what do you do with your gear when not in use

[NorthernFocus]

Here is my advanced storage system. I put the tripod down, then I slip the belt pack off and place it on the floor in the garage. Then I remove the battery from the camera for charging in my bathroom. I reverse this when going out to take pictures.

Now you've made many of us feel bad, Trevor. We can't all realistically aspire to reach this level of organizational skill.

[tbob]

Just doing my bit to live in harmony with the Universe and maximize the Entropy of the system. That way others can structure their lives and not cause disruption in the cosmic balance.

[JR1]

Here is my advanced storage system. I put the tripod down, then I slip the belt pack off and place it on the floor in the garage. Then I remove the battery from the camera for charging in my bathroom. I reverse this when going out to take pictures.

[JR1]

Currently?

My Nikon and a couple of its lenses are shoved in one of the sideboard cupboards in the dining room because I needed the bag it had been in for something else, there's a couple of lenses in a LowePro Trekker beside my bed, my Macro lens is sitting on the table by the iMac and another couple of lenses are in a LowePro Classified....not sure where my old MF 28mm is but likely in another bag somewhere with a few film bodies and some other random film cameras. My Pentax gear is in a Billingham in the corner of the living room where it gets dumped every night as it goes to work with me. The tripod lives in the boot of the car while my other random kit is wherever I last used it.

In other words I don't fret over any of my gear and don't go out of my way to pamper it as its just a tool to do a job. None of it is damaged (it has wear marks and paint chipped/worn off through use) even though Iv'e had some of it quite some time - it is insured so if something does happen its not me that has to pay for it.

I agree, that's the difference between ams and work NO insult intended to am photogs, I look after it band photography is also a hobby but pamper not, often ends up on my lounge desk or by a computer

[JR1]

Currently use a Lowepro for my camera, lenses and a small flash and other accessories. For the rest like strobes, stands, backdrop etc., I keep it in the hall so its easier to use, however I wish I had a personal studio so all my equipment is fixed permanently.

Don't I also wish, can't have everything

[pnodrog]

Just doing my bit to live in harmony with the Universe and maximize the Entropy of the system. That way others can structure their lives and not cause disruption in the cosmic balance.

Entropy - now there is a word I haven't heard since my chemistry lectures. Obviously we can't blame you for climate change.
P.S. It was 26deg C here today (no there is no minus missing)

My gear (active) sits in a camera backpack in a protected corner of the dining room which is handy to the back entrance. If we have visitors I am told to put it in the proper place which is one of about five other unauthorised spots around the house. The tripod usually remains in the boot of the car. In my garage storage area I have an assortment of old camera bags full of cokin filters, bellows ,bits and pieces , flimsy tripods and other stuff left over from the film era that may be useful one day.

[shreds]

All in two Peli cases in a warm dry place when not travelling with me plus tripod under stairs or in boot of car. Since I am shooting for work most days, I always have a selection of suitable equipment with me. Just depends on the type of shoot as to what is required.


.......Plus two drawers full of odds and sods, not necessarily 'gear' as such, that get used occasionally or are heading for ebay or the local camera club 'free exchange table'.

[rpcrowe]

Since I always have multiple foster dogs in my home...



I tend to leave my cameras out, with flash units attached, fresh batteries and clean CF cards. I want to have the cameras handy when the puppies or dogs are doing something cute. Cute pictures are great for stimulating interest in our foster dogs. This image is for our FaceBook site announcing the arrival of five new foster puppies from one of the San Diego County Shelters...

I have a plastic roll-around storage unit with several clear drawers, these are available in places like Walmart..
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-...ingMethod=p13n
I keep most of my smaller gear in this unit. It keeps the gear safe and clean and I can designate the type of gear in each drawer. I have one drawer for lenses(except that I keep my 300mm and 400mm lenses in a Lowepro roll-around case), filters and lens accessories; one drawer for flashes, batteries and flash accessories; one drawer for miscellaneous gear; and so on. I like being able to roll this unit from place to place. When I am straightening up the gear in the drawers, I tend to roll this next to a table so I can lay out the gear from a drawer...

I keep my larger gear such as studio strobes on a shelf in the closet of my spare bedroom. I keep the light stands and rolls of background material in my garage.

NOTE: I live in an area with relatively low humidity and don't have to worry about fungus and other nasty humidity related problems.

I still occasionally misplace gear but that is usually when I forget to put it back in the correct spot...

[ProbirPune]

A professional told me NOT to cover the equipment (camera and lenses) but leave them with good access to open air in the room

[Geoff F]

In some humid, or just simply damp, areas storage spaces like cupboards, wardrobes, and other enclosed spaces can attract mould and mildew. Which is where well aired areas would prove to be better for storage.

Even in a relatively dry house, I keep the doors of these areas slightly open to allow for air circulation.

[ajohnw]

I adapted a hi fi cabinet. They aren't sealed so allow air flow and a fair amount can be put in them. Few people want them these days as well. This one is by Old Charm. Real oak and pretty solid.



The timber on the 2 pull out trays will be darkened some day.

John
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[JR1]

I adapted a hi fi cabinet. They aren't sealed so allow air flow and a fair amount can be put in them. Few people want them these days as well. This one is by Old Charm. Real oak and pretty solid.


The timber on the 2 pull out trays will be darkened some day.

John
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Looks great too.

The reason I started this thread is because as always happens you get people saying they always leave their gear sealed in a camera bag (as that is what it is for).

It is NOT

It is for transporting gear.

The worst thing you can do is seal gear in anything without an air flow

[ajohnw]

Looks great too.

The reason I started this thread is because as always happens you get people saying they always leave their gear sealed in a camera bag (as that is what it is for).

It is NOT

It is for transporting gear.

The worst thing you can do is seal gear in anything without an air flow

My solution wouldn't suite minimalists Jeremy but our house and other Old Charm wouldn't either.

As it happens I have some Canon gear, an EOS 300D and a couple of lenses that have spent more time in a camera bag than out by a huge margin. I bought it shortly after they came out in 2003 so it's all been in it for 99.9% of the time. The gear has never been damp, the bag may have been but it's from days of old when knights were bold etc. Water would just stop on the surface - artificial leather. My much earlier Nikon film gear spent much of it's time in a similar bag or if I went to a studio an attache style case as it was easier to get bits and pieces out but useless for carrying around. The bad thing about the camera bag was that it was easy for thieves to take it away when the broke into the house. They took the lot including my passport with it's collection of boarder crossing stamps.

I feel lack of thought when things get damp and modern camera bags are the main reasons for problems when gear is kept in a bag. On the other hand I have had a Sigma 150-500mm kept in it's Sigma provided case develop what some would say is fungi while kept in a dry stable area for the vast majority of time. Hardly used at all actually. There is a theory in some circles that optics sometimes come from new with un noticeable fungi in them some where. In that case it's likely to happen at some point however the items are kept. Some times so called fungi isn't that at all. It generates a spidery pattern as it eats into the glass. Sometimes it and other causes can simply be cleaned off - not on the front element of a Sigma 150-500 though a it wont come out. At least mine wont and lots of them from 10 or so years ago have similar problems now.

John
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[YorkshireDave]

I have a few shelves on the wall in the dining room thats not used and i have everything on those shelves including tripods,monopods etc...