Hi everyone,
I apologize if this question has already been covered. I recently got the 5DMkII and was told that I shouldn't use it to take photos on the beach because it would ruin the camera with high heat/humidity in typical beach settings. Is that true? I don't plan on going too close to the shore, but would like to take portraits on the sand with the water in the background.
Thanks for any advice,
Meli

Don't bury your camera in the sand or drop it in the water and you'll be totally fine. Oh and don't leave it laying out under the hot sun for hours on end.

Heat and humidity per se shouldn't be a problem at the beach, unless you allow the camera to bake in direct sunlight for hours. The two problems at the beach are likely to be salt water (or breezes containing salt water) and sand.

That said, I knows pros shoot beachware and swimsuits and surfers on the beach all the time. Being reasonably careful and wiping your camera with a clean cloth periodically should help. Depending on conditions (wind, etc.) you may want to think twice before swapping lenses.

If you want additional protection, consider an Ewa-Marine UB or UBXP or UBXP100 housing, depending on your system. Ewa-Marine site.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Just use some common sense and you'll be fine. I've brought my 5D to the beach many times.

Sand (abrasion), salt (corrosion) and humidity (corrosion/short circuit) can ruin a camera, but millions of people use their camera on beaches. It's a risk, but not one that is particular to the 5DII.

The wind will be your main enemy as it carries salt water spray/mist and fine sand.
However, I'd worry more about the lens and clarity of the front element than about the camera.
In my experience a clear protective filter is a neccessity in that sort of an environment. So you can wipe it clean often, as you will have to do, without fear of marring the lens.

Use lens coat ?

Thanks, everyone. I don't plan on staying out long - just long enough to get the shots, and I will use just one lens with a protective filter, so hopefully it'll be fine. I'll avoid wind, too.

kewlcanon wrote:
Use lens coat ?

Lenscoat "Hoodie" ? That's very cool, Kewl.

Yeah or the rain coat thingy...I remember I was at Antelope Canyon it was very sandy..wind blew like crazy sands went in through the zoom ring (28-135mm).

PetKal wrote:
kewlcanon wrote:
Use lens coat ?

Lenscoat "Hoodie" ? That's very cool, Kewl.

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.

Not to mention people tend to be "over protective" of stuff thats not as delicate as they think it is. My friend wouldnt let me touch his new camera (1Ds Mark II or III forget which one he had at the time) until camera armor was on it cause he was afraid the oils in peoples fingerprints would ruin the body...um...ya...

I've been using my gear on beaches and in salty air for years with no issues at all. Unless you drop your camera in the water or bury it in the sand you should be fine.

I am at Rehoboth beach currently with my 5d. A little care and it will be fine. As others have said just watch the wind, and do not go near any pools; kids splash!

My 5D (mark I) spent plenty of time on my last vacation on the beach and in and around huge blowing sand dunes. It came home none the worse for wear, and I got a bunch of nice shots.

Use your camera to take the pictures you want. Don't do anything stupid like dunking it in the ocean or dumping sand on it and you will be fine.

If it is windy, however, I will second the recommendation for a "protective" filter over the lens. One day I was hiking the sand dunes before a storm came in, and the air was absolutely full of blowing sand and grit.

Chrono1081 wrote:
... My friend wouldnt let me touch his new camera (1Ds Mark II or III forget which one he had at the time) until camera armor was on it cause he was afraid the oils in peoples fingerprints would ruin the body...um...ya...

That's just awesome.

just use spf 30+ and it'll be sweet.

If you use commonsense I`m sure you will be fine.....I live on a Island and 99% of my work is on the beach. My two 4 year old 5 D`s are working fine and they don`t have the so called new water resistance. If it is blowing more than 20 or the waves are big causing a lot of mist I just put them in a 6 dollar OP/Tech rainsleeve and have never had a problem. It`s also a good idea to keep them in a airconditioned room.......but not to clod ....just dry air over night to dry them out well......

Pixel Perfect wrote:
just use spf 30+ and it'll be sweet.

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.

Just don't throw it in the water! I used to shoot my old 5D at the beach all the time. The 5DII has some improved weather seals, so should not be an issue at all -rob

Jeff81 wrote:
Pixel Perfect wrote:
just use spf 30+ and it'll be sweet.

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.

William,

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".


Lynwood