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Here is a little story from my trip to Costa Rica.
We booked a canopy tour at our hotel and the next morning a van picked us up to take us there. When we first got to the starting point, the weather was cloudy (as always) but fairly nice. The first part of the adventure was a horseback ride up to the the 'base camp'. I had all of my photo gear in my new Lowepro Comutrekker AW backpack (as always)...but they said that it was too big to take with me on the canopy tour because of the harness we would have to wear. I was dismayed but grabbed my 20D anyway.
The ride was great, I'm no cowboy but I enjoyed the ride. It did start to lightly rain right away but I was smart enough to bring some protection for the camera. I put a hotel shower cap around the body and made a hole for the lens, so that I could still shoot. I also had a Zip-lock freezer bag which I put around the camera and made a small hole, just to get around the front of the lens. It was not a perfect solution, as I couldn't close the bag because I had the neck strap around my neck...but it kept most of the rain out...for now.
At the base camp, we were outfitted with full climbing harnesses and were shown how we were going to zip from tree to tree. I was very seriously considering leaving the camera there...it was covered and should have been safe because it was isolated up in the rain forest. However, I figured that I brought the camera...I might as well take it with me.
Well we hiked high up a hill/mountain until we got the first platform. The canopy tour is basically a steel cable from tree to tree, sometimes hundreds of feet above the forest floor. You zip from platform to platform. Anyway, while we were up there, it started to rain...really hard. There was no protection from the torrential downpour. I couldn't shoot photos but just as bad, I couldn't both carry and seal up the bag around the camera. I did all that I could to keep the water out...but it was getting wet.
I did manage a few shots when it was semi dry but I spent most of the time just trying to keep my camera safe...I still had a week in Costa Rica to shoot.
Long story....I had to wait until we got back to the van before I could dry off my camera...although I risked a few shots on the way down. But the camera still worked perfectly and never missed a beat. Even though the bottom of it was sitting in a small pool of water inside the plastic shower cap.
I think the duel layer of plastic was key to keeping it somewhat dry. The shower cap was tight around the body but did not fully cover it...while the zip lock bag covered it, but left a full side open for water to get in...a lot of the water that got into the zip lock, was easily drained before it could get to the camera.
The one adverse effect was that the LCD screen started to fog up...from the inside...it slowly got worse for about an hour afterward but then slowly cleared up and everything has been fine since.
Overall, I was quite happy and relieved that my 20D stood up to the torture I put it through. I obviously would have like to have a weather sealed 1 series Canon body...but well, that would have cost more than the trip.
For the rest of the trip, the camera stayed safe and dry in the Computrekker AW (all weather). It saved my gear many times. The fabric is water resistant, which it proved many times, and the built-in rain cover was a great feature that I used for times when it was impossible to get out of the rain.
Sooner or later, I'll have some of the photos from this trip...so stay tuned.
We booked a canopy tour at our hotel and the next morning a van picked us up to take us there. When we first got to the starting point, the weather was cloudy (as always) but fairly nice. The first part of the adventure was a horseback ride up to the the 'base camp'. I had all of my photo gear in my new Lowepro Comutrekker AW backpack (as always)...but they said that it was too big to take with me on the canopy tour because of the harness we would have to wear. I was dismayed but grabbed my 20D anyway.
The ride was great, I'm no cowboy but I enjoyed the ride. It did start to lightly rain right away but I was smart enough to bring some protection for the camera. I put a hotel shower cap around the body and made a hole for the lens, so that I could still shoot. I also had a Zip-lock freezer bag which I put around the camera and made a small hole, just to get around the front of the lens. It was not a perfect solution, as I couldn't close the bag because I had the neck strap around my neck...but it kept most of the rain out...for now.
At the base camp, we were outfitted with full climbing harnesses and were shown how we were going to zip from tree to tree. I was very seriously considering leaving the camera there...it was covered and should have been safe because it was isolated up in the rain forest. However, I figured that I brought the camera...I might as well take it with me.
Well we hiked high up a hill/mountain until we got the first platform. The canopy tour is basically a steel cable from tree to tree, sometimes hundreds of feet above the forest floor. You zip from platform to platform. Anyway, while we were up there, it started to rain...really hard. There was no protection from the torrential downpour. I couldn't shoot photos but just as bad, I couldn't both carry and seal up the bag around the camera. I did all that I could to keep the water out...but it was getting wet.
I did manage a few shots when it was semi dry but I spent most of the time just trying to keep my camera safe...I still had a week in Costa Rica to shoot.
Long story....I had to wait until we got back to the van before I could dry off my camera...although I risked a few shots on the way down. But the camera still worked perfectly and never missed a beat. Even though the bottom of it was sitting in a small pool of water inside the plastic shower cap.
I think the duel layer of plastic was key to keeping it somewhat dry. The shower cap was tight around the body but did not fully cover it...while the zip lock bag covered it, but left a full side open for water to get in...a lot of the water that got into the zip lock, was easily drained before it could get to the camera.
The one adverse effect was that the LCD screen started to fog up...from the inside...it slowly got worse for about an hour afterward but then slowly cleared up and everything has been fine since.
Overall, I was quite happy and relieved that my 20D stood up to the torture I put it through. I obviously would have like to have a weather sealed 1 series Canon body...but well, that would have cost more than the trip.
For the rest of the trip, the camera stayed safe and dry in the Computrekker AW (all weather). It saved my gear many times. The fabric is water resistant, which it proved many times, and the built-in rain cover was a great feature that I used for times when it was impossible to get out of the rain.
Sooner or later, I'll have some of the photos from this trip...so stay tuned.
