Lens Storage

[DJ Meyer]

I am curious how everyone is storing lenses in a studio environment, particularly for larger collections. Just pelicans on shelves? Anything more creative?

I am designing a new studio setup and just curious what's out there.

 

[Phil Holland]

I've seen lots all over the world. Things I like more or less are:
- Cases on Sturdy Shelves
- Lenses in their own cabinets to be put in cases as needed, often temp/humidity controlled
- Cases on Shelves in a large Cage, anti-theft
- Heavy Duty Drawer system with lenses to be put in Cases as needed
- I like temp/humidity controlled rooms when I see that

If you live in a place with earthquakes, nice to have something to keep cases on those shelves, bungie or other support.

Long term storage, keep your glass dry to avoid fungus. Inspect the cases every so often for bugs and other weirdness.

 

[Zack Birlew]

I use these, the clip top ones, the press top ones can loosen and just don't feel as tight.

Felli Flip Tite Storage bundle

Throw in a silica gel packet or two and it's set in a nice hard shell container. I haven't had a problem with this in years but when the collection gets big it can get to be a little much to handle with clear storage boxes filled with lenses. That is also a key point, they're clear and not in darkness so that helps fight fungus as well.

For a cheaper option that's not as hard shell but still sturdy, the screw tight food storage cups like from Ziploc and other brands at the grocery store work just as well:

Freezer Storage Containers

Now, ideally, having humid and temperature controlled dry cabinet units for lenses would be the most ideal but that's some expensive territory!

Also, I have resorted to putting a number of small lenses into one square container before but I have learned that if you want to do that you had better come up with a divider solution, whether it's cardboard or plastic, because if that box falls over, all the lenses fall and knock against each other and could scratch! Thankfully I haven't had any scratches but nearly doing so was quite a scary moment when my cat decided to knock things over!

Seriously though, PRO TIP: If you want to keep a UV lens on your lens in storage for "added safety", it had better be a genuine B+W filter because Tiffen, Hoya, and just about any other brand UV filter I have used has developed fungus/haze moisture between the pocket of the front of the lens and the filter over time. I've had to take apart and sterilize so many UV filters and double check all of my lenses when I first started storing them properly. Thankfully serious fungus has not developed and a Zeiss lens wipe cleared up any residue unless I really felt I needed to remove the front element for a quick little antibacterial bath, but that's just me!