Storing your lens

[New_Zealand]

I was just wondering since filming has slowed down due to air travel (for those that don't film in their own backyard) how are you storing your lenses? Laying flat in a case or standing upright on a shelf?

 

[Run&Gun]

It's a mix. My two w/a ENG lenses are mounted on two of my ENG cameras, so if you looked at them being in storage, they'd be flat/horizontal, and the "long lens" is actually in one of the camera bags and it laying down, so it's flat/horizontal. Some of my still lenses are upright/vertical on a shelf and in a bag. My "cine primes" are kind of both... They are in the custom case "face down" which would be vertical/upright when the case is opened, but the case itself is standing on end, so they are then flat/horizontal.

 

[Grug]

Mine are all firmly ensconced in their pelican cases.

 

[Paul F]

Both Sony and Fujinon make no mention of orientation in their tips for storage. Sony shows them stored in both orientations. Both give the usual 'store in a cool, dry place' kind of advice.

 

[NorBro]

DZ, 24-hours... https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1582567-REG/porta_brace_pb_2500ep_hard_case.html

(And I like to store them how they are used 99% of the time, horizontally. Though I doubt it matters.)

From the case above:

 

[NorBro]

Also, many are sold vertically in their upright boxes so are probably sitting on shelves and/or in cabinets/display cases vertically for a while, so there's that.

 

[ahalpert]

Is there a theory of optimal orientation? It really seems like it would make very little difference to me, at least if they are encased.

If they are bare, I could maybe see an argument for storing them vertically as falling dust particles might have a better chance of somehow getting into the lens if it was lying horizontally. But even then, i bet the difference would be minute if anything

 

[cookinghusband]

I usually put them upright for stability in my wardrobe with humidity control.

 

[David W. Jones]

All tucked away in their StormCases.

 

[Joshua Cadmium]

I keep mine in whatever orientation they are least likely to get knocked over. Orientation doesn't matter (the elements are going to be firmly secured with retaining rings) but dropping a lens, even in a case, is likely going to cause some kind of negative impact.

Humidity is the biggest factor for longer term storage though. Fungus is everywhere - it just needs the right conditions to bloom: https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/us/service/content/fungus-on-lenses.html