 Patrick Salter |
Shooting in the desert. Hello. I am currently the proud owner of a Canon 20d with a couple of L series lenses(17-40mm F4/L and 70-200mm F4/L), in addition to some of the lower end lenses. Last year, after purchasing a 10d, I took the camera to the desert and shot nearly 1,000 images in a weeks time. Out of sheer paranoia, I brought only 1 lens, never changing lenses for fear of dust on the CCD as well as keeping a UV filter over the top of the lens the entire time. The camera performed nearly flawlessly (With the exception of a slight battery grip malfunction that remains a mystery today.). My question is this, what are the precautions I could take so that I could feel more comfortable changing lenses in such a harsh environment. This is an annual trip for me, and yealds many images each year. I don't mind too much if some of the solutions involve speding some money to keep the gear well protected, as I have already invested a few thousand dollars in equipment. Also, if there are any suggestions people can offer in capturing images that bring out more of the color saturation in the mid day desert sun, I would greatly appreciate it. I have found the colors to look almost desaturated when shooting in the high noon sun in the desert, in addition to the already un-flattering mid day shadows. But there are times when the only chance I have to get the image is in those worst times of day. I have invested in a polarizer (Hoya) as well as an ND filter (Tiffen) and I look forward to shooting with those this year. Am I on the right track? Patrick
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David A. Bliss |
I have used my 10D in some pretty harsh conditions. High wind, snow, rain, the beach, the mountains, the desert... I have changed lenses, and never used a UV filter on the front. I have gotten dust on the sensor before, but I have had very good results simply blowing it off. When I change lenses, I always have the lens I am going to put on ready, take of the other lens of and quickly put the new lens on, then put the caps on the other lens. It is much easier to clean the lens than the filter ;-) I have lens cleaning solution in my camera bag so I can clean my lenses in the field if I need to. If you are concerned, though, just make sure you don't change your lens in the wind, or drop it or the camera in the sand ;-) I always leave my camera on the tripod when changing lenses, that way I know I won't drop the camera. You can get into your car, or take a small tent, too. As for filters for shooting in the middle of the day, the polarizer is your best bet. Also, think about a graduated neutral density filter. I like the Cokin setup, because you can use the same filter on all your lenses, you just need the adapter ring for each lens. I have talked about the GND in a number of threads, but I think it is right next to the polarizer as the most important filter for landscape shots. Even in the middle of the day, it will help to keep contrast in your sky and not blow out highlights.
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Patrick Salter |
David: Thanks for the quick response. My training is primarily is motion picture photography and I had not even thougth about a graduated filter for stills! I like the idea. I may be on my way to the camera shop tonight! My biggest concern in the environment I will be shooting in is that by the time we leave, dust is inside EVERYTHING! I find it for months and months after. There is a fair ammount of alkalai in the sand there, and I am concerned that it could eat away at the coating protecting the CCD and the Lenses, thus my reluctance to swap lenses, and the use of the UV filter. Of course, I always have the usual cleaning tools with me (Brush, tissue, lens cleaning solution), but I am of course, concerned about the things I can't see. Again, thanks for the advice.
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David A. Bliss |
Another thing you could do is put your camera (and lenses) in resealable plastic bags. That way there are only exposed to the elements when you are actually using them. You can also rig a plastic bag to fit around the camera while it is on the tripod, so that only the front of the lens is sticking out. Obviously, you want to use clear plastic so you can see the settings on your camera ;-) The only thing you want to be careful with of plastic bags is condensation, but since you are going to be in the desert, it shouldn't be a problem.
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Don F. Miller |
When I was shooting film I use to have a bag that had two layers of black material, with a double zippers, and elastic arm holes for reaching in. I used this to change film and for placing film back into the canister when I accidently rolled it off the end. Something like this would work well for keeping dust out of both the lense and camera while in the field.
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