Bringing camera camping tonight - storage?

[PoohJen]

Hi Dis Photogs! Long time, no post!

I am going camping tonight by the sea, and am worried about bringing my Canon 40D with respect to condensation over night. Should I be concerned? How should I store it (in my tamrac backpack, in a ziploc bag, in the car???)? or should I just leave it at home and bring a p&s? Am I worried about nothing?

Now that Earl has passed - the weather should be great here this weekend - hope y'all have a great weekend too!

TIA!

 

[klmall]

I've been camping with good cameras for more than 20 years in many different settings and camera bags usually do fine.

If you're really worried about moisture put it in a ziploc bag inside your camera bag. Everything I've read mentions that if there is a major difference between the inside and outside temps give your camera time to adjust before the first picture by taking the camera out into the air for a few minutes.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Went camping this past weekend in MD and several other times this year in NJ with my D5000. Honestly it reached the 90's during the day just about EVERY day we went and last weekend it was in the high 50's at night. I had it out at 1am around the campfire and back out at 7:30 playing around with the kids. No condensation problems but keep in mind I didn't switch lenses either. It just sat in my lowepro slingshot bag all night.

One thing I'd recommend is not switching lenses near the campfire. The bag was covered in ash the next morning.

 

[photo_chick]

Morning dew is formed because the temperature gradually lowers until it hits the dew point, not because of a drastic temperature change like taking your camera from one extreme temperature to another. It usually forms on the tent surface, not so much on things inside the tent. Kind of like it forms on your car but not in it.

If your worried do the plastic bag thing, or bring a plastic bin to stash everything in. I usually have a bin anyway in case it rains.

 

[PoohJen]

Thanks everyone; sounds like I'm worrying about nothing! Camera bag it is (er, and a ziploc nearby, in case I fret).