Beachside camera care

Wes WeberWes Weber Registered Users Posts: 38 Big grins
edited June 21, 2011 in Cameras
I'm from the landlocked state of Colorado, so I don't have any clue about water whatsoever. Especially salt water. I'm currently visiting a beach in Brazil - is there anything special I should be doing to protect my camera after shooting near the water? I've got a D700, and if I recall correctly it's at least little moisture resistant. Am I right?

Thanks in advance to you people that are sea savvy.

Comments

  • PhotoskipperPhotoskipper Registered Users Posts: 453 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2011
    Nice to carry the DSLR with big lenses on the beach. But if you really want to enjoy the beach, use the waterproof P&S camera. You can carry it everywhere you go and do not need to worry about the big camera.

    All DSLR has some degree of protection against hazard environment. High temperature, sand, salt and water are not good for big cameras.

    I got the Olympus Tough for that purpose. Leave the DSLR in the hotel room when I go to beach.
    Photoskipper
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  • Wes WeberWes Weber Registered Users Posts: 38 Big grins
    edited June 14, 2011
    I use a waterproof P&S for a lot of pics near the beach, but I still use my Dlsr also. I just want to make sure i'm not neglecting to do some care that I'll regret later...
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2011
    Might depend on just what is happening at the beach and the conditions. If there's a strong wind blowing you will get sand and dust. If the wind is onshore and there's a surf you will also get salt water droplet laden air.

    If people are running and somersaulting, playing volleyball, throwing frisbies etc, there's risk of sand being thrown up on your gear, or impact with flying things, and bodies. Spilled icecream and soda. And so on. It's a high risk environment for gear. Of course you know that!

    I think I've seen some advice to put your camera in a plastic bag, with the lens poking through a hole. But seems to me there'd be problems with AE and AF?

    Of course one reason for buying higher quality gear is to get better protection from risky environments. And you might also get insurance.

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

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  • OhiohikerOhiohiker Registered Users Posts: 117 Major grins
    edited June 15, 2011
    I just returned from the beach and used my DSLR and Rental DSLR on the beach. I was very aware of what was going on around me and typically only took the DSLR's on the beach for sunrise and late evening shooting. During the day to photograph my kids playing in the surf I just used my P&S and kept it in a dry box when I did not use it. After each time I returned from the beach with the DSLR's I would take a lightly damp paper towel and wipe the camera and lens down. The other thing I would recommend is using caution when changing lenses. Make sure your back is to the wind and have someone hold things because if you drop an open body or lens on the beach it will take a lot of time to clean. Have fun and take lots of pictures.

    Make sure you check what time sunrise will be locally. It is truly the best time to photograph. Look for rocks, piers etc to add interest to you shots, but they aren't necessary.

    20110611-DSC0050-small-S.jpg
    Chris Blank

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  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited June 15, 2011
    I live in a coastal town and carry my dSLR to the beach very often. Only things I try not to do is change lenses at the beach (go back to the car for that) and make sure at last my right (carrying/shooting) hand is always sand free. No UV filters, etc...
    Eyal
    My site | Non-MHD Landscapes |Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Smugmug photos
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 15, 2011
    eoren1 wrote: »
    Only things I try not to do is change lenses at the beach
    Makes me queasy just thinking about it.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited June 15, 2011
    Broke my own rule today...twice
    Eyal
    My site | Non-MHD Landscapes |Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Smugmug photos
  • Wes WeberWes Weber Registered Users Posts: 38 Big grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    eoren1 wrote: »
    I live in a coastal town and carry my dSLR to the beach very often. Only things I try not to do is change lenses at the beach (go back to the car for that) and make sure at last my right (carrying/shooting) hand is always sand free. No UV filters, etc...

    Thanks - that's exactly the warm fuzzy feeling I was looking for. I've broken your rule a few times too, but very carefully!

    Wes
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    I changed lenses in the desert once.

    ONCE.

    Never again...
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    Wes Weber wrote: »
    I'm from the landlocked state of Colorado, so I don't have any clue about water whatsoever. Especially salt water. I'm currently visiting a beach in Brazil - is there anything special I should be doing to protect my camera after shooting near the water? I've got a D700, and if I recall correctly it's at least little moisture resistant. Am I right?

    Thanks in advance to you people that are sea savvy.

    If I may....When I go to the beach with Camera in hand. I take ONE mounted lens.

    Other than that, I use a painters brush to first remove outside sand and bits, under bright-fluorescent lighting, before ever taking the lens off after sand play!

    Enjoy your trip!
    tom wise
  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    I was at the beach just last weekend. Canon 50D and 70-200 attached. Shot 400 frames of my kids jumping the waves and having a blast. For me, a dSLR was bought to take pictures in all conditions. I agree about not changing lenses at the beach if possible and will frequently do so in the car. I think that leaving the 'good' camera at home is overkill though. I've used this camera for almost 3 years now without anything more than simple precautions.
    Eyal
    My site | Non-MHD Landscapes |Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Smugmug photos
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    eoren1 wrote: »
    I was at the beach just last weekend. Canon 50D and 70-200 attached. Shot 400 frames of my kids jumping the waves and having a blast. For me, a dSLR was bought to take pictures in all conditions. I agree about not changing lenses at the beach if possible and will frequently do so in the car. I think that leaving the 'good' camera at home is overkill though. I've used this camera for almost 3 years now without anything more than simple precautions.

    That's been my philosophy as well, since I bought my first SLR. ANd I apply it to more than just the surroundings - I often see people asking on message boards whether they should take their SLR to Walt Disney World with them on their once-in-a-lifetime, "I paid $1,000,000 for this!" trip. And the answer I always give them is, "Why would you have spent $1,000 or more on a camera setup, then fail to use it on the single most important and memorable photo op of the year, your Disney vacation? It's like buying an awesome titanium-shaft driver, but leaving it in the bag when you're playing the yearly club championship because you don't want to get it dirty."

    Obviously, if one values one's expensive equipment, one should take some reasonable precautions to keep it safe from weather and environmental conditions when using it. I carry a home-made camera poncho with me whenever I use my camera outdoors, to good effect. Just last weekend, I took a casual photo walk in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, and got caught in a sudden downpour. I immediately put my camera poncho on (though I foolishly waited too long to put my own poncho on, and got drenched in about 2 minutes), and continued shooting. I got a few fairly nice images:

    Kids playing in both rain and fountain:
    th2011-06-12_061.jpg

    Another kid checking conditions from cover:
    th2011-06-12_072.jpg

    Rain/runoff pounding the pavement:
    th2011-06-12_082.jpg

    Shot all of those while my camera was inside a 2-gallon Ziploc bag.

    Hard to see through the viewfinder, but it's cool to be able to shoot in the rain if I want to.
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 16, 2011
    Have a look at these. Pretty reasonable insurance.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Wes WeberWes Weber Registered Users Posts: 38 Big grins
    edited June 20, 2011
    eoren1 wrote: »
    I was at the beach just last weekend. Canon 50D and 70-200 attached. Shot 400 frames of my kids jumping the waves and having a blast. For me, a dSLR was bought to take pictures in all conditions. I agree about not changing lenses at the beach if possible and will frequently do so in the car. I think that leaving the 'good' camera at home is overkill though. I've used this camera for almost 3 years now without anything more than simple precautions.

    I totally agree. I got some great shots, the kind you just can't get any other way than with a great DSLR.

    Wes
  • OhiohikerOhiohiker Registered Users Posts: 117 Major grins
    edited June 21, 2011
    So are you going to Share?

    headscratch.gif


    Wes Weber wrote: »
    I totally agree. I got some great shots, the kind you just can't get any other way than with a great DSLR.

    Wes
    Chris Blank

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