Cameras

nickle wrote on 12/11/2004, 4:21 PM

I know you aren't supposed to get a digital camera or camcorder wet or point it at the sun.

What I want to know is "how wet can you get it?" from your experience. Also what do you protect it with?

And what happens if you point it at the sun during a sunset?

Comments

farss wrote on 12/11/2004, 6:04 PM

Pointing either the camera or the EVF at the sun can do MAJOR damage. Think about when you were a kid starting fires with a magnifying glass, same thing happens to the CCDs / LCDs. We've also had a camera loose several pixels from a party laser.

You can get shower hoods that'll fit any camera, Aqua Marine make some and Portabrace do the full deal for the pro cameras. None of this is cheap but MUCH cheaper than a new camera.
Any water, even getting near the ocean isn't good. Cameras use a variety of metals in contact and electolysis is an issue if you're not careful. You may not see the results for some while but look at an older camera and see how the screws have started to corrode, that's just from sweaty hands, imagine what a bit of salt spray or acid rain does.
Bob.

nickle wrote on 12/12/2004, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the response Bob.

I never point my cameras at the sun, and yet I see many sunset shots on the internet that have been done with digital cameras.

I never get it wet, but I see news cameras with what looks like plastic bags draped over them.

I was looking for "I pointed my camera at the sun and it fried it"
or "I always point my camera at the sun and it works fine"

Or "I got mine wet and it went up in smoke and quit." or something diffinitive from personal experience.

But your answer is fine and I'll continue to be cautious.

riredale wrote on 12/12/2004, 11:46 AM

A couple of years ago I did a DVD which had about 15 minutes of river rafting footage. I was using a Sony miniDV consumer camera at the time,and just cut a small hole in the corner of a Ziplock-style bag, and inserted the camera so that only the wide-angle lens was poking out the hole in the bag, which was secured to the lens with a rubber band. Worked great, though the WA lens got wet (but dried out fine).

As for sun damage, I don't think you will get in trouble if you don't use a tripod for the sun shot, if you don't shoot at high noon, and don't use full-wide on the zoom. But I haven't actually tried burning my sensor, though I have shot a lot of sunsets.

Orcatek wrote on 12/12/2004, 11:59 AM

I had a sony V1 digital still camera. Wife fell in river and with the camera. Water was pouring out of the camera - wife was fine. Pulled the battery and baked it in the sun for 2 days. Put the battery in and it still works great so far. Now I was expecting some water stains on the interior of the lens or on the imager that would ruin the pictures, but I have not been able to find any through test shots on resolution charts and other shots.

My video camera I bought a bag from EWA Marine for splash protection. I also got a dive case for it for in water shooting. I get a little paranoid protecting my equipment, and I haven't even go any great equipment yet.

ronaldf wrote on 12/12/2004, 4:57 PM

I took my old Canon ZR on the mist trail in Yosemite a couple of years ago. Heavy mist made is go bonkers. It did finally dried out enough in the sun to continue to use it. I now use the ziplock bag method anytime it is moist out!