How do you store your gear at home?

TheFlyingCamera · Feb 9, 2010

There's a former bookshelf in the dining room that is now full of camera and photography stuff. And then several bags in my office with various small camera bits (35mm, the Rolleiflex, and the Digital), and then the 5x12, 11x14, and the whole plate cameras are on tripods in the living and dining rooms. The basement is full up with all my studio lights (going back to the new studio shortly).

Steve Smith · Feb 9, 2010

Any flat surface which someone else has not already claimed.

ricksplace said:
My gear is in a large wood hutch

In the UK a hutch is a wooden cage used to keep a pet rabbit in!

Steve.

Dave Martiny · Feb 9, 2010

I have a gun safe but no guns -- just my guitar and my camera gear. I custom built a shelving unit to fit inside to accomodate the guitar in a hard shell case, a pelican case and medium and small shelves for a loaded shoulder bag, backpack, tripod, and all my other camera related items. Other than my darkroom and post production equipment, all my camera gear lives in the safe. My house is entry alarmed, so I don't generally lock the safe on a daily basis, but when we're away from home it's nice to know it's locked and secure.

My bigger storage and organizational challenge is with post production gear -- mat boards, mat cutters, frames, glass, dry mount press, print storage, and so on.

I consider myself lucky as my wife is my biggest fan and actually encourages me to go ahead and buy something I've had my eye on --I'm the one who has to supply all the hold-back willpower.

Regards,

Dave

stillsilver · Feb 9, 2010

Middlegraystudios - welcome to the site.

I bought a suitcase at a garage sale and lined it with eggcrate foam. One side of the case is for the MF gear, meters, and flashes. The other side is for 35mm. When go out for a shoot, I load the needed equipment into my Domke and go. The bag gets unloaded within a week not being used. The LF camera, holders, and accessories are in their own case. Tripods, light stands, and lights are in various closets. Film and paper are in the fridge (and freezer).

Mike

David Brown · Feb 9, 2010

Years ago I bought a large cabinet to hold all my camera gear.* A coworker opined that this purchase had changed my status from photographer to collector.

* I've since outgrown that cabinet and moved to a closet.

keithwms · Feb 9, 2010

I have several glass-doored cabinets; they are lovely, made of cherry.

And all my gear is scattered all over the floor. Always. You have to tiptoe around.

Laurent · Feb 9, 2010

I have a few bags, one per format, and most of my gear is kept in these bags in a closet near the bed.

The exception is the Rolleiflex which is near my desk in it's new (to me) Crumpler bag. It used to be on a shelf near my desk, but this was when I was using a smaller bag for it.

The Rolleiflex is my favourite camera of the moment, so it's always in a place where I can grab it and go. The other bags are easily reached, and the equipment in them is stored with all the needed 'accesories' (film ;-) ) so that I can leave in minutes and be ready.

removed account4 · Feb 9, 2010

studio-metro type shelves for some of it ...
car-case for some of it.
bit bin for some of it.

not put away for some of it.

Tim Gray · Feb 9, 2010

Mostly in a closet. I have a couple rubbermaid bins that bits and pieces go in. Cameras go on top.

However, stuff that I tend to use somehow ends up on the floor by my desk.

DLawson · Feb 9, 2010

Christopher Walrath said:
No, I prescribe to the Strewn-Hither-And-Yon method of photography gear cataloging and storage. Be it camera or darkroom. I know where it is. But everything does not have a 'place'.

I have a very precise storage method. It is called, "What drawer has some space?"

Except for the "new" need-to-test cameras, which are placed somewhere near my keyboard as a reminder (useless reminder until it warms up some).

DLawson · Feb 9, 2010

Steve Smith said:
In the UK a hutch is a wooden cage used to keep a pet rabbit in!

Strangely, it is that in the US as well, sometimes.

We have both "rabbit hutch" and "china hutch."
The details and materials of construction differ a bit.

John Koehrer · Feb 9, 2010

A former post office roll around cash drawer storage unit.
6 well sealed drawers about 6" high & some silica packets.

nick mulder · Feb 9, 2010

Not enough room in the closet so I often take my nicer looking cameras out on 'display' - this is where those older tripods you find for next to nothing come in handy...

Something weird about a tripod that makes a camera look like its purposeful and not simply in the way, even though it really is more in the way now with legs than without - anyone else know what I'm bagging on about ?

mike c · Feb 9, 2010

nick mulder said:
Not enough room in the closet so I often take my nicer looking cameras out on 'display' - this is where those older tripods you find for next to nothing come in handy...

Something weird about a tripod that makes a camera look like its purposeful and not simply in the way, even though it really is more in the way now with legs than without - anyone else know what I'm bagging on about ?

I did that for awhile when I first bought the 5x7,got to worried some one would knock it over, and put it back in its case and put the case some where.At least it won't get accidentally pushed over.

fotch · Feb 9, 2010

I have two Storage Cabinets for cameras and lens, and another for some lighting stuff, spots, umbrellas, reflectors, and shelving for other photography gear. Room is dehumidified during summer.

paulie · Feb 9, 2010

my 10x8 is on its tripod (used it today) my 4x5 is standing next to it on a tripod , 6x9 ziess is in my carier bag, and my crown is in a bag next to my pants

rjbuzzclick · Feb 9, 2010

My collection is contained in 16qt. plastic shoeboxes roughly separated by camera type (box, rangefinder, slr, etc). They are kept from banging into each other by using either their case (if they have one), or bubble wrap.

Prest_400 · Feb 9, 2010

All I've got is stored in a Tamrac messenger bag. I put it on a chair, with the strap behind the back reclining surface for safety. In the corner of my room, next to the desk.
4 rolls of film in the refrigerator 3 in the bag. 1 in the camera.

David Henderson · Feb 9, 2010

I have three sytems. Each has its own bag and is kept ready to go, so certain things like filters, ND grads, meters are duplicated or triplicated, down to each camera having a QR plate. I don't want to spend ages assembling the equipment each time I go, just grab the bag and fill up with film, collect the tripod and go, knowing that there's everything in the bag to use the system. I do have a cupboard where certain items that I've duplicated are kept- so spare Bronica body, backs, prisms, grips etc that come into play when something breaks. I wouldn't dream of displaying any photographic equipment. I have much more space taken up by prints, slides, mounts, etc than I have for equipment.

Anton Lukoszevieze · Feb 9, 2010

On shelves and in bag, cool-ish, dry room.

filmamigo · Feb 9, 2010

As I mentioned in the camera bag thread, I use a wheeled steel toolchest to store gear at home.

It was something I wanted to do ever since I saw it recommended in the 35mm Photographer's Handbook http://www.amazon.co.uk/35mm-Photographers-Handbook-Julian-Calder/dp/0330390139

I knew I was going to go for this approach when I saw a little red toolchest used as a living room sideboard in a highend interior design magazine. Now I had aesthetic justification!

The toolchest I use is a 5-drawer unit. This is it here:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/ToolStorage/MastercraftMechanicsToolChests/PRDOVR~0580856P/Mastercraft%252BFive%252BDrawer%252BTool%252BCabinet.jsp

This little unit keeps quite a lot of gear organized. From top drawer to bottom, I can fit in:

Flashes and flash accessories
Folding cameras, point-and-shoots, light meters and small accessories
Pentax screwmount bodies and lenses
Pentax K-mount bodies and lenses (film and d*g*tal)
Nikon AF bodies and lenses, and one Bronica kit with 3 lenses

Sadly, I can't fit everything. I have my primary Bronica kit ready to go in a Pelican case, and my Graphic View in its original Vulcanite monstrosity. Lightstands and tripods get wrapped in a cloth and rolled under the bed.

As far as displaying cameras, I do leave two of the most interesting cameras out on display -- a baby Speed Graphic complete with flash, and a 127-format stereo camera (and a Holmes stereo viewer). Both are conversation pieces (but fully functional cameras.) These beauties live on top of a bookshelf at eye-level.

Mike1234 · Feb 9, 2010

I'm still collecting my gear and I'm packing out my house for a move so everything's in boxes at the moment. However, I'm thinking of buying a safe that's small enough to keep in the back of a closet but big/heavy enough to deter a thief. It's cheaper than paying insurance. I'll not have full coverage insurance on my little country home because I don't want to pay for it (I'll have no mortgage). Heck... if I can get by legally without liability insurance I'll have no insurance at all. With my new utilitarian home lifestyle I can quickly save enough to not ever worry about losses. I'll use those re-usable silica gel contaniers to control humidity in the safe.

Sorry to veer off topic with the house and insurance issues but these do affect the gear storage plan.

Rick A · Feb 9, 2010

Mike1234 said:
I'm still collecting my gear and I'm packing out my house for a move so everything's in boxes at the moment. However, I'm thinking of buying a safe that's small enough to keep in the back of a closet but big/heavy enough to deter a thief. It's cheaper than paying insurance. I'll not have full coverage insurance on my little country home because I don't want to pay for it (I'll have no mortgage). Heck... if I can get by legally without liability insurance I'll have no insurance at all. With my new utilitarian home lifestyle I can quickly save enough to not ever worry about losses. I'll use those re-usable silica gel contaniers to control humidity in the safe.

Sorry to veer off topic with the house and insurance issues but these do affect the gear storage plan.

You can get a good sized gun safe that will hold just about any size kit and then some for a fairly reasonable price. But I recommend you still get insurance. Heck, its only a couple of hundred bucks a year, and comes in real handy if ever... Well, you know... And dont forget to get a gun, its cheap insurance too.

Rick

wclark5179 · Feb 9, 2010

I have an antique bookcase that has glass doors on the front, four shelves, that I keep most of my film cameras. I've got other cases, most from Pelican that I use for my work equipment. The Pelican 1510 is a dandy for travel as I take it with me when flying as it fits in the bin on most airplanes. I did fly on a small airplane couple years ago I had to store it as checked baggage.

Smiles & Fun!

Curt · Feb 9, 2010

DLawson said:
Strangely, it is that in the US as well, sometimes.

We have both "rabbit hutch" and "china hutch."
The details and materials of construction differ a bit.

We also have Starsky and Hutch!

How do you store your gear at home?

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