Sark17 Loc: Atlanta, GA

Hello! I am trying to decide the best way to store my lenses and camera when I am not using them. Ideally, they would have a "home", and I would choose the lens(es) I need for the day when I am out shooting so I can limit the weight I am lugging around by carrying lenses I know I won't need (which is what I am doing now, or leaving them on a random table until I get home and put them back in the camera backpack).

I recently bought a dehumidifier cabinet, which seemed amazing in theory, but the temperature inside of it is about 76 degrees, and for some reason, even though the humidity is 35%, the temperature being that high makes me nervous (maybe it shouldn't, I don't know).

I used to keep lenses in a separate camera bag, in a dark closet, and never had issues with them getting mold or dust, etc, but the lenses I have acquired over the years mean quite a lot to me and I don't know if that same storage technique (closet in bag) is actually a good idea?

So my question, where do you store your lenses and camera when you aren't using them? I use my camera almost every day, but I shoot macro, wildlife and even try astronomy, so I have lenses I definitely don't use every day that I would like to keep as safe as possible when they are sitting on the bench 😉 What do you do that works?

Thank you!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I store mine in camera bags in the closet. (side bad and a backpack).
Lived in Florida for 27 years, never a problem.
Lived in Pennsylvania for the rest, no problem there either.

If I lived in a tropical place with no A/C, that might have a different bearing on things.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

My preferred storage are neoprene bags (LensPouch from LensCoat), with the focal length marked with the silver or gold 'paint' sharpie pens. I lived a few years ago where there was room on a book shelf. Now, they're in the large storage box in a corner of my office. Although all the bags are black drawstring bags, the external markings are a quick glace to confirm the contents. High temps are not a risk, certainly not below 100F. You want to assure there is no organic material, certainly no old school leather, as well as the lenses and cameras are thoroughly dried before being placed away for storage.

Remember too to prepare for moving from the indoors in the A/C to the outdoor humidity. You're not going to damage the equipment, but you can lose a frustrating half hour or more waiting for the dew to stop as the metal and glass raises to the temps outdoors. If you travel to a location, place the camera & lens(es) in a large ziplock bag in the truck of the car to let them rise in temp, protected from the humidity, as you travel to the shooting location. Placing the equipment in the ziplock bags in the garage an hour before need is useful for shooting outdoors around the house.

KLambar Loc: New Jersey

This topic has been brought up earlier this year. I use a Rugguard Cabinet 80L.

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

My wife and I live in Colorado. Since our house humidity rarely rises above 35%, I store everything in a small closet my wife assigned to me. Some are in cases or packs, some aren’t. I don’t have an issue.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

Hi Sark17,
You've gotten several good suggestions. I live in southwest Idaho, a high-desert part of the world. Humidity is seldom a problem but when I travel to more humid parts of the world, I drop several desiccant bags in each lens & camera case. I've never had a problem and my equipment has been to many high-humidity locations over the years. The bags I use are like these I found for sale on eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/5ive-Star-Gear-Silica-Gel-Disicant-TSP-5222000/324181712611?epid=1912096447&hash=item4b7abc5ee3:g:VsUAAOSwGXJe0QPN). Take care & ...

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

Sark17 Loc: Atlanta, GA

Thank you all for your advice and suggestions! I think I’m making a bigger deal out of it than I should! That’s good, I’ll use your suggestions and just go with bags! Also; I did search to see if storage was brought up in the past, and all I found was actual photo storage, but I’m sorry for the redundancy if this was already brought up! Thank you everyone!!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

And I'll bet it will be brought up again in the future.
So?

Had a math teacher in college. Someone would ask "Can you go over problem 12 on page 93?". The Prof would flip through his book and after a second say "I already did that one, any other questions?".

Attitude...

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Kit Storage? Clear plastic container appropriately sized and then in a four drawer dresser.

The eight hundred pound gorilla in the room that forks haven't mentioned is to activate the aperture blades on lens (I chose a delta of every 3 months) same with camera shutter mechanisms. But don't take my word on this, speak with the guys and gals in camera repair facilities... the aforementioned procedures with only take a few minutes, cheap insurance... any piece of kit that has precision moving components will likely benefit from this drill...

btw, one piece of kit I'm not keen on owning are "pumper zooms" those dust sucking optics are much higher risks for internal contaminants. Don't believe me? get yourself a small medical light i.e. the kind physicians and nurses use for checking pupils ability to contract. You can also use this to check for fungus growth with a lens.

I purchase a lot of used glass... and send back about 75% that where listed as in "excellent" or "mint" condition. "caveat emptor" The "Keepers" are amazing though...

Stay safe, practice social distancing and please wear a mask while in public... The Governor of my state of residency (Virginia) Ralph Northam today announced that all residents of Virginia should wear a mask in public... btw Governor Northam is a pediatric neurologist by occupation, he was an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1984 to 1992. Folks covid19 isn't going away until a vaccine is discovered and made available.

#justwearit

KLambar Loc: New Jersey

I researched and found where I replied back on April 17, 2020 and Oct. 15, 2019 on this topic.

1CanonGuy Loc: Texas

I use Desiccant bags in camera bags when not using my cameras. I also re-activate the desiccant in the microwave once or twice a year, for small bags 1mim in MW, medium bags 2min MW, large bags 5min in MW.
they last for years in you handle them carefully.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Good for you. That important, eh?
Well, you seem to have done it a third time.

Wanna shoot for a fourth or fifth?

Basil Loc: New Mexico

I keep my gear stored in various bags/backpacks for different use cases (I have a BIF, Sports, etc. kit another for Landsacape and General Photography and a third for Astro Photography). I keep desiccant bags in each bag and keep the bags in a locked metal cabinet.

Sark17 Loc: Atlanta, GA

Well you probably searched by using your name or something you know you said. I searched “storage and lens storage” and it didn’t come up. You also didn’t have to reply today. Sorry to have put you put but geeez.