Cameras

bleeb82 · Post by **bleeb82** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:12 am

so, do cameras get totally wrecked out in the playa? i was thinkin of encasing mine in a scuba diving cover so dust wont get in....is this extreme?

how do ye deal with the dust and cameras?

cheers xx

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:14 am

Zippier bags aka zip-loc bags, don't take it out in a white out, spritz of compressed air afters. Just that simple.

And stick one of those return address tiny labels on it in case you lose it.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:03 am

There are no definitive answers as far as I can tell. I don't keep my cameras in ziploc bags. My Nikon D70 stays in a regular camera bag till I use it, then back in. I take it to a camera shop and have it cleaned and returned to Nikon specifications when I get back (generally, only cleaning is required); wash the camera bag.

I use an Ewa Marine bag for gear during dust storms, but you have to have gear already in the bag for that to work. If you keep your camera in a scuba container, be aware of heat. You won't be under water, and the camera may generate enough heat to damage itself in the enclosed, airless, box in the sun.

Bring your stuff, bring backup stuff, see what fails, if anything. It's Burning Man.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:55 am

The longer the camera is out of its ziplock or scuba enclosure, the greater the chance of it breaking. I take maybe 30 pictures a year, carefully returning it to its bag immediately after use and have had no problems. I'm usually too busy checking things out to think about taking pictures.

Most cameras can handle careful use out there. I think the big danger is that you'll forget to return it to its bag or that it will drop into a pile of playa dust. It could get crushed in a variety of ways, as well.

If it's a really nice camera you couldn't bare to lose, get the fancy case or just leave it at home. If it's a run of the mill camera, I'd say just be careful about only exposing it to the air when you're in the act of taking a picture and don't stress too much. Brush out the dust when you get home with a small paintbrush.

Take camera out of bag, close bag so dust doesn't get inside, take picture, return camera to bag, close bag. Repeat.

KitsuneCaligari · Post by **KitsuneCaligari** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:56 am

Rule Number One - if you can't stand to lose it, don't bring it to the playa.

Beyond that, I took a 35mm SLR and a couple of bags of 35mm disposable cameras last year - I used only a single lens on the SLR, never changed it the entire time, kept a ziploc around in case of sudden winds, and always washed my hands before changing film, and aside from a slight grinding from dust in the focus/f-stop rings, the SLR survived the trip. A can of air afterwards cleared out the lens and working parts. The disposables were just that, and I came away with some nice shots....

I'm now in the market for a digital point-and-shoot with no moving zoom lens, as I understand dust can play havoc with the workings. The scuba cover can work fine, but so long as you are not shooting through dust-haze, you keep your gear in a bag when not in use, and try to keep clean hands around the device, your camera should be fine.

working_class_hero · Post by **working_class_hero** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:18 pm

anyone tryed a waterproof camera out there? i was going to purchase one figured water proof had to be sand proof too, vid and cam all in one the sanyo e1 i belive is water proof

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:02 pm

I prefer film out there.
I use a Fuji F10 for night shooting.
I always bag between shots.
Dust was bad last year.

Found a review
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcord ... 56916.html

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:04 pm

working_class_hero wrote:anyone tryed a waterproof camera out there? i was going to purchase one figured water proof had to be sand proof too, vid and cam all in one the sanyo e1 i belive is water proof

w_c_h,
It's not sand in this desert.. Think of it more like talc powder.. Baby Powder.. And yes the new point and shoot water/dust cameras will be better than a DLS with a lens that removes... Think VERY DUSTY..... Not Sandy..

Post by **mdmf007** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:36 pm

Dust permeates everything - prepare to clean, or not have it work right ever again.

theres a rather long thread on this subject here somewhere - about a year old, and then a year older

Dark Star · Post by **Dark Star** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:04 pm

Dust will destroy them. I've had two cameras go to hell because of BM. I've settled on only taking cheap cameras off Ebay with me. I don't need uber mega pixels or other bleeding edge functions like RAW.

A camera that's a few years old does exactly what I need and if it gets trashed I don't care.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:26 am

My Nikon coolpix did okay for a couple years, then the little shutter covers broke. I ripped them out with tweezers, and now the camera works fine again. My Mavica still works and it went several years in a row, I just don't use it much as it takes discs. The Panasonic Lumix has held up, and my Kodak film point and shoot is remarkably tough. So are all my old Minoltas.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:47 am

The Olympus IS (I think) has a circuit that repels dust from the chip.
They tend to attract dirt.
I've seen those out there.

The dust attraction is the biggest issue for digitals.

There are lots of used 35mms now.
That's the way to go for everything you can shoot with it.
I could never get the hang of low light shooting with film.
Film is the best way to capture the ultra mega hyper def world of burning man.

I'm getting someone I know to bring a panorama film camera out there.
It can do 16 feet in a shot.

CLARKcon · Post by **CLARKcon** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:13 pm

Worked at a 1-Hour Photo developing place a few years back. You know what the quality difference is between a $4 disposable and a roll shot with and an $800 bells & whistles?...absolutily none

Just bring a throwaway (make digital dispose as well!), and minus the zoom, covers all the basics/elements/regret-if-dropped factors

JezebelinHell · Post by **JezebelinHell** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:44 pm

I've never had any serious issues with camera equipment out there. The most important thing, in my opinion, is do not change lenses while you're there. I don't care if you're in your car and it's hermetically sealed, if you take the lens off you're gonna get dust in your camera. Another option is just to buy your playa camera from Costco. They have a one year return policy for any reason at all. I have a friend who's a professional photographer and she brings her camera back once a year just to upgrade it to the newest model. She's totally upfront about it, and they don't mind at all.

Ranger Mickey · Post by **Ranger Mickey** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:32 am

Playa dust will get into every opening, every data port, every place that moves, especially in a camera with a lens which moves forward and backward (which pretty much includes every in-pocket digital camera).

My solution for the last few years has been the dustproof and waterproof Pentax Optio W10 and W20. Take still and video. Battery lasts a good long time, even using the flash. Get a 2 or 4 GB SD card and you'll hold 600 pictures. They're perfect for the playa.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:31 am

JezebelinHell wrote:I've never had any serious issues with camera equipment out there. The most important thing, in my opinion, is do not change lenses while you're there. I don't care if you're in your car and it's hermetically sealed, if you take the lens off you're gonna get dust in your camera. Another option is just to buy your playa camera from Costco. They have a one year return policy for any reason at all. I have a friend who's a professional photographer and she brings her camera back once a year just to upgrade it to the newest model. She's totally upfront about it, and they don't mind at all.

Costco implemented new electronic return policies recently, so double check your local store.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:05 pm

I shot probably 2000 pics last year on my D70. I had it out with me everywhere I went in all conditions.

No issues at all, but I took precautions based on advice from a freelance photo guy that operated in Afghanistan.

1. I sealed all my flaps, ports, doors, etc. with gaffer tape. Gaffer tape works like duck tape but leaves no residue behind. Basically, if it could open, I taped it shut and sealed the cracks.

2. I picked a lens and kept it in place. If you do not remove the lens, you do not expose the internals to dust. I used my 18-200 lens. I made sure to retract the lens barrel (unzoom) if I saw dust blowing up towards me.

3. Camera lived in a Lowepro Top Load Zoom bag when I was not shooting. While it does not seal completely, the inside stayed relatively clean the entire event.

4. I adopted a daily cleaning ritual. Camera was hit by canned air 2 or 3 times a day. I used a couple of non-static electronic cleaning clothes to wipe the camera down with a couple of times of day, especially the lens barrel.

5. I downloaded everything I shot to my laptop every evening and that only left its cocoon for downloading pics and doing some email back home to the wife after trekking to Center Camp.

This year, I'm bringing my D-300 with the 18-200 mounted on it and my D-70 that I have had converted over to shoot IR. I will tape everything up and follow the same "clean as possible" rules I imposed on myself last year.

I have a great water/dust proof bag for my little Canon point and shoot that I used on the river for going through waterfalls down in Argentina. I got it at REI, made by Dry Pak

http://www.rei.com/brand/Dry+Pak

Post by **mdmf007** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:00 pm

I like the convenience of a digital, but fill them with dust everytime.

Gage · Post by **Gage** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:07 pm

AntiM wrote:
JezebelinHell wrote:I've never had any serious issues with camera equipment out there. The most important thing, in my opinion, is do not change lenses while you're there. I don't care if you're in your car and it's hermetically sealed, if you take the lens off you're gonna get dust in your camera. Another option is just to buy your playa camera from Costco. They have a one year return policy for any reason at all. I have a friend who's a professional photographer and she brings her camera back once a year just to upgrade it to the newest model. She's totally upfront about it, and they don't mind at all.
Costco implemented new electronic return policies recently, so double check your local store.

90 Day Return Policy now... Barnicles...

janicels · Post by **janicels** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:03 am

i got a really cool camera this year can't wait to see how it works out here
olympus stylus 790sw look it up see what it can do and it is shock and waterproof

Free2B · Post by **Free2B** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:45 pm

I just got a waterproof camera case on ebay for $30, they say the material covering the lense allows cristal clear pics. I don't know, but if I can go down to 6feet under water, it should be good out there.

justfred · Post by **justfred** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:50 am

I've been using a D70 for several years, usually with a nice zoom lens. I treat it like hell - hang it over my shoulder against my sweaty back; bang it into random things, never use a dust cover or case. I do my best to never set it down in the dust and not to change lenses, but otherwise I treat it like crap and blow off the dust when I get home. The same for the rest of the year.

Every other year or so I send it back to Nikon for cleaning, usually when a dust spot appears on the sensor - surprisingly rarely. $50-$100.

If I kept it in a case, I'd never get most of the "impulse" shots that end up being my favorites.

Seems like the ziploc-with-filter would be the best option, but I've never bothered. By the time I've ruined the camera, I'm ready for a new one anyhow; dump the old one on Craigslist.

My concern is more with getting a camera that's less imposing. Playa art generally doesn't complain about having to sit still till you get the shot framed - but there are so many beautiful and amazing faces out there, and I feel like I'd be less intimidating (and less intimidated) about taking their pictures if my camera weren't so huge; I also might be somewhat more likely to bring it with me.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:52 pm

> I feel like I'd be less intimidating (and less intimidated) about taking
> their pictures if my camera weren't so huge; I also might be
> somewhat more likely to bring it with me.

There are a couple of issues here, and everybody's mileage varies. I'm 61, so my appearance is not intimidating in and of itself. I ask whoever I want to take a picture of if I may, and I tell them why. Generally, it's because they look great or their bike looks great or something looks really great. And I'll tell them the photo will go on my Web site, and I offer them my card.

Almost always people say yes. If they say no, I thank them, repeat how great they look, and move on.*

I use a D70, a point and shoot, and a video camera if it's moving or music, and I use whichever one I have handy or prefer in the circumstance. _Most_ people are flattered to be asked and will say yes and be very patient while you get set, frame, focus, etc. I always offer a view off the LCD, again tell them how great they look, repeat that the photo will be on the web, and tell them to email me for the link.

I'm enthusiastic about who I'm photographing, I sincerely think they look great, and my enthusiasm and sincerity show. That goes a long way toward making people comfortable. Enthusiasm and sincerity are not intimidating and not confrontational.

What works for me won't work for everyone, of course, but take something that works for you and make it your own.

*If you don't want your photo taken, just say a simple "No, thanks" and let it go with that. I don't care why you don't want your photo taken, just that you don't. A long explanation is unnecessary. Please. Just say no thanks and let it go.

Cameras

Cameras

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