Do Leather Bags Promote Fungus?

[MaxElmar]

I've always wanted a nice, all-leather, messenger style camera bag. And there are a few out there - and a variety of vintage and knock-off bags available on that auction site. ONA Bowry is nice.

A few old timers (even older than me!) have advised me to avoid all-leather bags as they promote mold/fungus. Any truth to this cautionary tale?

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I don't think it's the leather bags as much as leather cases. At least, that's what I've read; storage in any Never-ready-case MAY bring about fungus.

Keeping gear in a leather bag may do the same? Hmmm... perhaps, but then, keep a few dessicants in the bag for good measure and we'll see.

 

[jcb4718]

I'd be surprised if anybody had researched this question enough to give a definitive answer but here is my guess: we have all seen how mould collects on wet surfaces (bathrooms, fridges switched off with the door shut etc. etc.). It seem to me that spores are everywhere but what is needed is moisture condensing on the lens surfaces when there is a sudden drop in temperature below the dew point. This moisture is to a certain extent trapped inside the lens creating the ideal conditions for fungus growth. I store my lenses in a cupboard next to the fireplace to prevent condensation. I would not be particularly concerned if the lenses were in leather bags provided everything was always dry. That said, I do not tempt fate and keep the lenses 'openly' on the shelf!

 

[Larry H-L]

We've all seen mold on leather, but it occurs on canvas and nylon too. No scientific facts here, but I feel the key is to not have moisture trapped inside the bag. Long-term storage in a dry place, lid open to allow circulation, and a drying agent would'nt hurt.

Shoes don't get moldy when they are dry.

I bet some of the photogs in tropical climates can offer some tips on this.

 

[back alley]

i have read that this is true but have not experienced it myself...i have never had a leather bag long enough for mold to grow in/on it...i do know that if damp enough for long enough mold will grow in cotton/canvas bags...

 

[Godfrey]

As long as whatever bag you buy gets used and aired frequently, there's nothing to worry about. Same for leather camera and equipment cases.

The problem does exist, though, for leather cases and bags that sit closed for long periods, particularly if you live in a warm/damp climate area. Leather tends to absorb more moisture from the air than nylon or treated cotton, and fungus/mold spores tend to find more nutrient in leather as well (it is skin, after all).

If you do buy a leather bag like the Ona, use it a lot, keep it dry and clean, and it will serve you well.

G

 

[Pablito]

I have seen both green and white fungus growing all over leather - I mean all over, nasty and smelly. Would not use anything leather near my equipment.

 

[john_s]

I've seen mould grow on leather shoes in the bottom of a cupboard and synthetic shoes amongst them being totally free of visible mould. In addition to mould, the chemicals used to treat leather may well promote corrosion. Leather absorbs moisture.

I agree that using a leather bag for outings is probably fine, but not for any extended storage.

 

[x-ray]

I majored in college in microbiology and took a class in yiess and moulds ( fun fun). I've kept my Leicas and lenses in a leather bag for twenty years and live in a warm damp climate, East Tennessee. I've never had anything grow mould or damaged by moisture. Three things are required for mould to grow, neutrients, moisture and the correct temperature for growth. Remove on and nothing will grow. Sunlight , uv light in sun, will prevent mould growth as well.

Use a drying agent in the bag like silica gell. You might pick this up in a gun store. Reactivate it as directed. Try to store the bag where air can circulate and if possible where there is some sunlight. Leave the bag open at times to allow air to circulate. If you do this you should never see any problems.

I keep my gear in a large gun safe. I keep the humidity in my home fairly low all year so I have no problems. If the humidity were higher I'd use a heating rod designed for gun safes to reduce humidity. They plug into an outlet in the safe or the cord can pass through a hole in the back and it's into a wall outlet. It beats up very slight and helps dry the air. They work quite well and are very inexpensive. Bags of silica gell are also very effective.

 

[Pablito]

Or, you could just avoid leather

 

[Ben Z]

I live in the tropics, and to keep mold off the walls they advise keeping the A/C switched to AUTO and the thermostat set at or below 80F. We've always done so and never had a mold problem. I have a couple leather bags, no problem. But I have never stored cameras or lenses in any kind of bag, always in a closet with louvered (vented) doors, and a tub of Damp-Rid.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Fungal spores can only grow in dark, moist places. Daylight kills them. I'm not sure whether leather promotes the growth any more than PVC or canvas. The best idea is to ensure that kit is kept dry (or allowed to dry fully before storage) and, ideally, stored in daylight.

If there's any hint that a lens might be developing fungus, place it in a sun-facing window that doesn't suffer from condensation and leave it there for a few days. I've heard others talk about using hand cream to remove fungus but I have no idea whether this works or is an urban myth.

 

[Sparrow]

oddly .. that Nylon 6 that they weave that ballistic-nylon with will absorb 8% of water by weight

 

[B-9]

I dont see people avoiding leather straps becuase of mold issues...

This is really a non issue, I use a leather bag all the time, I also get lazy and forget to unload it every time.
Ive also stored cameras in leather cases for atleast a year with no affect.

Properly seal your bag with a conditioner, sold everywhere you can buy a shoe, spray or wipe.

NOW, my Domke F4AF started to get sour on me. It seems that my Domke can fight moisture to a point... then it just gives out and saturates entirely. Especially coming in and out of the snow.

I reccomend you buy that nice leather bag you like, and forget about all this worrying.

 

[sevo]

There may be a small remaining risk, but most leather (even more so 50 year old leather) will be chromate tanned and poisonous enough that it won't have more or worse fungal growth than any other porous material.

But I've seen a few ugly instances of grease creep from wrongly maintained eveready cases - that may be the only risk particular to leather (or at least any material some fool past owner could not distinguish from leather).

 

[Sparrow]

... although tanned leather may encourage verdigris, copper carbonate due to the acidity but it would still need moisture to be present

The worst mould I've ever had was on the dark blue velveteen lining of OM lens cases ... and that is a synthetic fabric (maybe a triacetate fabric)

 

[Aristophanes]

Anything organic combined with water will attract spores.

 

[B-9]

... although tanned leather may encourage verdigris, copper carbonate due to the acidity but it would still need moisture to be present

The worst mould I've ever had was on the dark blue velveteen lining of OM lens cases ... and that is a synthetic fabric (maybe a triacetate fabric)

+1, Ive had plenty of those old hard leatherette covered, velveteen lined Nikon lens cases, covered in all sorts of smelly things.

But when you store camera equipment in the basement for even a couple years untouched in a cardbard box its going to facilitate a hungry hoard of molds.

Mostly ive seen surface mold on old box lots of cameras at auctions, now and then there will be something growing inside a camera or 3. Indiscriminate as mold is, If you use your camera, and bag often, you will never have an issue. The problems come with long term storage in less than ideal conditions.

Goodluck with the bag!

 

[Sparrow]

One word of warning about concrete floors ... if you store anything in boxes don't put them directly onto a concert floor even if its got a DPM ... fifteen years ago when we moved to this home I did just that, all my negs and slides in cardboard moving boxes onto a dry garage floor, the two that were in contact with the floor were irretrievably damaged by mould despite still appearing dry

 

[Oscuro]

A few old timers (even older than me!) have advised me to avoid all-leather bags as they promote mold/fungus. Any truth to this cautionary tale?

I have duffel bag I buy in Morrocco in 1972. I take everywhere. Is not moldy. I am not moldy.