HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS

With summer, vacations come for many of us and that becomes trips, stays on the beach, the mountains, and so on. And, of course, as good fans, our photographic teamnone of these events is missing (nor should it). What happens is that, sometimes, these opportunities come hand in hand with conditions that are not the most appropriate 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 precisely hot, do not think that this article is not for you, because cold and humidity can also be harmful to your camera. This does not mean that you leave it at home, of course, this is the most harmful for her and for you, but that you take certain precautions. These precautions (and I don't mean sunscreen ) are what I'm going to talk about today. If you want your team's life to be as long as possible ... don't miss them!

SPLASHES AND MOISTURE

Before handling the camera, if you have wet hands, dry them very well. This advice that seems so obvious is forgotten many times or we don't give it the importance it has. Never forget it! If you are going to be very close to the water and think that the risk of getting wet is high, try using a water casing even if you do not plan to immerse it or wrap it in some plastic. You can improvise a cover with a transparent plastic bag and an adhesive tape. If your camera is splashed with water, dry it immediately and wrap it in a dry cloth. If it has become very wet, rice grains can help you remove 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 that has fallen into the water has occurred, remove it as quickly as possible, shake it, open all the parts that can be dried and hit it with a dryer to reach the most inaccessible parts. When you store the camera, leave it in a dry place as moisture can cause fungus to appear. The silica gel sachets help absorb moisture. Fungi are also fought by taking the camera for a walk from time to time, and I do not mean as the one who walks the pet, but take pictures with it. That is 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 wet, occasionally put your equipment to sunbathe (a little).

Fungus target

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 take the camera for a walk, it should be a good reason to take pictures . Of course, with good protection and not just 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 transparent film that is used for cooking can also be a good option.

Without fear of rain

SALT

If water is dangerous for your camera, you can't even imagine how harmful the saltpeter can be. If your camera is splashed with seawater it can be seriously damaged. That is why it is best to avoid catastrophe. How? Being very careful, keeping the camera whenever you are not using it in its case and also avoiding changes of lenses or battery that are not essential. And, before using the camera, clean your hands with fresh water or a disposable towel. As a last recommendation, if you just took a bath, do not hang your camera around your neck unless you wear a clean shirt, your body will be full of salt and the friction can cause some of these particles to sneak into the chamber.

The wave is coming!

SUN AND HEAT

A little sun may come in handy to prevent fungi, but an excess can kill your equipment or spoil it. Therefore, if you are not going to use the camera and it is hot, do not leave it in the sun even if it is inside its case, leave it in the shade, in the coolest and driest place 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 you from excess sun rays and also from accidental small splashes if you are near water. When leaving your equipment in the car, if it is not in the shade, try to leave it somewhere where it will not be sunny 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 one camera to another. Even if 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 love to photograph the beach, or you travel to the desert, you cover the occasional rally or you approach in any other way to dust or sand with your camera, so that its particles do not settle on the sensor or in any somewhere else inside this one, 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 there is wind or if you see that there are many dust particles in the air. In these cases you better protect yourself to do so. Another important recommendation is that you never, never, leave your camera directly on the sand and keep the equipment bag as far away from the ground as possible. Carrying the camera in an airtight bag (such as freezing food) can prevent sand from entering the backpack from entering the camera.

Beautiful and treacherous arena

In the event that the camera accidentally falls into the sand, the least recommended is that you start cleaning it there, better store it in a bag or bundle in a garment and clean it when you are at home, calmly and away from any speck of sand or dust to safely disassemble the camera. Another very practical, simple and economical trick is to seal the slots and openings of the camera, such as those of the card, battery, ports or access to the microphone with tape, if it has one.

VARIOUS LIQUIDS

There are other liquids, besides water, that can be harmful to the health of your camera. For example, now that we are in the beginning of summer in this hemisphere and it is very typical to use the camera to photograph our sprouts after having smeared them in sunscreen, we run the risk of filling our camera with this pringue. Avoid drying your hands well or removing excess cream with a paper, because with the sweat the cream can end up slipping somewhere in the chamber. Be careful also with cleaning fluids, if you have doubts about how to clean your camera, I advise you to read this complete article published in 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 you do not stay halfway. If you carry it near the body instead of in the backpack, your heat will protect the battery, or rather its charge.

Cold protection

As for the camera and the lenses, it is important that condensation does not occur. This occurs with sudden changes in temperature, if you are very cold outside and enter a place where the temperature is much higher, the vapors become liquid and those droplets are formed that may seem harmless in any other place (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 keep the camera in its case before entering or leaving at a very different temperature. In fact, the more time the camera spends inside the case during the session, the better for her (and for you, of course). Do not change the targets outdoors in extreme snow or snow water conditions and once collected, What happens if condensation has occurred? In that case, it is best to wait for the equipment to adapt to the ambient temperature and the condensation disappears. At no time should you remove the lens, because in that case you can cause greater damage by reaching the water to the sensor, 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 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 at the time the hazing of the sand and it doesn't happen to me anymore, don't let it happen to you either If you 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!