How to store LF gear?

[ataim]

How do you store your gear and why

lens: cocked or un-cocked
Bellows: extended, closed or ?

[Scotty230358]

All my lenses are left uncocked and either cased or wrapped. My camera lives in its case folded up.

[lilmsmaggie]

All my lenses are left uncocked and either cased or wrapped. My camera lives in its case folded up.

I have photobackpacker cases for my camera body and each of my 4 lenses. The lens cases also hold the shutter releases which I leave attached to each lens.

Everything resides nicely in a backpack along with meter, loupe and room for about 4-6 film holders.

[Bob Salomon]

We are the Rodenstock distributor. The factory sends the lenses to us uncocked, press focus closed, aperture at the largest opening and the shutter speed at the fastest shutter speed. If you buy a new lens that is also how it is sent by us to your dealer and how the dealer delivers it to you (unless it has been opened somewhere along the way).

We are also the Linhof and Wista distributor for the USA. Every Linhof and Wista, in factory packaging, Technika, M679, Techno, Kardan, TechniKardan, every Wista field, metal and 810 are packaged with the bellows fully compressed. That is also how we ship them to your dealer and how your dealer delivers it to you, in factory packaging). The cameras would not fit into their packaging any other way.

[Mark Woods]

Well stated Bob. My LF cameras live in different places. The Sinar in it's case. The V8 in a back pack with room for 4-6 film holders. And the Chaminox 11x14 lives below my dry matt press in my matting area. All with their bellows closed and lenses uncocked.

[GPS]

How do you store your gear and why

lens: cocked or un-cocked
Bellows: extended, closed or ?

Search for "Bellows care tips" LF forum thread and enjoy reading it. You'll find some original methods there too...

[Jim Graves]

We are the Rodenstock distributor. The factory sends the lenses to us uncocked, press focus closed, aperture at the largest opening and the shutter speed at the fastest shutter speed. If you buy a new lens that is also how it is sent by us to your dealer and how the dealer delivers it to you (unless it has been opened somewhere along the way)..... .

That's interesting ... I've always been told to set the shutter to the lowest speed before storing ... supposedly to save the spring mechanism. Is this a false old tale? Why the highest speed ... is there some benefit? Does it make a difference if it is a self cocking shutter? Is there a type of shutter where the speed setting would make a difference?

[BrianShaw]

I think the only shutters where it makes a practical difference are those old Compurs and Grafexes that have a booster spring for the 400 speed.

[Jim Graves]

Here's a quote from Flutot's Camera Repair:

"Q What's the best way to store a shutter?

.... Best to set the speed dial on 'T' or 'B' and uncocked so there is no tension on the springs."

[ataim]

In the past I've left my shutter un-cocked and at what ever f-stop it was at from the last shot. I'll open up the fstop now. The bellows I generally leave in the 1/3 to 1/2 open and will start to the rotation on them as well.

Thanks to all.