Beginner Photography in Bad Weather

[Vectorially]

I've taken to doing time-lapse landscapes which in practice means having the camera outside for 12 hours. This month in UK has been particularly wet and I'm worried about damaging the lens on my Fujifilm X-A5 (XC 15–45mm f3.5–5.7 OIS PZ), even though it has a lens hood attached. I shoot with the camera pointed up at a slight angle, so any incoming rain in windy weather is likely to hit the lens full on, i.e the lens hood provides little protection.

Curiously all of the online video suggestions for shooting in the rain and snow have the lenses poking out of plastic bags, i.e. the bags there just to protect the body not the lens. Should I take it therefore that as a default camera lenses are impervious to rain and so leaving the cam out in the rain (as long as the body is very well protected) won't be an issue?

My current solution is to have a "very clear (to the eye)" big plastic bag cover all of the hood, lens and body held in place with a thick elastic band. But it's the type of plastic that is very prone to creases and, if the wind blows I notice a crease can form in front of the lens spoiling the photography. The plastic bag also doesn't seem to comply if I try to put the lens hood over it because the screwing thread is too shallow.

So is it reasonalbly safe to leave a lens out in the rain as long as the camera body is very well protected?

 

[rob-nikon]

It really depends on the camera and lens. Some have better weather sealing but I doubt any could be classed as waterproof in all conditions. Personally I’d not purposely leave a camera and lens out without any protection.

Id suggest one of these:

Think Tank Emergency Rain Cover - Small | Wex Photo Video

www.wexphotovideo.com

the front strap stops any material going over the lens.You could add an extra tie back further down the lens. Near the top of the clear window there is a hotshot adapter that clips into the cameras hotshoe to secure it down, and the bottom opening as a tie cord to close it.

they are classed as ‘emergency’ rain covers by think tank (probably because they have other more expensive rain covers available) but are built to the same quality as think tanks more expensive rain covers.

 

[StephenM]

I have a vague recollection that some years ago, someone was selling what amounted to a plastic bag to go over the camera, but with a clear screw in filter built in to protect the front of the lens. I suspect that something like this could be made fairly simply given a filter with a wide enough mount to fix things to.

Having said that, I don't know wherher your camera can take filters...

 

[GordonM]

Surely the bigger issue is that rain on the front of the lens / filter / plastic bag will lead to image degradation to an unacceptable level?

 

[Dave Canon]

If I was using a wider angle lens for a landscape I would use an umbrella in rain and thus hopefully keep rain off the camera and lens though my 5D4 has reasonably good weather proofing so it was never a real problem. I will be taking my new Sony to Castle Coombe racing next month and the Emergency Rain cover mentioned by Rob looks attractive. If I was pointing the camera at a bend using my long lens with hood it is very unlikely rain will get onto the lens unless the wind was blowing directly at me; then I would move to a different spot.

Dave

 

[Vectorially]

Surely the bigger issue is that rain on the front of the lens / filter / plastic bag will lead to image degradation to an unacceptable level?

If focusing is set at quite a distance droplets on the plastic tend not to be a problem (for time-lapse).

 

[GordonM]

If focusing is set at quite a distance droplets on the plastic tend not to be a problem (for time-lapse).

I’m surprised, I would have expected them to cause a lack of sharpness in the image

 

[Hanley]

I’m surprised, I would have expected them to cause a lack of sharpness in the image

If you're using a wide angle lens it would be an issue but s said above if you're focussing in the distance on a longer lens then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Scots_quine]

This is a bit off the wall but you could buy one of those pop up beach shelters for a couple of quid. Depending on how wide your lens is, you could shoot from inside the tent or cut a slit at the back of the tent and poke your lens hood out there.

 

[Suvv]

I’m surprised, I would have expected them to cause a lack of sharpness in the image

There will be a lack of contrast as the out of focus raindrops will cause light to be spread across the whole of the image. As our perception of sharpness depends on edge contrast the image will probably also seem less sharp.