[Deiberson]

I've never given this much thought before, but I guess I should give sometype of attention to the storage of my lenses. Is their a best practice as to not accumulate fungus etc...?

[Abbazz]

I've never given this much thought before, but I guess I should give sometype of attention to the storage of my lenses. Is their a best practice as to not accumulate fungus etc...?

If you live in a place where relative humidity is high, you might want to buy one of these (just google "dry cabinet"):



Cheers!

Abbazz

Sealed box with loads of silica gel packs, replace or dry these out periodically.

[Just1MoreDave]

My house is nearly as dry as an airplane. It sometimes gets all the way up to 20% humidity in the winter. That is bad for fungus, so I can save on the dry cabinet. Besides humidity, old leather cases are also bad. If it smells musty, it's not good for discouraging fungal growth. For a house that's climate-controlled year-around, just some circulation would work.

High temperature is also bad for long periods. An attic in the summer is one example. Don't worry much about it unless it's above say 100ºF/40ºC for long periods.

I've read long discussions about where the aperture ring should be when a lens is stored. I think the best arguments are for having the aperture ring set to the highest number/minimum size. On A, F, or FA lenses, leaving it on the A position does the same thing. On lenses with no ring, the aperture goes to this position by itself. It might really matter if you're storing the lens for a year.

The biggest danger to my lenses is physical: whacking into each other in cramped quarters. I normally set zoom and focus rings so the lens is at its minimum size.

[NaClH2O]

I use these. I put a new silica jel pack in about twice a year in the bottom of the case. The lens stays in the case unless it's on the camera. I've taken out all the separators in my bag and just use the case, it is protection enough. There are several benefits. First of all if a lens falls out of the bag, it's protected. Secondly, if I find myself swithing frequently between 2 or 3 different lenses I can attach the cases to my belt with the velcro flaps on the back. They have both vertical and horizontal flaps. When I get home the cases go on the shelf. The biggest con is that when you change lenses you have to deal with the cases.

NaCl(works well for me)H2O

[Wheatfield]

I've never given this much thought before, but I guess I should give sometype of attention to the storage of my lenses. Is their a best practice as to not accumulate fungus etc...?

It depends completely on where you live. I live in a cold & dry climate, and I take absolutely no precautions regarding storage.
Camera bags in closets is pretty much the norm here.
My strategy would differ significantly if I lived in a warmer and wetter area.

[Bramela]

I had a smile when Dave (Just1MoreDave) said humidity gets up to 20%. Here in Aus, where I am located. 70 to 90% is about the norm for 6 mths of the year.
Well sealed case with loads of Silica Gel is the order of the day.

[timo]

I've never given this much thought before, but I guess I should give sometype of attention to the storage of my lenses. Is their a best practice as to not accumulate fungus etc...?

Here in Singapore (hot and humid all year) the climate is death to lenses. I came here in 1996 with a Canon AE-1 and several FD lenses, all in good condition. Within two or three years on a shelf they were all completely unusable.

So it was a dry cabinet from then on. Someone told me it was best to set it at about 50% humidity so as not to dry out the lens lubricant too much - is that a myth?

I keep camera bodies in the cabinet too as far as possible, as the humidity does nothing good to electrical contacts.

[Igor123]

Hi, this humidity discussion confuses me somewhat. I live in Sweden and at my location we've had about more than 80% humidity for the last months although the temperature has never been above 0c.

I read a bit about different ways of measuring humidity and it turns out that what's usually used, the relative humidity, is indeed a vastly different amount of water per air volume, depending on temperature (and pressure).

So my question is, is it the relative or absolute (or any other) quantity of humidity we are afraid of, and could a "line" be drawn between what's ok and what's not?

[Rense]

Following this discussion with interest, have no opinion, but am thinking of a permanent storage place, so I will use your imput.....

[Russell-Evans]

Hi, this humidity discussion confuses me somewhat. I live in Sweden and at my location we've had about more than 80% humidity for the last months although the temperature has never been above 0c.

I'm not sure how you can have humidity below freezing. The water vapor should freeze around the first dust particle it come in contact with and drop out of the air in below freezing temperatures. I'm always willing to learn something new, so if someone can explain how it would be possible, I'm all ears.

Thank you
Russell

[bilybianca]

Hi, this humidity discussion confuses me somewhat. I live in Sweden and at my location we've had about more than 80% humidity for the last months although the temperature has never been above 0c.

I read a bit about different ways of measuring humidity and it turns out that what's usually used, the relative humidity, is indeed a vastly different amount of water per air volume, depending on temperature (and pressure).

So my question is, is it the relative or absolute (or any other) quantity of humidity we are afraid of, and could a "line" be drawn between what's ok and what's not?

Hi Igor!
I also live in Sweden, and I also teach geography including climate, so take my word on this.
Absolute humidity is not very interesting in our case, it's the relative humidity that counts. The % number indicates how much water (in it's gas form, steam) the air contains compared to how much it can hold. And warmer air can contain more water than cold air. So if you heaten air, without adding water, the air will become relatively dryer. Air so to speak tries to come up to 100%, and will take water where it finds it. Being plant leaves, wet laundry, or lens surfaces.
In our climate the cold outside air can contain very little water (in absolute terms) so it easily comes up to near 100%. Thats why it's a bad idea to hang your laundry outdoors in winter. But when we take this cold, relatively but not absolutely humid air indoors and warm it up, it becomes very dry. That's why pot plants dont' thrive over the radiator under the window sill, and why our lenses thrive perfectly without precaution.
But look out for condensation when you've been out shooting in the cold. Leave the camera and lenses in the bag till they have aquired room temperature, then you can put them in your cupboard, or leave them in the bag.

Kjell

[BillM]

Hi everyone,
I'm currious if anyone has ever had the expirence of going from a low elevation
to a high elevation and had condensation form on a lense? Say somewhere
around sea level to maybe a thousand,fifteen hundred meters above starting
point,quickly,ie. car, non-pressurized aircraft.