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Archive 2013 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses

  
 
plnelson
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Recently I started doing time-lapse sequences with my D300 and D800. At first I was just interested in artsy stuff. But as an avid vegetable gardener I discovered it was a great way to ID woodchucks and other critters predating my garden while I'm at work and to figure out how they were defeating my fencing.

But now I want to try to shoot other animals. Where I live I get woodchucks, racoons, foxes, skunks, deer, fishercats, coyotes, rabbits, and even occasional bears in my yard. So I thought it would be fun to set up my camera to run automatically overnight to shoot time-lapse sequences at night or at dawn, to photograph and study these critters.

The main thing I'm worried about is dew. What kind of a housing can I get or make that will protect my camera from damage from dew condensation? Typically I'd be shooting this with either a wide-angle or very short tele - the biggest lens I would probably use would be the Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8 which is about 8" long.

Do I need a full, sealed underwater housing?

Thanks in advance.



Sep 28, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Keith B.
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


If normal overnight condensation is the only threat, then you easily could rig a makeshift, temporary cover using polyethylene sheet and tape/spring clamps. But what about the possibility of rain/wind?
If you plan to leave it out on a regular basis, then a more permanent housing is probably called for.



Sep 29, 2013 at 03:10 AM
playerofwar
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Maybe look at the new Nikon 1 AW, it's cheaper than a housing for the D300 and has better IQ.


Sep 29, 2013 at 03:50 AM
Guari
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


something like this??

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/819104-REG/Kata_KT_PL_E_702_E_702_PL_Pro_Light.html



Sep 29, 2013 at 04:57 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


$6.00 and work fine for light duty.
I always keep one in my camera pack

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/469774-REG/OP_TECH_USA_9001132_18_Rainsleeve_Set_of.html



Sep 29, 2013 at 08:19 AM
pburke
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Zip lock bag, duct tape, and a chemical hand warmer pack inside will do. Maybe add some towel or rags in the bag to add insulation


Sep 29, 2013 at 10:10 AM
runamuck
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Do not just put the camera in a plastic bag as you will get dew inside the bag. Putting a hand warmer in the plastic bag with the camera will keep things a few degrees above ambient. That's all you need to prevent dew from forming.


Sep 29, 2013 at 11:28 AM
NathanHamler
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Find a pelican case on craigslist and modify....that's what national geographic and such do...


Sep 29, 2013 at 01:07 PM
Nikon_14
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Of course, none of these gadgets projects your gear against 2-legged animals that "redistribute" other people's property left outdoors. That would be my concern.


Sep 29, 2013 at 10:30 PM
plnelson
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


playerofwar wrote:
Maybe look at the new Nikon 1 AW, it's cheaper than a housing for the D300 and has better IQ.


Can it do intervalometer (for time-lapse) shooting? That's one of my requirements.

How does it have better IQ? Granted it has slightly higher pixel-count but so does my Samsung Galaxy S4 - that doesn't mean it has better image quality.





Nov 09, 2013 at 11:49 PM
plnelson
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


Nikon_14 wrote:
Of course, none of these gadgets projects your gear against 2-legged animals that "redistribute" other people's property left outdoors. That would be my concern.


Not where I live, at least not overnight.



Nov 09, 2013 at 11:51 PM
plnelson
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Want a not-too-expensive way to protect my D300 on long timelapses


runamuck wrote:
Do not just put the camera in a plastic bag as you will get dew inside the bag. Putting a hand warmer in the plastic bag with the camera will keep things a few degrees above ambient. That's all you need to prevent dew from forming.


I thought about hand-warmers but the ones I saw don't last for 8 hours. I was trying to think of some sort of small, portable warming device that could run off of, say, rechargeable NiMH batteries. I have tons of those and could put a bunch of them in parallel to supply the necessary current.




Nov 09, 2013 at 11:58 PM





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