billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Never store anything in ziploc bags, moisture build up will ruin them in short order. Cheapest way to store is in a drawer or on an open shelf covered with a cloth to prevent dust build up. Your humidity at 50-60% is OK.
I store my equipment in a humidity cabinet that maintains humidity at the proper level.

Jeffcs Loc: Myrtle Beach South Carolina

If you insist on using the zip lock bags add some rice to the bag to absorb any trapped moisture so your not going to grow fungus of any kind

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

A humidity of about 50% is not ideal and could eventually bring issues to your cameras and lenses. Lower humidity is better in which case it is perfectly fine to store cameras and lenses in a dry, ventilated place.
Here in South Florida the humidity is higher during the summer months. I have cameras and lenses in separate coolers, in an air conditioned room with a desiccant (DampRid) inside which I change periodically. Also periodically I get everything out of the coolers and expose them to room air for several hours.
Do not use Ziploks bags, no need to.

canadaboy

Fascinating question! Store mine under a tarp in the back yard.

Haden123

Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts. On balance I have decided that the risks associated with Ziploc bags probably outweigh their benefits, particularly over extended periods. However, cloth bags with desiccants in drawers or on closet shelves should be sufficient protection for my cameras and lenses. And of course the batteries should be removed.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I don't like the idea of a sealed plastic bag. As long as your gear isn't exposed to moisture of dirt, it should be okay. I like this tool cabinet idea.
https://wistia.com/learn/production/diy-camera-toolbox

Here's a link to a forum where people give their opinions on how to store cameras.
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/61232/what-is-the-best-long-term-storage-for-a-film-camera

I have all my stuff in clear storage boxes on a shelf. I have large labels on the boxes.

EDIT: Exercise the shutter once a month, if possible.
"Darkness is the mortal enemy of optical glass. A few pawnshops know this, too, and display accordingly, but some don't. Put rear caps and clear filters on your lenses and stand them on their rears in a dry, not-too-dimly lit spot. Store cameras standing up, with body caps on them."

"In fact, that is the main reason darkness is bad: as with almost anything, darkness breeds fungus, and fungus is the main thing that will make a used lens useless."

Put some silica gel in with your gear.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Don't we all?

I bet many of us have "an inordinate number" of items related to other hobbies, too.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

You are trapping moisture in the bag and who knows what else.
I don't wrap them, they sit on shelves or tossed carefully into a bin.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

There are a couple of things that are not great about grocery store Ziplock or other type of food bags.

First, they are not completely airtight - http://www.circuitnet.com/experts/86556.html
Second - they "offgas" as they continue to cure over time, releasing material that can deposit on all surfaces, including both internal and external lens surfaces. camera mirrors, sensors, etc.

Silica gel, or silicone dioxide, is a material with a huge surface area due to a large number of microscopic fissures and cracks in the surface - making it an excellent dessicant. But once the ambient moisture had been "adsorbed" - moisture cannot penetrate the surface, but it does collect in the tiny fissures - the maximum amount possible, it can no longer attract any more moisture. Silica Gel can be "recharged" by drying, usually with mild heat, rendering the gel capable of adsorbing more moisture. So silica gel when used in low permeability packaging materials (cellophane and similar) can provide some benefit, but not in polyethylene food storage bags which are not considered low permeability.

Putting cameras and lenses in a metal cabinet, or just in a camera bag on a shelf, should be fine. Just don't add plastic to your storage strategy.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

It might be a good idea to put one or two silica gel packs or other desiccant in each Ziploc to ensure that there is no condensation.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Seems like a waste of good plastic bags.

lamontcranston

Easy solution. I keep them in their factory boxes, like the manufacturers do. I periodically add a couple of fresh desiccant packages to the boxes and they reside in a closed furniture cabinet at room temperature. Pretty simple. Been storing cameras and lenses like that for several decades with no problems.

Haden123

Thanks very much. That makes perfect sense!

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Sounds good. Take batteries out.

walkurie Loc: East Stroudsburg, PA

I use clear plastic containers with gaskets and indicating silica gel packs for long term storage.
Otherwise it's a camera bag with the same silica gel packs.