Camera Cover/Protector

[smalls]

What do you use to protect your camera when shooting in adverse weather conditions? I'm looking for something that is easily removable and ideally has a plastic window over the lcd and a velcro flap to access the top panel of a 20D. I may wind up making my own, but I'd like to see what's out there. Thanks.

[bklyn]

What are you trying to keep out? Water? Sand/Dirt/Grit? Snow?
Will you need to change lenses outside?

For snow/light rain I just wipe things off frequently to keep everything dry. Sand and other dirt, I've changed lenses inside a bag but I have enough practice that I can do it by feel without looking. When out on boats, I keep everything in dry bags and in a pinch, I have worked once through a clear seal line bag with the lens outside the top. (difficult to work the controls)

Whenever there is moisture/dirt it's imperative that your gear bag stays clean and dry inside.

I haven't had to shoot in heavy rain, mainly because I avoid it. Is shooting in the rain one of the best ways to ruin a dslr? I've seen some rain covers in use, and would be interested to hear if others think they are worth it.

[Tippster]

In a downpour guys here use Ziplock Freezer bags with the lenses poking out of a hole. Seriously.

Nobody uses any camera armor (which has a rain fly in it) like we have on our video cameras...

http://www.mediasupplystore.com/Images/sc.jpg

[brice618]

my olympus e-1 is splash proof (whatever that means) and I've tested that on a few occasions, no problems as of yet. ... er that didn't ad anything to the thread so... [/dickwagging]


i am interested to see the lenses poking out of a ziplock bag. got any pictures of it tippster?

[Tippster]

I'll see if I can take a pic next time I'm around our stills guys in the pouring rain...

[Summit]

http://www.ewamarine.com/

[MeatPuppet]

What do you use to protect your camera when shooting in adverse weather conditions? I'm looking for something that is easily removable and ideally has a plastic window over the lcd and a velcro flap to access the top panel of a 20D.

Check your local camera store. I picked up almost exactly what you are looking for at my local camera store for $35. I have used it all of three or four times in the last five years. More often than not, I just use a ziplock bag like Tippster described(it's easier) or nothing at all.

Unless it's really pouring, I normally don't use any kind of cover and just wipe the camera down when I get home, that's it. Never had any problems.



Is shooting in the rain one of the best ways to ruin a dslr?

I've never had the inclination to try it, but I have heard of people dropping their DSLRs in a lake or river. They immediately took the battery out. When they got home, they drained the water out, wiped it down and after a day or two in a dry environment, it worked fine. They had to clean the sensor. But other than that, it was fine.

There was a thread about it in the Canon forum on dpreview a couple of years ago. One guy was a nature photog who shoot a lot of waterfalls. He said he always carried two bodies with him so that when one got flooded out and quit working he would switch bodies and keep shooting. He seconded the notion that you could drain it, wipe it down and leave it in a dry environment for a couple of days and it would be fine.

Like I said, I don't have any intention of testing this myself, but it would seem that DSLRs are pretty robust in this regard.

[Voltron]

One of these will keep the rain out.

http://www.camerasbelow.com/images/SeaandSea/RebelHousing.jpg

http://www.camerasbelow.com/images/SeaandSea/RebelBack.jpg

[MeatPuppet]

Is shooting in the rain one of the best ways to ruin a dslr?

I ran across this today.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1020&message=23393115

[Natedogg]

1.5 year bump... Anyone using camera armor? I bought a 20D almost two years ago and it's gotten beat up a bit. No drops or anything major, but a lot of little scratches and paint wear. I'm buying a mint 5D, and would like to try and keep it looking pretty mint (for when I sell it to upgrade to the 5D mkII :D ). Anyone have any feedback on camera armor or similar products? Waste of time? Put the $50 towards a Dakine Sequence or something?

[Keegan]

In a downpour guys here use Ziplock Freezer bags with the lenses poking out of a hole. Seriously.
[/IMG]

Works for me. Only need it if there's a huge downpour though. The 1D and the lenses I use hold up fine to the other stuff.

[AstroPax]

What do you use to protect your camera when shooting in adverse weather conditions? I'm looking for something that is easily removable and ideally has a plastic window over the lcd and a velcro flap to access the top panel of a 20D. I may wind up making my own, but I'd like to see what's out there. Thanks.

I guess I missed this post first time around.

Water:

For heavy rain, I used to just use a garbage bag. Worked fine.

Even if an SLR is weather sealed, such as a pro Nikon or Canon body and lenses, some sort of protection is still prudent, especially in heavy downpours.

Now I use one of these:

http://www.lightwareinc.com/site/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.product_display&Prod_ID=134&Cat_Name=Long%20Lenses|Rain%20Covers&Cat_ID=13

If your camera starts to act up because it got wet, the problem can usually be resolved with a blow dryer.

Sand, dust, etc:

When I was shooting in the middle east, I would use only prime lenses because zooms get all gunked-up with sand. Very rarely change the lens, but if you have to take a lens off in a sandy/dusty environment, do it in "clean room".

[AstroPax]

1.5 year bump... Anyone using camera armor? I bought a 20D almost two years ago and it's gotten beat up a bit. No drops or anything major, but a lot of little scratches and paint wear. I'm buying a mint 5D, and would like to try and keep it looking pretty mint (for when I sell it to upgrade to the 5D mkII :D ). Anyone have any feedback on camera armor or similar products? Waste of time? Put the $50 towards a Dakine Sequence or something?

I don't see a need for it. With DSLR's, the depreciation in value is a function of time, not a few scratches here and there.