How to deal with your camera gear while on playa

[portaplaya]

Credentials: long time member of the Burning Man Photo Documentation team.
http://thebes-inc.smugmug.com/BurningMan

My solution for shooting every year comes in three levels (plus "dust storm"):

First, I just expect that I'll need to send the camera in for cleaning when the event is over. That frees me to just use the camera without bags and housings when the dust level is low. In fact, you should get your camera cleaned every two years anyway.

Second, I try to bring lenses that that do not extend when they zoom. That just brings dust into the lens body. A 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (or 70-200mm f/4) has entirely internal optics. Primes are also a great choice. For my wide angle, I just bring the kit lens my camera came with. It goes in for cleaning with the camera body in September. And don't forget to use UV filters so you can just wipe them with a cloth and not feel bad about abrading the front element with the "polishing powder" that the playa acts like.

Third, I do not change lenses unless I can see that there is no (or very low) dust in the air. This means you cannot change lenses at night because you just plain can't tell how dusty it is. (I often change lenses during the Burn, but by then I am probably done using the camera for the week and I know it's getting a pro cleaning when I get home.)

Lastly, for actual dust storms, then I pull out the bags. Large freezer bags. I poke a hole in the far corner, put the camera in the bag and stick the lens out through the hole I poked and tape the edges of the hole to the front of the lens. That leaves me the zip-lock end to open and close if I need to get to camera controls, which I avoid. Even so, the bag exterior gets dusty and I eventually can't see through the view-finder. At that point, I just try to shoot wide and fix composition by cropping in post. Use a fresh bag every time you do this. On one hand, you'll need to clear the view for the view-finder. On the other, you might as well keep the camera as clean as you can.

While you are at it, the Canon 1D is a monster, but it is weather sealed. So are any L-series lenses. And Nikon has the same, although I don't know the models to look for. With those, if cost is not an issue and if you never changed lenses (ha!) then you would have almost no dust issues, even it a storm.

When not using your gear, wipe it down (baby wipe?), put it in a clean ziplock bag, put that in a box inside your car/tent/trailer. Try to leave your favorite lens on your body in case a dust storm picks up. You won't want to change lenses then, but you might want to run out and shoot.

I want to add a comment about lens cases. If you bring your individual padded lens cases, they will become impregnated with dust. You can either wash them out at home (15 minutes in the shower, each) or you can just put the lenses in zip-locks when not in use and store them somewhere they won't get banged around.

Ideally, you will have a playa camera bag, one bag that you just accept will be ruined. Or you can try to flood that bag in the shower when you get home in order to get most of the dust out. Individual lens cases are not really the way to go.

[portaplaya]

Also, the JRS newletter just featured a link to my BM photos for 2010. How nice of them!

[Playa+Tom]

My camera repair guy loves Burning Man. A good part of his yearly income comes from removing the playa from cameras. I've had a couple slr's cleaned but my Canon G10 was toast, it is very hard to clean the small sensors. There is another thread recommending the Pentax Optio W90, they are wonderful little cameras and well sealed from mud water and playa dust. I've also had good luck with Olympus Stylus film cameras, they are weatherproof and can be had for about ten bucks at thrift stores.

[CapSmashy]

Credentials: long time member of the Burning Man Photo Documentation team.
http://thebes-inc.smugmug.com/BurningMan

My solution for shooting every year comes in three levels (plus "dust storm"):

Great advice.

I use a Lowe top loader bag that is attached to a pistol belt. I shoot primarily on a D300 so I have never been overly worried about the dust.

Oh, advice I got from a freelance photo guy that has shot in Afghanistan and Iraq, is to tape up all your ports with gaff tape for that extra bit of protection.

When not using your gear, wipe it down (baby wipe?), put it in a clean ziplock bag, put that in a box inside your car/tent/trailer. Try to leave your favorite lens on your body in case a dust storm picks up. You won't want to change lenses then, but you might want to run out and shoot.

I like the electronics cleaning wipes. Normally sold for cleaning LCD screens and such. Anti-static and not nearly as wet as baby wipes are.

I want to add a comment about lens cases. If you bring your individual padded lens cases, they will become impregnated with dust. You can either wash them out at home (15 minutes in the shower, each) or you can just put the lenses in zip-locks when not in use and store them somewhere they won't get banged around.

Ideally, you will have a playa camera bag, one bag that you just accept will be ruined. Or you can try to flood that bag in the shower when you get home in order to get most of the dust out. Individual lens cases are not really the way to go.

I throw my Lowepro bags in the washer on the gentle cycle with a tiny amount of detergent every year and they come out nice and clean. But yeah, lens cases do not really bring much benefit.

[portaplaya]

Does anyone have advice for protecting video cameras? How susceptible are they to damage from dust?