D300 for offshore sailing

[D_C_NC]

I have been trying to figure out what camera to get to take with me when I go sailing on deliveries this fall.Start next week I believe.Salt Water and electronics not a good combination,but I thought of the D 300 as it is water resistant and so are some of the lenses.Then there is the 1d canon.But I like the ergonomics of the Nikon better than the Canon.
I want good files so if I get anything of interest it will be able to be used in a magazine or even a print.
I know the camera will die eventually,but such is the way on the ocean.
So what do you think,D300 is a fair choice?

[BernardLanguillier]

Probably a good choice overall, but be aware that the D300s uses a pretty outdated sensor and is due for a replacement soon. Second hand D3 could also be an option on the Nikon side.

The Canon 7D is probably worth considering as well as the Pentax 7D that is said to have a very good level of water protection also.

Either way, the body is important but the lens too, only pro-grade lenses stand a chance to resist direct water hits.

Overall though, I have never shot water sports myself, but I would think that you will want to protect your equipment with some sort of waterproof cover anyway. Granted, I would still want a camera that is natively as splash proof as possible.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dustbak]

I have lived aboard a ship for 2 years during a trip around the Atlantic. I think the D300 is an excellent choice. It has weather sealing but anyone that has been on a ship for a longer period knows salt air eats everything! It is not the splashes of water that kills equipment, it is the constant exposure to air saturated with salt and water. Expect a camera to drop dead because of this eventually.

A D3 might be a good one too but in that case I think I would prefer taking 2 D300's and keep a spare one in an airtight bag to take out when the other one drops dead.

[adam z]

I think any of the reasonably weather sealed bodies with an appropriate lens would do the job. Perhaps a used D300/D300s or 7D would be good as a used body would be a bit cheaper (maybe get two in case one fails) and if the sailing is going to take its toll on the camera then at least you won't potentially be destroying a brand new camera.

I used my 7D with 17-40L while crouched in the shallows with waves breaking on my back, there were a few moments where the camera could have been drenched. I don't think I would have tried this with a camera that didn't have some form of weather sealing. Apologies that it isn't the most exciting example image, but it's all I could find right now.

[D_C_NC]

So D300 it will be for the adventure.Now lenses...I never was a fan of zooms,but darn if they do not look pretty god these days.
I need a close up on the boat I will be on and the long shots of other boats and such.
My dream is to be in England next year for the regatta in Falmouth for the J-Boats.It will be really neat as there will be at least six of the 100'+ freight trains...
Thanks for the comments....

Regards,
DC

[adam z]

I'm not a fan of zooms for most stuff either, but when working in these types of environments they have their benefits. On a ship, in heavy seas with water and salt spray everywhere, you don't want to rush into the cabin to change lenses only to miss the shot of the trip!

[Dustbak]

The 16-35 has weather sealing and is my current favorite for upclose. Hmmm... J Class, there are not much more than 5 or so of those that are currently built and ready to sail I thought (Velsheda, Endeavor, Shamrock, Hanuman, Ranger, ?). I have seen 3 of them in one race once which were all of them at that time that were finished (2002). I think they are the most sexiest ships on the planet.

[D_C_NC]

The 16-35 has weather sealing and is my current favorite for upclose. Hmmm... J Class, there are not much more than 5 or so of those that are currently built and ready to sail I thought (Velsheda, Endeavor, Shamrock, Hanuman, Ranger, ?). I have seen 3 of them in one race once which were all of them at that time that were finished (2002). I think they are the most sexiest ships on the planet.

I will take a look at that lens when I go to the camera store with the D300 body I just purchased.
I went to Newport and saw them ,J-Class boats,this year Ranger and Velsheda were the only ones there ,but it was neat anyway.The 2012 in Falmouth is supposedly going to have six committed to the event.
http://www.jclassyachts.com/2012-regatta/

SHAMROCK V - Sir Thomas Lipton’s last yacht to compete for the America’s Cup. 1930

VELSHEDA - Built by W.Stephenson to compete alongside Endeavour. 1933

ENDEAVOUR - T.O.M Sopwith’s first America’s Cup challenger. 1934

RANGER - Replica of H. Vanderbildt’s 1936 America’s Cup defender. 2002

HANUMAN - Replica of T.O.M. Sopwith’s second challenger Endeavour II. 2009

LIONHEART - An original build of a 1936 Ranger design. 2010

RAINBOW - Replica of Rainbow built in 1934 to defend the America’s Cup. 2011

SVEA - An original build of a 1937 Swedish design by Tore Holm. 2011

ATLANTIS - An original build of a 1936 Frank Paine design. 2011
Heck where you are is where four of the new ones are being or were built.
http://www.claasenjachtbouw.nl/en/j-class/go
Hoek is involved,I know lionheart is done and I think Atlantis is well underway and Svea is next.

I leave in a week or so to take the one boat to the Turks and Caicos.Then I am heading out on a 90' powerboat to go to Tortola the slow way through the Bahamas.So I will not have time to get the whole camera package together until I get back from Tortola,as I do want a telephoto as well.I will definitely check out the 16-35 you like if they have it.I can only spend a little at a time as the wife will notice otherwise....
I got to get on Shamrock V back in 1986 in Newport as well as a bunch of pretty neat sailing yachts,Ticonderoga,Nighthawk and Whitefin to name a few as I was on the Herreshoff Bounty( 1932 built originally and we just did a complete rebuild on her ) and being on an old wooden boat in Newport opens opportunities or at least it did back in the old days.
 I am looking forward to Falmouth next June as you said the J Class boats are something to behold.

I looked at your suggestion online looks like a good choice and saw a 70-200 VR that might be another choice.
Thanks...