where there’s smoke there’s forum fire
The SF Bay Area just had it's first major storm of the season and it reminded me of future time in-doors. Years ago I used my Nikonos for storm photography (without the U-W flash bracket, of course) and loved the fact that it was indestructible.
What foul weather solutions have others adopted and are any of the new DSLRs capable of being out in Pacific Storms without housings or various "wraps".
The Dx00 series clearly isn't rainproof, not at the storm level.
IF the Dx series is, what lenses are? Not to mention once you're talking salt-water you're in a whole other ballgame of sealing needed. Where moisture can get lots of places and not be likely to cause damage, the same can't be said for saltwater.
Yup, saltwater is the killer. I was very happy to see the Gitzo Ocean tripod, the first tripod solution I've seen.
I use a OP/Tech camera raincoat that covers your camera down to your elbow, Have a filter on your lens and you should be OK. I always have one in my bag and even if both my D300 and 70-200 is weather resistant why take the chance
Pete
I once took my D90 into the ocean with this thing
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CRP1ZO/ref=oss_T12_product
Keeps the water out, but is a pretty terrible product. What you really want is something like this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/621769-REG/Nimar_NI303D3005_NI303D_Underwater_Housing_f_.html
For a little bit more I could see if the Leica S2 were sufficiently waterproof, then I wouldn't have to risk my D90. The full housing would, of course, be the ultimate solution, but using them out of water gets very heavy. All the good housings weigh 6-7 pounds. Besides, I don't plan on going down a couple of hundred feet. I would think something between the Op/Tech raincoat and a full underwater housing would sell well. I'd happily pay for a 1-3 pound waterproof, but not submersible housing - up to $300-500? Especially if it was flexible with lens selection, although usable with 10-24 and 16-85 would be more than adequate for me.
Any good solutions that don't involve 1200 dollar cases? :P
I want to take pictures out in the rain but I definitely don't want to ruin my camera! Ideas? (in before "umbrella")
You guys could try shrinkwrapping everything. I mean, as long as the plastic stays flush against the lens, you cut out a hole in the shrinkwrap and then put a filter over it. Voila!
Just make sure you make your camera settings before you shrinkwrap it.
*Word of advice- I was joking.
NSXType-R: that doesn't sound terrible...
Best be an IF AFS prime lens. ;)
Didn't a storm photographer get a pre-production copy of the D700 and eventually published his experiences with it later, after it was released? I remember reading about it, he said it was indestructible even in stormy weather (tornadoes, dust, water, etc.), without any housing as far as I know.
I never had any problems with neither D200 or d90 in any conditions. Was using my D90 in a very stormy weather and nothing happened to it (ok, I used a tape to seal it a little bit around - but it's a $2 solution). As for lenses, all of my lenses have rubber seal around mount, so apart from that I don't use anything else to seal them.
As for other extreme weather conditions I always use plastic bag when I take my camera on sandy grounds. You just take a regular plastic bag, put Your camera in it, and seal it with a tape around lens hood and viewfinder - it really works. Just remember to put an empty card before You seal the whole stuff, as changing cards on a desert is not a good idea (this also applies to stormy conditions)
Jim Reed is the photographer your thinking of ShadeofBlue. The pre-production D700 he was using was never exposed to rain. I've actually used a plastic bag during heavy rain and snow, no problems. If you do use one of those specialty weather cases, make sure you let your gear sit at room temp for a while before you open your bag. Condensation is just as bad if not worse than rain! I've shot photos during several hurricanes/typhoons over the years. I've only had one camera go bad and that was a canon video camera.
Here is the Op/Tech raincoat again, cheap and easy to use
I bought a few and like on my last post I always have one in my bag, just in case I need to shoot in pouring rain
Pete
Thanks for clearing that up NikoDoby :).
ted, I woke up here in Oakland with wet pillows after that rain. The landlord won't fix my window!
Make sure you don't sleep with your camera gear beside you, and i guess everything will be alright? :).
Adamz: the op/tech are app $ 5.00 per bag and easy to use, no tape needed, I bought 4, have one in my bag at all time, they even make on for use with a flash
Pete
Seba316, thanks. :D
I don't know how sturdy shrinkwrap is. I'm guessing it could do in a pinch.
So what do people recommend if I want to use a D700 in the pouring rain , we get a lot of it in the UK
Anyone tried or used the Think Tank Hydrophobia
I 2nd Adamz, a plastic bag works fine, but I use a rubber band around the lens hood not tape.
The sand advice is also good, I think that is actually worse than water. I used to hate changing films on the beach in the old, old days.
Depends on actually what you are shooting, how often, normal environment etc.
For me - Plastic bag- sometimes a good small can trash bag with the "closed" end opened up. If on a tripod, I'll cut a small hole for the ball head. Gaffers tape to the hood. UV filter. Easy to get your hands in and out, packs tiny, costs nothing, just throw it away when your done and works just as good. I borrowed an optech (I think) one once and it was just cumbersome and I found it to be a pain in A$$, especially walking back with it after the ran stopped. I never did figure out where to put it.
If you are really in the rain allot and have the time to get it all together it may work for you. For me - I don't plan on being out in the rain so sometimes the cheapest is the best.
This is the reason why I keep a garbage bag in my backpack. Where I am at, soccer season overlaps with rain season. So if it’s a light drizzle, I cut off a 1/4th inch of one bottom corner off the garbage bag and then the camera goes inside the bag and the lens is made to push out of the tiny hole. Since plastic in the bag is elastic to a degree, you will have no problem getting the full diameter of front element out of the corner hole, but push the lens only so far that the edge of the plastic rests on the threads for your bayonet hood. So at this time it would look like the bag is giving birth to your lens and its head is crowning. Now put the hood on and your complete setup is protected from the rain. If the bag has drawstrings to close the top opening, you can close it such to allow two hand operation also minimizing the amount of bag that flaps around in the wind. You will have clear view & access to all the buttons, lens rings, viewfinder, lcd, etc and yet all of it is protected from rain.
Hope this helps.
(Edit after seeing the above video)
Oops: just saw the video, he is doing the same thing with a rubber band.
I'm seeing several references to the Op/Tech raincoat... I'm not sure if it's the same product, but I've been using their Rainsleeve for a while and I'm a fan... it mounts quickly, stores easily, and works well. It's a dogleg-shaped affair, the leg with the drawstring goes over the lens and is long enough for all but the longest teles, while the other part of the dogleg goes over the camera and is long enough to cover your tripod head as well (a ball head anyway... if you've got a three-way with handles sticking out this may not be the case).
A small hole in the plastic stretches over your viewfinder... if you put it on carefully, you can reuse it but if you stretch the hole too much you'll have to toss it after one use or hold it on with tape.
At two for five bucks it has to be one of the best bargains in photo gear... even if you never intentionally shoot in stormy weather, I consider this an essential accessory to keep in your camera bag for emergencies, along with a couple of garbage bags to cover the bag itself and yourself if need be.
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