The weather and your camera

mikergj

mikergj

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Name
Mike
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Hi all,

As mentioned in a previous post I am going to Snowden tomorrow. Looking at some forcasts visibility is going to be good, we may have some showers.

I have a 500d with 18-55 kit lens, do I need to keep camera completely dry or would it survive a light shower. I am assuming that a down pour and I should put it away.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Mike
 
To be honest Mike, unless it's a pro body (1 series really with Canon) then I wouldn't want to use it in a downpour!

But... all is not lost. You can get waterproof covers which can work very well, but a "placcy bag" with an elastic band around the front of the lens (helps to have a filter on) can work pretty well too. Not perfect but good enough to get a few shots off in most conditions. And it doesn't cost much either.

cheers
 
Thanks Bill,

I just hope it does not rain then, and I can have a good practice.

Weather permitting how ever bad my efforts I will post a few pics.
 
Don't let it put you off Mike. Some of the best shots ever are taken in lousy weather!
And seriously, a supermarket carrier bag will keep the worst of the rain off. Don't let it stop you.
 
as said really, depending on budget really you have the choice of (in the order of cost but not exhaustive list)..

tesco freezer bags and elastic bands (remember bog standard carrier bags have vent holes)
optech rain covers (i always found they fog up pretty bad to be honest)
stormjackets (pricey but my current choice)

freezer bags (worth noting theyre not very reusable as they tear when removing etc) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgates/3929209993/in/set-72157620865614964/

conditions i was in sunday with a stormjacket - http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgates/5137812264/
 
Cheers for that Neil, its going to be the plastic bag tomorrow. Thanks for the pic and advice. Do you have a pic of a storm jacket, as I am new to photography I never new such thing existed.

Cheers
 
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neil_g said:
i dont of mine but this is the site - http://stormjacket.com/SJ1.html - its american but warehouse express are UK sellers

someone on here sells cheaper variants of that i think, i forget who though.. give me a sec..

edit - here - http://www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk/retail/acatalog/Camera___Lens_Covers.html - i think thats the guy off here but i forget their username..
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Sorry to leap in but I just wondered... I have a storm jacket and I used it in Indonesia in light showers but I was never confident enough to trust it in a proper downpour. I also felt like it was continually slipping off the end of the lens (either slipping off the end or up the lens) and I found it hard to position it so I could still look through the view finder (I was using it handheld). I'm just curious to know how you get on with yours and whether you've tried it in proper rain! Also do you have any tips on how best to position it? I was using it with a 550d and a 100 - 400 mm lens. I also used it on my 24 - 105 lens but think the storm jacket was too big for that one so that's my fault! :)
 
ukphd said:
Sorry to leap in but I just wondered... I have a storm jacket and I used it in Indonesia in light showers but I was never confident enough to trust it in a proper downpour. I also felt like it was continually slipping off the end of the lens (either slipping off the end or up the lens) and I found it hard to position it so I could still look through the view finder (I was using it handheld). I'm just curious to know how you get on with yours and whether you've tried it in proper rain! Also do you have any tips on how best to position it? I was using it with a 550d and a 100 - 400 mm lens. I also used it on my 24 - 105 lens but think the storm jacket was too big for that one so that's my fault! :)
Click to expand...

to be honest ive never had slippage issues, but i have tightened the opening as far as i dare without breaking something.

as for the opening at the other end i try and let the excess cover go up onto my forehead if that makes sense?

as for proper rain, its handled the worst the UK can throw at it so far.. but i guess thats not a patch on indonesia?
 
neil_g said:
to be honest ive never had slippage issues, but i have tightened the opening as far as i dare without breaking something.

as for the opening at the other end i try and let the excess cover go up onto my forehead if that makes sense?

as for proper rain, its handled the worst the UK can throw at it so far.. but i guess thats not a patch on indonesia?
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Thanks - perhaps I wasn't tightening it enough. I was also zooming in and out which probably didn't help. I also had the lens hood on (a mistake perhaps?!).

Yeah the rain is seriously heavy there so I wouldn't trust it in one of the big rain storms but it's good to know it can cope with some serious UK weather - makes me feel a little more confident about it! :)
 
It's also handy to keep a small sized version of the "campers towels" in your camera bag. They're the ones that they sell in outdoor shops - those microfibre jobs that are the size of a face-cloth, but will just about dry you off after a swim. They're just the job for wiping the camera down after removing the supermarket bag and Post-Office red rubber bands :lol:
 
ukphd said:
Thanks - perhaps I wasn't tightening it enough. I was also zooming in and out which probably didn't help. I also had the lens hood on (a mistake perhaps?!).

Yeah the rain is seriously heavy there so I wouldn't trust it in one of the big rain storms but it's good to know it can cope with some serious UK weather - makes me feel a little more confident about it! :)
Click to expand...

i always use the hood, protects the front element from rain. zooming is possible with the cover on but is fiddly.
 
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