Will I need a weather-proof camera in Singapore?


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lgklotet

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Well, the title pretty much says it all..

I'm moving to Singapore shortly and I am planing on buying a new DSLR (most probably the Nikon D90) and I just realised that this camera is not weather-proof.

Now, I know Singapore is humid, rainy and air-conditioned, do I need a weatherproofed camera? My main concern is not rain as such, but condensation when moving from air-conditioned areas to outdoors. Have you ever experienced problems with humidity?

What do you have?

/Thanks in advance from Lars, in snowy Sweden
 

Everyone and their grandmother has a dslr here. All brands and kinds. don't worry, just buy the DSLR you're comfortable with. Your main concern should be to buy a dry cabinet to prevent mold from growing on your lenses.
 

FYI: weather-proofing will not prevent condensation.
 

Wow.. thx for the quick reply!

That's good feedback..

I saw some threads mentioning dry-cabinets, I've never heard about anything like that. I guess we don't have them here in Sweden..

What are they? A dry box? I'm guessing it has some sort of fan attached to it?
 

Uhmm. yeah.. plz ignore that last post.. searched the forums :)
 

dry cabinate is a electornic more controled form of dry box if i'm not wrong,as the others have stated,get what you're comfortable with,for me,get what you need,i sometimes shoot in the rain so weather proofing is something i will use
 

To prevent condensation, put the camera in a plastic bag when transiting from aircon area to the humid outdoors.
 

To prevent condensation, put the camera in a plastic bag when transiting from aircon area to the humid outdoors.

Yeah, but that's a bit extreme... If my DSLR got frosty form the aircon and I walk outside and get condensation, I'll just wait the couple minutes it takes to warm up and evaporate the moisture. No big issue, and a lot better than wrapping up your DSLR in a plastic bag.
 

Just my 2 cents worth, both cameras I owned and own are weather proof, so I'm not exactly sure how water will affect a non weather proof camera.

But I personally feel weather proof camera are very advantageous if you don't mind standing in the middle of a drizzle taking photos or under an overhead fountain taking photos. I have my D3 totally drenched, but not under water of course. It is still working. Just to share the condition I'm in and which photo I was taking.

At marina barrage, with drizzling with thunder.
3084754119_4f0450c65d_d.jpg


Under fountain,
3110483189_a1a473e0a1_d.jpg


Basically my camera is wet with the droplets of water splashing against my camera and lens. If you don't have a weather proof camera, please don't try it. I don't know if the electronics will fry.
:bsmilie:
 

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dont worry about it, mine canon 300D has gone thru just about every weather possible in Singapore and the only problem it had was a simple focus correction. As long your camera is under warranty, Nikon should fix any problems that may arise as the last thing they want publicly known is that the D90 has cold weather problems which would be a PR disaster in the cold countries. No matter what it is always bring a backup camera.

If you want weather sealing body on a budget, the pentax K200D is one of the cameras you are looking for + its using AA batteries rather then proprietary so no problems.
 

Short of downing in water, I haven't seen too many threads locally of users wrecking their camera in our local wet humid conditions :) In fact I have brought my D80 locally and overseas under bad weather conditions before and it is still fit as a fiddle.

Of course the better built pro camera bodies are built to withstand the elements better than the non weathersealed ones.

Ryan
 

Basically my camera is wet with the droplets of water splashing against my camera and lens. If you don't have a weather proof camera, please don't try it. I don't know if the electronics will fry.
:bsmilie:

Naaah, most cameras are fine with drizzles or light spray. I've also been caught in a proper, good old Singapore "let's flood the world" rainshower with a "non-weathersealed" DSLR and it worked fine.
 

Naaah, most cameras are fine with drizzles or light spray. I've also been caught in a proper, good old Singapore "let's flood the world" rainshower with a "non-weathersealed" DSLR and it worked fine.

I second that. My cam has no weather protection at all and still works fine after being exposed to drizzle several times. They are tougher than most people expect :)
 

I second that. My cam has no weather protection at all and still works fine after being exposed to drizzle several times. They are tougher than most people expect :)

really?
i've always been afraid to expose it even to drizzle assuming that it may damage any mechanism in the camera. :think:

now i know...
thanks!
 

Hi Lars,

Welcome to CS and soon to Singapore. Have you been here? I'm not sure what you're imagine when you think that S'pore is humid, but it not that bad. My DSLR can be left out for days and without any issues. If I'm using the cam weekly, I'm not too concern about the humidity. But still I have a dry cabinet to store my lens and cam body for good measure.

Just back from a beach holiday at Bintan (an indonesian island near S'pore). Rained quite a bit but I still whipped out my cam whenever I felt like it. Not sure my cam body is weatherproof or not but I dun see a problem so far.
 

Naaah, most cameras are fine with drizzles or light spray. I've also been caught in a proper, good old Singapore "let's flood the world" rainshower with a "non-weathersealed" DSLR and it worked fine.

also, if your lenses not weathersealed

camera body weathersealed also useless

anyways, threadstarter, you do not need weather sealing unless you want peace of mind while shooting in the rain.

frankly speaking though, 80% of the time rain makes for poor photo op, so just don´t shoot in rain
 

Hi Lars,

Welcome to CS and soon to Singapore. Have you been here? I'm not sure what you're imagine when you think that S'pore is humid, but it not that bad. My DSLR can be left out for days and without any issues. If I'm using the cam weekly, I'm not too concern about the humidity. But still I have a dry cabinet to store my lens and cam body for good measure.

Just back from a beach holiday at Bintan (an indonesian island near S'pore). Rained quite a bit but I still whipped out my cam whenever I felt like it. Not sure my cam body is weatherproof or not but I dun see a problem so far.
dont worry about it, DSLRs not so easy to fall sick one. In my experience, when it rains...most pros will use the AW cover they get from buying lowepro. Those with a budget however will use trash bags, plastic bags and whatever as they do the same job anyway.
 

anyways, threadstarter, you do not need weather sealing unless you want peace of mind while shooting in the rain.

frankly speaking though, 80% of the time rain makes for poor photo op, so just don´t shoot in rain


Agree wholeheartedly, just get a dry-cabi to store your gears and to prevent fungus will do;)
 

dont worry about it, DSLRs not so easy to fall sick one. In my experience, when it rains...most pros will use the AW cover they get from buying lowepro. Those with a budget however will use trash bags, plastic bags and whatever as they do the same job anyway.

I used to hold an umbrella by my neck when taking photo in the rain.... :bsmilie:
 

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