Helpful photography tip: Using your camera in adverse conditions can risk damage to it, but there are things you can do to minimize, or eliminate the risks. In sunlight (yes... regular sunlight) do not focus on the sun directly without some sort of neutral density filter on your camera lens! You can burn out your sensor, just as with your retina! In fact you shouldnt look thru the camera to shoot the sun directly without a neutral density filter for that, even more important reason too! A neutral density filter is a filter that does not change any color characteristics, but does reduce the amount of light passing thru. Think of it like sunglasses for your camera! They come in various densities, from 2x to 8x (meaning 1/2 to 1/8th the amount of light coming thru). If you want to photograph a solar eclipse, these also are a necessity. Some densities may not be available at your local camera store, or available thru a scientific supply house. At the beach you have to worry about sand, sand fleas, salt water, perspiration, and suntan lotion/block. The big problem with all of these is they get into the nooks and crannies of your camera exterior, which most cameras endure well enough, but you need to be careful of your eyepiece, lens, and back panel displays, to protect them from the oils and lotions. Keep some cleaning solutions, or wet lens wipes designed for camera gear, with you. Keeping sand and fleas and even salt air out of your gear starts with one basic precaution... not changing your lenses! That invites in the salt air, which can be corrosive. Some air gets in to a degree regardless, but a well sealed camera minimizes it. Removing your lens is the primary way dust, dirt, and debris gets into the camera. Cross-contamination from lenses is another way. If you are going near the water with your camera, get a rain sleeve to put over your camera body and lens at a minimum. If you want to do underwater photography, make sure you get a quality underwater housing for your camera. This is not the place to economize as the rest of your camera gears life depends on it. One other prime safety precautions at all times, and all conditions, is a UV filter on the front of your lenses. Its cheap insurance against things that bump into the front of your lens, helps seal the lens from the elements, and does not degrade the quality of your photos. After shooting, put your camera in your camera bag and have plenty of silica gel desiccant packets in there. Leave the camera in there after removal from the beachfront environment as much as possible. High humidity and rain pose similar risks as the beach. Use the same techniques as the beach precautions. Wintertime shooting has two major factors that can affect your camera. Cold will reduce the life of your battery, so youll need charged spares more often than you may realize, so have them with you already, kept safely in your pocket near you body to keep them warm as possible (make sure the contact points are covered so they dont ground out against anything metal!). Having these on you already will mean you wont be transitioning between outdoor and indoor environments more than necessary. Which brings us to the other threat... humidity caused by thermal differences can cloud your lenses and camera equipment! Remember cold contracts and heat expands. As you go from a nice warm car or house into the cold, and vice versa, moisture can condense and fog your gear. Give your gear time to adjust to the extremes without removing your lens. By getting your gear adjusted to the ambient temperatures, youll reduce or eliminate the problem. When coming back in from such a shoot, make sure you let your camera warm back up before removing the lens too. Again, keeping your camera bag stocked with silica gel packets is a good idea. Extreme heat also poses the same thermal risks as cold, and letting gear acclimate is important. Follow the same precautions as with winter conditions. Zero gravity and the vacuum and icy cold of space.... okay.. who here is an astronaut and wants to know this? :)
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 15:29:47 +0000
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