With summer comes the holidays for many of us and that becomes trips, stays on the beach, the mountains, etc. And, of course, as good fans, our photographic team does not miss any of these events (and should not). What happens is that, on some occasions, these opportunities come from conditions that are not the most suitable for the team. And not only inappropriate, but also harmful to our camera and lenses. If you are in the southern hemisphere where it is not exactly hot, do not think that this article is not for you, as cold and humidity can also be harmful to your camera. This does not mean that you leave it stored at home, of course, this is the most harmful thing for it and for you, but rather that you take certain precautions. These precautions (and I’m not referring to putting sun cream on it 😉) are the ones I’m going to talk to you about today. If you want the life of your equipment to be as long as possible… don’t miss them!
Splash and moisture
Before handling the camera, if your hands are wet, dry them very well. This advice that seems so obvious is often forgotten or we do not give it the importance it has. Never forget it!
If you are going to be very close to water and you think the risk of getting wet is high, try to use a waterproof case even if you do not plan to submerge it or wrap it in some plastic. You can make a cover out of a clear plastic bag and some duct tape.
If your camera is splashed with water, dry it immediately and wrap it in a dry cloth. If it has gotten very wet, the grains of rice can help you draw out the moisture. In this case do not try to turn it on immediately to check for damage. You better wait for it to dry well. And if the tragedy has occurred that it has fallen into the water, remove it as quickly as possible, shake it, open all the parts that can be dried and hit it with a hair dryer to reach the most inaccessible parts.
When you store the camera, leave it in a dry place as moisture can cause fungi to appear. Silica gel bags help absorb moisture. Mushrooms are also combated by taking the camera out for a walk from time to time, and I don’t mean like the one who walks the pet, but rather taking photos with it 😉 That’s what our weekly challenges are for example. The sun (not in excess, of course) is also good to combat these unwanted visitors. If your house is very humid, from time to time put your equipment to sunbathe (a little).
Rain
Yes, of course, rain is water, but it is not a spontaneous splash. The rain falls constantly and should not be an impediment to taking the camera out for a walk, it should be a good reason to go out and take photos. Of course, with good protection and not exactly an umbrella, it is quite uncomfortable. For this there are protective and waterproof bags, such as this one.
For emergencies you can also carry a normal plastic bag in your backpack and adjust it as you can if the rain catches you unexpectedly. Wrapping the camera in cling film used for cooking can also be a good option.
Salt
If water is dangerous for your camera, you can’t even imagine how harmful saltpeter can be. If your camera is splashed with sea water it can be seriously damaged. That is why it is best to avoid catastrophe. How? Being very careful, keeping the camera in its case whenever you are not using it and also avoiding changing lenses or batteries that are not essential. And, before using the camera, clean your hands with fresh water or with a disposable wipe. As a last recommendation, if you have just taken a shower, do not hang the camera around your neck unless you put on a clean shirt, your body will be full of salt and the friction can cause some of these particles to slip inside the camera.
Sun and heat
A little bit of sun can come in handy to prevent fungus, but too much can kill your equipment or damage it. Therefore, if you are not going to use the camera and it is hot, do not leave it in the sun even when it is inside its case, leave it in the shade, in the coolest and driest place that you can place it. If there is no shadow, cover it with some reflective material, such as aluminum foil or a thermal blanket..
A lens hood can protect your lens from excess sun rays and also from small accidental splashes if you’re near water.
When leaving your equipment in the car, if it is not in the shade, try to leave it somewhere where the sun will not hit it at any time, such as under a seat or in the trunk.
You can also take a look at the instruction manual to see what temperatures your equipment can withstand, as it can vary from camera to camera. Although you are not going to take it to the extreme, it is worth knowing what limit you should never cross.
dust and sand
If you are one of those people who loves to photograph the beach, or you travel to the desert, you cover some other rally or you get close to dust or sand with your camera in any other way, so that their particles do not land on the sensor or on any other somewhere else inside it, you should take certain precautions. The first one is to carry the camera in a suitable case. The second, that you try not to change the lens or the battery if it is windy or if you see that there are many dust particles in the air. In these cases, it is better that you protect yourself to do so.
Another important recommendation is to never, ever leave your camera directly on the sand and to keep your gear bag as far off the ground as possible. Carrying the camera in an airtight bag (such as those used to freeze food) can prevent sand from entering the backpack from entering the camera as well.
In the event that the camera accidentally falls into the sand, the least recommended thing is that you start cleaning it right there, better keep it in a bag or bundled in a piece of clothing and clean it when you are at home, with peace of mind and away from any speck of sand or dust so that the camera can be safely disassembled.
Other trick very practical, simple and economical is to seal the slots and openings of the camera with insulating tape, such as those for the card, battery, ports or access to the microphone if it has one.
various liquids
There are other liquids, besides water, that can be detrimental to the health of your camera. For example, now that we are at the beginning of summer in this hemisphere and it is very typical to use the camera to photograph our offspring after having smeared them with sun cream, we run the risk of filling our camera with this goo. Avoid it by drying your hands well or removing the excess cream with a piece of paper, because with the sweat the cream can end up sneaking somewhere in the chamber.
Also be careful with cleaning liquids, if you have doubts about how to clean your camera, I advise you to read this complete article published on the blog.
Cold
The cold can affect both the camera and the lenses. The first thing you should know is that the battery discharges more quickly, so if you are going to do a winter session and it is expected to be long, take a spare battery so as not to be left halfway. If you carry it close to your body instead of in your backpack, your heat will protect the battery, or rather its charge.
As for the camera and lenses, it is important that there is no condensation. This happens with sudden changes in temperature, if you are outside when it is very cold and you enter a place where the temperature is much higher, the vapors turn into liquid and those droplets are formed that in any other place may seem harmless (as in the shower screen) but that in your camera can be lethal. It can also happen the other way around. To avoid this, the best thing you can do is to put the camera in its case before going in or out at a very different temperature. In fact, the more time the camera spends inside the case during the shoot, the better for it (and for you, of course). Do not change the lenses outdoors in extreme conditions of snow or sleet and once collected, it is better to let it spend a good time before taking it out so that it gradually acclimatizes to the new temperature.
What if condensation has occurred? In this case, it is best to wait for the equipment to adapt to room temperature and the condensation to disappear. At no time should you remove the objective, because in that case you can cause greater damage by reaching the sensor with water, for example. A condensation does not have to be very serious, however, if it occurs very often it is quite likely that the dreaded fungi will appear.
It is better prevent…
Taking these precautions into account, your equipment will be kept in good condition for much longer and you will avoid unnecessary trips to the technical service. I paid for the hazing of the arena at the time and it doesn’t happen to me anymore, don’t let it happen to you either 😉
If you have found this article useful, I would appreciate it if you would share it so that more photographic equipment can benefit from these tips. Long live your team!