Leica in Leathercases

[Krnome]

Hello! I just wondering if you keep your Leica Rangefinder camera too long in the leathercase it will create fungus?

As stated on Kamera-Service:

Do not keep your body or lenses in leather casings for long periods. Leather (dead animal) will cause fungal affection. Mild affections can be removed, but in the end, the fungus will eat its way into the glass of lens parts or finder glass. Of course leather casings are fine to transport or use your equipment on location. At first sight, one can hardly see fungal affection in lenses. A blue, mono-chromatic light (f.e. in lighters with built-in light - generally for sale) will clearly show whether your lens is affected or not.


Or is it a myth?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Leather contains moisture.

Darkness, warmth and moisture breeds fungus.

 

[Dralowid]

No, old leather is bad for old cameras over an extended period. Lenses are one thing but camera finish, be it black or chrome, can suffer too. OK so a case may have protected the camera from damage over the years but I wouldn't store a camera in an old case.

 

[henri klein]

Or is it a myth?

At least leather cases (dead animal) and very old users (almost dead animal) go very well together as both will take fungus calmly -sooner or later. 😛

 

[rfaspen]

Not a myth. The leather is also a source of micro food particles for the fungus. I repair old cameras for fun and twisted self torture. I see fungus in many/most old lenses stored in leather cases. Haze too. Camera bodies stored in leather cases can get fungus in the viewfinder/rangefinder. There could be other issues, depending on the camera, the length of time stored in leather, the kind of leather, the climate where the camera/case was kept. I shudder when I see old lenses, in their leather cases, offered for sale -- from Florida.

A leather half-case for carrying your camera around is great. Take it out/off when putting your gear away. Problem solved.

 

[Spicy]

Good to know. Will give the half case a bit of a breather.

 

[lukitas]

Are there any fungus-repelling things one can do? Like exposing the leather to sunlight? Waxing or oiling?
Are there any decent, natural, not too poisonous or smelly fungicides?

I have a vested interest, I just stitched myself a camera bag/box entirely in leather. you can see it here : http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134190

 

[CVickery]

No doubt all this is true, but I suspect that the canvas and synthetic fabrics used in moderns bags are also guilty of harboring various nasties. All are probably not an issue unless the camera is stored in the case/bag for a significant period of time (significant will vary based on your local climate). In use, a leather case may prevent much of the accumulation of contaminants from your hands and in my view this may be useful, especially if you tend to have sweaty palms.

 

[rfaspen]

Your bag might be just fine. Remember what fungus likes:

The worst issues seem to come with long term storage in leather. Hot humid conditions obviously speed things up (south Florida, Houston TX, etc.) I wouldn't worry as much if I lived in New Mexico because it is such low humidity there (unless you store your gear in a humidified environment) but fungus can occur there too. Really, it seems you need to keep a lens in a leather case for many years to be at high risk. I get lenses that were kept in their leather case in the back of grandpa's closet for 30 or more years. Those are the ones that I can usually count on being infected. If you use your gear and the bag is continually being opened and stuff taken out, and humidity avoided, and so on, I wouldn't be overly concerned. If you're going to put stuff away for several months or longer, put it on a cupboard/closet shelf and place the bag on the shelf underneath (or even next to it). Keep humidity low. Common sense will eliminate most risk.

 

[tjh]

Leica lenses come in new leather cases. Has anyone associated problems with lenses left in these clean, new cases?

Tom

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

And the chemicals used for tanning cause copper carbonate to form and worse...

But it is a problem, there's three parts to each camera I own, the leather case, the paper manual and the camera itself. All need different storage conditions and I'd keep the lenses and bodies apart if I could find a way of doing it that was practical. Meaning giving easy access.

Regards, David

 

[goamules]

I agree storing in leather could cause a problem with fungus and green verdigris. I would not worry about keeping cameras in leather for trips, or for a few months at a time. And for long-term storage in the bottoms of closets or in cupboards, they sure protect the camera from scratches and dents. Case in point is my 1931 Leica, kept it's entire life in it's leather case. It's vulcanite covering and black metal is in beautiful condition. There was no fungus. Many other cameras that have rattled around in large carry bags or boxes for decades without a leather cover show a lot of damage.

 

[Krnome]

I have a half-case (I removed the top-cover, it's only in the way) with straps on my 1929 Leica II when I use the camera. I Always remove the case after using the camera.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

So what's the best solution for Leica storage, assuming you want to keep them in a box and not in a display cabinet? Presumably any organic material - cotton, felt, old socks - would have the same problems as leather. What do the experts here suggest for those who don't have a hermetically-sealed, humidity-controlled, hi-security, walk-in camera cave?

 

[rfaspen]

I proposed just such a cave recently. My wife wasn't "on board". But I told her "I neeeed it", she ain't budging.

In meantime cameras on either in the curio cabinet in our living room, or in the camera drawer in my closet. I should say that both have silica gel packs and they are occasionally replaced or revived. 95% of the time, fungal attack is like fire; you need all the right elements to be simultaneously present for it to occur (e.g., heat, oxygen, fuel). Humidity is one key element for fungal infection and I try to keep it low as possible. Food is another. Leather cases can off micro particles and organic gases that represent food for fungus. I can imagine other natural materials that may or may not have these qualities. Somehow, storing in my wood based cabinet seems to be OK, but fungus can take many years to develop...and still needs humidity.