Glad to have you, and your gear, back. Look forward to more PAD posts!

Added a picture to PAD but it's not my best just what I have access to right now. Really need to look at all of my files, maybe tonight.

For anyone taking a camera out in the rain or where there is dust or sand, there is a product called rain sleeves that are very cheap. They have a drawstring for the lens and a hole in the back to fit your eyepiece through. The best thing is that B&H sells them for about $ 7.00 for a pack of two.

So cool. Looking forward to PAD photos....Congratulations on your return andrewz!

glad You're back and please post some pictures into PAD thread

Looking forward to the pics.

Soon, I'm not quite home yet and internet connection isn't so good here.

Thanks for the update andrewz- got any pics from the desert to post on the PAD?

Well my time is the Desert is now officially over! The camera gear held up well but I did baby it. When not in uses it was in a zip lock bag and inside a case. I didn’t take the cameras out during the sand storms so not really a good test. Really my job limited the time I could get out and take pictures. I did have a few friends there whose job it was to take photos and videos and their equipment took a beating but when not in uses it often sat out on a deck accumulating fine dust. Then again all pro-equipment takes a beating and when you’re not paying for it yourself…..

I absolutely love my P7000, this camera I took everywhere and probably used for 90% of the pictures I took. I’m thinking Nikon needs a DX sensor, “range finder” format camera like the Fuji X-Pro 1(but that’s another thread).

Next time would I do anything different? Not really, I’d bring the equipment I have and make the best of it. If money were no issue I would consider I would consider getting the Fuji X-Pro 1 and leaving the DSLR home. Traveling with big equipment is problematic. The DSLR traveled to the Desert on a container ship for 3 month, in a pelican case, in a trunk, in a shipping container without any issues. On the way home it traveled in the same pelican case but this time in the belly of a 747, I really should see if it’s still working :-).

Just get a couple 1 gallon zip lock bags and cut a hole for the lens to stick through.

Let us know how it goes!

My carry everywhere camera arrived this week. Coolpix P7000, very impressive little camera, it has more controls and option than my D200. Now I haven't tried to compare image quality yet but so far I really like it. This one will definitely need the zip lock bag when not in use. Word from most of my friends is that most point and shoots don't survive the tour. We'll see, I'm going to try hard to keep them clean but still pull them out and use them as much as possible.

Next year durability report!

sprayandpray said:
In that case, get eye-fi, a rain proof bag and a 18-200 so you never have to take it out?

you missed the solar power battery charger!
I think it would be possible to make a dust proof, permanently sealed unit :)

andrewz said:
Great suggetions. But what's the point of having good equipment if you don't use it. So for better or worse I'll use what I have.

In that case, get eye-fi, a rain proof bag and a 18-200 so you never have to take it out?

rbid said:
I don't think it will pump dust right on the sensor... but beware of changing lenses on a dusty environment.

I will blow dust right into the mirror box and right onto the sensor if using live view. Not that a dirty mirror box is anything but a few shutter actuations from a dirty sensor...

andrewz said:
On the subject of the 18-200 as an air pump. If you zoom it in and out fast you can actually feel the air blow out the back of the lens. Yes effectively pumping dust right on to the sensor!

I don't think it will pump dust right on the sensor... but beware of changing lenses on a dusty environment. I have a giotto rocket blower, that served me a lot when I traveled across the Altiplano in Bolivia, lot of dust/wind as well... I still have some souvenirs from that journey on my sensor.. (from 5 month ago).. I guess I need to apply the "Copperhill" wet method for cleaning the sensor of my old camera (D70s)

Great suggetions. But what's the point of having good equipment if you don't use it. So for better or worse I'll use what I have. Hey and if after a year it's shoot, it will be a good time to upgrade to a D700/800.

On the subject of the 18-200 as an air pump. If you zoom it in and out fast you can actually feel the air blow out the back of the lens. Yes effectively pumping dust right on to the sensor!

i was going to suggest that, specifically to buy a d90 or something. But he's going for a whole year, so i dont think that flies :)

Talking of eggs; I would take the chickens way out and buy/waste a reasonable point'n shoot. I'd rather leave my good gear at home.

Bring a prime or two and try to use them as much as possible. plus like others said limit your lens changes.

do not trust your standard camera bag to keep dust out, even with a rain cover. keep every camera, lens, whatever electronic device in its own zip-loc bag.

also watch out for heat, a car can get hot enough to cook an egg at times, a camera wont stand a chance.

kanuck said:
Desert photography is a very high demanding job for sure. The sand gets everywhere and you really have to be careful of the elements on lens. I damaged my 24-70mm last summer in Arizona and didn't even know it until it failed the "flashlight" lens test. Two bodies are ideal so you are not changing lenses all the time. That P7000 could come in handy actually. How long will you be stationed there AndrewZ?

Although the 24-70 is sealed, there is movement of air, right?

I would at least get a 35mm 1.8 and a cheap 18-55 and 55-200 like others have suggested. They're all relatively cheap and you can count on the 35mm a bit more because there's a rubber gasket at the rear of the lens.

I would not expect the 18-55 and 55-200 to last a year in heavy dust, especially with the exposed parts and cheap autofocus system. But optically it's very sound.

I'll be there for about 1 year give or take a few weeks.

Desert photography is a very high demanding job for sure. The sand gets everywhere and you really have to be careful of the elements on lens. I damaged my 24-70mm last summer in Arizona and didn't even know it until it failed the "flashlight" lens test. Two bodies are ideal so you are not changing lenses all the time. That P7000 could come in handy actually. How long will you be stationed there AndrewZ?

Yea, any of the lenses which grow in external dimensions when zooming or focusing increase their interior volume, and thus draw in air. The 18-200 grows quite a bit from it's most compact to its most elongated, but is far from unique in that regard.

O.k. just a little change of subject. I just bought a Coolpix P7000, as my carry all the time camera. I figure in a plastic bag in a pouch on my gear. Anybody work with the NRW raw files? I'm still using photoshop CS3 because up grading now would mean getting a new computer. Right now I figure I can use the Nikon software and save as a TIFF and open in Photoshop...any thoughts.

I've never really thought about the 18-200 as an air pump. Well I plan on using what I have and 1 year from now I'll let you all know how beat up it is.

I'd imagine (unless you go gonzo on trying to clean your sensor and scratch it) you're more likely to suffer damage to the 18-200 than anything else. It's quite the air pump.

Gaffer taping the joint between the lens and the body can't hurt, but is only likely to be useful with the 11-16 (since it doesn't move externally), as the 18-200 is easily pulling half a liter of air in around the extension on zooms. The 11-16 should be moving air mostly between itself and the body, and not much at that.

IF worried about it, buying a used 18-55 and 55-200 VR pair would likely be cheaper than the cleaning bill on the 18-200.