Is my camera too advanced for me?

[stevierose]

<p>I have a similar situation when I go fly fishing. The answer to your question depends upon what your real concern about taking the 5D is. If you find carrying that big of a body/lens combination to be inconvenient or awkward (that is definitely true when I am wade fishing) then the solution is to bring a small high quality point and shoot instead. You can get a waterproof point and shoot if you wish, though there are few that offer much photographic control or RAW files. I now carry a Canon S95 for this purpose. It is not waterproof, so if I do drop it in the river it will be a lost cause, but it costs much less than a 5D, it easily fits in a secure pocket within a baggie, it shoots RAW files and has a great deal of photographic control. So the risk of damaging the camera is low and the cost of losing it is not terrible.<br>

However, if you don't mind the size of the 5D and your main fear is that one day you may slip and fall into the water with the camera--I would suggest that you take the 5D and acquire two things: 1. A good water proof photo pack such as those made by LowePro, and 2. Insurance. I am surprised that no one has mentioned insurance yet. If you are not a professional photographer, you can get a rider on your homeowner's (or renter's) insurance called "inland marine" coverage for a very nominal fee that will cover the actual replacement cost of your camera equipment no matter what happens to it. I once accidentally dropped a Canon 300mm/f4 L lens halfway down Yellowstone Canyon, and it was replaced under my policy. Ask your insurance agent about it. </p>

[rossb]

<p>When I go sailing I usually take a 35mm and a 28-105mm lens + CP. However the protective housing thing sounds good. Seems like when your Duck Hunting you should concentrate on hunting and safety and forget the camera until the gun has been put away. I have never been Duck Hunting so I do not how that all goes but it seems like a camera would just get in the way.</p>

[digitmstr]

<p>The question then, it's really this one: <em>do you use the 5D because you take advantage of all its features and image quality?</em> If so, there is only one solution: get a waterproof housing. doesn't have to be a super-expensive, scuba-diving deal, just something that will protect the camera from water splash and/or if it fell in the the water.</p>

<p>Getting a different camera is NOT a solution, <strong>unless</strong> you answer NO to the question above.</p>

[dave_redmann]

<p>A couple of years ago I bought one of those inexpensive ($20 or so) DiCAPac clear bag / cases for my wife's P&S (a Canon Powershot A570 IS). It has worked fine in a pool, at the beach, for parasailing, etc. Operating the controls through the plastic is a little tricky, and the lens extension part of the bag blocks part of the optical viewfinder. Optical quality is usually only a small compromise <em>unless</em> you have water droplets in front of the lens. So it's not perfect, but for the money it's been great.</p>

<p>But the camera is now over three years old, and the DiCAPac bag maybe two years old. Today maybe a waterproof P&S would make more sense.</p>

 

[dave_redmann]

<p>[Edit: Sorry, it doubled up on my post.]</p>

[steven_f1]

<blockquote>

<p>Last option would be to bring a film camera along. You could even put it in a waterproof bag as well.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Well a film camera is not as expensive as your 5D, it is just as suseptable to water damage. Both have batteries and electronics and water can enter either by way of the lens mount, buttons, or battery.</p>

<p>I have taken a couple river rafting trips and gone up the zion narrows several times. In the Zion narrows you are staning in the river. In the grand Canyon we would go from dry soaking wet when you hit a rapid. In the grand canyon I only had a film camera. I kept it in a REI clear plast bag with welded seams. When sealed the bag would keep the camera dry even if the raft was full of water and the bag was under water. I have also used the same camera bag in the zion narrows with my 5D and it has kept the camera dry when I had to swim across deap areas in the river. My film and digital cameras never got wet. </p>

[esfishdoc]

<p>I fish on the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean and hunt deer here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia where I live. I drive my truck through woods scratching the heck of it. I put my boat in saltwater and expose all my fishing gear to the salt. I sit in rain with a 500 dollar gun and nice optics wearing expensive cammo.... you bet I take my 7D and a couple of lenses with me! (my friends make fun of me for having my gear in climbing tree stand.) I try to be careful but I'm way past the worrying about every little speck of dust. I've had to wipe fish scales and blood off my camera...They can take a lot more abuse then we think.</p>

[richard_crowe4]

<p>Why don't you get a nice P&S camera for the times you don't want to place your 5D in danger.</p>

[ejchem101]

<p>Richard, you make a good point. If I were to buy a SBE II (awesome duck gun) for $1500 I wouldn't think twice about dropping it in the water, or having it in the rain. Along with scratching and banging up my truck...</p>

<p>I agree that it is just time to get past worrying about gear and have fun with it.</p>

[authoritee]

<p>About the DiCAPac, I just recently wrote a mini-review on another thread about my experience using it for over a month. Here it is: http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Xepr?start=10</p>