DSLR users- what's your set up for wet weather work?


JohnTaylor

Member
Jun 24, 2009
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Greetings everyone!

I just came back from a fantastic time in Thailand for their Songkran Festival and got totally drenched during many hours of having buckets or water tossed on my back and pressure water guns blasting from all directions! (even got ambushed outside my hotel- this 4 wheel drive slowly snuck up behind me and another Asian couple 3 metres in front of me, then BAM! all three of us got hit at the same time! *insert swear words!* hehehe)

But back to the topic at hand. What do you peeps use or do when you know it's going to get wet?

For me, there was zero problem. I hooked up my Pentax k-5 with the Pentax 18-135mm and both are WR- weather resistant. Just take camera out and use like normal- no casing or wrapping needed. During a 2 hour continuous soaking I took over 350 photos. Sure, there were water droplets on the outside of the lens glass (no towels- everything wet!) so you could see this in the photos, but everything worked great and still does. Only negative was slight condensation under LCD so I've sent in for warranty repair.

I saw one guy- he was using a Canon and had a clear plastic bag covering all of his camera except the very front of the lens, which he had "sealed" with a rubber band.

So- do tell! How do you protect your dslr?


And for anyone who has not gone to Thailand for Songkran- do it at least once in your life- it's fun! Totally recommended!
 

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Wow. Sounds elaborate.

Anyway, I don't do anything extra. I don't see the need to baby my equipment when I need it the most, so if I really need that shot, my camera will have to be exposed to the elements. If it gets damaged, well, the shot would have to be worth it!

Most of the time, I'd just keep it in my bag and head for shelter. Haven't found that $10,000 shot yet. Haha.

I think most dSLRs and lenses can handle some water.

Then again, my attitude may seem more cavalier than most.
 

My setup for wet weather includes a bed frame, mattress, bed sheet, pillow with case, and blanket.

Seriously though, if it's wet weather I don't shoot, because I don't have a weather sealed camera
 

i just shoot. drizzle? light rain? i stand in the rain and shoot.

heavy rain? either i'm hiding under the eaves of a building or under an umbrella. but i'm still shooting
 

Wow. Sounds elaborate.

Anyway, I don't do anything extra. I don't see the need to baby my equipment when I need it the most, so if I really need that shot, my camera will have to be exposed to the elements. If it gets damaged, well, the shot would have to be worth it!

Most of the time, I'd just keep it in my bag and head for shelter. Haven't found that $10,000 shot yet. Haha.

I think most dSLRs and lenses can handle some water.

Then again, my attitude may seem more cavalier than most.

ditto, I won't mind taking the risk to shoot in bad conditions IF and ONLY IF I find those shots worth my risk.

Seriously TS, have you ever wonder what if you send your camera for servicing after the shot and Pentax tells you that your camera's fault is not covered under their warranty? Personally if I were to go Songkran I would bring my G11 + underwater housing.
 

If i know i will be worrying so much. Then i will just help myself. Keep it in the hotel or at home. If not in the bag.
 

Weather-sealed body and lens no use in wet weather work?
 

JohnJon82 said:
Weather-sealed body and lens no use in wet weather work?

Well it's weather sealed, not water proof, so it's resistant to a certain extent only.
 

Weather-sealed body and lens no use in wet weather work?
WS dosent mean water proof.

Depends on how wet or serious it is. Having said that... sometimes WS cameras can still break down under very light rain. While cameras that are not claim to be WS would still work fine.

Just be careful and shoot if you want. Dont think too much. Like i mention earlier on. If it worries you alot. Then dont use it.
 

Songkran? Been there done that last year. Will love to go again in future.

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More photos here

I am using optech rain sleeve to protect my camera. Along with the use of the lens hood. Only the filter gets dirty after the shoot but a wash does it.

Protection looks something similar to this
 

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WS dosent mean water proof.

Depends on how wet or serious it is. Having said that... sometimes WS cameras can still break down under very light rain. While cameras that are not claim to be WS would still work fine.

Just be careful and shoot if you want. Dont think too much. Like i mention earlier on. If it worries you alot. Then dont use it.

Pentax weather resistance can supposedly withstand constant, heavy downpours. People have been known to wash their cameras (with a WR lense attached of course) in the showers.

See here [video=youtube;b_-RAzBjakk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_-RAzBjakk&feature=player_embedded[/video]
 

K5 user here.
Typically, really light drizzle. I just use as is. The lens even if its not weather sealed is not so fragile as not being able to take 1 droplet or two.

If I know I'm shooting something that involves water and getting wet (eg. children at waterpark);
I will just use a cheap $150 DA18-55WR.
 

Rubbish bag and rubber bands.
 

Well... one thing I have learned... my camera can survive rain (heavy rain even) and water pouring on it... but I seldom come out well and healthy after a storm and without any protection to myself.

So... yeah... when it start raining heavily, I don't want to go out to shoot... I don't fancy catching a cold :D It is to my belief that people with weather sealed camera and lenses could actually shoot in pretty bad environment without much problem (if he/she survive that ordeal themselves).
 

Well... one thing I have learned... my camera can survive rain (heavy rain even) and water pouring on it... but I seldom come out well and healthy after a storm and without any protection to myself.

So... yeah... when it start raining heavily, I don't want to go out to shoot... I don't fancy catching a cold :D It is to my belief that people with weather sealed camera and lenses could actually shoot in pretty bad environment without much problem (if he/she survive that ordeal themselves).

yeah reminds me of my Taiwan trip last year nov... it should be raining so much in nov but happens to have a monsoon... i fell sick after shooting in the rain for 3-4 days. :cry:
 

I think there's two ways to look at it.

1: The Pentax k-5 will keep on shooting regardless. You can rely on it to be a workhorse in all sorts of weather.

Despite the slight water under the LCD, nothing got into the lens, or into the camera through the lens of LCD, and it took photos no problem during the 4 days and 600 photos. The condensation I saw which ringed 3 of the 4 borders of the LCD rectangle had dried up about 24 hours after the soaking.

2: Quality control is not 100% (though if you troll the forums here under Pentax, or go to other pentax forums, you'll hear many people say they practically dunk their camera in water with ZERO problems)
 

yeah reminds me of my Taiwan trip last year nov... it should be raining so much in nov but happens to have a monsoon... i fell sick after shooting in the rain for 3-4 days. :cry:

I must admit that Getting wet in sunny hot BKK is one thing, but a monsoon in TW is another!
 

Seriously TS, have you ever wonder what if you send your camera for servicing after the shot and Pentax tells you that your camera's fault is not covered under their warranty? Personally if I were to go Songkran I would bring my G11 + underwater housing.
Well, I don't deliberately shoot in the rain but I frequently shoot near the sea, and if Pentax tells me that the corrosion from the saltwater has caused the camera to spoil over time, I'd rather have my shots.

We make our own choices.. Sad fact is, I'd wager all the camera manufacturers, weatherproof cameras or not, have some clause in their warranty T&C to cover their backside, fact of life.

Canon 7D - too much moisture [Page 2]: Canon EOS 7D / 60D - 10D Forum: Digital Photography Review
Flickr: Discussing BIG problems with Canon EOS 7D and Canon Support in two countries! in canon photography
 

K20D user....dont worry too much about rain. As a outdoor action shooter, i have used the WR in the most adverse of conditions.

My only concern is the damn super fine dust. No matter how well sealed, it will find a way to get in so everywhere you go do bring a blower and pray hard the dust do not get in the lens/sensor.
 

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