Epic smoke smell after shoot near fire

[Aris_Gavriilidis]

Hello everyone, ok, this is probably gonna be a first. Recently I had a shoot with my camera near a large fire, and naturally at the end of it it had an intense smell of smoke. I managed to remove it from the exterior, but here's the issue: while the camera is running, the air coming from the top still smells of smoke, and it's very strong. I can't exactly use rubbing alcohol on the internal heat sink, so if someone could possibly provide some helpful info to get rid of the smoke odor from inside the camera it would be immensely appreciated!

 

[John Marchant]

Just let it run a while, it will diminish eventually.

Voice of experience haha.

 

[Todd T]

Just let it run a while, it will diminish eventually.

Voice of experience haha.

^^^ What he said

The smoke residue has coated the fins of the heatsink, depending on what was burning it might take a long while for the smell to go away.

You could soak a small piece of cloth with febreeze, and put it near (not touching) the air inlet, and set the fans to high.

be casrful of using compressed air to avoid damaging the fans.

 

[Patrick Tresch]

On the Epic you can also take the front fan off and clean the dust on the heatsink (wich is behind the fan). You can also use coton tige to clean the fan blades.

pat

 

[Todd T]

Or just take it apart and clean it...:biggrinjester:

 

[Anthony Berenato Jr]

Or just take it apart and clean it...:biggrinjester:

I've wanted to see an image like this for such a long time !

 

[jake southard]

Just run it until it diminishes...
Shot a documentary at a hog farm years ago with my old Scarlet Dragon.
Hands down the worst and strongest smelling place i've ever been to.

My Dragon smelled like hog farm for the next 6 months to a year.

Not much you can do

 

[Tommaso Alvisi]

If it bothers you...it's now the time to offer cheap rental fees to young and independent crews for their projects so you'd help them while also using it so the smell will go away...

 

[Michael J Brennan]

As a matter of interest from someone who has put digital cameras in scenes of very high temperatures, was radiant heat not an issue? Were you shooting a set piece with lots of smoke but little heat?


If anyone is interested, the picture reminds me that a barrier of silver foil between the source of heat and (black) camera body reduces absorbed radiant heat by 90%.
A largish baffle constructed of material that absorbs particulates can be fashioned around the fan intake, with care that adequate airflow is maintained.
The lens barrel can be covered with a clear roasting bag for protection, because with significant exposure, fine particulates can enter the lens barrel and leave a haze on internal elements.

Covering the rest of the camera with electricians tape will make it easy to clean, just remove the tape at the end of the job, as it leaves no residue.

You can even see led indicators and operate buttons through white coloured electricians tape.
Soot will have lodged in the tiniest of gaps including around the lens mount.
Soot from a real fire can carry corrosive, acidic carcinogenic crap.


A similar protective procedure can apply to any airborne threat, from salt air to dust.

In the picture I see a cameraman well protected from radiant heat and contaminated air but the camera?



Mike Brennan

 

[Ulf Krentz]

Just run it until it diminishes...
Shot a documentary at a hog farm years ago with my old Scarlet Dragon.
Hands down the worst and strongest smelling place i've ever been to.

My Dragon smelled like hog farm for the next 6 months to a year.

Not much you can do

This. Unfortunately I have to second it. We had a (photo) shoots in similar environment many years ago. Our strobe packs equipped with cooling fans picked up the smell. I still instantly know when I grab and power up one of those packs today.
Also odor from smoke is very persistent. I bought a preowned flash head with a bad smell off ebay, completely took it apart, even put the parts it in a dishwasher. It is getting better with time - reminds me of nuclear half life...