Salt, sand and mechanical shutters
A camera that spends a season near the surf fails in a predictable order: first the focusing helicoid turns gritty, then the slow shutter speeds drag, then the light seals turn to paste. None of it is sudden and most of it is preventable.
- Wipe the body with a cloth dampened in fresh water the same evening, then dry it.
- Change lenses with your back to the wind, body pointing down.
- Keep a clear filter on the lens: a filter is cheaper than a front element.
- Do not store the camera in the bag it travelled in; the bag holds the damp.
Once a year the slow speeds are worth timing against a phone recording at 240 frames per second. One second that lasts a second and a half means the escapement needs cleaning, not a longer exposure table.