Jeff81 wrote:
I never leave the house with at least spf 75 . I shoot at the beach all the time. Slap a filter on the lens if its windy or maybe even if its not and try to avoid changing lenses and you should be fine.
If you're at the beach you should be using a cpl IMO. The difference in output is huge.
I live on the beach. I'm in my room right now, with the window open as usual, enjoying the light tropical breeze, and listening to the waves. My 5D is just fine. Unfortunately I'm on my third SD700 IS for which I have the waterproof housing.
I visited the Florida panhandle beach last week and I experienced a 5D Mark II malfunction while photographing the shore line / seagulls in the morning light (sunny). It was approximately 6:30 or 7:00 am, after sunrise but before the sun rose very high. The first morning I had been on the beach 30 to 45 minutes photographing the sand and surf, the camera was never splashed, was wet or got any sand on it. Just walking along the shoreline taking pictures.
The buttons on the top, ISO, AF-Drive, WB buttons, and back buttons the MENU and Playback buttons started working intermittently and then stopped working at all. The shutter release button still functioned, so it would still take pictures. At the time I had been changing my AEB setting between shot sequences, but the malfunction ended that. I tried removing and reinserting the battery and memory card, and it did not improve the situation. I replaced the memory card with higher a speed card, and all the buttons started working again. I took a few more shots and I left the beach shortly thereafter. The camera functioned normally, off the beach, for the remainder of the day.
Second morning, snap, snap, snap. The buttons along the top and rear of the camera stopped working again. The camera would take pictures, it just would not allow me the change the settings, or review photos. That ended that morning shoot. Later in the day away from the beach it worked fine.
But I think I see a trip to Canon, in my camera's near future. I think it's a moisture problem. Has anyone else had a similar problem?
It was humid on the beach in the morning, but I have taken my 20D several times to beach to take sunrise photos. This was the 5D Mark II's first beach excursion, and possibly it's last.
It's discouraging, I can take my point-and-shoot into the water, wade 10-15 feet out and take a picture. But a camera that cost's 20x as much can't get within 5 feet of water.
Lynwood, if you insist your camera never got splashed/sand etc anywhere near your 5D II, then your camera died for other reasons. It's that simple. I took my camera for an excessive day at the beach, lying on the sand etc, and never had an issue. To give you an example, here's my 5DII at 24mm, full shot, lying on the sand! And, really, can you really compare a point-and-shoot to the intricacies of an SLR when it comes to how you take care of them? I can throw my p&s on the backseat of my car. I'd never dream of doing such a thing with my 5D II.
I will be quite pleased, if when Canon receives my camera for repair that they confirm it is working in an abnormal fashion. Then restore it to the norm.
I would be discouraged if I was told, "It was operating within normal parameters".
Chrono1081 wrote:
pfft beaches dont scare my 5D Mark II. I had a thread floating around awhile back about the abuse mines been through and its still flawless.
This abuse is:
-Waterfall
-Full on saltwater splash from a boat (always carry a towel w/ you!)
-Sandstorms (I work in Iraq)
-A dip in the ocean waters (by dip the battery grip and bottom part of the lens got it from a freak wave)
-Theres probably more but thats the major ones I remember.
Wow, you gave more tough abuse to the 5D2 than I did but I can keep shooting after the sea wave splash without wipe off the wet by the towel
My serial number is 0320104XXX, midrange of of the others and also with a mid December delivery.
I already have my canon repair #. Just getting my documentation ready as attachments. I also get FALSE focus locks on the AF points at the 2 o'clock and 10'clock positions, and it is quite noticeable. Similar to this gentlemen's problem. See this links below: