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Patriks7

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 26, 2008
1,421
626
Vienna
Hello. This summer I will be spending about 3 and a half months at various beaches on this one lovely island, but it will be my first with my camera. I'm planing on taking it as often as possible and taking as many pictures as I can, this I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to get a filter. Or will the sand not pose much of a threat to the lenses?
 
I would suggest a polarizer just to get rid of the reflections on water and make the sky bluer.

As for UV filters those are subjective. They offer protection incase your drop your camera or get water sprayed on it but if you get a cheap UV filter you may be introducing hazing and flaring into your pictures.

I usually only have a UV on if I'm in the woods or somewhere where something could wack the front of my lens. (I prefer to have a lenshood on anyway)

But for bright sunny places like the beach, a polarizing filter is a good investment.
 
Hello. This summer I will be spending about 3 and a half months at various beaches on this one lovely island, but it will be my first with my camera. I'm planing on taking it as often as possible and taking as many pictures as I can, this I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to get a filter. Or will the sand not pose much of a threat to the lenses?

It depends on the lens construction. Some lenses require a filter to be completely closed ( Canon 17-40 for example). But most lenses will be fine, if you not put them down on the sand. Careful with changing lenses though!
 
a protective filter would be useful at the beach because flying sand and salt water spray aren't exactly good for the coating, especially if you don't clean it off properly.

sealing is moot since very few cameras are sealed anyway.

don't cheap out on the filter. if you can see reflections in a UV/Skylight/Clear filter, it's no good.
 
I would take as many precautions as possible. Sand and salt water spray have a nasty habit of getting everywhere.
When I took my SLR on vacation to a beach I either put one lens on in the hotel for use that entire day, or did lens changes in my car.
 
As I think about it, I think I would be terrified to shoot on a beach, given all the stuff that can get into a camera and lens.
 
As I think about it, I think I would be terrified to shoot on a beach, given all the stuff that can get into a camera and lens.

I really agree. I took my D40 on my trip. I used the kit lens and a tamron 70-300. I now have a D90 and some lenses that are much more expensive that I dont think I would use at the beach unless I had some kind of wraparound cover for the camera and lens. Sand gets EVERYWHERE.
 
ive shot many times on the beach (was just at Cannon Beach friday) and i have NEVER used a UV filter. If i HAD to use a filter, i would use a split grad. As i hardly ever shoot on the beach during the day, but if i was, i would use a polarizer. For me, UV filters are a waste of money. Just another piece of glass to degrade your photos.
 
Maybe it would be a good idea to just get a lens with a very wide zoom range, making it so you wouldn't have to change the lens so often? Because sand will pose the most danger when having the back of the lens and sensor exposed.
 
^
That is the truth. The easiest (by far) way to get your day ruined is by changing lenses on the beach, well when it is windy
 
I think if you're scared to use your camera outside because you're afraid to break it, well what good is having a camera then if you are only going to shoot with it indoors?

There is no problem to using a camera at the beach if you use a little common sense. And it is one of the few good times when even detractors of filter use can agree that a clear or UV filter might be handy. If you have a particular shot you want and are having flare problems due to the filter, you can just temporarily take it off and take the shot, then put the filter back on.

Ruahrc
 
I think if you're scared to use your camera outside because you're afraid to break it, well what good is having a camera then if you are only going to shoot with it indoors?

There is no problem to using a camera at the beach if you use a little common sense. And it is one of the few good times when even detractors of filter use can agree that a clear or UV filter might be handy. If you have a particular shot you want and are having flare problems due to the filter, you can just temporarily take it off and take the shot, then put the filter back on.

Ruahrc

I'm not really scared to use it outside, I'm just wanting to know whether I can ruin my lenses with the sand. After all, some hard earned money did go into purchasing this camera.
 
Maybe it would be a good idea to just get a lens with a very wide zoom range, making it so you wouldn't have to change the lens so often? Because sand will pose the most danger when having the back of the lens and sensor exposed.

Yep, don't change lenses unless absolutely necessary. The camera should be fine it's the lens in my experience that will suffer. Just take a cheap kit lens and enjoy yourself without worrying (and my Canon 18-55 had sand it in for about 6 months with no problems :p).
 
Maybe it would be a good idea to just get a lens with a very wide zoom range, making it so you wouldn't have to change the lens so often? Because sand will pose the most danger when having the back of the lens and sensor exposed.

I really like your idea, but that will definitely not work out for me budget wise. I'll just take care with what I have.

Yep, don't change lenses unless absolutely necessary. The camera should be fine it's the lens in my experience that will suffer. Just take a cheap kit lens and enjoy yourself without worrying (and my Canon 18-55 had sand it in for about 6 months with no problems :p).

LOL, I don't even have any other lens :p but hoping to add a fast prime soon (Sigma 30?)
 
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