Richard G
Veteran
I thought this about M Leicas, reading somewhere that the difference in tension of the mechanism between cocked and uncocked was negligible, but Gus Lazzari on the other forum, a very obsessional and informative professional repairer, says he's seen lots of cloth shutters pull free and he advocates strongly for not leaving an M Leica cocked for long.
PatrickT
New Rangefinder User
Thanks so much for the replies.
I ended up buying a large(ish) plastic bin with a lid from Target. I wrapped each camera/lens in bubble rap, then sealed them in individual plastic bags and put them in the bin. I'll try to get some silica gel sometime soon.
Also, I put the bin in a closet, and am going to avoid the basement and attic.
Thanks!
I ended up buying a large(ish) plastic bin with a lid from Target. I wrapped each camera/lens in bubble rap, then sealed them in individual plastic bags and put them in the bin. I'll try to get some silica gel sometime soon.
Also, I put the bin in a closet, and am going to avoid the basement and attic.
Thanks!
Chinasaur
Well-known
In the Midwest? Might want to also invest in a dehumidifier for the room they are stored in for the summer months.
Best of luck with the project. Be interesting to hear what you find when next you check on them..
Best of luck with the project. Be interesting to hear what you find when next you check on them..
stevebrot
Established
Mine are on a shelf in the closet, two boxes in the closet, a shelf in the spare room and another box in the same room. I really need to get a sturdy cabinet or some-such.
Steve
(...nothing really collectible and nothing really irreplaceable...)
Steve
(...nothing really collectible and nothing really irreplaceable...)
Vilk
Established
sigh... not sure how this might help anyone... when i don't use a camera i sell it; those i keep all get a decent workout... cash in pocket, space in closet, no shutter-silica-battery worries... anyway... works here
:angel:
:angel:
maddoc
... likes film again.
Living in humid and hot Tokyo climate I store everything inside a metal dry-box with automatic regeneration of drying agent (silica) and glass door. Lens caps are taken of and lenses placed in a way that they get minimum light for a couple of hours daily.
The friends of fungus are darkness, temperatures between 10 and 35 degrees and humidity exceeding 50%. All that for more than 72 hours and fungus spores grow happily.
(Sealed small plastic bags with fresh drying agent easily bring humidity down to 10%. Everything below 30% is dangerous for lenses since lubricants dry out.)
The friends of fungus are darkness, temperatures between 10 and 35 degrees and humidity exceeding 50%. All that for more than 72 hours and fungus spores grow happily.
(Sealed small plastic bags with fresh drying agent easily bring humidity down to 10%. Everything below 30% is dangerous for lenses since lubricants dry out.)
sanmich
Veteran
small tip about dessicant:
I bought a fairly large quantity of bulk silicagel with an indicator incorporated.
It looks like tiny blue balls.
I stuff them in a sock, and then in my photo bags.
when full of humidity, it turns pinkish, and I replace them.
I don't discard them.
From time to time, I put the pink stuff in a disposable baking tray, and in the ovenn they go, until it's blue again...
One thing I have learnt in the process is how fast a fairly large quantity (maybe 250 g) can turn pink.
I think the small bags I was using for months were pretty useless...
I bought a fairly large quantity of bulk silicagel with an indicator incorporated.
It looks like tiny blue balls.
I stuff them in a sock, and then in my photo bags.
when full of humidity, it turns pinkish, and I replace them.
I don't discard them.
From time to time, I put the pink stuff in a disposable baking tray, and in the ovenn they go, until it's blue again...
One thing I have learnt in the process is how fast a fairly large quantity (maybe 250 g) can turn pink.
I think the small bags I was using for months were pretty useless...
LKeithR
Improving daily--I think.
Since I always travel by car my main bag has a couple cameras and several lenses in it all the time. My "second string" stuff--older bodies, lenses, fixed lens cameras and miscellaneous junk resides on upper shelves in my small office. Most of it is out of the cases so it gets light and air can circulate. I'm on the B.C. coast so it's relatively damp at times but the room stays fairly warm and I've had no issues. As you can see it's a bit cluttered but a lot of these are old film bodies that I bought to get lenses and most are going to disappear fairly soon...
ReeRay
Well-known
Living in humid and hot Tokyo climate I store everything inside a metal dry-box with automatic regeneration of drying agent (silica) and glass door. Lens caps are taken of and lenses placed in a way that they get minimum light for a couple of hours daily.
The friends of fungus are darkness, temperatures between 10 and 35 degrees and humidity exceeding 50%. All that for more than 72 hours and fungus spores grow happily.
+1 for Thailand - drying cabinet essential
oftheherd
Veteran
I don't know that it is recommended by anyone, but I tend to keep mine closed. I think it helps prevent excess moisture getting in while not exposing the corners to excess drying, and more importantly, does not stress tight bellows.
Others may disagree.