Shooting Airsoft Matches

[morts]

Hey guys,

Long time no see! I've been running about doing work and the like so I've not had much time to do any posting. You've probably noticed by the lack of biting website critique :P

Anyway, I'm thinking of going in to an airsoft match to take photos and I was trying to come up with ideas for protecting my camera from being damaged by wayward shots and the like.
Any suggestions?

[spencer28n]

Things you could try:

Lens hood
Filters
Rubber camera grip
Bag around the lens?

Hope that helps.

Spencer

P.S. Sounds like a lot of fun.

[morts]

Airsoft is insane amounts of fun.
You run around an enclosed indoor space and the firefights are all close-quarter and intense as hell.

I'm not overly worried about the body - I'm most concerned with a round coming in and smashing the lens to pieces. I'll need to look into tough filters. To give you an idea of what an airsoft rifle can do - a single shot will go through both sides of a coke can.

[LeviathanFafner]

Coke can is not the toughest thing in the world. as far as protecting you lens UV filter is a must, if your really worried about it you could use 2 filters, tho careful about vignetting caused by having that many filters on. As far as the body goes I'd rig a towel to go over it or find/make a canvas bag.

[OsmosisStudios]

Hoya makes a new series of filters that are tested to be pretty tough. I think they call them HD filters or something. I saw a video of someone smashing one onto the corner of a table: it held up.

[jagoble25]

Your talking about a paintball match??? I don't think I would EVER take my camera in there! Plus how you gonna really shoot them without a gun in your hand??

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by jagoble25

Your talking about a paintball match??? I don't think I would EVER take my camera in there! Plus how you gonna really shoot them without a gun in your hand??

Airsoft and Paintball arent quite the same. Airsoft is like air-powered BB guns, whereas paintball is air-powered exploding (relatively soft) balls. The BBs (even though most are plastic) go fast. Ive seen them get embedded into skin at distances of more than 10 ft.

[jagoble25]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Airsoft and Paintball arent quite the same. Airsoft is like air-powered BB guns, whereas paintball is air-powered exploding (relatively soft) balls. The BBs (even though most are plastic) go fast. Ive seen them get embedded into skin at distances of more than 10 ft.

Okay now I know what you are talking about, I spilled a huge jug of those all over a buddys house when we were drinking and your right they do hurt! (Scratching that plastic BB still lodged in my left cheek)