Posted By Tim Wieneke on 25 Sep 2011 06:34 PM
I ended up taking the plunge and investing in about $1,500 of digital SLR camera equipment- a Nikon D5100 with a couple lenses . Having used it for a solid month now on storm I can say it's the best decision I ever made with regards to cameras. It works well in the heat and humidity. Twice I've needed to blow across the lense to clear up fog. I'll find out soon how it does in the cold but I imagine it will do quite well there as well. The only tricky thing with this particular DSLR is aftermarket battery chargers are near impossible to find. Definite downside when you realize your charger is in the hotel room of that last hail storm.
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Tim, that's an awesome set up. You state $1,500.00 for camera "equipment", what other equipment? When I first started adjusting I bought a Panasonic Lumix and paid $699.00.
The older guys who took me under their wing told me I might as well have thrown the $700.00 down the toilet and laughed their hind ends off (it should be noted that these fellows favorite pasttime was to remind me that my adjusting skills were akin to a monkey trying to F@#$ a football) Anyway, I really tried to take care of it, but somehow a little ding here a little ding there and now my beauty is all scuffed up. Of course, less than 2 months later they were proven right as my PL took a dive off of the roof.I also learned an expensive lesson to always utilize my wrist leash before picture one. I have run with a lower end Panasonic Lumix since that time(199.00) and a Kodak digital camera ($129.00 as backup)
To make a long story short (too late) treat that equipment with kid gloves. I am a tech buff, I gotta have the latest gadgets. Ridiculously, I must say I am excited to see a pic of your setup soon if you would oblige my request. Aftermarket chargers or aftermarket anything tend to be trouble, alas' I think I have an answer for your dilemma !!
All you need to do to ensure running down the camera batteries will NEVER happen again is a power inverter (don't go cheap because with inverters you get whatcha pay for). Now just always keep the charger in your p/u with the camera on the risk or in the hotel. That was the best money I ever spent EVER !!
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