# Photographers! How do you store your gear at home?



## editor (Jun 5, 2012)

Up until now, I've just been putting lenses and cameras in drawers, wrapped up in bubblewrap and socks and scarves for protection, but I reckon it's time to sort out a bit more practical solution. 

I'm thinking of maybe getting some foam pieces and cutting them up to make compartments in a plastic box, but was wondering if anyone had any top tips, or could show how they store their gear now.

I'm not interested in buying a 'proper' camera bag because I never use them - I just need something for around the house that keeps all the camera bits safe and easy to access quickly.


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## weltweit (Jun 6, 2012)

I think a foam thingy might be great.

My lenses live on the top shelf behind me, one of them is in bubble wrap the others are just there with their end caps on collecting dust till the next time I take them out. My camera lives in its rucksack protected by a soft hat also behind me.

You can get plastic cases with foam inserts that you can cut to accommodate stuff. I guess that might be ideal.


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## FridgeMagnet (Jun 6, 2012)

One thing about "proper" camera bags is that they already have lots of pockets and dividing bits, and are easy to move around. I have a huge one that I'll certainly never take with me anywhere, but which is great for storing lenses and filters and the odd camera or two, and you can zip it up and put it in a cupboard easily.

Obviously not worth paying for a new one but I've considered getting another cheap off eBay.


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## editor (Jun 6, 2012)

The trouble with all those pockets and zippy things is that I end up losing things. I think I'd like something like this (but just using a see through plastic box rather than the snazzy metal finish)


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## kage (Jun 6, 2012)

I keep mine in a sealable stack & store box in their lens bags and silica gel bags inside the box. As it just sits in my cupboard it does everything I need it to do.


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## wayward bob (Jun 6, 2012)

cupboards, boxes, more cupboards, more boxes.


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## editor (Jun 6, 2012)

kage said:


> I keep mine in a sealable stack & store box in their lens bags and silica gel bags inside the box. As it just sits in my cupboard it does everything I need it to do.


No padding? I think I need that in case I drop the thing.


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## weltweit (Jun 6, 2012)

editor said:


> No padding? I think I need that in case I drop the thing.


My camera is stored on the floor - never on the table - can't drop it that way


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## Mustardlid (Jun 6, 2012)

Magnum bag for 'everything'. Rezo 180 bag for one body with medium lens, a few filters and a little fill-in daylight flash. But then I'm using the things nearly every day.


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## editor (Jun 6, 2012)

I've never been a fan of 'proper' camera bags. They draw too much attention, IMO.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 6, 2012)

editor said:


> Up until now, I've just been putting lenses and cameras in drawers, wrapped up in bubblewrap and socks and scarves for protection, but I reckon it's time to sort out a bit more practical solution.
> 
> I'm thinking of maybe getting some foam pieces and cutting them up to make compartments in a plastic box, but was wondering if anyone had any top tips, or could show how they store their gear now.
> 
> I'm not interested in buying a 'proper' camera bag because I never use them - I just need something for around the house that keeps all the camera bits safe and easy to access quickly.


 
One thing I've found *massively* helpful was to buy a 1kg bag of silica crystals, sellotape and a pack of coffee filters, and make my own moisture absorbers, so that if where the cameras are stored gets damp, the cameras are the last thing to be affected. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying the little sachets from a camera shop.
I've got about 20 cameras stored in foam-lined ammo tins (plus moisture absorbers!), which provide a decent "hard skin" as well as impact resistance from the foam.

Your idea with plastic boxes are a good one, especially if you can get ones with snap-on lids, though.


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## editor (Jun 6, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> Your idea with plastic boxes are a good one, especially if you can get ones with snap-on lids, though.


I've got the plastic boxes - you can get ones from Rymans pretty cheap.


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## neonwilderness (Jun 6, 2012)

I have a rucksack which I tend to leave most of my stuff in, plus a couple of old shoulder style bags which I keep on a shelf for storing my old film cameras and other bits.  If I had more I reckon I'd probably go with the stackable boxes or maybe something like this


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jun 6, 2012)

editor said:


> Up until now, I've just been putting lenses and cameras in drawers, wrapped up in bubblewrap and socks and scarves for protection, but I reckon it's time to sort out a bit more practical solution.
> 
> I'm thinking of maybe getting some foam pieces and cutting them up to make compartments in a plastic box, but was wondering if anyone had any top tips, or could show how they store their gear now.
> 
> I'm not interested in buying a 'proper' camera bag because I never use them - I just need something for around the house that keeps all the camera bits safe and easy to access quickly.


 
I have a table that has my computer on it, plus whatever dishes from what I've been eating, and a couple of empty beer bottles. It also has speakers, and the gadget I use to upload photos from the camera chip to the computer.

The camera is usually lying somewhere on that table. Either that or it's in one of my pockets. I wouldn't bother to put it away in drawers, becausse I carry it with me always, and use it every day.

When I'm travelling, I have a small backpack I keep the stuff in.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jun 6, 2012)

Something I don't understand: there are all these people with all this camera gadgetry and special storage etc.

So where are the photos in the monthy photo thread?

Let's see what it is you do with all that stuff.


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## Cid (Jun 20, 2012)

editor said:


> The trouble with all those pockets and zippy things is that I end up losing things. I think I'd like something like this (but just using a see through plastic box rather than the snazzy metal finish)


 
Get yourself down to Pentonville rubber (or up in your case) in er... Pentonville for the foam http://www.pentonvillerubber.co.uk/. Will be much cheaper than buying special magic camera foam. Although special magic camera foam does have the advantage that you can pull squares of it out. Also have a think about, and draw, how you're going to lay it out - foam (even special magic camera foam) is a pain to cut to a depth, so it's easier to get a variety of thicknesses and layer them up, rather than spending ages gouging stuff with a stanley knife. It's probably better to get 5 sheets of 20mm foam than to get 1 sheet of 100mmm foam iyswim.

I have a hand luggage peli-case, which was ridiculously expensive, but makes me look like I have a huge penis.






To be fair I bought it for transporting fragile samples and models rather than cameras.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 20, 2012)

Makes you look like a huge penis, you say?


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## starfish2000 (Oct 7, 2012)

Yeah I see people on the tube moving them around now and then and they are always OTT as they throw it down to draw attention to themselves. 

Ive got a couple of camera bags and a plastic storage bin for bits that dont get used often, someone gave me an entire Minolta ST101 system from the mid 60 s and aside from a couple of lenses I use on adaptors, it all lives in a draw.


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## ChrisD (Oct 7, 2012)

Whenever I see bits of polyisocyanurate foam in builders skips ( bigger than A3 size) I collect them and store in side loft next to my office.  Sometime I'll use bits to line some drawers cutting out suitable shapes for lenses etc with sharp knife.
Meanwhile things are stored on floor and any available spare shelf space...


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