I am accumulating camera equipment and right now it's scattered around. We have a large house, but a lot of people living here. What I really need is a kid to move out so I can have their room! But...since making a 14 year old go live somewhere else is most likely illegal, I need to find a way to store my stuff in another room. I have looked at cases (like Pelican), dressers, cabinets, etc. I don't know which is the best way as far as not damaging the equipment over time. It's not going anywhere with me. I have smaller camera bags for travel. I just need somewhere to stash it all in one place around the house.

I'm interested in what other people do with all their gear that they aren't using in a grab and go bag. I've been looking online and see differing opinions on the cases due to no air circulation, etc. And people cautioning the use of some foam padding as it breaks down. Not sure how much of that stuff makes a difference. So I'd like to know what the Hedgehogs do! (aside from making family members move out :)

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

Good question. Requirements are: dry air, stable temperature, freedom from dust, out of harm's way.

Most of the worst damage I see to cameras and lenses is due to moisture. It can cause corrosion or
what is even worse, fungus. Electrical contacts are partciularly vulnerable to corrosion and optics are particularly vulnerable to fungus.

Obviously, humidity is a bigger problem if you leave in New Orleans or Jacksonville than if you live in
Flagstaff, AZ or Barstow, CA. But San Francisco can be humid when the fog rolls in. Any interiors of
houses can get humid anywhere, anytime, due to cooking, bathing, mopping etc.

Transient humidty (for a short period) usually does little harm. But why take the risk?

Unfortunately, people are usually unaware of humidity except on hot summer days. So it's not a bad
idea to buy an inexpensive hygrometer (often combined with aneroid thermometer). Don't laugh:
a lot of acoustic guitarists and violinists keep one in their instrument case (fussy things, musical instruments). Better to know the relative humidity than to guess.

Modern cameras have no wooden parts and contain no moisture when they leave the factory (unlike
a guitar or piece of furnature.). So the drier the air, the better.

Taking air and heating it reduces relative humidity. So in cold climates, the air inside heated structures is usually very dry. Cooling increases relative humidity, but cool air enough in an air conditioner and the moisture condenses out. So in the summertime, air conditions also reduce humidity when
the air warms back up. So cameras and lenses should not be stored near an air conditioner vent.

Start with an interior closet or cabinet in a heated part of the house. It shouldn't not touch an outside wall, since both cold and moisture can come through walls.

But what do you do if it is 72F outside and raining? Relative humidity outside is probably 90% and inside it's probably close to 99%. Nothing will dry out. What can you do?

Tupperware + dessicant pack = peace of mind

Actually, square food storage boxes with lids that seal work the best for cameras, and cylindrical beverage
storage containers with lids work the best for lenses. I like clear ones, so I can see what's inside. A fresh
dessicant pack is essential--without it, air-tight containers will trap moisture.

Get the type of dessicant that turns blue when it's full of water and can be dried out in the oven (follow the
dessicant manufacturer's recommendations). It's made of little round granules of silica gel inside a
plastic

Something to know about plastic bags: moisture vapor (and gasses) can penetrate flexible plastic! That's why your loaf of bread comes wrapped in cellophane inside the plastic bag: to keep it fresh. Plastic bags slow down water vapor but don't stop it. Nevertheless, freezer storage bags are useful because they keep out dust and allow you to pick up a piece of equipment without getting fingerprints all over it.

When trying to protect something, "belt plus suspenders" is a good idea: camera & dessicant pack inside of a plastic bag inside of a plastic box inside of a dry closet. (BTW, this is also the rule for security systems: never rely on just one thing.)

If you storing really valuable equipment, then an oxygen-getter pack can be added to the container in addition to the dessicant pack. (The usual one consists of sodium sulfie, a old friend from darkroom days.) This will prevent rust and deterioration to plastics and rubber by removing all the oxygen. It will also prevent foam light seals from tuning to goo -- a very, very common problem on decades old film cameras.

Tip: Never put away a camera or lens that is (or might be) damp. If the lens or camera has been
used in moist conditions, Let it dry out thoroughly in a warm room before placing in storage.

Tip for winter: if a lens or camera has been used outside and feels cold to the touch, to prevent condensation, place it in a plastic bag before bringing it inside. Leave it in the bag in
a warm room (or vehicle) until it warms up, then remove the bag and let it dry out as above.

Hope this information is helpful. If it seems excessive, it won't to anyone who has looked down an expensive top-of-the-line lens that is full of fungus.

I am accumulating camera equipment and right now it's scattered around. We have a large house, but a lot of people living here. What I really need is a kid to move out so I can have their room! But...since making a 14 year old go live somewhere else is most likely illegal, I need to find a way to store my stuff in another room. I have looked at cases (like Pelican), dressers, cabinets, etc. I don't know which is the best way as far as not damaging the equipment over time. It's not going anywhere with me. I have smaller camera bags for travel. I just need somewhere to stash it all in one place around the house.

I'm interested in what other people do with all their gear that they aren't using in a grab and go bag. I've been looking online and see differing opinions on the cases due to no air circulation, etc. And people cautioning the use of some foam padding as it breaks down. Not sure how much of that stuff makes a difference. So I'd like to know what the Hedgehogs do! (aside from making family members move out :)

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

I am accumulating camera equipment and right now it's scattered around. We have a large house, but a lot of people living here. What I really need is a kid to move out so I can have their room! But...since making a 14 year old go live somewhere else is most likely illegal, I need to find a way to store my stuff in another room. I have looked at cases (like Pelican), dressers, cabinets, etc. I don't know which is the best way as far as not damaging the equipment over time. It's not going anywhere with me. I have smaller camera bags for travel. I just need somewhere to stash it all in one place around the house.

I'm interested in what other people do with all their gear that they aren't using in a grab and go bag. I've been looking online and see differing opinions on the cases due to no air circulation, etc. And people cautioning the use of some foam padding as it breaks down. Not sure how much of that stuff makes a difference. So I'd like to know what the Hedgehogs do! (aside from making family members move out :)

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

I am accumulating camera equipment and right now it's scattered around. We have a large house, but a lot of people living here. What I really need is a kid to move out so I can have their room! But...since making a 14 year old go live somewhere else is most likely illegal, I need to find a way to store my stuff in another room. I have looked at cases (like Pelican), dressers, cabinets, etc. I don't know which is the best way as far as not damaging the equipment over time. It's not going anywhere with me. I have smaller camera bags for travel. I just need somewhere to stash it all in one place around the house.

I'm interested in what other people do with all their gear that they aren't using in a grab and go bag. I've been looking online and see differing opinions on the cases due to no air circulation, etc. And people cautioning the use of some foam padding as it breaks down. Not sure how much of that stuff makes a difference. So I'd like to know what the Hedgehogs do! (aside from making family members move out :)

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

I am accumulating camera equipment and right now it's scattered around. We have a large house, but a lot of people living here. What I really need is a kid to move out so I can have their room! But...since making a 14 year old go live somewhere else is most likely illegal, I need to find a way to store my stuff in another room. I have looked at cases (like Pelican), dressers, cabinets, etc. I don't know which is the best way as far as not damaging the equipment over time. It's not going anywhere with me. I have smaller camera bags for travel. I just need somewhere to stash it all in one place around the house.

I'm interested in what other people do with all their gear that they aren't using in a grab and go bag. I've been looking online and see differing opinions on the cases due to no air circulation, etc. And people cautioning the use of some foam padding as it breaks down. Not sure how much of that stuff makes a difference. So I'd like to know what the Hedgehogs do! (aside from making family members move out :)

Thanks for any ideas you may have.