Shooting in dusty desert!

robmneilson

robmneilson

Veteran
So this summer I'll be shooting a feature with an HVX + Brevis with Nikon lenses. We're going to finish up in the Nevada desert, and I'm very worried about dust around the camera since there is no doubt we will get caught in dust storms.

I'm going to buy a kata rain bag for the camera, is there some way I can modify it and protect the camera and the brevis? Is there a bag on the market for the HVX and adapter?

Worse comes to worse I was planning on the Kata bag and wrapping the adapter and lens in plastic somehow and taping all of the seams.

Will this work?

Help me protect by beautiful camera!
 
Hi,

What I've done that's worked fairly well is to cover the cameras and tape seams with gaffer's tape.

The heat will do a job on the tape, too, so be sure to check early and often.
 
Hi Rob:

I was caught in a dust storm with my HVX-200 and Sachtler tripod. It was actually the prop wash from a helicopter but the end result was the same as what you will be in. I did not have a jacket of any kind, the prop wash was totally unexpected.

I can tell you that it cost almost $1,000.00 to have the lens disassembled and cleaned out along with the rest of the camera. It was about $200.00 to have the Sachtler head disassembled and cleaned. Expensive lesson.

IMHO, bags and or tape would not have prevented at least some of this dust from getting into the lens. I think the only foolproof solution would be an underwater bag or housing because they are truly air tight. Keep in mind that the HVX lens system is open at several seams, even the front element is not airtight. The main issue is when the wind is howling and really driving the dust home, it seems to get into everything, bag and tape or no bag and tape. In my situation, the only thing that would have been a perfect solution would have been an underwater housing or bag.

Good luck and protect that camera.

Dan
 
That's exactly what I'm afraid of!
We're doing this feature on a miniscule budget (about 30 grand) and I don't want HVX repair to come out of our post budget!

I guess I'll just have to rig up a bag that would work, and gaff tape the hell out of the camera.

But my question is: Would having a bag/tape combo overheat the camera if its out in the sun? Do P2 cards have any issues with heat?

The stuff we will be shooting in the worst conditions will primarily be at nighttime, so I can probably avoid most of the heat exposure....but I don't want it to become an issue.

Does any manufacturer make a rain slick or bag for the camera with an adapter on it?
 
I agree with Dan. I was caught in a dust storm last year and some of the dust is so fine it gets into everything.

Because of that experience, I would recommend something like this. It's not going to impress clients, but it seems like it should work. The trick is to find a clear, air-tight bag that is big enough for your hardware.
 
Hi JMC:

Yes, that seems like a viable way of shooting except the tripod part. Not sure how you could expose for the bottom the camera/tripod plate and not get dust in. But for handheld, seems like a viable solution.

Dan
 
robmneilson said:
I guess I'll just have to rig up a bag that would work, and gaff tape the hell out of the camera.

But my question is: Would having a bag/tape combo overheat the camera if its out in the sun? Do P2 cards have any issues with heat?
Click to expand...

Rob,
I shot a feature last winter in Baja Mexico with much of the footage exterior desert (both day and night). It was very low budget with a small crew. I shot on the HVX/Brevis/Nikons. I wasn't able to find any after-market solution that fit that camera configuration. So yes, bag and gaff everything. I tried to do that but still the extra fine silt in the desert worked through the chinks in my best efforts and got into the lens. Ended up having to spend $1k for cleaning post shoot.

The wind is -usually- less at night, so that will be to your favor. I don't think you will have any problem with heat buildup in the camera or adapter as long as you keep it out of direct sunlight.

The biggest pain of this configuration is dust getting on the ground glass in the Brevis. Its hard to see when you are moving fast in the field, but -do- take the time to meticulously scan the monitor for spinning circles from dust particles on the GG throughout the day. Otherwise you will have a nasty surprise when you get back home and watch the footage on a proper monitor in a controlled environment. This may be less of a problem now that the Brevis has enclosed the ends of the adapter, but I suspect desert dust will be able to penetrate that too. So be prepared to break the Brevis down once or twice a day during your production to blow it out.

Cheers and good luck,
Paul
 
No one be afraid to mention a simple solution, plastic wrap. It sounds silly, but it's cheap, abundant, seals away dust, fits to ANY form, and is so thin and form fitting you can push whatever buttons you need.
 
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