For my next photo trip, I will be needing some mosquito/bug repellent but I remember reading somewhere that some of the repellents can damage the outside of your camera equipment. Can someone tell me an effective repellent that will not cause any damage if it touches my equipment?
Carol, I suspect anything that has deet in it might be hard on most gear, but it is also usually the best for mosquito protection. When I was near fresh water sources in Alaska I used military grade 100% deet. I wish I could say it was the total answer, but the mosquitos up there are just inhumane and tough to deal with.
I've found the local So Cal mosquitoes a bit more humane if you will and I use Repel brand Lemon & Eucalyptus mix. It has no deet and works well for my needs. I use it all the time when out doing photography. I will say once I've sprayed the stuff on and applied it by hand to my face and head I always clean my hands with Purell sanitizer and a rag to remove any residue. The L&E based repellent is good for up to 6 hours although I'm usually only out for 2 to 4 hours at a time.
I truly cannot say that the L&E based repellent will not harm gear, but I've yet to have any issues using it. You might go directly to the Repel site and see what they say about the product toxicity.
DEET is pretty much the only thing that works when the bugs are bad enough to be annoying.
Not all plastics are affected by DEET. There's an on-line resouce Google will find for you describing which plastics are affected.
Wipe the palms of your hands with a damp rag after applying DEET to keep the stuff off your gear.
Or wear thin gloves, thick enough to keep the girls from biting but thin enough to allow you to work your camera.
Finally, if you can find a cotton mesh jacket with a hood, soak it in 100% DEET in a plastic bag. Then wear it, with the hood up, and you can avoid or minimize contact with your skin as well as gear.
I use DEET. It works in places where other photographers are in bug suits. It used to be available in higher concentrations, up to 100%, but now 25% is the strongest I can find, Deep Woods Off, for example. The stronger variety definitely can affect plastic. I left some smudged finger prints in a speedlight. Now when I use it, I remove my glasses and my earbuds when I apply it, with a pump spray, and wait a minute or so for it to dry before putting the glasses and earbuds back in place. No ill effects.
DEET will definitely mess up a lot of plastics, but I have found it to be the only that works when they are bad. I have had the DEET mess up sunglasses and camera bodies.
Posted by Jim Zablotny on June 17, 2015 at 7:50 AM
Hi,
Apply Deet to the back of your hand rather than on your palm for spreading the material on open skin and clothing. ...............Jim
Discussion
6 repliesFor my next photo trip, I will be needing some mosquito/bug repellent but I remember reading somewhere that some of the repellents can damage the outside of your camera equipment. Can someone tell me an effective repellent that will not cause any damage if it touches my equipment?
Carol, I suspect anything that has deet in it might be hard on most gear, but it is also usually the best for mosquito protection. When I was near fresh water sources in Alaska I used military grade 100% deet. I wish I could say it was the total answer, but the mosquitos up there are just inhumane and tough to deal with.
I've found the local So Cal mosquitoes a bit more humane if you will and I use Repel brand Lemon & Eucalyptus mix. It has no deet and works well for my needs. I use it all the time when out doing photography. I will say once I've sprayed the stuff on and applied it by hand to my face and head I always clean my hands with Purell sanitizer and a rag to remove any residue. The L&E based repellent is good for up to 6 hours although I'm usually only out for 2 to 4 hours at a time.
I truly cannot say that the L&E based repellent will not harm gear, but I've yet to have any issues using it. You might go directly to the Repel site and see what they say about the product toxicity.
DEET is pretty much the only thing that works when the bugs are bad enough to be annoying.
Not all plastics are affected by DEET. There's an on-line resouce Google will find for you describing which plastics are affected.
Wipe the palms of your hands with a damp rag after applying DEET to keep the stuff off your gear.
Or wear thin gloves, thick enough to keep the girls from biting but thin enough to allow you to work your camera.
Finally, if you can find a cotton mesh jacket with a hood, soak it in 100% DEET in a plastic bag. Then wear it, with the hood up, and you can avoid or minimize contact with your skin as well as gear.
Hope this helps.
I use DEET. It works in places where other photographers are in bug suits. It used to be available in higher concentrations, up to 100%, but now 25% is the strongest I can find, Deep Woods Off, for example. The stronger variety definitely can affect plastic. I left some smudged finger prints in a speedlight. Now when I use it, I remove my glasses and my earbuds when I apply it, with a pump spray, and wait a minute or so for it to dry before putting the glasses and earbuds back in place. No ill effects.
DEET will definitely mess up a lot of plastics, but I have found it to be the only that works when they are bad. I have had the DEET mess up sunglasses and camera bodies.
Hi,
Apply Deet to the back of your hand rather than on your palm for spreading the material on open skin and clothing. ...............Jim
Thanks everyone!