tripod legs and sea (salt) water (corrosion fear)

[Janko Belaj]

(this isn't so much LF topic, but I hope that someone here will be able to help)



So, I will go on the vacation in few days, and this time I would like to take some shots of the bank and not from the bank (bank like stone coast, not financial institution. I have one old (20 years or so) Gitzo tripod (Reporter, I think) and I'm afraid sea water might ruin him. Well, I'm sure that salt will cause some corrosion (the water is very salty in that area - salt pans are on that island just few dozen miles away, on the shallow part of island) and I'm wondering what to do. I can take one even older wood tripod, but... wouldn't wooden tripod float on the sea?
I will carry Tachihara 4x5 and just 2 lenses (small G-Claron and even smaller Symmar), with filmholder in place and with cokin (A system) on the lens I doubt it will weight over 2 kilos. What do you think - can some cheap plastic tripod with some extraweight (sorry, can't recall the word) under the head, like sandbag (or stonebag in my case endure my camera and sea waves? Or, is there any really really sure product I can spray on my old (but excellent) Gitzo?

[Bill_1856]

Whatever you do, DON'T use the wood tripod in water -- it will be ruined. Clyde Butcher routinely uses a metal tripod in salt water -- disassemble it and wash thoroughly in fresh water afterwards, and dry it as much as you can, and you should be okay. Carbon fiber would be much better, of course.

[Vick Vickery]

Janko, while I'm not too knowlegeable about Gitzo tripods, I know alot about salt water...I've been sailing the Mississippi Sound and Gulf of Mexico for 49 years!!! The aluminum parts should do fine, but non-stainless (and many types of stainless, too) steel will not fair as well; be sure to wash off the tripod in fresh water as soon as possible after having it in salt water, then wash it again! It won't hurt to rinse it in fresh water several times after it is placed in salt water; if it has steel parts inside of aluminum parts (aluminum legs with steel braces or locking parts, for example) it would be a good idea to completely disassemble the tripod, rinse all parts, drying them well, and put a light coat of water-displacing oil at least on the steel parts before reassembling the tripod. I know this might sound like overkill, but alot of folks would be shocked at what a little salt water can do to carbon steel and even to many formulas of stainless steel in a very short time. Take care, and get some great shots!!!

[Henry Ambrose]

Vick is not going too far!

When you are finished with your trip wash the dissembled tripod (take it apart as much as you can) in hot water with soap, rinse in hot water to make it dry faster and then apply oil.

Show us your pictures when you return.

[Guy Boily]

Janko, I have been using a Gitzo reporter for over 10 years on kayaking trips in the Gulf of St-Lawrence. I regularly use it in salt water to get different points of view and compositions. I rinse with fresh water each time, after it has been immersed. When the trip is over I then completely disassemble the leg portions, (and the leg locks) rinse them in water and coat them with an oil,WD40, soaked (not too much) rag and it's ready to go again. Hope this helps and have fun.www.guyboily.com

[Bob Phipps]

Janko,
My 20 year old Gitzo has had many ocean photo shoots in Maine to Florida. Shooting in tide pools, waves, salt marsh and mud flats. Do watch out for rouge waves. Follow Guy Boily's advice! This is what Gitzo told me to do 20 years ago. I have no corrosion on any part. I've replaced the plastic sealer rings, but that was due to forcing legs together in dim lighting. Using a paper towel around twig or dowel rod always dried the insides.

Enjoy the salt water. Wash in fresh each day, then completely clear when trip is over.

Best,
Bob

[Paul Butzi]

The big risk is not the salt water (just rinse it off, as others have advised). The big risk is getting grit in places it shouldn't be. It helps to leave the last section of the tripod extended until you can get the sand off.

Also, whenever you set a tripod up in water, it's wise to remember that the legs are hollow, and if the bottom of the leg is not watertight, they'll fill with water. And then when you pick the tripod and camera up, and tip it up over your shoulder (with the camera still on the tripod) the water will flow out the top of the legs and decant neatly onto your camera and lens.

-Paul

[paulr]

"Whatever you do, DON'T use the wood tripod in water -- it will be ruined"

wouldn't this depend on how it's finished? they seem to make boats out of wood.

[Janko Belaj]

Tnx for your answers, opinions and share of personal experiences. I'm well aware what salt water can do to the metal, have studied some chemistry and have been almost every summer of my life on the sea. That was the reason of my fear... It is good to know that all of you have used your tripods in salt water without ruin them (with Dan as extreme of such usage), but I'm still thinking is there anything to coat tripod prior to dropping it in to the sea? Like I will spray a car with wax before going south (and "south" is where the Adriatic is ...

[Bill_1856]

Dan has a big advantage while photographing around water. He just walks out to the place where he sits his tripod.