Originally posted by Guayabero I'd like to hear your personal opinion/experiences on this subject. February 2012, I'd be travelling through parts of the American Southwest visiting various National Parks ( Death Valley, Arches, Canyonlands etc). I'd be using my Pentax K 5 and Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II. As far as my understanding goes, all of this places are extremely dry and dusty and was wondering if I should protect/cover my non-dust proof lenses to prevent dust from creeping into them or even my camera while I am shooting? Am I being overcautious or this is not really necessary since I won't be shooting on a dust storm?
Thanks!
I have shot a lot in the Moab area, and also here in Colorado at similar spots, as well as New Mexico and Arizona. Don't know about Death Valley, but I wouldn't worry about it. There *IS* a lot of fine red dust around some of those places and just plain sand at others, but it isn't so bad. If the wind kicks up, sure cover things up and avoid turning rings and zooming, etc at the moment if you get grit on the lens, but as an outdoor location I haven't found it especially treacherous compared to anywhere else. (There are a gazillion other tourists and pros with their cameras at the same places -- I don't think all their equipment is getting wrecked.) Maybe use a filter, and be careful changing lenses, but otherwise common sense is all you need. Just keep the camera in a bag when you're not using it and careful where you stuff it as your shoes and maybe other clothing will end up dusty depending on where you go. I've had more trouble with point-and-shoots getting grit in their little built-in shutter type lens cover. My Canon P&S has a permanent UV filter glued on to the front of it (in front of the lens cover), effectively sealing it.