Lens Storage?

As I have acquired a number of Minolta A mount lenses in a relatively brief period of time, I now need to store them.

Temporary solution:
I have the zoom lenses in empty Isopropyl Alcohol 946mL (16 oz) containers that have the top removed and mated by telescoping one inside the second.

The lenses fit quite well inside and, while not waterproof, the improvised containers appear to be durable.

I may do the same for the prime lenses by cutting the containers shorter.

The hard sided, padded lens containers of the sort sold from the 1970s thru the late 1980s presumably no longer exist as I have only seen either individual lens soft pouches or suitcase size divided compartment cases.

I could store lenses in large, padded camera bags with my Minolta camera bodies.

However, I purchased some surplus power tool hard cases for between $5.00 and $20.00 USD
(sans padding)
intending to utilize one as a laptop case while storing lenses in others padded with either standard foam padding or reflective-bubble insulation as padding.

Anyone find a durable way of storing lenses that is convenient for field use as well as home storage?

I store mine in individual soft padded lens pouches that zip and keep them on a shelf in a closet wit a bunch of dissicant or desiccant bags spread throughout the shelf. The big lenses such as the 70-200 and 70-400 have their own storage pouches.

waldo_posth
<< BTW: Those old little tubular containers/pouches that came with film era lenses I suspect to be an ideal ground for growing fungus if a minimum of dampness is given.>>

Thank you for mentioning the possibility of fungus growth.
Aside from trying to find << just the right size diameter >> for every lens, it may be best that they are no longer available for that reason.

lomitamike
<< individual soft padded lens pouches that zip and keep them on a shelf in a closet wit a bunch of desiccant or desiccant bags >>

I rarely carry more than two zoom lenses with my Nikon DSLR and the body and one lens fit in an early 1990s camera pouch that attaches to a belt.

My Nikon is a bit smaller than some of the Maxxum bodies I now own but may attempt to use the same pouch for both systems.

I used to use a surplus US OD military suspension harness and belt with modified M-14 pouches (no separation straps) to hold my Minolta MD lenses.
Very useful at the time as it left my hands free for using the camera, but that is no longer possible due to modern social conditions.

One advantage of the improvised IPA containers is the ability to place small Desiccant bags in each container.

Most likely, I will eventually use a hard sided case large enough to store one zoom and two prime lenses with one short zoom on my Maxxum body for transport in my vehicle and decide what to carry after I leave the vehicle using perhaps a small waist pouch.

For home storage: perhaps a combination of soft padded pouches and the improvised IPA cases inside a larger hard side case with Desiccant bags in each lens container and the larger case.

Thank you both for the useful suggestions!

MAXIMUM Portable IP67 Waterproof Tool Box w/ Foam Layers, Black, Medium, 18-in

If silica gel has already absorbed humidity to the max it will become another ground for growing fungus!! I recommend silica gel that turns the color when it has absorbed its maximum of humidity. Silica gels capacity to absorb humidity can be restored, of course, by putting it into an oven for some time (80C).

another example: Sony a99 kit


I did not know about baking the packets for reuse. I've just been swapping them out.

I have all my gear in my camera bag when I am at home. It makes it easy when I leave because I know I have everything in there. Tripods are laying under my bed together with the boxes of cams and lenses...