I found some good advice back when I was just starting out in photography. The advice was to take risks with the camera in order to capture pictures one otherwise wouldn't get, just don't take stupid risks. I decided my camera was a tool for capturing images, and that I'd be a pretty frustrated photographer if I was too scared to use it. Having faced this myself, I can also understand the discomfort of taking a high valued setup into danger completely. I considered a protective case, but decided I'd be too scared to take my camera out of it's case. I also considered the point and shoot, but it just didn't feel right to me. I ended up with a $50 K-mount body and lens. Nowdays, I find myself mentally rating my equipment as to how much risk I'm willing to take with it. When faced with a situation like the boating, I'd match the equipment risk with the situation and then go out without further worries. If I ever lose that Sears body, I'll be heartbroken. Not because of how valuable it is to me, but because it has opened up a lot of photography to me that wouldn't otherwise be open. I'll miss the old friend. later, patbob ([EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]) "Leon Altoff" wrote: > >Need I say more? > >jeepgirl. > >I was the "official photographer at our family's 3 day > family reunion this > >weekend. ... I also had a blast trying to explain > a hundred times > >why I wouldn't take my camera out in the boat to take > pictures of xyz's kid > >ski-ing. or swimming. > This is what Pelican cases were invented for. You take it onto the > boat all nice and secure and when you know you are in a spot where you > wont drop it you can take it out again. I quite often wave my camera > around 2 inches above salt water, but I NEVER take what I consider to > be any risks with it. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .