need scare scratch ur optics

highly recommended are Hoya HD, B+W and Zeiss filter. they are high scratch resistant.