Call me a sissy, but I'm sort of apprehensive of bringing my equipment to the beach. Whenever I go, I take my film body and make due with that. I guess I'm still in my honey moon phase with my 20D body and lenses, but I really don't want to get sand in them. The idea of covering everything in a plastic bag isnt welcoming and seems inconvenient to me. If I don't switch lenses at the beach, should I worry too much about getting sand inside?
This problem will be remedied once I purchase another body and use the 20D as a backup, but until then (several years from now ) I will have to find a way to overcome my fears, or find a way to effectively protect my gear from the nasty, nasty, yet beautiful, beach.
So the real question, what do you guys do to maximize protection of your equipment when you take it out to the beach? I've noticed that there was a lot of sand in my film body after a day at the beach, but to be honest, I wasn't as careful with it as I will be with my 20D body.
I have taken my 20D and 1D to the beach, and changed lenses there too. Of course I use my precaution. I often find sand is not a big problem, but the salt in the air. I wipe it off afterward. I look at it this way, I won't able to have the pictures I want if I can't use it there. It's just a tool for me after all.
I don't go to the beach often, but when it rains, I use a plastic bag. So if I go to the beach, I would do the same. If you don't want to use it, maybe all I can say is.... be careful...
I live about 2 miles from the beach but I never taken my 1V there, too salty and abrasive. I might have to do what you going to do, I'm going to use my F-1N. The problem is I don't have any FD lenses, do they make an adapter for EF lenses for FD mount bodies?
I wouldn't worry about it, I shoot at the beach all the time and I've never had a problem. I even submerge my tripod in three feet of water from time to time and it still works fine. I go out in howling wind storms and have to run my UV filter under running water to get all the salt off it.
I take my 20D and my best lenses to the beach at least twice a week. I love it. I wouldn't consider NOT taking it, I bought the camera to photograph beautiful places. Buying a camera and then not using it for fear it might get damaged reminds me of those old guys you see driving Corvettes 25mph in a 35mph zone. I would love to ask one these guys why they didn't just buy a Cadillac. Don't be one of those guys. Life is short. Play with your toys and live life to the fullest.
If you take basic precautions such as keeping a UV filter in front of the lens, keeping your back to the wind when changing lenses, not dropping your camera in the water, etc, you should be okay. You've got great equipment so go out there and enjoy it. You'll be glad you did.
There is not a real problem shooting on the beach. Taking essentials precautions is enough.
1. Use a filter on your lenses, the salt mist will stick to it and that's easier to clean the filter than the front element
2. I use a special small back pack which is waterproof and closes 'air-tight'
3. Only change lenses when you are sure that there is NO WIND, sand goes everywhere. When in doubt don't change lenses
4. Clean camera outside after use.
I have been taking my 1DmkIIn, 20D, my old D60 and 1DmkII and 1D to the beach for several years now...NO problems whatsoever. Infact I shot with my 20D last week in light rain....didnt skip a beat. I thin k these things are designed very well and we dont give the camera credit enough...it is designed tobe used in outdoor conditions...the 1 Series are designed to be used on a battlefield...with grenades and mortar shells, smoke and the elements....we worry TOO MUCH.
Live, and use common sense....thats my advice
pk
Last summer I took my 20D with the kit lens to the beach . . . along with my wife and 4 year old son. I used a CPL instead of a UV filter, but I also took some shots with no filter. Either way though I put the lens cap back on as soon as I was done shoooting. I didn't have a plastic bag, but we did have towels for each of us and a waterproof blanket. We were there for probably a total of 4 hours and when I wasn't shooting, the camera was either hanging from my neck both on the beach and in the water, or lying on the blanket with the towel over it. The camera and lens are both fine. There was a little sand on the camera, but it blew off fairlly easily. Note, however, that this was Lake Michigan, and even though we like to think of it as an inland ocean, it is not salt water. Still, just keep a filter on at all times you should have no problems.
Oh, another thing that I did, just to be on the safe side was to check my camera/lens/bag periodically to make sure that no sand had gotten anywhere that I would regret finding it later, like near the lens mount. When I found some on the camera, I just pulled my little bulb blower out of my bag and blew the offending material off.
We're on holiday now at the beach and there's so many photo opportunities I wouldn't even consider not taking the camera. Using the cautions others have suggested and a dose of common sense will serve you well. Enjoy it. Here's a shot I took using my new 400 F5.6 and I now really know why so many people like this lens; light, very fast AF sharp photos. Off to the beach..........
I live in a large beach called Arizona. I've been out in sand storms, rain, sleet and snow, as well as minus 11F temperatures with my 20D and it performs just fine. Insure the hell out of it, use it and if it breaks then get a new one.
) I will have to find a way to overcome my fears, or find a way to effectively protect my gear from the nasty, nasty, yet beautiful, beach.
