Storage of lenses over winter

[Canis Vulpes]

Over the last year I have collected a few new lenses and I wish to keep them in tip-top condition. I am worried about mould/moisture and fogging over winter through misuse and poor storage.

Sooo... how and where do you keep your valuable lenses during the winter period.

Stephen Fox

[jseaman]

Well I don't store my lenses over winter, I keep using them. But even in my day to day storage I do a few things to insure that they are kept in good condition.

First off, I always keep a silica gel canister with my lenses (and camera) - These control moisture and all that comes with it (mold and corrosion) I have several of them - one in my camera bag - two in a cabinet where I keep other less used lenses. These metal canisters recharge in the oven and last forever (or so I've heard). Well worth the cost over time.

Secondly I try to keep my equipment cleaned - If I've been out shooting in a not too nice environment, I wipe everything down with a damp cloth prior to putting it away. Beaches have salt spray - dirt roads have dust. Both can be killers.

I assume you are at least keeping the lenses indoors where there will not be extremes of temperatures.

[yelvertoft]

Jim's advice is sound. He says he wipes things over with a damp cloth prior to storage, fair enough, but make sure the dampness from the cloth has dried off before you put things away. If you want to buy silica gel you can buy it for pin money from 7 day shop.
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/prod...oducts_id=8333
Fungus is the real enemy with lenses, fungus loves damp surfaces.

Duncan.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

Over the last year I have collected a few new lenses and I wish to keep them in tip-top condition. I am worried about mould/moisture and fogging over winter through misuse and poor storage.

Sooo... how and where do you keep your valuable lenses during the winter period.

Stephen Fox

If you ' store ' them like I do in a NOT well sealed cabinet in the lounge no real problem.
Certain forms of heating can be deadly. I say this for other readers of this thread. Unvented portable propane gas fires and parafine heaters generate huge amounts of moisture.

Store your lenses upright, and if they are of the older manual type ALWAYS set them to the smallest aperture, on auto camera's they will already be at f22. The reason is that all lenses not of Arctic use spec contain lubricants. I have seen several examples with lubricant on the diaphragm blades - a very expensive fix. If there is any doubt about moisture then Silica Gel is another must.

Don

[Canis Vulpes]

Thanks guys.

I have owned a DSLR for three years and avaition photography is my thing so in winter not much happens. I generally pack up my kit and store in the living room in a lowepro micro trekker rucksack. The living room is warm and dry as the cental heating is permanently on low throughout the winter. Last year extensive work was carried out on the house and I now have a small office (Dads den!) which is heated but not as much as the living room. I keep a 200-400 f4 vertical in a lowepro photo trekker AW with a silica gel parcel and the other kit in the smaller lowepro rucksack on its side on top of a filing cabinet ready for use, but will be vertical from now on.

Should I store the lenses in the living room still or do you guys feel the office is okay?

Oh, I am also storing Li-Ion batteries discharged what are your thoughts?

Thanks

Stephen Fox

[Don Hoey]

If the lenses are kept in your lowepro I would include Silica gel. - as there is no free air movement. I do not store my lenses or cameras in a bag but in a cabinet that is not air tight. In 35 years I have never had a problem. Any dampness present can escape.
If you are concerned or wish to check the storage environment a no cost trick would be to get a small slug of steel and clean it up with emery cloth then place it where you keep your kit. Check it from time to time. If rust appears you need to use silica gel.
In my workshop where I have heating set so it never falls below 10 deg C, I regularly open drawers and cupboards to allow a bit of air circulation and take pride in not having any rusty kit. This comes from an early experience when I did not do this and did suffer from the dreaded rust.

I cannot see how your batteries can come to any harm stored discharged, after all we buy them new in that state.

Don