Weather

[Lacrossedad]

As someone who doesn't get out with his camera's enough, I tend to stay away from rainy weather. What is everyone's take on shooting in wet weather? I know there are some good pics to be taken on these rainy days, but I am always scared of what will happen to my equipment.

 

[mrca]

Think reflections in the wet street. Get low to include the reflections, like right on the pavement. Recently saw a plate that accepted a ball head and the combo gets the camera a ball head height from ground. Shoot from doorways, under overpasses, or covers. Consider a tripod for long exposure blurring. Shoot from inside through windows with rain running down it. I tend to use a 16-35 4 that has a 4 stop vr so can hand hold to 1/2 to a full second if not using a tripod. A large plastic bag is helpful, a small towel. dry lens cloths if any mist hits front of lens. Some folks put the camera in a zip lock end of lens sticking out.

 

[ac12]

I am not afraid of rain, but careful.

When I recently shot lacrosse in the rain.

• I kept a medium size plastic garbage bag over the camera.
• If it was RAINING, the camera did NOT come out.
• It light sprinkles, the camera would come out for the shot, then right back under plastic.

• Another option would have a 2nd person holding an umbrella over the camera

There are camera 'raincoats' that let you shoot in the rain.

Years ago when I shot football in the rain, we made raincoats out of plastic bags

• make a small hole for the viewfinder, with tape to reinforce the hole so it won't tear into a larger hole.
  
• make a larger hole for the lens.
• use rubber band to hold the bag onto the lens.
  
• hands come up from the bottom to work the camera.
• It worked, and was CHEAP, but it was kinda clumsy to use.
• You had to practice making and using it; to figure out how what size bag to use, how to make the holes and how to hold and work the camera.
• You had to be aware of wind, because the plastic bag would not protect from wind driven rain. So we shot with the wind on our backs or our side, we did not shoot into the wind.

 

[TCampbell]

Some camera and some lenses are “weather sealed” (to some degree). Most entry-priced cameras are NOT weather-sealed.

You can buy a “rain sleeve” for the camera & lens if you don’t have a weather sealed camera & lens. You can get inexpensive disposable versions ... or high quality versions that are durable for years of use (but cost more).

I own a ThinkTank brand “Hydrophobia” lens sleeve. A couple of weeks ago I shot a bike race... in 38°F weather... and pouring rain (everyone was shivering). But one benefit of the rain-sleeve is that it has arm holes to insert your hands to control the camera while shooting. That means my hands were dry and warm (the rest of me was wearing a rain jacket). So even though I own a “weather sealed” camera & lenses... I appreciated the fact that my hands were dry & warm.

If you do have a “weather sealed” camera... keep in mind the idea of “seals” is gaskets on all body seams and buttons... and o-rings on all dials. But they are weather sealed against water that isn’t under pressure or force. It’s fine in rain. It’s not fine if submerged. It’s also not necessarily fine if the camera is blasted by water under force (I wouldn’t blast it with a water hose at high pressure).

Also, some weather-sealed lenses will tell you to thread a filter (e.g. clear glass) on the front of the lens to “complete” the weather-seal.

I’m not sure which camera model or lens models you have.

For Canon, none of the “Rebel” series bodies are sealed. The mid-range (e.g. 70D, 80D) are sealed. Also the high end bodies (5D series, 7D series, 1D series) are sealed (with even better weather-sealed treatment than the mid-range bodies).

None of Canon’s regular lenses are weather sealed... but many (possibly most) of the “L” series lenses are weather sealed. You’ll know it’s a weather sealed lens because you’ll see a silicone gasket on the end of the lens that mates to the camera. But DO read the instructions that came with the lens because Canon will specify if a filter should be used to “complete” the weather seal.

I am not familiar with which bodies & lenses have weather sealed treatment for other brands. But hopefully one of the members here can provide that info.

 

[ac12]

Olympus and Panasonic have weather sealed cameras and lenses.
BUT you have to check specifically, because not all are weather sealed.
Also despite both being micro 4/3, the weather seal seems to not work cross brand. There is just a small difference in the outer diameter of the lens mount on the body, and the location of the screws that secures the lens mount to the body. So to preserve weather sealing, you should stay within the same brand for camera and lens.

 

[adamhiram]

IMG_0448 by adamhiram, on Flickr

 

[dennybeall]

The trick used for "powder races" works just as well for rainy weather. Put the camera in a plastic bag, cut a hole the size of the front of the lens and put a rubber band around the end of the lens. With the lens shade on in reverse and the rubber band on the shade you can zoom and focus as the end of the lens does not rotate.

 

[Dave Colangelo]

This may be the best accessory I have ever bought for my camera.

As long as you take proper precautions you will be fine. Most cameras will happily operate in conditions far worse than you want to be out in.

 

[KmH]

Weather Sealed means at best water resistant, but not waterproof.
$7 for 2 - I keep at least one package in my camera bag at all times.
OP/TECH USA Rainsleeve - Original, 2-Pack (Clear)