camera protection

[ensign]

I just bought one. 30 bucks and completely waterproof, therefore dust proof as well. The perfect solution, my digital camera will not leave the bag all week.

Google "acquapac" and read for yourself.

[fetching]

[quote="ensign"]I just bought one. 30 bucks and completely waterproof, therefore dust proof as well. The perfect solution, my digital camera will not leave the bag all week.

Google "acquapac" and read for yourself.[/quote]

it looks interesting, but i don't like the way the plastic covers the lens. I have L lenses which cost me a fortune because the glass is good and the optics are good, and now i'm going to stick some cheap plexiglass over it? kind of pointless to have a good lens then.

[ensign]

I can tell you that the plastic is coated somehow and is perfectly clear. They reviewed this product on Good Morning America a while back as one of the "cool" products for the summer.

I have previously ruined a camera at BM and I am happy that this year I can not worry, just whip out my camera and shoot.

Trust me, I don't work for aquapac, I just like the product.

[fetching]

[quote="ensign"]I can tell you that the plastic is coated somehow and is perfectly clear. They reviewed this product on Good Morning America a while back as one of the "cool" products for the summer.

I have previously ruined a camera at BM and I am happy that this year I can not worry, just whip out my camera and shoot.

Trust me, I don't work for aquapac, I just like the product.[/quote]

i'll have to read some reviews. but where did you find this for 35 bucks? the price i've seen for the SLR model is like 120.00.

how did you ruin your camera? what kind of camera?

[ensign]

I now have a compact digital camera, with a one inch zoom (Canon A95). Very highly rated at CNET and takes really great pictures.

Amazon sells the aquapac for that model for 29.95. I have not investigated the price for a big SLR, but it would, of course, be more.

My old camera was a Canon Z115. I just got too much dust in it at BM in 2004 and the lens would not close, the zoon would not extend, etc. For what it cost to fix I could nearly buy a new one . . . so I trashed it.

Hope this helps.

[_fool]

never use compressed air in a can to clean inside your camera or lenses.

why's that? seems to work for me, though i try not to use it when the camera's at 115 degrees or anything to prevent massive temperature differential.

[_fool]

[quote="swampdog"]It occurred to me that it would also cover playa damage.[/quote]

at least best buy's digicam warranty does cover (most types of) playa damage. specifically, heat and dust are covered. specifically, water and droppage are not. mine finally got too much dust in after a couple of years and wouldn't open up (extending electromechanical zoom lens) anymore and i took it back to BB and cashed in on the warranty. no fuss, no muss--my old camera was out of production so i got a free upgrade (2MP => 5MP, better featureset) with only a little haggling ("no, that replacement won't fit my memory cards. no, that replacement won't fit my lenses.").

now i still keep it ziplocked when not in use and in its little protective case (not anything-proof, but padded) at all times, but i'm not super-worried about it (except of course missing out on fabulous photo-ops in case of breakage at the event!)

[phil]

never use compressed air in a can to clean inside your camera or lenses.

why's that? seems to work for me, though i try not to use it when the camera's at 115 degrees or anything to prevent massive temperature differential.

I think that's a fair statement. It applied more to film cameras with their shutter being very susceptible to damage by the jetstream of compressed air, but I think the risk of damage to digital SLRs is significant as well. Among the issues of DSLRs is that Dust Off and similar canned air contain ether and fluorenes (liquid propellents) which can damage the surfaces of some plastics and can condense on your digital sensor and lenses, clouding them. Read the warnings on the back of the can for more information on contents. The other issue is the very strength of the compressed air which is what damages shutters and which can blow dust into the deepest nooks and crannies of your DSLR camera where the particles can cause jamming or where they wait till inopportune moments to fall onto the sensor. If you have a camera that can't be opened, then by all means use the canned air to blow dust off the exterior of the camera (but not the lens because of the residue problem).

I've always used film cameras at BM, and I've always used canned air to blow off the exterior of my camera before opening it, but I've never used it to clean out the insides. I've always seen the condensation forming on the exterior surfaces, and it does leave a feelable residue. However, I've also always taken my camera in to a Nikon-authorized repair service and had the camera cleaned and brought back to spec after each burn.

I'll be fully digital this year for the first time, so I have no idea what I'm going to do about dust control and the sensor. For more information on cleaning sensors, google
cleaning DSLR
or drop by
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essay ... ning.shtml
for that guy's take on it. Also see
http://www.kinetronics.com/cgi-local/So ... 1122213418
for a link to what's described as a 'mini clean room' for changing lenses. This item isn't available yet, but it's clear we can make our own from the battery powered air mattress pump and some clear plastic bags with zippers. (Keeping in mind the issue of maintaining a dust-free interior in the bag, but that's another story.)