Storing Vintage Lenses to Avoid Fungus and Haze

[Matt W.]

I have a humidity controlled cabinet that I'm currently using, but I'd like to be able to store lenses safely when away from home. I'd rather just leave them in Pelican cases than cram them in a small locker.

What's my best bet? Pelican cases with these things in them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015OTBKAA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

?

That's my current plan.

Of course I'm trying to avoid excessive heat, but that's another story entirely.

Am I safe just leaving lenses in Pelican cases with desiccants?

Are the Amazon basics cases sufficient?

For my higher end stuff I'm using Pelican cases, but also have some small Amazon Basics cases. Thanks.

 

[Zack Birlew]

I use flip top food storage cases sold under Better Homes and Gardens or Felli Flip Tite with a desiccant packet or two thrown in. They have various sizes, the biggest lens I've stored being a Canon XL-series manual 14x lens with hood attached. If I'm moving lenses, Pelican cases would be best but for sitting, I prefer those as they're clear, reasonably air tight when locked, durable, and can be stored in a larger clear storage case for double protection and easier organization. The fact that they're clear and can be stored dry and near light makes it so fungus growth shouldn't be a problem. I have cleaned fungus infected lenses and, when stored this way, I haven't had any issues with it coming back but the usual maintenance things can pop up while in storage, like aperture blades becoming oily and fogging up an element, but that could happen regardless of what solution you use due to lack of use or undiagnosed preexisting issues.

 

[Matt W.]

Thanks, yeah I've heard Pelicans are good but if the desiccant wears out it can be absolutely awful. I've heard shelves recommended. So the cases make sense. Do you not use lens caps?

It seems damp weather promotes fungus growth and too much heat and dry weather promotes oily haze so I suppose storage depends on climate.

 

[Zack Birlew]

Yeah, unless the elements are large, like the rear of an F1.4 lens, I don’t use lens caps in the clear cases when I’m simply storing them and if it is a fast lens, I use a rear cap but no front cap as there shouldn’t be anything to scratch the front element in the clear case as it is but I do use UV filters for protection, particularly Hoya or B+W as I’ve had fogging with cheaper filters even in the cases. I use a mix of lenses but primarily Nikon Mount so I use Fotodiox’s clear designer caps which serve the purpose of protecting the rear elements of my lenses while allowing light in to keep fungus growth at bay. They make clear Canon EF rear caps too and I recently got a Vivitar 28mm 1.9 VMC in Olympus Mount that I then got a OM to EF adapter for to use a clear EF cap on just for storage, they’re pretty handy lens caps!