digital SLR'son the Playa

chaostrophy · Post by **chaostrophy** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 8:45 pm

Hi,

I am thinking about bringing my digital SLR to BM with me this yeear. However, I am a little concerned about the dust issue, especially when changing lenses. Does anyone have experience with this? Got any good tips for ensuring that my lenses and camera will still be in working order when I get back?

Greg

Elemental666 · Post by **Elemental666** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 11:51 pm

You could use one of those film changing bags to change your lenses in... I dunno what to tell you about protecting the glass while using the camera tho, maybe a lens hood, but that'd effect the light... good question

chaostrophy · Post by **chaostrophy** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:18 am

I'm more worried about getting dust on the sensor or in the AF motors of my lenses than I am the glass. A filter can protect the glass.

Greg

falk · Post by **falk** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:29 am

Frankly, I'd seal the entire camera in a plastic bag with only the lens sticking out, and leave it in the bag the entire week.

Elemental666 · Post by **Elemental666** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:35 am

maybe a drawstring shower cap? I was thinking just that same thing...

falk · Post by **falk** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:22 am

I was thinking really drastic measures: a large zip-lock bag to hold the camera. A hole cut in the zip-lock bag and hot-glued to a UV filter. Put the camera in the bag, screw it onto the UV filter. Seal the bag, leave it sealed.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:38 am

Or drop Big Ching and get a diver's cover for it.

If it's the during-lens-change period that worries you, try making a "glove box" like those used in hazardous-substance labs out of wood framing and plastic. Blast it out with canned air and slip your camera in, button it up and go for it!

ValentineFromMars · Post by **ValentineFromMars** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 3:21 pm

I think the best advice is to either bring a smaller, cheaper digital camera, or leave the SLR in your tent the whole time. Seriously, if you bring it, you are going to spend the whole week fussing with the thing and worrying about protecting your $1000+ equipment.

After some debate last year, I left my Digital Rebel at home and brought my old Canon G1. Even that ended up being more bulky than was convenient, and I barely took any pictures. Think about it: You are not allowed to sell the photos (I think), so why do you need the absolute quality of an SLR? A small, midrange point & shoot does pretty well these days, and it won't keep you worried and draw you away from being a participant like the SLR probably will.

Trust me: that thing will become a ball & chain.

Elemental666 · Post by **Elemental666** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:48 am

I have a cannon sure shot or something, the little 2.1MP spy lookin jobber. It takes pretty decent snaps, but sometimes I want to capture an image in much higher detail so I can turn it into an artistic piece. And there are just some shots that are really fun to take that you can't get with the point and clickers.. That is to say, the point and clicker takes most of my "memories" type photos and my SLR is for the more expressive type photos.. dig

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:32 am

I brought two XL-1s to the playa a few years ago for a documentary I was shooting and both are still in fine shape, in service, and just finished an independent zombie movie. So it can be done. Here's how we did it.

First I looked around and found a custom made outdoor all weather cover for my cameras. They're big cameo bags with covered zippers, draw strings, and hand access right where you need access to reach the controls. If a camera was in use, it was in the bag. No exceptions.

Then I brought an RV so that there could be a relatively dustless place for cleaning and maintance. As well as secure storage. Every day every camera was taken apart and cleaned out. If I had to change lenses I did it in the RV. Again no exceptions.

It was a pain in the ass, much work, and so on, but both cameras lived to tell the tale and while the bags cost about $200 each that was a small portion of the cameras themselves...

Ron

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:34 am

Ron wrote:I brought two XL-1s to the playa <snip> both are still in fine shape, in service, and just finished an independent zombie movie.

Which one got the director's credit?

eta: Look more threads!

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:02 pm

[quote="theCryptofishist"][quote="Ron"]I brought two XL-1s to the playa <snip> both are still in fine shape, in service, and just finished an independent zombie movie. [/quote] Which one got the director's credit?
[/quote]

In a zombie movie. I'd have asked who got the director's cut?

Was this the cameo bag, by the way?
http://www.ltkids.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Pro ... 58857.html

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:09 pm

*fishy groans, covers ears with fins, and swims away, knowing she has only herself to blame*

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:35 pm

My wife took her digital rebel last year, by the way, and suffered no ignominies with it. I'll be taking a Nikon D70 this year instead of a film camera, and she'll have her digi reb again. We both had little pocket-sized digital P&S cameras last year and will again this year, but they don't have the concern of the dusting of the sensor as do cameras with switchable lenses.

I have always taken my film camera in for a cleaning after BM, so I plan to take the D70 in after we get back from the burn.

Savior69 · Post by **Savior69** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:42 pm

Leave the SLR at home!

Get a really good, but cheap, pocket size camera like the new nikon 7900. Its small, 7.1 mp (more than fine) and you will use it more cause it will be in your pocket. It also has an optional waterproof case if you want to go all the way.

I used a nikon coolpix 880 (3.2 mp) for all the shots i have ever taken at BM and if used properly come out great. as a mater of fact on the home page of BM dot com, my pic is the one of the corn palce, second in fron right. if you click that pic, then my name (jason silverio) every pic was with this camera. by last year it died from dust in the lens but i got more than my $300 dollars worth by then. You can get a decent used one for like $100. get a big ass memory card and extra rechargables and a glare filter with the extra money and snap away.

really, the dust is so fine, it gets in lightbulbs! and its like sandpaper

digital SLR'son the Playa

digital SLR'son the Playa

!!