What are the best methods of preserving camera hardware?

[pwrightfl]

I've just dipped my toe into digital photography with a Canon 5Ti. I have a Canon A1 and several lenses are very good condition that I would like to preserve. Most of the equipment is stored in a soft sided kit bag and a 400mm lens in the original Canon case. All of the batteries have been removed and terminals are pristine. I now see the foam rubber starting to perish in the Canon case and in the packaging for a filter. The equipment is stored in air condition space (mostly), but the Florida humidity can be quite high. Its not a lot of hardware but I hate to see it turn it into junk.

How do I go about preserving and storing the equipment?

Cheers

 

[Designer]

Don't let anything touch the foam padding. Get it ALL out of there. Get several silica gel packets and put in there. Seal it all up as well as you can.

Probably at least once a year, (in dry weather) take out the camera, put in some batteries, and recharge the internal battery which is not user serviceable.

As for the batteries, (can be stored separately for convenience) exercise them by slowly and safely discharging them and then recharge them before putting them away again. Consult the battery manufacturer's instructions for that.

Before storing the camera and lenses clean them.

 

[gsgary]

Why store it ? use it

 

[hamlet]

The way i store my gear when i'm not using it is by using a plastic container with a lid and silica gels inside it. It is protected from damage, moisture and dust. And always clean them after use, so dirt doesn't build up.

 

[minicoop1985]

Probably at least once a year, (in dry weather) take out the camera, put in some batteries, and recharge the internal battery which is not user serviceable.

Canon 7Ds have user serviceable memory batteries. It's a little watch battery right next to the main battery. I'll replace mine again in a few months-I'd do it every 6 months or so. And yes, that's the memory preservation battery. I've pulled it out and when I do, the whole camera reverts to factory settings.


I'm inclined to agree with Gary-I have a a shelf decorated and devoted to my Hasselblad and Nikon F. The thing is, they're never in there...

 

[vimwiz]

Canon 7Ds have user serviceable memory batteries. It's a little watch battery right next to the main battery. I'll replace mine again in a few months-I'd do it every 6 months or so. And yes, that's the memory preservation battery.

6 months seems excessive. The battery should last a decade or more, so long as it doesnt sit unused.