I've thought of the same thing/problems with my 20D, but never really thought about it with 35mm. One thing I thought of for changing lenses "under cover" is to use a jacket or anything similar (film changing bag) to protect from the wind/elements.
You just have to be careful, that's all. Only worries are the salt spray and the sand. I always spray off the sand with canned air (from a distance) and make sure there is no sand on the camera when I get back. Who's afraid of a little sand?
I just honeymooned on St John in the Virgin Islands and was out shooting everyday with my 20D. I didn't change lenses on the beach and had no sand problem whatsoever.
I've taken my 20D to the beach on several occasions and not have a problem, however I don't change lenses there. I go into a shelter (bathroom, shop, car,) to swap lenses out. It's not that I'm afraid of the sand getting in there so much, but better to make as few problems for myself as possible right?
I probably wouldn't take it out on exceptionally windy days.
Anden wrote:
Why buy stuff you donīt dare to use? I take my gear everywere. If it gets broken or stolen it is not the end of the world.
Photos and memories are priceless...
A
I actually do use my 20D a lot. I'm just being cautious, and if it were stolen, I would be devastated, seeing as I would not be able to afford a replacement. Insurance sounds really good about now.
Photos and memories can be captured with my film SLR as well, so technically I'm not missing out on much.
I use my kit on the beech but stay away from dry dunes on a very windy day. As someone else said the main problem is salt. Be shure to wipe evrything off.
I take my 20D and MK II to the beach all the time...good place to shoot portraits. I'm careful to keep the lens clean (lens cap on as much as possible and keep it pointed down wind) and I try not to drop anything in the sand, but other than that, I have never had any problems.
And speaking of dropping stuff in the sand... I gave my s110 digital elph to my six year old at the beach to take some pictures (he was 4 or 5 at the time). He took some shots and then dropped the camera with lens extended into a big sandpile by accident. The camera was covered and there was grainy sand in every nook and cranny. To make matters worse, he shut it down and the lens pulled into the body and pulled all the sand with it. I took it home, blew all the sand out of it, and we are still using that camera today. In fact - here's a shot I took of him taking photos right before he dropped it (sorry about the bird on his head - just a quick snapshot).
I was nervous about taking my gear to the beach until I got a personal items policy from my insurance company. About $86 a year and it covers pretty much everything. Now I enjoy my gear and know that I'm covered should something happen.... but of course I use common sense too.
I shot the Atlantic City air show this summer, most of it about 50 feet from the waterline with my 20D, 400+1.4x, Arca-Swiss head and Gitzo tripod. The salt spray got on absolutely everything: body, lens, UV filter (thank God I had one on), head, tripod......wet to the touch. I even changed lenses once or twice, away from the shoreline, but around a lot of soft sand.
Anyway, I haven't had a single problem with anything. A lot of this stuff is more durable than you think. Then again, your mileage may vary
As a side note, I haven't been really missing any shots whenever I go to the beach. I've BEEN taking pictures at the beach, but I have YET to take them with my 20D. Make sense? Whenever I'm at the beach, I shoot with my film SLR. As of now, I don't think that it's necessary for me to take the 20D out there yet, as all my focal lengths are basically covered with my film SLR (with the exception of the newly acquired 17-40L).
I live 600 metres from the beach and have never had a problem with both my D60 nor my 20D. I wouldn't take it out in a windstorm though and I am extremely careful changing lenses
On out honeymoontrip, I took my EOS-650 filmbody to the beach (didn't have a DSLR at that time). No problems at all. And now I have a 1D, I have even less fear of something going wrong.
