Camera Care on the Beach

[gary payne]

<p>In early June I'll be spending a week in Florida with family, and on the beach every day, possibly for most of each day. I'll have my D700, SB600 and an appropriate selections of lens. I have shot on the beach before, but only for a few hours or a day at a time. I always take care not to get the camera wet or in the sand, and to wipe down the camera and lens body with a damp cloth, and then clean the lens with a blower-brush and micro cloth after use. <br>

I would appreciate any insight or tips from those who spend a lot of time shooting in a sandy salt water environment regarding camera care and cleaning, as well as beach photography in general. </p>

[akshun]

<p>When i go to the beach i never /nor would ever take my D700.<br>

I take my D80 with a versatile (18-200mmvr) lens and have fun, not saying you wont, but still, the D700 is too fine a camera to risk damage.<br>

Not to mention, the D80 takes superb photos.</p>

 

[michael_huizenga]

<p>I take my D300 to every surf contest I can make. I'll wear a loose short sleeve button up shirt with a tank top underneath. In between shots, I stick the camera under my unbuttoned shirt to help protect it. Works very well for me for about 10 years now.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Sand and salt suck ...I would avoid changing lenses unless absolutely necessary, use a filter and avoid dropping the cam. Shooting wise, check light maybe use -1/3 to -2/3 exposure during mid day sun. Get up early or stay late for beautiful light. Having said all that, beach day fun, for me, usually means pocket P&S...</p>

[emiliogtz]

<blockquote>

<p>When i go to the beach i never /nor would ever take my D700.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Why not? Isn't it supposed to be better sealed to deal with such environment than the D80?</p>

<p>Gary, take the usual care you would take for your camera. I mean, let common sense prevail. Try to stay away from the water when it's windy, avoiding the breeze. Seals or no seals, salt is too dangerous to electronic devices and short of submersion, the breeze could be the biggest threat to your gear. A blower is best when dealing with the sand, and I see you already have that.</p>

<p>A piece of advice: avoid as much as you can to change lenses while seating on the beach. I've seen it happen too often. Even if you're being all careful and the wind isn't blowing, out of nowhere comes a bunch of kids running past you throwing sand at you and your precious, expensive gear. Also, if you carry a camera bag, make sure you have it properly closed at all times, except when taking gear in or out of course.</p>

<p>Last, but not least, make sure you have all the caps on your camera body (flash shoe, remote, flash sync, usb, etc). Don't let the "enemy" find an easy opening. </p>

<p>Enjoy your trip and post some pics when you get back.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>I'd leave my DSLR at home. The beach is a bad place for a camera. If I had to, I'd bring my backup camera for sure.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>You could always purchase a lightweight rain cover for it. If it's really windy, stuff could still get in, but the cover would help under average conditions. When it's windy, I don't use my cameras at the beach anymore. Ruined a point and shoot last year--glad I wasn't using my D80!</p>

[Jerry_]

<p>Use a circular polarizer filter, never put your bag on the sand (the West Coast Florida sand is powdery and will get ya' from the surface to three feet if it is windy,) and be prepared for p.m. thunderstorms.</p>

<p>One lens, like a AF 28-105mm f3.5D~ Nikkor, might be enough for a day on the beach.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

 

[bgelfand]

<p>Others have mentioned some very good points; I will add two more.</p>

<p>1) When not in use, keep your camera, and camera bag, shaded from the sun. The sun can heat things quickly. The cool ocean breezes can be deceiving; a black camera body or black camera bag will heat up quickly.</p>

<p>2) Come prepared for rain. It is amazing how fast storms can blow up.</p>

<p> </p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>I got caught in the rain at a steam tractor meet in Kinsers, PA off Rt. 30 The Lincoln Highway back in May a couple of years ago. My only camera was a Leica M3 with collapsible Summicron, my user not mint not quite a beater. Pictures were excellent, camera suffered no ill effects. I left my expensive digital at home in MA.</p>

 

[samuel_lipoff]

<p>A D700 is very well sealed against rain and sand. I've never used mine on the beach, but have often used it in the desert with no ill effects. On other occasions I've gotten it pretty wet with no ill effects. Just make sure the rubber caps that protect the ports are closed firmly. Try to change lenses quickly (if at all) and ideally when there's no wind. I might buy a can of compressed air to blow any little bits of sand off the outside when I got back home. My philosophy is that one of the things I've paid for the D700 is ruggedness, and I intend to take advantage of it!</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>you pretty much know what to do on that kind of a trip. you forgot to mention filters for extra protection of the lens. plus of course a polarizer (if that suits you). try to trim it down to two lenses.</p>

<p> </p>

[david_carroll4]

<p>Beach time is too precious (I live in Pittsburgh - I don't see the sea too often) to fret about expensive equipment. My priority would be sand/waterproofness, so I don't have to worry about it. On our next seaside adventure I'll take my "good" camera (F3HP + primes) but it'll never see the beach. For that, I'll throw an old Nikonos V with a 35mm lens into the beach bag and not worry about it for a second. Hose it off when we get back to the house and the job's done. Most of the beach pics will be of the kids jumping around in the surf anyway, so I won't need anything too high tech.</p>

[akshun]

<p>Some good points raised about the weatherproofing and seals on the D700.<br>

I will say that it is tough, and im confident to carry it with me pretty much anywhere i go , and if it should start to rain, well ok, its gonna hold up, but it doesnt mean im gonna hold it out there for it to get soaked, or get the chance of sand being kicked at it.<br>

Like think about it, i love taking pics as much as the next guy, but if you show up to the beach with a D700, a big flash unit and a bag of lenses, unless you are the guy shooting the "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition" then i would think thats just odd,lol.<br>

Anyhow, Gary, take the big boy with ya, test out the weather seals and ruggedness, maybe take some Caution tape so you can cordon off your little area too, you can never be too careful.,<br>

good luck</p>

 

[ted_raper1]

<p>I shot for years on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a notoriously windy environment. There are many good suggestions here, and I would add (or second) a couple of them. Wear a loose shirt that you can cover the camera with when not actually shooting, and use a filter over your lens. Windblown sand can damage a lens with you not even noticing it until it's too late. The sand on the OB is very coarse, and as mentioned, the Florida sand is less so but I'd still take as many precautions against sand as water.</p>

[mel_cox]

<p>I near the beach in Florida and take my D300 over to shoot pictures quite frequently.<br>

Just use common sense and you'll be fine. The D700 should be fine.</p>

<div></div>

[Kent Shafer]

<p>Gary, you didn't mention a tripod so maybe you aren't taking one. But if you are, I would just note that it will by necessity come into intimate contact with sand and probably salt water too. If you have a $1,000 Gitzo, you might consider sparing it from these hardships and using something humbler at the beach.</p>

<p>I have an ancient but capable Tiltall that already bears the scars of many saltwater encounters. That's what I will take to Nantucket again this summer.</p>

[Mike D]

<p>I photograph some of the surf contests in SoCal and agree with Kent that you should use an inexpensive or old tripod because the salt in the air is highly corrosive. I also never take a camera bag onto the beach since is will suck up salt from the air. Then you take the bag home and store the camera in a salt soaked bag. Perhaps this is only theoretical but I wouldn't want to take a chance.</p>

[shineofleo]

<p>I had some experience of the beach... The sands really broken my lens! It could not auto-focus anymore!</p>

<p>Don't worry, it was repaired in a second: there is a hole on the lens which mounts on the camera body, and it was stuch by some tiny sand. Clear it and auto-focus is back!</p>

<p>Anyway, make sure you keep the camera & lens clean. It is very important!</p>

[User_2000406]

<p>I found out the hard way that a wind coming off salt water and through the surf zone will carry invisible salt spray which will coat your camera with salt very quickly. I would not change lenses at all under those conditions, and I would very thoroughly and repeatedly wipe down the camera and lens after leaving the beach. A single wipedown with one piece of material will merely spread the salt around.</p>