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Advice For an upcoming trip to New Mexico
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Jan 11, 2019 09:30:40   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
My wife and I are planning a ten-day trip to Santa Fe and Taos in May. We live in the northeast, so it will be an unfamiliar environment for us. I have a Canon 80D and Olympus M10 Mk II (my usual travel camera) and my wife has a Canon T7i. The 80D has some level of environmental sealing, and my Olympus 14-150 lens does as well. We do not have any Canon L- series lenses. We’re not hikers but expect to be walking around the usual tourist sites.

My question is how serious is dust likely to be. I think the obvious precaution is don’t change lenses if there’s any wind (or don’t change them outside at all?), but I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

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Jan 11, 2019 09:52:22   #
CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City
 
General best practices on changing lenses are all that are needed for New Mexico. White Sands, in SE NW, would follow precautions the same as being on an ocean beach, nothing extraordinary.

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Jan 11, 2019 09:57:06   #
newsguygeorge Loc: Victoria, Texas
 
These places are not the Sahara. In all the time I lived in Northern New Mexico, I never worried about protecting my cameras any more than anywhere else.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:02:13   #
Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM
 
CHG_CANON wrote:
General best practices on changing lenses are all that are needed for New Mexico. White Sands, in SE NW, would follow precautions the same as being on an ocean beach, nothing extraordinary.


Agreed......March is usually the month where the winds are consistently the worst, so May should work out well.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:03:12   #
bob7fred
 
I live in Idaho. I have an older Canon T5i with a std canon (black) 18-200 lenses and the upper grade canon (white) lense, 100-400. Don’t know mod #s off hand. Anyway, I was out shooting eagles along the Snake, took a ranch road to the canyon rim, got stuck in deep moon dust, dust with consistency of flour. My camera with white lense fell and buried itself in moon dust. Retrieved camera, blew off and no workie. Took to camera repair. Upper grade Canon white lense is a sealed unit and was not affected. But Canon Reble cost $175 to get cleaned. Been to NM, stationed at Clovis, and recently drove through. Nice calm days, no dust blowing. Windy day, may have some dust, reasonable care, you won’t have any problems to have a camera out shooting, just don’t leave it out. Don’t remember if Taos area gets dust storms, but southern NM does, take care, and just don’t let your camer fall in dust, or water. Hope you have a good n safe trip.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:07:48   #
bob7fred
 
P.S. My recent drive through NM was completely dust free; Sept. time frame. There are nice calm days.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:29:42   #
Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.
 
EdU239 wrote:
My wife and I are planning a ten-day trip to Santa Fe and Taos in May. We live in the northeast, so it will be an unfamiliar environment for us. I have a Canon 80D and Olympus M10 Mk II (my usual travel camera) and my wife has a Canon T7i. The 80D has some level of environmental sealing, and my Olympus 14-150 lens does as well. We do not have any Canon L- series lenses. We’re not hikers but expect to be walking around the usual tourist sites.

My question is how serious is dust likely to be. I think the obvious precaution is don’t change lenses if there’s any wind (or don’t change them outside at all?), but I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
My wife and I are planning a ten-day trip to Santa... (show quote)


Dust can be a problem in the early spring (May should be fine) but mostly at lower elevations which tend to also be the dryer parts of the state. Santa Fe and Taos are both at, or near, 7000’ elevation so it can be windy at any time of the year but dust is of less concern. Putting it another way to help reassure you, I lived in NM in the early 90’s and have been returning ever since and have never had a problem there with dust in conjunction with my camera equipment.
You will find a different world there both visually and culturally. You will also want to go back!

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Jan 11, 2019 10:38:58   #
zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
 
newsguygeorge wrote:
These places are not the Sahara. In all the time I lived in Northern New Mexico, I never worried about protecting my cameras any more than anywhere else.

I agree. The high desert of northern New Mexico is not a sandbox, and higher elevations are even forested. So I would not worry. Just take the usual precautions, particularly when changing lenses, and you will be fine.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:39:09   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
CHG_CANON wrote:
General best practices on changing lenses are all that are needed for New Mexico. White Sands, in SE NW, would follow precautions the same as being on an ocean beach, nothing extraordinary.


Thanks

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Jan 11, 2019 10:39:36   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
newsguygeorge wrote:
These places are not the Sahara. In all the time I lived in Northern New Mexico, I never worried about protecting my cameras any more than anywhere else.


Thanks

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Jan 11, 2019 10:39:54   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
Cykdelic wrote:
Agreed......March is usually the month where the winds are consistently the worst, so May should work out well.


Thanks

Reply
 
 
Jan 11, 2019 10:41:09   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
bob7fred wrote:
I live in Idaho. I have an older Canon T5i with a std canon (black) 18-200 lenses and the upper grade canon (white) lense, 100-400. Don’t know mod #s off hand. Anyway, I was out shooting eagles along the Snake, took a ranch road to the canyon rim, got stuck in deep moon dust, dust with consistency of flour. My camera with white lense fell and buried itself in moon dust. Retrieved camera, blew off and no workie. Took to camera repair. Upper grade Canon white lense is a sealed unit and was not affected. But Canon Reble cost $175 to get cleaned. Been to NM, stationed at Clovis, and recently drove through. Nice calm days, no dust blowing. Windy day, may have some dust, reasonable care, you won’t have any problems to have a camera out shooting, just don’t leave it out. Don’t remember if Taos area gets dust storms, but southern NM does, take care, and just don’t let your camer fall in dust, or water. Hope you have a good n safe trip.
I live in Idaho. I have an older Canon T5i with a ... (show quote)


Thank you.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:47:12   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
Rich1939 wrote:
Dust can be a problem in the early spring (May should be fine) but mostly at lower elevations which tend to also be the dryer parts of the state. Santa Fe and Taos are both at, or near, 7000’ elevation so it can be windy at any time of the year but dust is of less concern. Putting it another way to help reassure you, I lived in NM in the early 90’s and have been returning ever since and have never had a problem there with dust in conjunction with my camera equipment.
You will find a different world there both visually and culturally. You will also want to go back!
Dust can be a problem in the u early /u spring (... (show quote)


Thank you. I got a good reminder of how different it would be just looking online for a B&B. We’re really looking forward to the trip.

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Jan 11, 2019 10:48:34   #
EdU239 Loc: The Northeast
 
Thanks to everyone for your replies. I appreciate it.

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Jan 11, 2019 12:37:53   #
Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV
 
"Different world". What different world? N.E. and Penn. is a different world for me.

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