Saltwater protection...

ChristopherCoy

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We live on the gulf coast. And today we spent the day in Galveston, and when we were leaving we stopped at a sonic for something to drink. I noticed the speakers and all the iron work was rusted. That's when I realized it was all the salt water.

I'd like to go back and photograph things including the beach, but I absolutely do not want to put my Hassy in danger.

Any recommendations for protecting it? Trash bag maybe?
 

BMbikerider

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I lived almost on the sea for most of my life and have never had a problem with the air beside the sea. Unless it is blowing a gale and there is a mist blown off the waves in the form of tiny water droplets then you don't have a problem. The most significant danger to any precision instrument close to the sea is sand, that can get into almost any crevice and cause untold damage.

If you are not sure about water droplets blowing off the sea, go for a 10 minute stroll in the area you want to photograph with your arms bared to the air. Then after the 10 minutes, lick the skin and if it tastes salty then you have salt in the air.

However a beast like a Hassie will stand an awful lot of exposure before it begins to affect it, just give it a good wipe down afterwards. make sure you have a filter over the lens, that will save the front element.
 

Bill Burk

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I imagine the biggest danger from saltwater, is constant exposure to it.

I'd rather hear you tell a story how your camera narrowly escaped a giant wave that you photographed... Than hear you talk of the time you left the camera in the car and saw a giant wave.

Clean up as soon as shoot is complete and put away in a dry place.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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I'm not so much worried about stuff in town, so much as I about stuff on the beach itself. The spray is more of what I was worried about.
 

Bill Burk

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Reminds me I have to clean the M-2 I took to the beach today to shoot pedestrian feet. I left the UV filter on because I felt a fine mist in my face...

I definitely won't take a valuable camera out on a windy, sand-blasted day. But those are probably the days I should take a good camera out.

Maybe you could pick up a Ricohflex or some other low-cost, reasonable quality TLR...

But you asked about protecting your Hassy.... Are you crafty? When backpacking with OM-4, I used to simply put a ditty bag over the camera on the tripod while walking around. Then when shooting, the camera would be exposed and vulnerable to rain, or whatever.

You might make a simple sack of coated nylon to just throw over the whole get-up. Or maybe just bring a windbreaker and throw it over the camera. Dual purpose... Once the camera is safely in the bag you can put on the windbreaker.
 

paul ron

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For an occasional strol n shoot on the beach, the salt air will not harm your camera. The problems occur when storing your camera in a damp salt air environment.. such as hte iron railing n speakers you saw that are constantly exposed 24/7.

I kayak on the Long Island Sound with my camera in a dry bag. When I need to shoot I take her out n return it to the bag once done. But realize I do this to protect my equipment from splash n in case I capsize. Otherwise If I were on a normal boat I'd have it on my shoulder.

AS everyone said, wipe down the equipment n store it in a dry place as you normally do. The Hassie went to the moon, why should a beach trip be any different?
 

cliveh

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nsurit

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Keep it in your bag until you are ready to use it. Clean it up when you are home. UV filter. Trick for reducing damage to tripod. PVC pipe with end caps slipped over legs, and attached with duck tape at top will keep sand and water off legs. Galveston? I'd be sure I had all of it insured on a floater policy (inland marine, personal articles policy.) So says the retired insurance agent who lives in Corpus Christi most of the time with his Hasselblad and friends. Bill Barber
 
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I've heard that if you drop you camera in sea water, the best thing to do is to take the camera and put it in a bucket of fresh water before you take it to a repair facility. The fresh water will help some of the salt migrate out of the camera. I'm assuming that's one of those old all-mechanical cameras.
 

Bill Burk

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Keep it in your bag until you are ready to use it. Clean it up when you are home. UV filter.

This is the recurring theme.

What I do... My "bag" (designed for backpacking) is a modified REI pack pocket. The camera goes in a foam-padded pouch, inside a home-made Cuben sack, inside a Mylar turkey bag.

So I could (and did) go down Bigfoot Rapids at Knott's Berry Farm with the pack and not fear it getting wet (I did fear just a little but I didn't have to).

The only thing I'd add to the water-resistant bag for carrying to and from the scene, is a temporary sack or bag that you can put over the camera on the tripod (assumes you use a tripod) on the days you actually are photographing during a storm involving rain/wind/sand. And some kind of towel to wipe the immediate water off.
 

pbromaghin

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Galveston? Isn't there a pretty good chance that Sonic was under water at one time or another?
 

nsurit

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I'd call my insurance agent and start shopping for a replacement. So said the retired insurance agent. Bill Barber
 

pgomena

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I make a point of wiping all exposed parts of my camera gear with a silicone-infused gun and reel cloth after any exposure to a salt environment. Look for one in the gun cleaning supplies section of a big sporting goods store. This provides some small measure of cleaning and protection to the most exposed surfaces. (Makes the gear look nice and spiffy, too!)

I usually have a yellow or other filter on the lens when working at the coast, so salty mist on the lens elements is not a big concern. I do clean the lens carefully if I've been working without the filter. Just breathe on the front element after a walk on the beach, and you'll see tiny spots of dried moisture. I breathe on it again and wipe it clean. As someone said in a previous post, sand is the real danger.

Peter Gomena
 

Bill Burk

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Good advice, but... cleaning lenses at the beach is where all cleaning marks come from (not precisely true but you know what I mean)...

On location, I'd daub off water but not rub. Clean carefully at home after the trip, making sure all sand is off before rubbing the lens with anything.
 

E. von Hoegh

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Here you go, these will work just fine.

http://www.stoprust.com/sacrificial-anodes.htm
 
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ChristopherCoy

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Well the username sure makes sense now!! Lol!!

Great tip for the tripod.
 
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