How do you store your lenses

**monochrome** · 10-30-2015, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by bertwert

But how many do you use?

On a continuum where 0 is 100% user with no interest in collecting and 100 is just collecting with no intent to use - I'm probably an 85. The K-3 and FA Limiteds (not pictured) are used often. Everything else is by inspiration, but everything does get at least a little use. A few things I've owned since 1977. Much of the rest I acquired by trading on eBay from 1999 to 2003, when all the film stuff was cheap and available. A few I've recently just bought outright since the prices are coming down (I think the 'speculative mountain of FF lenses' will appear all at once and prices will actually drop when the FF finally appears - it's already happening, I think). Better I keep them than they become Canon lenses, ruined forever.

The newest to me is maybe September*, and there's 15+ years of gradual accumulation represented there. My wife collects Ehrmann needlepoint kits that people bought and never stitched. She's always working on something but it would take the rest of her life to finish them all. I suppose it would take 3 years of Single-In to get through them all and I'm not disciplined enough to do that.

* oops - today

Originally posted by stevebrot

I was expecting something more similar to this:

That will be me if my wife ever opens those drawers.

Last edited by monochrome; 10-31-2015 at 12:55 PM.

CreationBear · 10-30-2015, 04:05 PM

A great thread!

I'm curious if you have a philosophy about the orientation of the lens in storage: hoods on/off? Front element facing down, or with it resting on its rear cap?

severalsnakes · 10-30-2015, 04:57 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by CreationBear

A great thread!

I'm curious if you have a philosophy about the orientation of the lens in storage: hoods on/off? Front element facing down, or with it resting on its rear cap?

I've heard that lenses should be stored front element up because of the possible movement of the oil on the aperture blades (you don't want it on your front element). I've also heard that you should store manual lenses at their tightest aperture, to relax the spring.

This is just stuff that I've read here or there. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

CreationBear · 10-30-2015, 05:23 PM

Originally posted by severalsnakes

This is just stuff that I've read here or there

Certainly food for thought, thanks! I'd thought mostly in terms of decentering a lens, but your points make a lot of sense.

rjm007 · 10-30-2015, 05:31 PM

I really can't let my wife see this thread. Some excellent suggestions though. Really like the idea of a cupboard full of lenses. Just need to ramp up my ebay activity first. It's clear half a dozen just doesn't hack it here.

BrianR · 10-30-2015, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by jkomp316

in socks... like golf clubs.

I did keep mine in socks rattling loosely around the bottom of a backpack. The socks added some padding and also kept them warm. I eventually got tired of having lint on my lenses and sprung for a camera bag.

virusn3t · 10-30-2015, 11:04 PM

I have a glass cabinet with led light

fg-one · 10-31-2015, 01:17 AM

The enemy is moisture. So I store my lenses in a closed wooden cabinet next to a tray of silica gel (on top of the white pot). I have found that with time, I have to replace the silica gel less and less often. The wood of the cabinet must have become very dry and it buffers the humidity by absorbing it from the ambient air.

zapp · 10-31-2015, 04:23 AM

Originally posted by rjm007

Given the serious amount of LBA there is here I wonder how everyone is storing them their lens collection. Being merely a rank amateur I have a camera bag that serves as a lens pile for now. Having caught manual prime fever with the purchase of a SonyA6000 (and coming from a Pentax beginning) I'm every so slightly obsessed with M42 and K-Mounts.

Pretty soon the OCD side of me is going to need to store them properly.

So what does everyone do - especially say, the guys that have 10 50mm lenses :-)

Mine a stored at Pentax headquarters. They have all been announced, but you cannot buy them yet. The old ones I keep at home.

TaoMaas · 10-31-2015, 05:24 AM

Originally posted by fg-one

The enemy is moisture.

True, but I've also heard that UV light kills fungus so the more a person uses a lens outdoors...the less likely it is to develop fungus. I don't go to great lengths to protect my lenses...but then, my house is relatively dry, too. Some I keep in my main camera bag...some are on a shelf waiting to be swapped out and used...and some are in the drawers of an old dresser that I use to store stuff. I try to pad them so they don't bang together, but otherwise I don't "baby" them much.

**csa** · 10-31-2015, 08:08 AM

Wow! Someday when I grow up, I hope I can have a nice collection as I see here!

I store my few lenses in a Tamrac backpack bag, front element up, covered with a OpTec or LensCoat lens cover.

OP/TECH USA Hood Hat

I get these to fit over the hoods of my lenses, so I can store with hoods on.

rjm007 · 10-31-2015, 12:09 PM

I live in California so humidity hasn't been much of a problem of late, like over the past few years. I think I'm in more need of a fire safe. We'll see what El Nino brings of course. There's a creek that runs behind our house that carries a fair amount of moisture when we have heavy rain but hasn't quite flooded us,yet.

Stacking - always try to leave them base down.

**monochrome** · 10-31-2015, 12:36 PM

I have no idea why - just internet 'cultural knowledge' I've picked up over the years. - but - base down, aperture closed down, caps on (without filter), focus helicoid at closest setting.*

I do actually exercise the focus helicoids and aperture on every lens periodically - especially the ones that don't get much use.

wombat2go · 10-31-2015, 12:49 PM - **1 Like**

Does anybody know if it is OK to store old lenses in attic store room along with a small qty of mothballs (napthalene) ?

CreationBear · 10-31-2015, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by monochrome

caps on (without filter),

Very useful! Any ideas on why the proscription against filters? Moisture build-up between the filter and the objective, perhaps?

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10-30-2015, 03:56 PM	#31
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by bertwert But how many do you use? On a continuum where 0 is 100% user with no interest in collecting and 100 is just collecting with no intent to use - I'm probably an 85. The K-3 and FA Limiteds (not pictured) are used often. Everything else is by inspiration, but everything does get at least a little use. A few things I've owned since 1977. Much of the rest I acquired by trading on eBay from 1999 to 2003, when all the film stuff was cheap and available. A few I've recently just bought outright since the prices are coming down (I think the 'speculative mountain of FF lenses' will appear all at once and prices will actually drop when the FF finally appears - it's already happening, I think). Better I keep them than they become Canon lenses, ruined forever. The newest to me is maybe September, and there's 15+ years of gradual accumulation represented there. My wife collects Ehrmann needlepoint kits that people bought and never stitched. She's always working on something but it would take the rest of her life to finish them all. I suppose it would take 3 years of Single-In to get through them all and I'm not disciplined enough to do that. oops - today Originally posted by stevebrot I was expecting something more similar to this: That will be me if my wife ever opens those drawers. Last edited by monochrome; 10-31-2015 at 12:55 PM.

10-30-2015, 04:05 PM	#32
CreationBear Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,415	A great thread! I'm curious if you have a philosophy about the orientation of the lens in storage: hoods on/off? Front element facing down, or with it resting on its rear cap?

10-30-2015, 04:57 PM - 1 Like	#33
severalsnakes Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Kansas City, KS Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,612	Originally posted by CreationBear A great thread! I'm curious if you have a philosophy about the orientation of the lens in storage: hoods on/off? Front element facing down, or with it resting on its rear cap? I've heard that lenses should be stored front element up because of the possible movement of the oil on the aperture blades (you don't want it on your front element). I've also heard that you should store manual lenses at their tightest aperture, to relax the spring. This is just stuff that I've read here or there. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

10-30-2015, 05:23 PM	#34
CreationBear Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,415	Originally posted by severalsnakes This is just stuff that I've read here or there Certainly food for thought, thanks! I'd thought mostly in terms of decentering a lens, but your points make a lot of sense.

10-30-2015, 05:31 PM	#35
rjm007 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Uxbridge UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	I really can't let my wife see this thread. Some excellent suggestions though. Really like the idea of a cupboard full of lenses. Just need to ramp up my ebay activity first. It's clear half a dozen just doesn't hack it here.

10-30-2015, 05:48 PM	#36
BrianR Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,332	Originally posted by jkomp316 in socks... like golf clubs. I did keep mine in socks rattling loosely around the bottom of a backpack. The socks added some padding and also kept them warm. I eventually got tired of having lint on my lenses and sprung for a camera bag.

10-30-2015, 11:04 PM	#37
virusn3t Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 676	I have a glass cabinet with led light

10-31-2015, 04:23 AM	#39
zapp Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,388	Originally posted by rjm007 Given the serious amount of LBA there is here I wonder how everyone is storing them their lens collection. Being merely a rank amateur I have a camera bag that serves as a lens pile for now. Having caught manual prime fever with the purchase of a SonyA6000 (and coming from a Pentax beginning) I'm every so slightly obsessed with M42 and K-Mounts. Pretty soon the OCD side of me is going to need to store them properly. So what does everyone do - especially say, the guys that have 10 50mm lenses :-) Mine a stored at Pentax headquarters. They have all been announced, but you cannot buy them yet. The old ones I keep at home.

10-31-2015, 05:24 AM	#40
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	Originally posted by fg-one The enemy is moisture. True, but I've also heard that UV light kills fungus so the more a person uses a lens outdoors...the less likely it is to develop fungus. I don't go to great lengths to protect my lenses...but then, my house is relatively dry, too. Some I keep in my main camera bag...some are on a shelf waiting to be swapped out and used...and some are in the drawers of an old dresser that I use to store stuff. I try to pad them so they don't bang together, but otherwise I don't "baby" them much.

10-31-2015, 08:08 AM	#41
csa Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Montana mountains Posts: 10,133	Wow! Someday when I grow up, I hope I can have a nice collection as I see here! I store my few lenses in a Tamrac backpack bag, front element up, covered with a OpTec or LensCoat lens cover. OP/TECH USA Hood Hat I get these to fit over the hoods of my lenses, so I can store with hoods on.

10-31-2015, 12:09 PM	#42
rjm007 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Uxbridge UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 218 Original Poster	I live in California so humidity hasn't been much of a problem of late, like over the past few years. I think I'm in more need of a fire safe. We'll see what El Nino brings of course. There's a creek that runs behind our house that carries a fair amount of moisture when we have heavy rain but hasn't quite flooded us,yet. Stacking - always try to leave them base down.

10-31-2015, 12:36 PM	#43
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I have no idea why - just internet 'cultural knowledge' I've picked up over the years. - but - base down, aperture closed down, caps on (without filter), focus helicoid at closest setting.* I do actually exercise the focus helicoids and aperture on every lens periodically - especially the ones that don't get much use.

10-31-2015, 12:49 PM - 1 Like	#44
wombat2go Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	Does anybody know if it is OK to store old lenses in attic store room along with a small qty of mothballs (napthalene) ?

10-31-2015, 01:27 PM	#45
CreationBear Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,415	Originally posted by monochrome caps on (without filter), Very useful! Any ideas on why the proscription against filters? Moisture build-up between the filter and the objective, perhaps?