Infiltration

Random location: Richmond, Virginia Gender: Male Partially Retired \| \|	Protecting delicate gear < on 7/29/2005 3:23 AM >

	I carry my gear (camera, lights) in a backpack. I'm always worried about my things getting trashed. If my bag gets wet, or I drop it, my gear is ruined. How do you keep your things safe?

tick location: Abingdon, VA Gender: Male \| \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 1 on 7/29/2005 3:38 AM >

	You need a Pelican case. I dropped a Pelican case containing a laptop computer off of a 15' platform, where it rolled down a hill, plummeted down a cliff, rolled down a steep bank, and into a river. The computer was completely unharmed.

Yehoshua location: Ontario Gender: Male \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 2 on 7/29/2005 3:48 AM >

	I solve the problem by not carrying more than $40 worth of crap with me Our Citizen. Our Justice. Bring Omar Khadr back to Canada.

Random

location:
Richmond, Virginia
Gender: Male

Partially Retired

Re: Protecting delicate gear
<Reply # 3 on 7/29/2005 4:35 AM >

Posted by tick
I dropped a Pelican case containing a laptop computer off of a 15' platform, where it rolled down a hill, plummeted down a cliff, rolled down a steep bank, and into a river. The computer was completely unharmed.

o_0 *poit!*

Wow, that's a winning endorsement! That'll be the next thing I get, as soon as I fix my truck. Eight hundred miles on the engine and it's SPEWING oil.

I don't carry too much, two cheap headlamps, a 4D Mag, 2AA Mag and a camera. It's the camera I'm worried about. It's not that expensive, but it has sentimental value. I might go with Yehoshua's method and just get a few disposables...

mushrea location: North of Boston Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 4 on 7/29/2005 6:16 AM >

	I just try to be as careful as I can with my equipment. My camera is moderately expensive, to the point where I would absolutely not want to buy another one. Other than that I'll have some batteries, food/drink, and maybe a change of clothes in there. Being careful doesn't protect you from accidents, but I think it would be a hassle to continually take things in and out of some kind of protective container.

sean121982

location:
Harrisburg
Gender: Male

Re: Protecting delicate gear
<Reply # 5 on 7/29/2005 2:20 PM >

Posted by Random
It's the camera I'm worried about. It's not that expensive, but it has sentimental value.

You might want to try one of those large, heavy-duty Ziplock bags to protect against wetness. Buy a box and test to see if they're totally water-tight. If the experiment fails, you're only out a couple of bucks.

If the camera is old enough to have sentimental value, I'm assuming it's not a digital, and therefore should be a bit less susceptible to shock. Perhaps keeping it wrapped up in an old bath towel when it's in your pack would provide at least a little protection.

I've never tested either of these (and hopefully I never will with my D-Rebel), so I don't know how well they would actually work...but they're theoretically better than nothing at all.

"And that's when the C.H.U.D.s came at me..." - Homer Simpson

AgentNox location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Gender: Female I love the smell of asbestos in the morning! \| \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 6 on 7/29/2005 3:43 PM >

	I found a double-Ziploc system works out pretty well. I've had a digital camera in a backpack that got completely soaked and it came out a-ok thanks to the miracle of plastic and Ziploc seals. However, you might want to get a cheap camera that you bring with you on more dangerous/active/wet missions. Check out a used camera shop, and you can probably find a decent camera body for an affordable price. (If your current camera is an SLR consider getting another SLR by the same manufacturer, so you can share lenses.) I have 3 digital cameras, and they come out as follows: Canon 10D - Totally dry (abandonments, etc, no drains), minimal requirements for athletic climbing, minimal chances of falling hard on the camera. Alternately: likelihood of seeing something so dang photogenic that it's worth the risk to the camera to get the shot Nikon 5700 - Conditions I'd rather not take the 10D into. Water pretty much assured, probability of climbing over/under/around/through stuff (the 5700 is very compact), chance of falling down at least a few times. Canon A70 - Any situation in which I'm reasonably sure I'll be soaked, subject to the merciless call of gravity, required to do battle with an elite pack of ninja monkeys, etc. Basically, if I fear I may write-off my camera, the A70 is coming with me. I call it my toy camera, but it's held up pretty well. "If you don't have bits of gear dangling from you, then you're not really adventuring." Noxography \|\| Flickr Stream

Andy "Not Dice" Dice location: We can live in dumpsters if we have to, MA Gender: Male UE'ing is for pussies, bro. \| \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 7 on 7/29/2005 4:59 PM >

	I dunno how big your camera is but this works for me and my shitty VIVITAR camera. Get a coffee can (if your camera is too small for a small, pound-sized coffee can, you can get one of those big'uns, but it'll be a little more cumbersome) detatch the lense, wrap the camera and the lense in seperate socks, stuff them into the coffee can, and stuff the coffee can with more socks or styrofoam peanuts (I'd prefer more socks on account of peanuts getting everywhere) such that nothing can move around inside no matter how much you shake it up, and voila! home-made Pelican Case. Who needs to spend money? PS I never DO that, I just wrap it in a sock and put it in my bag, but it might be a good bet if you're sincerely worried and don't wanna spend dollars. --- 456.photo.to ---

AgentNox location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Gender: Female I love the smell of asbestos in the morning! \| \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 8 on 7/29/2005 5:55 PM >

	Andy-D-Jermz, that's brilliant. Added bonus: extra dry socks. Something that you truly don't understand the value of until you emerge from a drain. "If you don't have bits of gear dangling from you, then you're not really adventuring." Noxography \|\| Flickr Stream

JavaDog location: Buffalo, NY Gender: Male \| \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 9 on 7/29/2005 6:22 PM >

	I have a medium waterproof camera bag from EWA-Marine. Not as functional as a nice Ikelite housing, but a hell of a lot cheaper! Will keep your camera dry, and have the added bonus of being able to photograph underwater. Pretty easy to get your camera out of it quickly too...if you don't want to photograph through the plastic - although some have glass lens ports. EWA-Marine Cases "...believe me therein upon mine honour, for you will thereby feel in your nockhole a most wonderful pleasure, both in regard of the softness of the said down and of the temporate heat of the goose, which is easily communicated to the bum-gut..."

Louie

Re: Protecting delicate gear
<Reply # 10 on 7/29/2005 11:50 PM >

Posted by JavaDog
I have a medium waterproof camera bag from EWA-Marine. Not as functional as a nice Ikelite housing, but a hell of a lot cheaper! Will keep your camera dry, and have the added bonus of being able to photograph underwater. Pretty easy to get your camera out of it quickly too...if you don't want to photograph through the plastic - although some have glass lens ports.

EWA-Marine Cases

Wow, those ewa bags looks cool. How much for a point and shoot one?

I bet it's a lot cheaper than Canon's $150+ hard cases.

Mark Very Noble Donor location: South Carolina Gender: Male What is a lion, king of the savannah, when hes at the south pole? \|	Re: Protecting delicate gear <Reply # 11 on 9/24/2005 1:54 AM >

	Not all pelican cases are waterproof. Make sure you get the right one. [last edit 9/24/2005 1:55 AM by Mark - edited 1 times] "If the threat level goes up its probably because of me." "I am looking for a girl who enjoys headbutting beltbuckles"

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