Blame it on the rain! What's your stay-dry setup?

handle2001 · Oct 2, 2015

With hurricane Joaquin (not) bearing down on us here in Western North Carolina, I'd like to get out and do some shooting of the inevitable flooding this weekend. I'm curious what other folks are using to keep their gear dry in all weather scenarios? Tripod umbrella mount? Four season tent? Spray-on insulation? Force-field?

Sirius Glass · Oct 2, 2015

First of all it never rains in Southern California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pyC7WnvLT4
There are camera rain protection products for most 35mm and MF cameras. Large format cameras not so much. I have not used a plastic bag to protect a camera from the rain for almost 30 years. That give you an idea how little I have been in a hard rain with a camera. About 25 years ago I went under Niagara Falls and kept the camera under the supplied rain coat. Still the moisture caused the camera to act up for a few days until it dried out on its own. Usually when it does rain I have been able to move around from one dry place to another so that I could take photographs without getting too wet.

Helinophoto · Oct 2, 2015

I use a bag, designed for freezing bred around my camera.
I always keep 3-4 of them, neatly folded, in my camera bag.

At some point I stop taking pictures, if I am not out to photograph rain itself ^^

Xmas · Oct 2, 2015

Sipping a latte in dry warm coffee house changing film.
Otherwise destroying gulf umbrella from holding it one handed.

It is right bad ODing on caffeine but I'm on a high milk diet...

Hope you guys ok in hurricane.

Xmas · Oct 2, 2015

APUGuser19 said:
Isn't there a song from back in the day when we we all gonna die because of the impending ice age because we were destroying the environment? Or was it recorded when we we all destroying the ozone layer and we were all going to burn up instead? I still think the record was cut about 45 years ago before these predicted man-made disasters happened. Or will happen, or whatever. See my avatar? I'm a happy cat because I ate Henny Penny.
I think it doesn't rain in Southern California on account of location.

The four corners is semi arid the peoblo indians had to move. Their water conservation methods were inadequate.

The green house effect is attributable to human kind from the temperature record kept in London from 1605 or so you plug the record into excel spread sheet and run statistics hypotheses on sun activity or carbon dioxide %... Etc.,

The answer ain't good.

Your wood burner should be ok with wet wood once started. My job from I was five was starting up grannies stove.

bdial · Oct 2, 2015

I've used plastic bags, or simply keeping the camera under a raincoat, which works well for very light rain. A little mist on the camera or even a bit of rain generally won't a problem for the camera. Just get it wiped off as soon as you can.
If you want to be elaborate, you can use a filter's threads to cut a port in the bag for the lens, screw in a skylight or UV filter then a lens hood and secure the bag opening to the hood with some tape.

I had an outing scheduled once where I was going to be using my monorail view camera and some storms were coming through the area. I bought one of those enormous zip lock bags made for storing stuff like bedding. But, I didn't have to use it, I was able to wait out the rain squall in the car and do the picture-taking after it passed. Got some great background clouds and good surf in the shots though!

My ultimate solution was to buy a Nikonos.

Rick A · Oct 2, 2015

I have a Nikonos IVa, 'nuf said.

guangong · Oct 2, 2015

Hat and coat

For a light rain a wide brimed cowboy hat for shooting and a jacket or coat for carrying and for heavy rain an oilskin hat and oilskin coat. Of course，I do not use a folder or a waist level camera in heavy rain. Oh yes，and a lens hood to avoid rain spray. Sometimes a little minox 8x11 is the best bet in a real downpour. I would， however，stick to mechsnical cameras since moisture can screw up electronics.

Ko.Fe. · Oct 2, 2015

Nothing, after I received Konica 28 Off-road. This camera will handle it as it is.
If I need to dive I have no-name P&S with underwater case.

And I would never use my Minox B under rain, BTW.

Jeff Bradford · Oct 2, 2015

I have used a few layers of plastic bags in the past, but mostly I just stay under an awning or porch.

Marvin · Oct 2, 2015

I am here in Hendersonville NC didn't know there were APUGers this close. Just staying in tonight but might get pictures of flooding tomorrow.

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Hatchetman · Oct 2, 2015

A two-gallon Ziplock bag and a rubber band.

Old-N-Feeble · Oct 3, 2015

You folks are crazy. I stay inside and sip warm cocoa with peppermint schnapps.

analoguey · Oct 3, 2015

If out shooting, depending on how far away I'm from a cup of hot coffee, I'll be shooting or packing up.

Shooting in the rain is enormous fun - everything looks so different!
Was caught in pouring rain last week, I couldn't shoot too much though, cos the VF kept fogging up- and I could barely focus at all!

I haven't really tested out the 'weather proof' f100 that way - I wonder if anyone else has tested these recently. (I have seen some really ' weathered' Digital pro -cameras, just wonder how weather sealed the Film ones are, given their age, now)

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BradleyK · Oct 3, 2015

A stay-dry setup? LLBean GoreTex for me, and, providing it is not raining heavily, a non-abrasive cloth for periodically wiping down my camera. e

IloveTLRs · Oct 4, 2015

I used to use a Contax or a Nikon rangefinder. That little focus wheel that many folks love to hate is useful when holding an umbrella in the other hand. TLRs are also good for one-handed operation, but rain in the viewfinder is annoying.

Sirius Glass · Oct 4, 2015

Rain on the lens is even more annoying. Worse yet is rain landing on the camera body and soaking in.

analoguey · Oct 4, 2015

IloveTLRs said:
I used to use a Contax or a Nikon rangefinder. That little focus wheel that many folks love to hate is useful when holding an umbrella in the other hand. TLRs are also good for one-handed operation, but rain in the viewfinder is annoying.

That image is beautiful!
I didn't know focusing on Contax and Nikon was via a wheel - do you have an image of that?

It's kind of annoying having to operate cameras with only the right hand though- especially with the umbrella hand stuck in one position - I just wish at least on the motorgrips, they'd let us shoot with the left hand.

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Xmas · Oct 4, 2015

APUGuser19 said:
What a mushy miserable mess. Just went out to see if the mail lady brought my foam. Nope, and she's not liable to either. Not today. Cold, windy wet mushy miserable mess. I bet she's been stuck in a lot of these country mud driveways around here today and just gave up. You couldn't pay me enough to go out on a miserable day like this. And it's gonna tune up for another night of torrential rain. I'd sure hate to be one of the cows out in the pastures around here.

The cattle have leather jackets.

I use foam mouse mat and double sided pressure sensitive tape.

Or more potato juice.

removed-user-1 · Oct 4, 2015

Rick A said:
I have a Nikonos IVa, 'nuf said.

Nikonos V here. Or if I need some lens other than the 35mm Nikonos lens, I wrap my F3 up in a plastic grocery bag, and keep it under my coat when not shooting. Wipe it off real well when finished.

cliveh · Oct 4, 2015

Helinophoto said:
I use a bag, designed for freezing bred around my camera.
I always keep 3-4 of them, neatly folded, in my camera bag.

At some point I stop taking pictures, if I am not out to photograph rain itself ^^

There have been several mentions of plastic bags and I really like this idea, as thin plastic has very little refraction. But does anyone know of a plastic bag you can keep a camera in and still have the camera on a strap? Or a thin plastic bag that you can connect a strap to without it breaking? If you have holes for the strap in the bag, the rain will run down the strap and into the bag.

Sirius Glass · Oct 4, 2015

http://www.samys.com/s/rain cover

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Rain-Protection/ci/3313/N/4075788778?origSearch=rain covers

IloveTLRs · Oct 5, 2015

analoguey said:
That image is beautiful!
I didn't know focusing on Contax and Nikon was via a wheel - do you have an image of that?

Look here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/rangefinder/images/sp/D3S_8231-1200.jpg The focus wheel is at the top of the photo. It's mostly for fine-tuning the focus, but works ok in a pinch (if the wheel is properly greased.)

Sirius Glass said:
Rain on the lens is even more annoying. Worse yet is rain landing on the camera body and soaking in.

I think snow falling into a TLR viewfinder wins as Most Annoying, but that's for another thread.

Rick A · Oct 5, 2015

Depends...........

bdial · Oct 5, 2015

Xmas said:
The cattle have leather jackets.

I use foam mouse mat and double sided pressure sensitive tape.

Or more potato juice.

Fortunately for the cows the leather jackets don't shrink and get hard after getting wet when they wear them.

As for penetrations for straps or whatever with plastic bags, a little tape would be your friend.

Blame it on the rain! What's your stay-dry setup?

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