Lens storage and carry - stupid but practical question

[roscoetuff-Skip Mersereau]

Question 1: How do you store your lenses? Do you adjust the aperture systematically open or closed? Do you close the preview? Do you keep yours on the lens board? Do you keep a cable release attached or in the bag - if you use a bag, or cloth cover or case? Do you clean your lenses as you put them up?

Question 2: Relates to how you travel with your lenses in your pack? I like to keep mine already mounted, in a cloth lens protector of one sort or another, with the cable release attached and lens caps on.

Maybe none of this makes a difference. I like to think it does, and that good care will not only keep you ready to go, but help avoid damage, fungus, oil on the blades, etc. but I'm not sure I'm doing it right. Looked and came up empty. Doesn't mean it ain't there, only I didn't find any prior notes. Yes, I also suffer "male refrigerator blindness". My bad.

Appreciate any insight.

[jim_jm]

I keep mine in lens wraps with caps on (if I have them). No specific aperture set, preview closed, but I keep the shutters at B or T. They stay on the lens board but I don't have enough cable releases for every lens.
I only touch the glass when I'm mounting the lens during a shoot, and only with a brush or blower bulb. I shoot a lot in the desert, so I will sometimes brush / blow any dust off the glass and barrel before putting them away.
As with any lens, it's helpful to store them in low humidity environments, but that's never been a problem where I live.
Use common sense - just treat them with care, exercise the shutters regularly and don't be overzealous with cleaning the glass. It does make a difference if you sell them in the future.

[fotopfw]

I do follow a schedule of using the shutters on a regular basis. I do that also for my MF camera's and lenses.
I store lenses dust free and in the dark. I don't have all lens caps, but I put the lenses in a non static bag.

[Havoc]

I put them in my display cabinet on a glass shelve. They stay on a lensboard, top cap on, bottom cap removed. I have a habit of putting the diaphragm half open and the shutters fired. I don't keep the cable release on as I put them in a bag when I use them and when getting them in or out of the bag that cable often snags behind something.

[Alan9940]

All my lenses are stored either in specific lens cases or in backpack compartments, depending on the bag used for any particular setup. Each has lens caps on front & back, shutter closed, shutter speed setting is left at wherever I last used, no cable release. I use a rocket blower after each shoot to remove any dust/debris before storage. I do exercise the shutters when I think of it, but no particular schedule.

[Ulophot]

In my camera bag, in padded surrounds, cap on back and front non-hooded 135, on back of hooded 210. Shutters, when I remember, stored on T, blades closed, aperture open. If not used in a couple of months, they get exercised, as do all my lenses (2 other formats; only two lenses for 4x5).

[Joe O'Hara]

I keep mine in the cloth lens wraps with the velcro closures you used to be able to get from Calument, on the lensboards, caps on, with a shutter release on each one. Always in the camera bag ready to go. I blow them off with compressed gas if they look dusty but haven't taken a cloth to any of them in years.

A while back I heard of someone who made custom team jackets, uniforms, etc, who had the ability to embroider large numbers onto fabric. I had them embroider reminders of the focal length of each lens (75, 90, 15, 21, 30) on the lens wrappers. That saves me a lot of time in the field, not having to root around in the bag and check to make sure I pulled the right lens out.

[neil poulsen]

I have three backapacks , each on it's own cart, that are ready to go and stay near the front door: one for 8x10, for 4x5, and one for medium format. Each lens has their own, cushioned pocket, though I will stack one on top of another to conserve space.

The lenses in the 8x10 kit are dedicated to that pack. But in alternating between the 4x5 and MF carts, I'll need to swap the 75mm, 150mm, and 180mm between the two packs.

[roscoetuff-Skip Mersereau]

Thanks for these comments. I haven't been too worried about this, but figure there were some small changes I can and should make. I'm carrying 4 lenses now that I have a pack big enough, and the finer points: PREVIEW closed, APERTURE open, SHUTTER on T... these are worthy additional mods. Thanks for the suggestions here.

Joe: Really like your website btw. Some of those shots in the woods are literally inspiring. Love the way you've captured the light and the range of tones. Thanks for that. And of course I wondered: Lebanon PA? or elsewhere?

Love the shots I see from EVERYONE else as well (Philip and JimJim who had links)... just these stood out to me - not having looked earlier. As a FLICKR guy myself who hasn't posted much in an eon, have to say there's a difference between what I'd post on a blog and what I'd put on FLICKR... so there may fairly be a difference in target thinking more than the work. Just saying so that my compliments on a blog don't mean more than they should. I like a LOT of what I see on FLICKR... we just often post stuff for family and friends there that wouldn't match what we'd require of ourselves elsewhere.

[Heroique]

Do you close the preview?

I started closing the shutter when packing-up, because it forces me to open the shutter when I set-up the next time. For me, the physical act of opening the shutter during composition makes it a lot less likely for me to forget to close it before shutter snap!

[Heroique]

Do you keep a cable release attached?

My three cables stay on my three lenses. However, when I wrap a lens with a snug lens wrap (cable coiled inside), I’m careful not to stress the cable connection. The wrap keeps the cable from “exploring” other items in my pack as I hike or travel, and prevents it from snagging on anything and being pulled or stressed.

[aphcl84]

I store my lenses in a hard case with a custom foam insert from mycasebuilder, aperture open and uncocked with caps on. When I take lenses with me in a backpack I generally only take three at most tucked into a padded insert in the pack, if I take a fourth I keep it on the camera.

212985

[tgtaylor]

I keep all my lens in dedicated waterproof pelican cases by format size (35, MF, 4x5 and 8x,10 on their lensboards) with their apertures closed, uncocked and with their protective filter attached. If I am transporting a lens for service I'll open the aperture fully to protect the iris blades from inadvertent damage by a careless technician. When backpacking I place the 35mm and 4x5 lenses in Seagrams Crown Royal sacks which protect them from being scratched and the 8x10 lens I wrap in large Domke wraps. Cable releases are kept stored in the packs – I have 3 depending on the format - with the filters, light meter, etc stored separately on a shelf so that I can place them in the appropriate pack. The 35 and MF cameras are stored in the hardcase with their lenses and the 3 4x5's and 2 8x10's are stored in their individual waterproof hard case with their darkcloth which I now have 3 of. The tripods are kept in padded Manfrotto tripod bags.

Thi system keeps are the gear together and easily accessible so, for example, if I want to shoot 35mm but am not sure on which lenses I will be using, I'll grab the 35mm case which contains 2-F6's and 9 lenses along with the lightweight Gitzo CF tripod and the equally lightweight LowePro 350 AW Runner.
Camera batteries, including spares, are stored separately in the case. For 4x5 I have to choose beforehand which camera to bring as the fields and monorail are stored in separate cases. The 4x5 lenses are relatively small and are all stored in one case so I can either pick specific lenses beforehand and place them into the pack or bring the entire came with me. However the 8x10”s require careful consideration. With the 8x10 field I usually place the camera into the big Lowepro 600 AW II - which will carry the camera, up to 4 lenses, 5 film holders, tripod, meter, etc, - and choose which lenses I will bring – usually 2 or 3 at the most, and holders – usually 1 or 2. For the monorail the whole case goes along with a dolly and I carry the lenses and holders in a backpack.

So far this system has worked well for me and I have a similar system for astronomy related gear. For me it's imperative to consider gear storage at the point of purchase.

Thomas

[John Kasaian]

Lenses on boards, caps on and in zip locks to keep dust out.

[Greg]

For each of my formats I have a padded hard case and a padded backpack. They all carry the camera, 3-4 lenses, a few film holders, exposure meter, and a bunch of accessories. I always hated when I had to reconfigure my cases and backpacks when changing formats. For the extras which are used with each of the formats, I have a checklist that I absolutely religiously go over before leaving. Every lens has a front and rear cap dedicated to it. Lenses are usually stored with the last shutter speed and f/stop that I used last with the lens. I would love to declare that I routinely ran each of the shutters through their speeds but practically this never happens with the lenses that I rarely use. All the lenses have a "brother" brand label on the top of their lens boards boards ID'ing the focal length and brand name. Before this many a time when I accidentally took the wrong lens - lens caps unfortunately effectively cover up the writings on the lenses. Lens wraps I stopped using after one blew off the top of a cliff and another one blew off a second floor porch. Recently acquired a shutter tester but since my exposure speeds tend to be slower than 1/8 second, I rely more on how the speeds sound when I fire the shutters maybe twice before exposing the film.

[Joe O'Hara]

Thanks for these comments. I haven't been too worried about this, but figure there were some small changes I can and should make. I'm carrying 4 lenses now that I have a pack big enough, and the finer points: PREVIEW closed, APERTURE open, SHUTTER on T... these are worthy additional mods. Thanks for the suggestions here.

Joe: Really like your website btw. Some of those shots in the woods are literally inspiring. Love the way you've captured the light and the range of tones. Thanks for that. And of course I wondered: Lebanon PA? or elsewhere?

Love the shots I see from EVERYONE else as well (Philip and JimJim who had links)... just these stood out to me - not having looked earlier. As a FLICKR guy myself who hasn't posted much in an eon, have to say there's a difference between what I'd post on a blog and what I'd put on FLICKR... so there may fairly be a difference in target thinking more than the work. Just saying so that my compliments on a blog don't mean more than they should. I like a LOT of what I see on FLICKR... we just often post stuff for family and friends there that wouldn't match what we'd require of ourselves elsewhere.

Thanks for your remarks on my website. The pictures you refer to are from what used to be called Lebanon State Forest (now Brendan T. Byrne State Forest) in the Pinelands of South Jersey. I kept the older name for the area because it's a traditional place name, and a bit less clumsy than the new one, I think.

[Alan Klein]

I don't do anything special with my lenses. At my age, they'll outlive me.

[Bernice Loui]

Majority of lenses are in barrel. No shutter to be concerned with. Sticky aperture rings that are sticky when the lens has ben choose get the attention needed to resolve this problem.

After the lens is mounted into a Sinar lens board, they are stored in a plastic bag with the open end folded over - NOT tightly sealed. Just enough to keep the dust out.

Lenses are then stored in a wood storage case.


Bernice

[Graham Patterson]

I prefer to leave LF lens/shutters where I will need them on next use, so Preview closed, shutter speed where it was last used (it does not matter until I need to cock the shutter, and it is probably within a stop or so of what I need anyway). Aperture is also left at the last setting, as it will likely be close for the next exposure. I try to keep a cable release with each lens, but not usually fixed - I find they tend to loosen in transit so I like to screw them in. Most of my lenses are in firm cases. There are a couple that migrate between cameras (270mm G-Claron for 5x4 and 8x10, the 210 Symmar for 5x4 and the 8x10 when I plan to do 4x10 or 5x8).

There are a couple of oddities - a shutter mounted pinhole that stays on B, and a Wollaston-style shutter mounted meniscus that usually starts wide open.

LF is all about having a consistent routine. Whatever works.

[Alan Klein]

I prefer to leave LF lens/shutters where I will need them on next use, so Preview closed, shutter speed where it was last used (it does not matter until I need to cock the shutter, and it is probably within a stop or so of what I need anyway). Aperture is also left at the last setting, as it will likely be close for the next exposure. I try to keep a cable release with each lens, but not usually fixed - I find they tend to loosen in transit so I like to screw them in. Most of my lenses are in firm cases. There are a couple that migrate between cameras (270mm G-Claron for 5x4 and 8x10, the 210 Symmar for 5x4 and the 8x10 when I plan to do 4x10 or 5x8).

There are a couple of oddities - a shutter mounted pinhole that stays on B, and a Wollaston-style shutter mounted meniscus that usually starts wide open.

LF is all about having a consistent routine. Whatever works.

Why leave the aperture closed down. Don't you open it up to focus and compose?

[Paul Ron]

zip loc bags.
When in the field, I have what I need in individual home made cardbard boxes to fit each mounted lens in my backpack.
No specail treatment.

[Torontoamateur]

I have tool boxes and I lined them with wood and cut grooves vertically for the lens boards to slide into.The bottom is foam for shock resistance under the ense board. This keeps the lenses separate and secure. Easy to see what lens I have brought when I open the top of the tool box. The lens boards are vertical. I got the idea from the Sinar 4x5 carry box and I just inovated that for the 8x10 lens boards in a separate toll box.

[mpirie]

Lenses kept on panels with the caps on in fishing reel cases, two lenses to each case.

Aperture wide open, preview open, shutter uncocked and no cable release attached.

Mike

[Drew Bedo]

I keep my 4x5 lenses mounted on their Toyo-Linhoff-Wista compatible boards. These are stored in a with the rest of my 4x5 out fit as a ready to shoot grab and go bag. The lenses themselves are kept in PhotoBackpackeer brand boxes with a UV or Skylite filter on the front and lens caps front and back. I do not have a schedule of snapping the shutters, but get them CLA'd every 5-8 years or so.

My 8x10 lenses are mounted on boards for my Kodak 2D. These are stored in wooden boxes at home. these boxes are substantial finger jointed mahogany wood cigar boxes found on e-Bay . . .The "ACID " brand seem to work best for me.

Example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-3-Empty-Acid-Cigar-Box-Assorted/174457216927?hash=item289e75df9f:g:RwQAAOSwTmpfczxw

[Jody_S]

I have a china cabinet with glass shelves that used to hold a bunch of small format collectible cameras, now mostly lenses piled in stacks with a couple of moisture control things in the middle. Plus whatever is in current rotation in my bag, plus a few plastic trays on a shelf with the smaller lenses.

[Doremus Scudder]

Wow, lots of high-tech solutions here. Hat's off!

Me, I just duct-tape some corrugated-cardboard boxes together to fit lens, both lens caps, lensboard and attached cable release. I stack the boxes in my backpacks, so they have to be high enough to protect the cable-release attachment. But, no tops for the boxes, so I can access the lenses easily. When they are not in my camera pack, I'll tuck a paper towel in the top to keep out the dust. Some get stored in a plastic storage bin along with other photo stuff, some are in my spare lens bag and some stay in the kit.

Often, I'll leave a lens (with cable release) mounted on and folded up with one of my cameras. No lens caps on that one, but they are safely stored. My Wista DXs will fold up with any 135mm Plasmat, many 150mm lenses, my 203mm Ektar and even the 180mm and 240mm Fujinon A lenses. It's nice to have a lens on and ready to go, plus it takes up less room in the pack.

I always have a dedicated cable release attached to each lens and a ZipLoc of spares in my bag somewhere. I've never lost a release, but I've had several break on me. I don't really want to fiddle with attaching a cable release every time I set up.

After making an exposure, I leave the lens uncocked and open the aperture and the preview so the lens is ready to go for the next shot. They stay at whatever shutter speed they were for the last exposure unless it was a fairly high speed; then I'll set the speed lower to take pressure off the spring. Usually, they stay around 1/8-1/2 a second or slower.

My double-wall corrugated boxes are tough enough. Never had a damaged lens in 30+ years of dragging them around the backcountry and the deserts and the cities in various packs (I did rattle a 4x5 folding camera apart rolling it in a wheeled carry-on over the cobbled courtyard of the Venice airport once though. Fortunately, all the parts were there and re-assembly was possible. I carry the pack now...).

Best,

Doremus

[Graham Patterson]

Preview switch on the shutter, and my routine involves using that and opening the aperture at the start of the cycle. I don't open the aperture on my MF cameras, so I try to be as consistent across formats. It also means if I decide to make another LF exposure before packing up, I have not changed anything.


I have been caught out a couple of times with a lens nearly fully open because the control was knocked getting the lens in or out of storage. Now I set everything to a known starting point before I have the bellows fully extended and my head under the dark cloth 8-)

[Torontoamateur]

Venice , A gorgeous city, Did you know that now the City has banned the rollabout luggage? They felt it was ruining the cobbles an was too noisy.

[Drew Bedo]

I like and admire the duct tape and cardboard solution. There is way more than one way to approach these types of things.

When I broke into LF in the late 1980s it was on a short, frayed shoe string budget. To make a photo backpack I got a Jansport book bag from Goodwill along with an army surplus sleeping pad. Cut up the pad into tombstone shaped pieces and stacked them to fill the backpack. Then cut holes into each layer to fit the Speed Graphic, film holders and a few other things.

I do have a friend who has a lot of high end stuff. He keeps it locked up in two tall, roll-around Snap-On tool chests with custom foam inserts in the drawers. That is the other end of the spectrum!

[Greg]

I do have a friend who has a lot of high end stuff. He keeps it locked up in two tall, roll-around Snap-On tool chests with custom foam inserts in the drawers. That is the other end of the spectrum!

Reminds me of a friend back in the 1980s who had just about every camera and lens that Hasselblad ever offered at the time and a 4x5 Technika outfit with a Biogon, Planar, Xenotar, and more. Everything stored in drawers in which he made custom raised velvet lined cutouts for each of the items. Memories of him only once using the equipment. Definitely one extreme end of the spectrum... Had another friend who had an 8x10 B&J Commercial wooden view camera and a 12 inch f/4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat. He was out there shooting with his one camera and one lens every weekend... I did my best to emulate him.

[tgtaylor]

Venice , A gorgeous city, Did you know that now the City has banned the rollabout luggage? They felt it was ruining the cobbles an was too noisy.

I wonder if its the same now in Rome? Back around 2000 when I was in Rome on a bicycle tour riding on the cobbles in the historical section was definitely not bicycle friendly - my tires then were 700x25. I'm not planning on taking a bicycle to photograph the fountains but was considering bringing my 2-wheel gear dolly. But while typing this the possibility of renting a bike with wide tires and a cart. That would greatly simplify transporting the camera to the fountains.

Thomas

[Doremus Scudder]

Venice , A gorgeous city, Did you know that now the City has banned the rollabout luggage? They felt it was ruining the cobbles an was too noisy.

I think this falls in the category of urban myth. The last time I checked, the rule applied only to vendor's carts with hard plastic wheels. Soft rubber and pneumatic wheels were okay and tourists' suitcases were excluded. Still, the noise from rolling suitcases is really annoying, so I could really understand a ban of sorts.

As for me, I shoulder my rolling bag there anyway; just too many stairs, etc. plus I don't want to have to re-assemble my camera again :)

Doremus

[Doremus Scudder]

I wonder if its the same now in Rome? Back around 2000 when I was in Rome on a bicycle tour riding on the cobbles in the historical section was definitely not bicycle friendly - my tires then were 700x25. I'm not planning on taking a bicycle to photograph the fountains but was considering bringing my 2-wheel gear dolly. But while typing this the possibility of renting a bike with wide tires and a cart. That would greatly simplify transporting the camera to the fountains.

Thomas

Thomas,

I spent years photographing my home city of Vienna on my bike. Every chance I got, I'd shoulder the camera bag, strap the tripod on the bike's luggage rack and head out. I always carried the pack on my shoulders because the cobbled streets there would have shaken the camera gear into bits if I'd strapped it to the bike in any way.

Not only do the cobbled streets rattle everything, they can be treacherous: I broke my leg severely on one of my bicycle photo tours. The rear wheel slipped out to the side. Normally, one just puts down a foot to stabilize, but my foot got caught between cobblestones, which sent me and my camera pack crashing. I managed to prevent any damage to the camera gear, but my fibula needed a plate and seven screws...

After that healed up, I still photographed from my bike there till I moved away in 2018. Gotta get back in the saddle...

When I was in Rome photographing, I just carried my lightweight 4x5 kit in my rolling backpack, like I do in Venice, with tripod in hand. That's probably a better choice than the gear dolly; too much of an opportunity for the thieves...


And, don't sit on the fountains! It's against the law now :)

Best,

Doremus

[tgtaylor]

Thanks for the input Doremus. I'm planning my trip for October depending on the pandemic of course. I don't want to check the camera, lens and tripod. I think I can hand-carry those onboard with the camera w/1 lens attached in a soft brief-case or small backpack and the tripod (Series 3 Gitzo CF) in a padded case. In lieu of the dolly which is a collapsible 2-wheeler that I bought at Calumet years ago and used it on several occasions to transport the MII in the LowePro 600AWII along with the tripod in the city, I was looking at a Pelican wheeled case. The smallest that I found was the 1560 in which the camera (14.5" x 15" x 6.2") will fit. I tried placing it in the Pelican 1550 but it is about 1/2" shy of fitting - one of the back standard locking knobs doesn't clear. The 1560 exceeds the carry-on limit although some say that they were allowed when they flew. But the case itself weighs 18 lbs and with the camera and all will undoubtedly exceed the carry-on weight limits. So a dolly (mine or locally rented) or locally rented 3-wheeler bicycle is under consideration. If I can't carry-on the LowePro with the camera et al, maybe I could pack it with the travel essentials and check it. Anyway I have a few months to get this planned out.

Thomas

[Drew Bedo]

Dual Post

[Drew Bedo]

I have packed my 4x5 kit in a roll-around Pelican 1520 hard case and put it into the airline overhead . . .but might not comply with current limits any more. So it traveled well protected. The soft side camera bag I use in the field, a LowePro "Magnum-35", went into my checked suitcase EMPTY of camera gear, but packed with t-shirts and socks. This seemed to work OK.

With the larger case: Ask the airline about "Gate-Checking" as you board the plabe like they do with strollers and baby carriers etc. The Pelican will roll-around at the terminal and is stout enough for the hold. Commercial video crews do put their stuff into the baggage hold. Gate checking might be a compromise solution for you.

[rfesk]

Custom cardboard boxes are a great idea. You may want to change from corrugated cardboard to corrugated plastic board to cut down on possible dust from abrading the cardboard.

[Bertha DeCool]

Shutter closed, always on T, 2 caps, padded in a hard case, on boards. Regular shutter exercise when I remember and I check for (relative) shutter accuracy with an app/light sensor.

And because mold and fungus sucks (lenses are expensive and mine are generally pretty old) I also drilled small holes in the tops of old metal film cans, half-filled them with desiccant and keep them in every equipment bag or case I own. The desiccant is orange and turns green; in an oven, they turn back to orange.