Keeping my video camera dust free.

[moshe!]

can someone herlp me to maintain the life of my video camera? I plan on taping some interviews in center camp this year...what have folks done to protect their gear in years past?

[phil]

I keep my camera in a plastic baggie in a cargo pocket till I need it. No quick grab shots of spontaneous events, but I've had it on the playa for 2 or 3 years without apparent ill effects.

You could buy an underwater case for it for better protection.

[emotion_sickness]

can someone herlp me to maintain the life of my video camera? I plan on taping some interviews in center camp this year...what have folks done to protect their gear in years past?

as a former film student the easiest thing i've found is (if its a smaller video camera...those big honkin VHS ones wont work) find a big ziplock bag to put it in and rubberband a smooth part of the bag around the lens, or cut out a hole to fit the lens thru and rubber band it tight around the lens. you can usually work the controls thru the plastic or just reach inside. keeps out dust and rain pretty well. they make cases to fit some cameras (news cameras often have these) that close with velcro, sometimes have pockets for cables and such and have holes cut out for the buttons, but they are pretty expensive and are made to fit particular models of cameras so you may be out of luck if its just a small non-professional home video camera. id also take it into a camera shop once you get back and have it professionally cleaned and checked out cuz its probably gonna get dirty no matter what.

[Clar-i-ty]

I rely on Seal Wrap for my camera. It's a restaurant quality plastic wrap, available at Smart & Final or Costco. This is that stuff they use to wrap cartons of veggies and muffins with. It works brilliantly. Of course a good heavy duty zip lock is great for extra protection. If you have a really nice camera, you might want to consider getting a smaller cam that's easier to protect. I got one specifically for the Playa from B&H and I couldn't be happier with it.

[trilobyte]

Plastic bags have worked very well for me for still and video cameras. I recommend one just for the camera, and another for your other accessories (charger, cords, etc). That way there's no fumbling when it comes to getting the camera out or putting it away. When you're not shooting, put it into the ziploc immediately.

I also recommend extra lens cleaner and cleaning cloths, as well as compressed air (I already bring that out for other electronic gear).

And then it's worth pointing out that you should visit this page for more information about bringing out your video camera.

Good luck!

~Trilo~

[Trixy]

But really, why worry about your camera when you can see the full frontal video on "Gals Gone Wild"?