For spring break, we're going on a trip to the Carribean, and my familiy has hired me as the trip videographer. We're going to be sailing around the Virign Islands, and I'm concerned that the salty air will damage my camera. Is this a legitimate concern? How can I protect the camera? Thanks for the help!

There are two easy ways to protect a camera:

- raincover (this might help, but it won't protect against large amounts of water

- underwater housing (with this you can go diving with your camera)

I doubt the camera will have much trouble with the conditions
as long as it doesn't get wet. However, the most fragile thing on
these camera's is the tape mechanism. I would make sure this
stays clean at all costs. So changing tapes can perhaps be done
below decks for example?

One of the problems I had when I was a videographerr for a cruise line down there was when you take the camera from your air conditioned cabin to the hot, humid outdoors, The lense will fog and the tape mechanism will start giving humidity warnings.

What we did was use a hair dryer and blow hot air into the open tape transport and lense for a minute or two, and then load the tape and head out.

It's always a good idea to clean the camera with a damp cloth after being out on the sea or near the ocean. Make sure and dry it well afterwards.

My two cents...

Jeff Patnaude

Thanks for the help!

I'm less concerned about the water than the salty air. Is that something I should be concerned about, or not a problem?

I've shot in the Caribbean without problem.

As another poster pointed out, your concern is more humidity than salt -- some cameras, particularly less-exepensive consumer models, are more sensitive to humidity.

<<<-- Originally posted by Paul Tauger : I've shot in the Caribbean without problem.

As another poster pointed out, your concern is more humidity than salt -- some cameras, particularly less-exepensive consumer models, are more sensitive to humidity. -->>>

Thanks for the help!

I would think that salty air would be a problem, at some point. Maybe the question to ask of the experienced is for what period of time was their camera exposed to salty air? A day? A month? Six months?

From What I've heard cars around the coasts corrode almost as bad as they do in Minnesota (they salt the highways in the winter). So the salt air must have some negative effect.
Call me paranoid- I just like to wipe stuff down after being out on a boat or on the shore.

Good luck!

Jeff Patnaude

May I be the first to post how jealous I am ? I went to the Bahamas about 7 years ago (doesn't feel that long ago mind!) and didn't have a camera at the time... boy I wish I did now! The colours would come out so beautifully.. there's only so many shades of drab grey I can live with here in the UK :)