I Need a Camera for Extreme Conditions (Fire)

[hoozamawhatsit]

G'day all,

A bit of a background:
I have been lurking around here reading, watching, learning., now to take a step and buy a decent DSLR.
Up until i puchase this camera, i have only used 35mm SLR's, a few 35mm compacts and digital compacts.

I will be buying either Canon or Nikon due to the array of different glass.

My requirements are probably a little different to most as i will need a camera/lens that will cop, on the odd occasion, a fair bit of radiant heat, dust, abuse, etc.
I have had plasticy camera's distort in my hands in the past, i know there is probably nothing out there that would cop continuous abuse like this but is there something i should be looking at?
I will be using this camera 90% of the time for general photography.

Mick

[gstark]

Hi Mick, and welcome.

Up until i puchase this camera, i have only used 35mm SLR's, a few 35mm compacts and digital compacts.

Which just about covers the whole gamut of non-DSLR photography.

What 35mm SLRs were you using? Do you have any legacy glass, and if so, what is it?

My requirements are probably a little different to most as i will need a camera/lens that will cop, on the odd occasion, a fair bit of radiant heat, dust, abuse, etc.

I think this places you into the realm of the D300 or better in Nikon terms: you're wanting to get a metal bodied camera, with some element of dust sealing. Sadly, not even the top of the line bodies are built with the same level of robustness as many of the film bodies from the 70s and 80s, and the lenses, whilst having excellent optical qualities, don't even come close.

What sort of a budget do you have for this?

[ATJ]

Mick,
Next time you are down my way drop in and have a look at my D300. Oh, and when are we going for a dive?

[hoozamawhatsit]

Hi Mick, and welcome.

Up until i puchase this camera, i have only used 35mm SLR's, a few 35mm compacts and digital compacts.

Which just about covers the whole gamut of non-DSLR photography.

What 35mm SLRs were you using? Do you have any legacy glass, and if so, what is it?

No glass, i did have a few Canons, eos 50, eos 500(melted), i even had an Olympus OM2 with the motordrive, this one died due to old age.

My requirements are probably a little different to most as i will need a camera/lens that will cop, on the odd occasion, a fair bit of radiant heat, dust, abuse, etc.

I think this places you into the realm of the D300 or better in Nikon terms: you're wanting to get a metal bodied camera, with some element of dust sealing. Sadly, not even the top of the line bodies are built with the same level of robustness as many of the film bodies from the 70s and 80s, and the lenses, whilst having excellent optical qualities, don't even come close.

What sort of a budget do you have for this?

Budget = $3-$6K

[hoozamawhatsit]

Mick,
Next time you are down my way drop in and have a look at my D300. Oh, and when are we going for a dive?

Will do.

I need to buy another BCD & wet suit to suit my growing figure, which will be very soon.

I will talk to you in the next week.

[dviv]

Welcome Mick,

I wondered how long it would take

[gstark]

What sort of a budget do you have for this?

Budget = $3-$6K

Ok, this places you firmly into the realm of some good quality gear, and should permit you to purchase a body and some good glass.

I would start by wandering into a camera store and playing with a D300, as well as a couple of the Canon near equivalents. I think that the 5D will not be suitable, and will eat up too much of your budget. Have a good play, and see what feels best in your hands. I don't think that the D90 will be suitable either; I don't think that the body has the hardening that you're seeking.

What do you intend shooting; what sort of focal lengths do you expect to be buying?

[hoozamawhatsit]

Welcome Mick,

I wondered how long it would take

I thought it was about time i extracted a digit and did something about the lack of an SLR in the house.

[hoozamawhatsit]

I think that the 5D will not be suitable, and will eat up too much of your budget.

Why is it possibly not suitable? Only because of budget or are there other factors i am missing?

I would start by wandering into a camera store and playing with a D300, as well as a couple of the Canon near equivalents. Have a good play, and see what feels best in your hands.

Fortunately for me my brother turned up today with his 1 day old 50D with a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS and a 24-70mm f/2.8L IS , i stole it and had a play for a while, felt nice in my hands, easy to use, everything at my fingertips, i didn't even mind lugging the 70-200 around.
Now to try out a D300 with decent glass.

What do you intend shooting; what sort of focal lengths do you expect to be buying?

Bushfire is the subject i will be shooting hence the extreme heat, this woud roughly be 10% use of the camera, the rest would be some macro, a little portrait, mostly nature. I would probably go similar to what my brother has + a decent macro and possibly a wide angle of some sort, i know it's very general but i will play with a few combinations before i make my mind up.
Now to find a store with a decent stock of glass to try out.

[hoozamawhatsit]

I thought i'd let you know i bought some gear on Monday, ended up settling with Canon.
I will post more info when i post some pics.

thanks for your input,

Mick

[moz]

Look at the Canon rain hoods - make one of those out of canvas and I think you'd be well on the way to a heat-resistant housing. Add a "print your own lens hood" made out of thin sheetmetal and your camera will hopefully last longer than you will in the heat.

I wonder if you'll get more sensor noise from the heat

[seeto.centric]

on a slight side note, my shots of flames/fire never look right!
there's no detail in the flame..

but anyways, just another (possibly silly) question - how do you hold a black camera in such heat? suitable gloves would make the controls a bit too impractical right?