precaution to take for fine sand in dessert

[dapier]

Dear all,

I am finally going to Morocco soon, after so long a wait. Probably will take a train from Spain and followed by a boat ride.

Can I ask you a question? i am intending to stay overnight in a dessert. Due to the fine sand, is there any thing I can prepare (or buy) now (before I leave) to protect my camera gear. i will be bringing a nikkor 70-200 plus 24-70 and maybe TC 20.

Which lens is best for dessert? I want to shoot landscape and animals. Do I need a 14-24? Is 24-70 wide enough?

How about the tannery at Fes? Is 24-70mm enough for a wide angle shot?

Due to weight issues, I hope that I do not need to bring 14-24mm for the trip but I do not want to regret

thank you very much

 

[nuts]

....
Can I ask you a question? i am intending to stay overnight in a dessert. Due to the fine sand, is there any thing I can prepare (or buy) now (before I leave) to protect my camera gear. i will be bringing a nikkor 70-200 plus 24-70 and maybe TC 20.

You can try using a ziplock bag, use it like protecting against rain. Useful when its windy. It was not (that) windy when I was there, so I didn't do anything special, and my lens is ok (I even changed lens etc). However, my Gitzo tripod legs suffered (its the twist & turn type)... you can hear the grinding sound when you turn, ouch!

Which lens is best for dessert? I want to shoot landscape and animals. Do I need a 14-24? Is 24-70 wide enough?

How about the tannery at Fes? Is 24-70mm enough for a wide angle shot?

Due to weight issues, I hope that I do not need to bring 14-24mm for the trip but I do not want to regret

thank you very much

lens is very much a personal thing, so I won't comment much, but here's a 16mm view of the tannery in Fes

 

[dapier]

thank you. Your picture is a very important info. It means I need to bring my 14-24mm. thank you very much

You can try using a ziplock bag, use it like protecting against rain. Useful when its windy. It was not (that) windy when I was there, so I didn't do anything special, and my lens is ok (I even changed lens etc). However, my Gitzo tripod legs suffered (its the twist & turn type)... you can hear the grinding sound when you turn, ouch!


lens is very much a personal thing, so I won't comment much, but here's a 16mm view of the tannery in Fes

 

[canonmono]

For tripod wise, before entering any shopping center there shd be those long plastic bag to place ur wet umbrella, grab a stack like what I do =P, good for places like these, one bag for each leg, use and throw and not heavy, even used in seawater before .. Cheers

 

[dapier]

thank you for the replies

is there any issue regarding safety in Morocco if I use a big setup? I will be using D3s plus 70-200mm as my base lens.

And hi Nuts, are you serious when you said you changed lens in the dessert?

thank you

 

[paapoopa]

agree with nuts, when i was there, i put my camera inside a zip lock bag before i put into my camera bag when not in use. usually its ok and its also fine to change lens when its not windy but will still recommend the zip lock bag in case you encounter a sand storm.

your wide angle will be useful in the desert as well.

 

[dapier]

thank you everybody for the replies. I hope to head to Morocco by this coming week before it gets too hot. Will check the train tickets from Madrid by this weekend

 

[nuts]

Yah, Gobi sanddunes also change lens...
When you gotta change, you gotta change... hahahah

....

And hi Nuts, are you serious when you said you changed lens in the dessert?

thank you

 

[blackcookie]

Sorry didn't mean to hijack this thread. But I have questions with regard to bringing your camera to the desert. I'm only bringing one lens and hence, no issue of changing. Will small bits of sand get stuck within the camera or something and the purpose of ziploc bag is? Sorry but I'm heading to Dubai tonight..

 

[Zichar]

Put your camera in it when it gets windy?
Heh I was mucking around the Great Sand Dunes NP, didn't really bother too much with it, was in the middle of the dunes anyway
The thing with sand is, it *will* get everywhere it wants to, and everywhere you don't want to
Like a day in the beach, the less you obsess over the sand the better the enjoyment
I changed lenses too because I need the FL, did it while using my body to shield it from whatever breeze there was ... no idea if that was helpful, perhaps psychological?
And yeah I had sand in my Gitzo G-locks too, took a good many rinses to get rid of it
Many months later, I reached into the small pocket in my jeans ... and lo, sand ;p