Digital slr and ocean salt...

[Joytek]

hello,
I have a 10d and a two L lenses and am wondering what impact (corrosion or the likes) does sea air (salt content) make on photo equipment. I live in south korea and am moving down south to pusan (big port city at the southern tip of the country) for my new job, but am worried about my equipment (i can't afford to replace it for a long while, and the service here is very poor so i can't expect any repairs either :-( ).

has anyone lived in a costal area for extended periods of time and used their gear? what can i expect?

I would highly appreciate any useful comments on this. thanks in advance!!

w.

[G3]

Salt air/salt mist is very corrosive. You should always thoroughly clean your equipment immediately after a visit to the beach following the manufacturer's recommendations in the owner's manual. If left without cleaning for any length of time after exposure to salt mist, sensitive electronic parts can be irrepairably damaged. Exposed lens and filter surfaces as well as LCD display windows should also be carefully cleaned. Care should be taken changing lenses at the beach also to avoid exposing the mirror and image sensor to salt air or mist.

[Joytek]

The exterior of lenses and the camera are easily cleaned but what about the interior that is inaccessible for cleaning? if the moisture and salt gets inside (and it seems to be just a matter of time and not really an IF) then what kind of damage are we talking about?

thanks for relying G3

w.

[CoolToolGuy]

Keeping the body and lenses clean goes a long way. The latest 'L' lenses have gaskets and seals to help protect them from things like salt air.
One tip might be to minimize changing lenses in the salt air environment. With the lens mounted there is little chance of salt air getting to the interior of the body. Changing the lenses inside may help.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[G3]

The exterior of lenses and the camera are easily cleaned but what about the interior that is inaccessible for cleaning? if the moisture and salt gets inside (and it seems to be just a matter of time and not really an IF) then what kind of damage are we talking about?

thanks for relying G3

w.

My best advice here would be to buy a good, but less expensive "all-arounder" lens, such as a wide to medium telephoto zoom from Sigma or Tamron for the beach and just keep that one lens on all the time and always keep a UV filter on it. I'd leave the "L" glass at home unless I was on a particular purpose shoot where I knew I wouldn't be changing lenses and really needed the extra sharpness from the "L" glass. That's just my approach, though...your mileage may vary. I'd rather endanger a $300.00 lens than a $1,500.00 "L" lens. Or, better yet, buy a good P&S with some zoom capability and use it for the beach and leave the whole SLR outfit at home for just day-to-day snapshooting.

[CoolToolGuy]

My point would be that the 'L' glass is built for that environment. That is part of the reason they are expensive. But it's your choice, your money, and your images. Choose what you think will be best for you. I would go for the best image, which is why I use Canon in the first place.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[EoSD30fReAk]

I never take my DSLR to the beach i always take my old S20.
if you do take it ot the beach clean it after every visit!! because salt air is so so so bad for your camera!

[eos10dmacosx]

I live on the beach (literally), and spend many hours photographing Surf Events. While salt air is corrosive, you simply need to wipe you equipment down regularly.

I find sand more of a problem than salt. Any lenses that have movement that allows sand to get it can cause a problem. Not only camera equipment but camera bags need regular cleaning to remove the sand.

[khkohl]

I agree with eos10dmacosx. I live on the beach as well and have never had any difficulty with my photo gear. I have all L lenses. I don't do any more than wipe down the equipment.