Do your 'baby' your equipment?

[Garion]

Considering that many of us here (mainly the hobbyists, part-time freelancers or 'just starting photography' crowd) have dumped quite a considerable sum of our money into our photographic investments, do you tend to fuss over your equipment? Doesn't matter if its new or 2nd hand. I know its kinda trivial to keep worrying about accidentally scratching or dropping that $800 ballhead or perhaps that $5000 lens, when all you want to do is to go out there with ease of mind to shoot and just enjoy oneself, but since it is 'your' money, you tend to want to protect and ensure that all your equipment is in tip top and spotless condition.

I tend to fuss over my equipment sometimes, I guess, but I think thats normal, and thats just me.

So what about the rest of you guys? (and gals?)

[Astin]

Yaaa, keep everything in a giant dry cabinet, and keep the dry cabinet in a 24 hours air-con room, keep the room from any dust and sunshine.

Occasionally when I do go shooting, take extra care on protecting my equipment at all cost, dont let any friends come too near, declare a 10-feet safety radius.

Hey, my equipment is always in tip-top conditions. But what matters most is the final product - the photos.

[Harlequin]

When you fuss too much, you'll end up losing concentration on the actual thing you're suppose to do.

Taking good care of your equipment is a must, but not to an extent that you've become obsessed with the cleaniness,screws,or event a simple scratch that may leave you frustrated.

so what if the lens is scratched or the tripod is dirty ? Photography is about capturing that moment....not about how clean your equipment looks.

Life is short...couple of thousand bucks is not worth losing lots of brain cells for a moment lost....

Like Nike's advertising tag line, "JUST DO IT !" and Harlequin's tagline "JUST SHOOT IT !"

Cheers !

[espn]

Garion, you saw how I baby my equipment, so actually it's up to you lah.

I baby it before I go shooting so that I don't get distracted and worried about scratching the body and such (you saw how I gaffer my webcam and filters )

Afterall, paying so much for something you'd just want to use it to the fullest, so babying it is necessary to keep it in good shape, for either resale value or for cosmetics, I'll fuss if I get a scratch somewhere on the body, even if just a small un-noticeable one. So that's why my webcam looks machiam it has gone thru war.

Hee hee... hehe...hehehe...

[Garion]

Originally Posted by espn Garion, you saw how I baby my equipment, so actually it's up to you lah. I baby it before I go shooting so that I don't get distracted and worried about scratching the body and such (you saw how I gaffer my webcam and filters ) Afterall, paying so much for something you'd just want to use it to the fullest, so babying it is necessary to keep it in good shape, for either resale value or for cosmetics, I'll fuss if I get a scratch somewhere on the body, even if just a small un-noticeable one. So that's why my webcam looks machiam it has gone thru war. Hee hee... hehe...hehehe...

Yah, I saw the extent of how you gaffer-taped your "bao bei"....I oso speechless...

True lar....condition of equipment does affect its resale value somewhat...for me if its bought brand new or 2nd hand in good condition but at high price, I will try my best to maintain its condition and ensure that its free from scratches or other forms of damage. But sometimes can't be helped lar...accidents happen. Like just a couple of weeks back I accidentally dropped my 2 month old tripod down a flight of stairs (wah when see the scratches really "xin tia" )

Originally Posted by Harlequin Photography is about capturing that moment....not about how clean your equipment looks.

Agree with you dude...thats the most impt. part. But then again, equipment if properly cared for and kept in good condition can last you for many years and keep you happy with many 'memorable' shots. There's also likelihood of a higher resale value as I mentioned previously.

[Harlequin]

Being too careful takes the fun out of everything in life.

Taking good care is a definite must, especially sensitive equipment like cameras/lens. I'm not asking you to throw/trash the equipment around, but do be careful thats all.

If a person is so obessed by the fact that he has already spent loads of money on expensive equipment and end up being too obsessed with caring the equipment so that he can resell them later, then will he be able to go out and enjoy photography with peace of mind ? Go figure.

Being too careful at times can cause even more accidents....because your mind is concentrating on the thought that you've to protect the equipment....

Relax and the world will be with you.

Money is of course important, but you should know that getting into DSLR game is going into an bottomless pit.

Just make sure you're enjoying every moment of it and not worry about losing a screw, scratching your tripod or getting dust on UV filters.

[sehsuan]

eh, Harlequin, dust on filter important ok. they filter out 0.000000000000001% of available light...

frankly... y'day i was bordering on this and being kamikaze. i was shooting under a leaky tentage with heavy rain all around - worst of all, there was a "pond" collected by the tentage itself.... after being done, it was a massive "sayang" job...

[Wolfgang]

Reminds me of one chap whole i met somewhere who wasn't a CS member... was meeting him at a foodcourt and everyone in attendance was loudly informed that, as a "pro" who takes good careof his equipment, he will not risk removing his camera from his camera bag, in case the (in his exact words) "oil vapours" from the various food stalls contaminated his camera...

There will always be extremes i guess.

Everything in moderation, with an occasion burst of passion is usually advised.

Cheers.

[junyang]

Usually only for the first couple of days then after that shoot shoot shoot liao but occasional care such as cleaning the cmos.. is necessary

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by sehsuan eh, Harlequin, dust on filter important ok. they filter out 0.000000000000001% of available light... frankly... y'day i was bordering on this and being kamikaze. i was shooting under a leaky tentage with heavy rain all around - worst of all, there was a "pond" collected by the tentage itself.... after being done, it was a massive "sayang" job...

L lens can tahan leaky tentage lah....but 10D body cannot leh.

what i'll do if the situation calls for is to have a towel ready and cover it on top of the lens and body....Rain coat will be better....still searching for a Canon raincoat.

[sehsuan]

i didn't think about bringing a larger towel, the one i had y'day was only big enough to cover only the 10D OR the 550EX. and NOT including the 24-85 i was using!

[s_wrx]

Originally Posted by sehsuan i didn't think about bringing a larger towel, the one i had y'day was only big enough to cover only the 10D OR the 550EX. and NOT including the 24-85 i was using!

me and my guy normally bring out ground sheets and a few big plastic bags during field photography, just in case it rains...

it's big enough to cover the camera and lens.. tripod legs end up a tad wet tho...

the ground sheets can be packed to a a4 size after use, so kinda easy to carry around..

[sehsuan]

what? you're a girl?

sorry ar, i mountain tortoise one, thought wrx lovers are mostly guys...

[FOOXX]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang Reminds me of one chap whole i met somewhere who wasn't a CS member... was meeting him at a foodcourt and everyone in attendance was loudly informed that, as a "pro" who takes good careof his equipment, he will not risk removing his camera from his camera bag, in case the (in his exact words) "oil vapours" from the various food stalls contaminated his camera... There will always be extremes i guess. Everything in moderation, with an occasion burst of passion is usually advised. Cheers.

wah ..... maybe the only suitable place for him to take out hiz camera iz in a cleanroom where they fabricate silicon waferz .....

[Neo]

It reminds me of owning a car... so precious when you pay for a new car. But sometimes, I get so afraid of getting dents by careless neighbouring drivers who open their car door with no concern about knocking into you. So I try to find isolated lots and walk further to the lift. It really got a bit irritating for passengers who're travelling with me, so I guess being panaroid about your equipment or car really does take the enjoyment from it somewhat. So now I try to find a nice convenient lot, and pray that I won't find an extra dent when I come back.

That said, I get extremely furious when I spot a new dent. Some drivers and passengers simply do not give a damn when opening car doors. Would they be so careless if the car they knock into is also theirs? These people are just plain a**h*les! Grrr...

[Astin]

Originally Posted by Astin Yaaa, keep everything in a giant dry cabinet, and keep the dry cabinet in a 24 hours air-con room, keep the room from any dust and sunshine. Occasionally when I do go shooting, take extra care on protecting my equipment at all cost, dont let any friends come too near, declare a 10-feet safety radius. Hey, my equipment is always in tip-top conditions. But what matters most is the final product - the photos.

Haha, this was meant for a joke for Garion.
Seriously, I actually worked inside a class 10 cleanroom before, with full covered body suit. It was no fun but cool.

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by Neo It reminds me of owning a car... so precious when you pay for a new car. But sometimes, I get so afraid of getting dents by careless neighbouring drivers who open their car door with no concern about knocking into you. So I try to find isolated lots and walk further to the lift. It really got a bit irritating for passengers who're travelling with me, so I guess being panaroid about your equipment or car really does take the enjoyment from it somewhat. So now I try to find a nice convenient lot, and pray that I won't find an extra dent when I come back. That said, I get extremely furious when I spot a new dent. Some drivers and passengers simply do not give a damn when opening car doors. Would they be so careless if the car they knock into is also theirs? These people are just plain a**h*les! Grrr...

That will take the fun out of everything....losing sleep over a dent is not worth it.
if i'm one of your passenger, i'll rather take a cab.
Life is short and painful already, why add another pain ?

[sehsuan]

so harlequin, when can i try to see how much abuse your Big Mama can tahan?

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by sehsuan so harlequin, when can i try to see how much abuse your Big Mama can tahan?

You are welcome to try mate. but then you've to be there very early...
i'm not asking you to smash or throw equipment around like they won't break...just enjoy photography as you've wanted to do in the first place...if you end up worrying about scratching it or letting oil from the atmosphere gets into the lens, then photography is not for you mate.

anything you do in life , do it with the purpose that you've set out to do, and not worry about what's going to happen next.

i've gone past the stage where my world was once a blackout of 30 mins and no recall what happen...want to know what causes it ? too much worry about the things around me....

life's short, very short....who knows one day while shooting out there, i might get lighting strike ?

[synapseman]

When I got my first SLR kit, I babied it alright. Altightbox, silica gel, dehiumidifier and constant cleaning of the body and lenses inside out. Now, with my digicam, after every use, I just blow and brush the dust off and only occasionally clean the glass surfaces. Then it's back into the bag, ready for next use.