DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Telephoto lens protection for outdoors
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 17 of 17, (reverse)
AuthorThread
03/25/2004 12:58:55 PM · #1
Hi, I was wondering what kind of protection I could use for my telephoto lens when taking it to the beach. I thought about covering it with a thin layer of neoprene. Would that cause any problem? Any other recomendation?
Thanks!
Mauricio
03/25/2004 03:56:54 PM · #2
a plastic bag will work, something like a zip lock freezer bag.

I keep one in my bag incase the weather goes bad and rains

James
03/25/2004 04:22:43 PM · #3
I have a waterproof case that I use sometimes (I do lots of beach/surfing photography) but I've just ordered a "Pelican" brand rain cover (off ebay) to use when I want to use a tele lens. Dunno how it will be, but I'll try to post when it gets here!
03/25/2004 04:36:14 PM · #4
I sometimes shoot in the rain and I have found that if I place the camera and lens in a large trash-bag and cut a small hole for the viewfinder and a hole for the lend of the lens hood to stick out of I can keep my equipment safe. I use rubber bands to hold the bag around the barrel of the lens and I take the little eye piece off and put the bag underneath to for a sort of seal. The only thing is that you need to be pretty familiar with where your controls are since the trash-bags are usually pretty hard to see through (I haven’t tried the clear ones).

Greg
03/25/2004 05:25:01 PM · #5
I've tried the plastic bag approach too.

The only real problem I've had is that typically when I'm shooting in interesting, wet weather, it is also pretty dark and the AF light tries to fire. Ends up manual focus is the best way to go - just a shame there aren't many useful manual focus hints! (though the half press and manual focus support does work reasonably well to tell you when you've manually focused correctly as far as the camera is concerned)
03/25/2004 05:59:10 PM · #6
Bit different on the 10D (and the 300D too I guess) in that there's no AF assist light outside of the flash or the infrared beam on a Speedlight. Can't you turn off the AF assist in a custom function? I recently tried using a fleece neck warmer when I was shooting some rowing and it worked quite well - I pulled it over the lens so that it was covering the back of the lens, the mount and the body. Ihe critical bit to cover (when you're using a 70-200 F4L at least) is the lens mount, obviously. Not sure if any water could get in through the zoom or focus rings - I think they're alright. Unless it's really raining hard I think people tend to overreact to rain. I've used my 10D and 70-200 in light rain to absolutely no detriment. I'm just throwing this out there but for water-proofing in rainy conditions something in the cling-wrap department would probably be the best short-term solution. Again, I'm not sure I'd try anything in teh rain with a lens such as my 50 1.4 (which extends when zooming and isn't sealed at the front element) but with an L zoom the sealing at the front seems to be better, and with a hood the rain is kept off.

Originally posted by Gordon:

I've tried the plastic bag approach too.

The only real problem I've had is that typically when I'm shooting in interesting, wet weather, it is also pretty dark and the AF light tries to fire. Ends up manual focus is the best way to go - just a shame there aren't many useful manual focus hints! (though the half press and manual focus support does work reasonably well to tell you when you've manually focused correctly as far as the camera is concerned)
03/25/2004 06:06:21 PM · #7
Thought the 10D had an IR AF assist built in as well ? I know they removed the white AF assist, but I thought there was still one of some sort.

Switching off the AF assist is about the same as just doing manual focus anyway - if its firing the AF assist typically there isn't enough light to AF without it, so you might as well be doing MF.

I've switched off the AF for cases when I don't want to disturb a subject, but typically then I end up MFing as well.

Message edited by author 2004-03-25 18:07:33.
03/25/2004 06:19:30 PM · #8
It's built into the flash. I know there's some improvement in low-light AF in the 10D over the D60, so maybe that's an issue. It's gotta be really dark for the AF to be ineffective - to the point where handholdability becomes more of an issue for me. I find the IR AF assist with the 420EX to be quite handy, quicker and much less obtrusive than the flash one anyways. The flash AF assist is positively seizure-inducing and I never use it.

Originally posted by Gordon:

Thought the 10D had an IR AF assist built in as well ? I know they removed the white AF assist, but I thought there was still one of some sort.

Switching off the AF assist is about the same as just doing manual focus anyway - if its firing the AF assist typically there isn't enough light to AF without it, so you might as well be doing MF.

I've switched off the AF for cases when I don't want to disturb a subject, but typically then I end up MFing as well.
03/25/2004 08:15:13 PM · #9
Hey, the cling wrap suggestion reminds me - I tried that new product by Glad "Grip N Seal" - it sticks to anything and itself and peels open again when you want it to fairly easily. You can wrap the body of the camera with it pretty easily.
03/26/2004 10:28:10 AM · #10
Thanks for all the ideas. I'll try the neoprene this weekend once I already have everything I need to try it. If it's too complicated I'll try something else.
I'll post a picture if it works fine.
03/26/2004 11:12:56 AM · #11
Originally posted by msacristan:

Hi, I was wondering what kind of protection I could use for my telephoto lens when taking it to the beach. I thought about covering it with a thin layer of neoprene. Would that cause any problem? Any other recomendation?
Thanks!
Mauricio


What are you trying to protect it from? Sand? Saltwater spray? Is it the camera body or lense that you are concerned about (or both)? Are you entering the surf with it or just on the beach?

If you are simply at the beach and no deeper than knee height into the water, then you probably don't need anything. A towel to wrap around it and a bag to place it in, when you are not using it should be plenty.

Lots of photo shoots take place at the beach (just look at a swimsuit issue of SI). I don't recall seeing lots of protective wrapping being used by those fotogs. Additionally, I have never used anything other than a simple towel, to keep the sun from beating on it when it is idle.

Obviously a downpour and windstorm would require a different approach than just a casual day at the beach.
03/26/2004 11:28:35 AM · #12
Here are some shots I took the weekend before last using the trashbag method. I am using a digital rebel so there is no AF assist light to have problems. Some of these shots were taken in a decent amount of rain, most were shot in drizzle. I used the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS and Tamron-F 1.4x TC for all shots.

//www.pbase.com/dadas115/bb031404a&page=all

I will have to say that the biggest problem I ran into was the raindrops getting on my glasses making it hard for me to see. I must say that I have been extremely pleased with this technique so far.

Greg

Message edited by author 2004-03-26 11:32:57.
03/26/2004 11:31:22 AM · #13
Shooting at the beach is a great place to have a UV filter on the lens to protect the elements. Salt water is real unfriendly to lens coatings.

Also its worth cleaning everything really carefully afterwards, to get rid of any dust/ sand. You can also wipe down the camera body with a damp cloth to remove any salt residue.
03/26/2004 11:43:25 AM · #14
Well, you can laugh, if you wish, but I like umbrellas: A big golf one for general shelter and, at least, another one (with handle to hang a bag from). A third one can be rigged (cut a hole into it to shoot threw) for a portable still.

I've taken a lot of rain forest and beach shots (it can rain here six weeks, non-stop) and sometimes find protuding rocks, trees, log jams, partial caves, large shrubs etc. to which I can affix a large umbrella.
03/26/2004 02:26:00 PM · #15
I've thought about trying to get some sort of tripod mount for an umbrella too :)

Only problem is if its windy I don't want my camera impersonating mary poppins
03/26/2004 03:39:34 PM · #16
Originally posted by Gordon:

I've thought about trying to get some sort of tripod mount for an umbrella too :)
Only problem is if its windy I don't want my camera impersonating mary poppins


Strong wind and storms? Snapshot weather: I carry my cam under a waterproof coat and take quick shots at 1/1000 sec. Fortunately, these conditions are rare around here.
03/26/2004 06:48:04 PM · #17
I was basically concerned about salt water spray when I thought about this. Now after reading all these posts I figured that it's not such a big deal.
I'll use the lens at the beach but not very close to the water and never inside the water.
Thanks again for the opinions!
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 01:02:38 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 01:02:38 PM EDT.