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Did a search but fruitless... At the moment I keep my lenses in my bag and use some DampRid packets to control moisture. The ones that do not fit in the bag are kept in their original container + a packet of DampRid.
Is it worth investing in one of these moisture control cabinets?
Cheers,
Gerard

If you have that much glass, and intend to keep them for decades to come - I guess it makes sense.

Personally, my storage regime is the same as yours - keeping them in bags.

But I also have 20+ yr old lenses passed down from my parents that have varying degrees of mould on the elements. They were kept in bags with silica too... albeit spent their lives in the humid tropics.

If you search around the net I’m shore you could find plans on how to make a dehumidifier some were.
A friend of mine made his own from bits & pieces around the house.

Cheers
Ray

That's what happened to some lenses I'd bought second hand. I did not even know fungus could grow in there and when I went to the shop (about 5 years ago) to sell them, he looked inside and smiled...
I have invested a lot in lenses so I would like to hear from people with experience. The one from your parents does not augur much good for my present method.
Cheers,
Gerard

Putting them in bags with silica gel is the right idea and is the common practice. Lenses should also be stored inverted (lens mount pointing up) so that the oil from the aperture ring does not leak into the lens.

Andoru wrote:Putting them in bags with silica gel is the right idea and is the common practice. Lenses should also be stored inverted (lens mount pointing up) so that the oil from the aperture ring does not leak into the lens.

Oh, really?? Didn't know that - that is a very good tip - I am going to flip all my lenses right now!!

Andoru wrote:Putting them in bags with silica gel is the right idea and is the common practice. Lenses should also be stored inverted (lens mount pointing up) so that the oil from the aperture ring does not leak into the lens.

Yes, it's the way!
When you open the box with the brand new lens, it always been stored with the lens mount up.
Silica gels should do the good jobs, the more silica gels you have in the container, bag etc.. the more efficient to draw all the humid out, again you have to recycle the silica gels often in the wet season or after humidity days.
No cabinet for me, thought about it but don't need., unless I move up to Cairns or NT.

After spending a couple of hundred dollars getting some lenses cleaned I spent another couple of hundred on a dry cabinet from ECS. It's big enough to take all my glass and several camera bodies as well. Best investment I've made. (Apart from the D70s) Bob.

Stupid question, perhaps, but where in Australia can you buy the silica gel packs (small ones)? Photo shops? Chemists? I will have to stock up during a trip in Sep...

Adit: And moggy - what is ECS? How big is your cabinet?

What happens when you store them flat?
I am really thinking of a cabinet, any tips as to where to buy?
Cheers,
Gerard

Cyanide,
I buy mine from Bunning's
Gerard

moggy wrote:After spending a couple of hundred dollars getting some lenses cleaned I spent another couple of hundred on a dry cabinet from ECS. It's big enough to take all my glass and several camera bodies as well. Best investment I've made. (Apart from the D70s) Bob.

Yes, I've seen that cabinet, but again, you have to carry lens in your bag, not the cabinet, how often do you use your lenses and camera? once a year or once a months or once a week.
Also depend on where you're living or your location, some houses or areas have a good ventilation or won't get much humidity and the cabinet will be used for something else.
Look at the some pros they keep their lenses in the cupboard and play with them everyday or at least once a week. Sydney area should be fine for storing the lenses in the bag with silica gels.

glamy wrote:What happens when you store them flat?
I am really thinking of a cabinet, any tips as to where to buy?
Cheers,
Gerard

ECS.

What is ECS?
Gerard

cyanide wrote:Stupid question, perhaps, but where in Australia can you buy the silica gel packs (small ones)? Photo shops? Chemists? I will have to stock up during a trip in Sep...

Adit: And moggy - what is ECS? How big is your cabinet?

ECS = European Camera supplies situated in Drummoyne, Sydney. All my camera bags have packets of silica gel in them but when I'm not using the kit I prefer to keep it in the cabinet.

glamy wrote:What is ECS?
Gerard

glamy,

Sorry, I didn't remember, you've just come back from French

glamy wrote:What is ECS?
Gerard

Here's the link:

http://www.europeancameras.com/

Store them in a glass cabinet, with the caps at both ends removed, so that light can pass through the lens elements. With light passing through, mould doesn't have much of a chance. Mould needs a warm, damp, dark environment.

Heath Bennett wrote:With light passing through, mould doesn't have much of a chance. Mould needs a warm, damp, dark environment.

Exactly right! if you can let the adequate ventilation in the cupboard with silica gels, then they're OK.

Mould is no longer the problem it used to be. Just place your lenses in the microwave for 45 seconds and all mould spores are nuetralised.

But, isn't it true that ED lens reflect microwaves*?


* don't try this at home kids.

I think I might store my garlic in there, that could work!
Thank you all for the good tips.
Cheers,
Gerard

Have you seen or considered airtight cases like Pelikan?

I used to live in a share house 10 years ago straight out of Uni and I was given my first Nikon hand me down a F70.

The lenses were ruined by Fungus. I stored them in the bag with “salvaged” small satchels of dehumidifier bag and was kept in my closet (from shoe boxes).

The flat had mould in the walls (we lived in a valley).

Some years later when I got a new D100 and some lenses the first thing I learned was caring for the gear. It worried me to the point I moved flats

D100 was a lot of money only a few years out of Uni.

Pelikans are airtight and "bomb proof"
Airtight yes I tested it
Bomb proof (I did not test)

I was lucky and bought two second hand from the same eBay seller and had it shipped to Australia. The key word SHIPPED not airmail
8Kg for one case 15 Kg for the other

I also use 400 gram aluminium canister of reusable dehumidifier for each case. I just put it into the oven when the indicator tells me to reactivate. For a few hours at 200C

No, I do not take the pelikan cases about with me. It is way too heavy. But it is a great place to keep the lenses and body.

It did cost $370 all up Inc shipping but as my glass collection increases the few hundred I spent on the case is nothing (at least I feel better).

Most importantly as my glass collection get bigger (and it is no way near the number of lenses some members on this board have) and hopefully in the future when I can replace my lenses to VR spec. I know as long as I store them in the case I am safe from fungus.

......Have you tried selling (to upgrade ) a mint Nikkor VR or Canon L or Sigma EX lenses with mould, than I tell you Pelikan or other Airtight case is a godsend.


Also you will have the case forever barring fire  PS: Some members might remember I did have a fungus problem with my 35mm f2. I left it in my garage by accident for a couple of month. So if you invest in an airtight case USE it. A hard lesson learned twice.

If you are looking for a very resilient container to store your lenses in, pay a trip to your local camping shop and pick up an ammunition box... These are 100% airtight and watertight (but visually check the seal in the shop), can be padded internally and are very very tough... I haven't checked, but I reckon they would be pretty fireproof as well...

If you get a large one, then you could store your entire collection of lenses in it along with a large bag of dessicant and you would never get any mould occurring...

From another of my rather strange hobbies, I can tell you that I have had containers of this sort sitting in the bush for years without even a hint of moisture creeping into them... tupperware (or derivatives) always leak after a while...

A large ammo box should cost you about $10-$15...

leek wrote:A large ammo box should cost you about $10-$15...

The key thing about silica gel satchels is that they must be replaced regularly otherwise when they aborbed enough moisture beyond saturation, they become a source of moisture rathen than moisture aborobant. It is not easy to know with some satchels when the time to replace comes. Some silica gels are blue when dry and pink when wet and can be regenerated, most I've seen (from shoeboxes, etc) one can't tell and these should be replaced as often as possible.

Alex

ipv6ready wrote:

Classic....thats about 30+ ammo cans for $370

Alex wrote:The key thing about silica gel satchels is that they must be replaced regularly otherwise when they aborbed enough moisture beyond saturation, they become a source of moisture rathen than moisture aborobant. It is not easy to know with some satchels when the time to replace comes. Some silica gels are blue when dry and pink when wet and can be regenerated, most I've seen (from shoeboxes, etc) one can't tell and these should be replaced as often as possible.

Alex

I don't replace them, put in the microwave regularly or put them outside on a tray under the sun for full day and reuse them.

sounds like a good idea, i have just got a big plastic box i have put my gear in so i can carry 1 box instead of bits to the car. I think i lost my air rocket on the weekend somewhere so might have to see birdy.LOL Where are these packs avaiable?
Cheers
John

IMHO I have lived in CAirns for a long long time and it sure gets humid up here. I have never had any problems with mould on my lenses. I got a light cabinet with a built in exhaust fan. I lay all my lenses flat on their side remove the lens front cover (uv filter stays on) I leave back cover on(as its the business end when attaching to camera this prevents any stray dust particles being passed on to the ccd. Have silica gel in old sock placed in 2 or 3 locations in cabinet and, as birddog, fry them occasionally in the microwave to reconstitute them. I keep the very low watage light on at night and theirs enough daylight during the day to not need the light on in the cabinet. My lenses are always spotless. Here is the link for a quick look. I wish their were a better way to include images on posts rather than putting them on pixspot, especially when they are just illustrative. Any help on how I could do this?
http://www.pixspot.com/displayimage.php ... 0168&pos=0
marco [/url]