So far I have been storing lenses in a ziplock bag with a packet of silica, preview shutter open. Recently I purchased a vacuum chamber machine and now I am wondering whether vacuum sealing still in the presence of silica bag would be better? Surely it would remove most of the moisture, but would it also a cause the internal shutter lubricants to spread/seep over the leaf shutter leaves and perhaps over the cells themselves?
Not so long ago I tried to get the Nikon repair shop for the state to clean a process Nikkor of some fungus. They said it was best to let lenses see some UV every now and then. I suspect some clean dry heat and some UV is a good combination. I'd also favour a chemical deterrent of some sort for anything living. Perhaps an alcohol ?
Vacuum would not be so good for the lubricants. I'd set them in a well sealed glass cabinet, without their caps.
Expert in non-working solutions.
Sealing them up in a plastic bag has long term issues of its own...
Eventually during very long storage time, the plasticizers in the bags start to outgas leaving a film over items, and could damage some other plastics etc...
As far as sealing, this can trap in outgassed gases, oils, solvents, moisture, and organic compounds and create a closed environment, so not good either... And as well as it can be sealed, daily changes in barometric pressure seeps moisture in that cannot leave...
A gunsmith I knew often had projects involving de-rusting rifles that were stored in "sealed" cases that trapped in moisture, or in satchels made of material that did not breathe...
Bagging is ok for keeping dust from items, but the best thing is storing these in a controlled environment, can breathe a little, and exercised/used at some intervals...
Allowing it near something that will kill organic matter proactively is also bad, as these can also attack materials, finishes etc...
Steve K
Firearms and photography lenses are a bit different.
Both 'shoot'...
We always wiped down any firearm if anyone touched it, even for a moment, then into a fleece bag and dry wood closet.
But I come from the far North where humidity is not constant.
As I have written, I had access to thousands of lens collected by one person from 1947 until he passed in 2005.
He had every type and all lenses were in a baggy, but not a ZipLoc, so there was air transfer. None of his bedroom sized collection, stacked from floor to ceiling was damaged in storage and none had fungus. Mid Ohio. He piled the glass in metal file cabinets. Often without lens caps.
Climate makes a difference. I try to not buy glass from very humid areas.
Don't touch glass, don't clean too often and bag loosely.
100 year old glass in OE leather case and caps seems to work just fine. As do wood boxes.
He hid the best glass in the piano. I found them on a hunch.
Tin Can
For used lenses, Japan is one of those areas. I've never purchased a used lens from Japan that didn't need to be cleaned using a solution of liquid chlorine bleach mixed 1+1 with water. That's the only way to eliminate the musty/mildew smell they all arrive with.Originally Posted by Randy Moe
Use a sensitive device to detect it when it arrives... Your nose, and do a visual check for light powder on surfaces... If it has it, place item in bag or box with a little Thymol solution dipped onto some blotter material (original Listening mouthwash or Lysol contains it), and put together sealed in a warm place for 2 or 3 weeks, then wipe everything with isopropyl alcohol, and let air out for a week or so away from everything...
Steve K
I live in a damper climate and fungus can be a problem. I store lenses in a metal cupboard in boxes or pouches with silica gel (on old 35mm canister with the top cut away so that it can still be used to clamp mesh into the top, and full of silica gel accompanies the lenses). The trick is to use indicator silica gel and replace it when its done its work. The silica gel can be dried out in an oven (low) and reused. Don't use the old type indicator silica gel as it contains cobalt chloride as the indicator which is not so good in the oven as its toxic. In a damp climate its not such a good idea to store lenses in leather as they can get both mould and haze as a result - just my experience.
Almost every lens that I've bought that has had mold or fungus 'hazing' has come out of a leather case... now..not all lenses in leather cases have had fungus.. but it is rare for me to find fungus in a lens that hadn't been stored in a bag or case
I store my lenses in Pelican-type water-proof hard cases with several packets of silica dispersed.
Thomas
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