STORAGE OF LENSES

[ajay_ukidve1]

I have read most of the threads regarding storage of lenses. Finally it

appears to me the best solution suggested by members is a humidity and

temperature controlled storage cabinet. Due to the large cost and space

constraints I am using hermetically sealed glass containers for storage. I put

in silica gel crystal bags of around 25 gms in each jar and replace every

year. If lenses are not in use I take them out once in a couple of weeks air

them for a day use them on my DSLR 15-20 times and then store again. These

jars I keep in an iorn cabinet which I havemade for my photo gear. I would

like to know if this system of storage is adequete or needs alterations.

Thanks in avance. PS I have also attached a photo of the jars.<div></div>

[ajay_ukidve1]

Sorry the glass jars are not hermetically sealed but air tight with a rubberized plastic washer in the caps.

[dseltzer]

I'd think the jars will be fine with the silica gel crystal bags there to hold tight to any wayward water molecules. The combination of the air-tight jars, plus dessicant gel installed, should keep the lenses clear, clean and dry. I can't vouch for the amount of gel needed, but 25 gms sounds like it's probably enough. Mind you, I have no direct experience in storing lenses in anything but my camera bag, but I like your idea very much.

[z_newbie]

Thats Too Extreme..... I just store mine in Camera Bag from Lowepro and I too use those Silica packets. I am in Calgary where the weather is extremely dry.

 

The only thing you need to keep in mind is the temperature difference, in winter moving in/out of your home will have some condensation!.

[frank_skomial]

Storing valuable violins requires humidifiers that add minimal moisture to the violin case, thus preventing wood cracks from too dry environment.

 

I am not sure if total lack of any moistute for storing lenses is desired, and if there is an optimal amount of humidity that prevents grease, rubber and plastic elements inside lenses from deteriorating. On the other end more probable is lens fogging from excessive moisture.

 

Once we find answers for questions like above, we would know if your storage method does not cause any harm to a lens.

 

Then, all depends on the place where you live and store lenses, and the lenses. If it is in a dry climate of California, Nevada, Sahara, etc. perhaps there is no need to worry about excessive moisture. In jungles or near wetlands, perhaps chances of fogging lenses are greater.

[albertdarmali]

I'm just using a bread bin. You know those square tin bin used for storing bread? Pick the square one, with the lid that open and close around 1/2 of the height of the bin, and put some blue-tak on the lid opening to allow 0.5cm gap for lenses to breathe, that's it.

 

So far I've got minimal dust and no fungus.<div></div>

[albertdarmali]

Sorry, I should say rectangular, not square.

[frankie_frank1]

Too dry can make some materials, such as vinyl, platic, ... crack.

[robert_hooper1]

Unless you know the humidity within the glass containers at any given time, you will never know whether your lenses are at risk or not. Silica gel can become saturated without you knowing it, leaving your stored lenses vulnerable. The point at which most fungus starts to grow is 80% humidity. I keep my lenses in a home made cabinet which regulates humidity. Generally, I keep the humidity between 45% to 60% within the cabinet.

 

You can make a very simple humidity controlled storage container using a sturdy metal, wooden or cardboard box with a light bulb inside. The box should not be air-tight. In fact, poke some holes around the bottom and top of the box. Vary the wattage of the light bulb so that the temperature within the box is around 10 degrees F higher than the temperature outside the box. This formula (given to me by the good people at Carl Zeiss AG) will keep the interior humidity below 80%. A cheap Hygrometer (measures humidity) is recommended. You can find them on Amazon.com for US $20.00.

 

I started off with something this simple and it works as well as the fancier one I have now.

 

Florescent bulbs are safer and use less energy.

 

Don't allow the temperature in the box to go above 100 degrees F.

[walterh]

"Florescent bulbs are safer and use less energy."

 

Robert while I agree that conserving energy is a good idea - here the whole point is to "waste" energy by heating up the cabinet. Anything that heats up the cabinet will be fine. Actually if you can find a heat lamp with low power consumption that is what you want. No (or only some red) light emission and a long life-time is desirable.

[morganlashley]

I store my cameras and lenses in Crumpler bag(s) in the trunk of one of my cars nearly all the

time! It's equipment, it's meant to be used and abused, not pampered. What kind of photos

are you going to take walking around with lenses in jars, sounds like a scene from Midnight

in the Garden of Good and Evil. I know the long term storage argument, but if you're going

to store things for long periods of time why not give them to someone who will use them.

[jose_angel]

"Thats Too Extreme..... I just store mine in Camera Bag from Lowepro and I too use those Silica packets. " Don`t think so, silica bags were saturated easily, then this bags stop working. Better to have a sealed recipient, where the small volume of air makes easy to absorb all humidity.

 

"... rubber and plastic elements inside lenses... " Most plastics are inert to water, but degrades easily with UV radiation; grease -usually- is not water soluble, but very active to temperature and ageing. Rubber degrades with radiation and water. Fungus love moisture and humidity.

 

The cheapest way IMO is to store -clean- lenses tightly into a plastic bag (like the ones used by manufacturers) with a silica gel bag inside, and seal them carefully with tape. Silica gel can be bought in cans, and then you can use it on home-made envelops. Used silica gel can be "revitalized" drying it on a heat oven. Of course, gear must be preserved of light.

[jose_angel]

"Fungus love moisture and humidity"=moisture and <i>dirtiness</i>

[hudspeth]

There is a heater rod for gun safes that runs at 75 degrees and plugs into a 110 outlet. The rod is about a foot long and will keep any moisture away if you put your lenses in a box big enough to hold the heater. It is not important for the box to be airtight.

[ajay_ukidve1]

Thanks a lot for the responses. Frankie you have me thinking, too dry an atmosphere will lead to cracks in plastic and possibly lens gluing materials. As regards silica gel getting saturated, it changes color so easy to see and replace. I think that incadescent 100 W bulb in a cabinet is a good idea. Fairly simple too. this I can do in my iorn cabinet itself. Regarding use of my equipment :-) its my hobby though No - 1 yet dont use it every day may be once in 2 weeks for a week end or then for my 3 month trips every year. I stay in Pune India, which is moderately dry except for June, July, August and mid September the rainy season, then humidity is 100%. Lenses and other gear is not easy to comeby in India so have to take good care. Thanks everybody.

[tonystokes]

The lenses I use I just keep in my bag or hard case. I have a collection of stuff I keep in an

old freezer (broken) and I bought a silica gel box that was intended for a gun cabinet. When

it absorbs enough moisture it changes color and I put it in the oven for a couple hours and

it's ready to go again.

[robert_hooper1]

Walter;

 

It doesn't take much to heat up the interior of a small space to 10 degrees F above

ambient temperature. A heat lamp would bake your equipment unless ambient

temperature was very cold or the storage space was large. I have found that while a 100w

equivalent screw in florescent bulb (the kind I get at Costco which use 23 watts) puts out

less heat than a 100w incandescent bulb, it produces more heat than a 25w incandescent

bulb. Like I said, it doesn't

require much heat to do the job, and you certainly don't want the interior of your storage

space to be over 100 degrees F.

[mike_langieri]

Wow... that seems a bit extreme. I bought most of my Nikon bodies and lenses in the 70's and at the suggestion of another photographer as well as a film cameraman, I bought two Zero cases, one about the size of a thick briefcase in which I carried two F2 bodies, a 500 mirror, an 80-200 zoom, a 55mm f/1.2, a 55mm macro, a 105mm f/2.5, a 45mm Auto-GN, and a 24mm WA. Lenses were always capped, and all the 52mm ones had a filter in place. In the bigger case, the size of a large suitcase, I could carry bellows, motor drive, pistol grips, a YaschicaMat, an SX70, and still had room for other accessories as well as my 4X5. I kept loads of silica bags in these cases, and between the silica and the o-ring seal of the zero cases... these lenses look as clean as the day I bought them, and everything functions smoothly.

 

The smaller zero case was/is the grab and go case for big trips, the big one is my "vault" that ensures nobody drops something on valuable equipment. That being said, I agree with Morgan that these kinds of items are meant to be used rather than archived like an Egyptian mummy. And yeah... I also have a Nikon soft bag that I use as the everyday place where my stuff is parked.

[robert_hooper1]

Mike;

 

 

If you don't live in the tropics, you have never fought the battle.

Fungus is a real problem for those of us who live with high humidity on a daily basis, as I do. In areas where humidity is plus or minus 90% much of the time, your method would be inadequate. Every time you open an airtight case, you expose the interior and silica gel within to a great deal of additional moisture. Unless you have large 1 pound bags of silica gel in the case, the gel will become saturated in no time at all, sealing your equipment in a damp environment. And even fully dry silica gel does not do a good job of dehumidifying a space quickly. In an environment of high humidity your equipment can become fungus ridden whether you are using it or storing it. Fungus spores are everywhere by the millions, in the air you breath, in your camera case and in your lens. They will remain dormant until atmospheric conditions are favorable for growth, the most important of which is 80%+ humidity. Storing gear in a dehumidifying cabinet quickly dries out equipment after a days use.

 

A former colleague of mine in Seattle used to store his equipment in much the same way as you describe and told me that he had never had a problem with fungus. I told him how to check his lenses for fungus with a bright light and he was astonished to find that several of his Hasselblad lenses were infected.

[don olson]

Storing the equipment is best at a CONSTANT temperature. In a cabinet against an interior wall not an exterior wall. Air tight is not necessary nor desired.

 

Not in a bedroom as this is one of the most moist bacterial laden rooms in your home. A silicon cloth made for fine firearms is a good occasional wipe for exterior surfaces only.

 

I build custom hi-grade firearms and restore them professionally and treating my camera equipment the same as fine firearms has always worked very well.

 

Never ever store in a foam case. The foam will attract and hold moisture.

[dcraton]

Lens shelf. Room dehumidifier & air cleaner. Has worked for years in a fairly humid state. After use, try not to leave your lenses in a bag, notably if you perspire when you shoot. Several have noted correctly to avoid damp areas such as near a restroom, bedroom, basements, etc.

 

I guess all I am really doing is echoing Donald Olson.