Jungle Photography...

[brazilnutjr]

I don't really know the best place to post this question, but in August I will be taking a trip to the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest and I would like to learn about the proper care of my equipment while in the rainforest. I have a Nikon D70s with a AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm DX lense and a AF Nikkor 70-300mm G lense. I know the weather there is very humid and some of our travel will be done by canoe (we are going back into the jungle to some remote indian villages). Does anyone have experience with photography in that sort of environment? Is is safe to take my DSLR because of all the humidity, or do I need to find a small weatherproof point and shoot? Is there a way to weatherproof my gear? Any other tips or information I need to know about?
Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help me with this!

BrazilNutJr

 

[mr sussex]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The humidity is only really a problem once it starts to condense and the trick then is to treat your cameras as you would on a wet day.

If you pack your kit in a thin bag the cameras should stay at about ambient temperature and condensation would be less of a problem.

How often do you get to go to the jungle? Does it really matter if a D70 incurs some damage on such a trip? Take the best kit you can for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

 

[Garbz]

Pack little silicon absorbing thingies in your camera bag. A little bit of moisture is not an issue. Also your lens is weather sealed so that's a good start. While that won't keep the moisture out (it could get in through the camera body), it will go a long way to keeping any dust out.

But don't overly worry. Get travel insurance (you'll need it for the medical anyway), and then use your camera and don't coddle it. If it breaks, claim it.

 

[brazilnutjr]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The humidity is only really a problem once it starts to condense and the trick then is to treat your cameras as you would on a wet day.

If you pack your kit in a thin bag the cameras should stay at about ambient temperature and condensation would be less of a problem.

Thank you for your answer. Two things I know about the environment we will be in: 1. The humidity is high all the time, so anything that got wet/condensation would be difficult to get dry. 2. A large part of our trip will be by canoe back into the jungle. So, I don't know if I need to find a weather proof casing for the camera itself, or maybe a waterproof camera bag would be sufficient. I am a pretty big guy compared to the locals and I am not used to riding in their skinny canoes, so the possibility of going for an unexpected swim is always there. (haha)

How often do you get to go to the jungle? Does it really matter if a D70 incurs some damage on such a trip? Take the best kit you can for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

I went to the Amazon once before, but this is my first time to photograph there. I will probably be going annually over the next few years.
Although I would love to upgrade my equipment and get a "serious" camera and glass, I have to hold off for a little while longer. For this trip the D70 is all I've got, and I'd like to keep it until I can upgrade if I can.
I am thinking of getting a second D70 body before I go though, because they are inexpensive. I'd like to have one body on each lense, so I don't have to be switching lenses in the humidity.

 

[brazilnutjr]

Pack little silicon absorbing thingies in your camera bag. A little bit of moisture is not an issue. Also your lens is weather sealed so that's a good start. While that won't keep the moisture out (it could get in through the camera body), it will go a long way to keeping any dust out.

But don't overly worry. Get travel insurance (you'll need it for the medical anyway), and then use your camera and don't coddle it. If it breaks, claim it.

Thanks for the silicon absorbie tip. I hadn't thought about that. I will definitely look into getting some travel insurance also. I really want to be able to get some good pictures on this trip.

If you think of anything else, please let me know.

 

[icassell]

With a trip like this, I would definitely get a second body. You'd hate to have one body die early in your trip and be camera-less. I'd probably also pack a bridge camera or high-end P&S for emergencies.