Photography in the Rain - ideas on the cheap?

holmburgers · Sep 14, 2011

Hey guys,

So I'm going camping this weekend and the forecast looks like rain, rain, rain. That's ok I guess... just have to look back to Woodstock to know that it can still be fun. (I was there y'know!)

Anyways, it's a bluegrass festival, and I know there'll be some great pictures and I don't want the prospect of wet gear to stop me from shooting.

Any tips or tricks for "weatherizing" my Canon 35mm gear? I'm thinking about throwing on one of my beater lenses and putting it in a ziplock with a hole. But something more sophisticated would be good. Plastic, tape and whatever else I might have around the house are my tools. No time to go buy something designed for this.

Whaddya think?

Lee L · Sep 14, 2011

google "diy camera raincoat" and "diy camera rain cover"

(since we're international and multilingual: DIY = do it yourself)

Lee

Jeff Kubach · Sep 14, 2011

Sounds like you are on the right track!

Jeff

Andrew Moxom · Sep 14, 2011

I use a large 1 gallon ziploc for my hasselblad when I am going to likely face some rain. I make a small cut a little short of the lens diameter, then push the front of the lens through. I then attach my lens hood over it...

I then make another small slit for the prism viewfinder, and slip the rear of the bag with the slit over the eyepiece... you can then still access every from underneath, winding film, changing film backs, focus, aperture, shutter speed... The biggest hurdle is not being able to change lenses, so choose once!

jeffreyg · Sep 14, 2011

I've never tried it but what about rigging something with Saran wrap and a lens shade. Take a large umbrella and someone willing to hold it.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

hpulley · Sep 14, 2011

Canon 1V (1N to a lessor extent) with a sealed L lens is reasonably weather proof already. There are made for purpose camera plastic covers as well.

vpwphoto · Sep 14, 2011

Nikonos or plastic camera rain coat. To make one out of any plastic bag that fits a lens hood is nice to tape or rubber band the opening to. We made them that way all the time for photographing fall football games. Some would make one large enough for their head to fit under to.

holmburgers · Sep 14, 2011

I'm really liking the idea of a large ziplock or trashbag, and a small hole rubberbanded around the UV filter.

Henry Halifax · Sep 14, 2011

I use a clear shower cap on my SLR. They cost literally next to nothing and can wrap around a camera and lens. They come with a rubberband.

mablo · Sep 14, 2011

I use a Nikon FM. No need for rain cover.

jp80874 · Sep 14, 2011

You can use a large golf umbrella. Run the handle inside your shirt and under your belt. That should hold it in place unless there is a strong wind. In 1962 I was working in Germany for the summer. It rained the three days of Nurburgring, the German Grand Prix F1 races. I had what would now be a large heavy old fashion 300mm lens on a Pentax 35mm. The umbrella was red with large white dots. As I approached, people would first laugh and then realize that the camera and I were still dry.

John Powers

jp498 · Sep 14, 2011

As long as it's not blocking people's views, I think an umbrella would be ideal.

If it's on and off rain, like passing thunderstorms, just put the camera away or stand under an awning.

Gray weather is great for photography, as there are lots of photo possibilities without having to worry much about shadows. Many things are visually appealing or more interesting when wet too. (not just people)

bblhed · Sep 14, 2011

I like the Umbrella idea, but I would like to say that you should have a storage plan to go with it. Something that you can put the camera into when you are done shooting so that it stays dry.

TheFlyingCamera · Sep 14, 2011

You can do this with any large plastic bag - put the camera inside the bag, with the lens on. Remove any filter you have on the lens, pull the bag tight across the lens front, then screw the filter on. The filter threads will cut the plastic, but leave just enough edge for the filter to grip. Remove the filter, pull out the plug the filter cut from the bag, and re-install. Voila- instant raincoat for your camera! If you do it with a big trash bag, you can fit yourself and the camera inside (make sure to leave enough room at the bottom so you get air and don't suffocate). If you use a gallon or so size Ziploc, you can still fit the camera and your hands inside. They also sell clear plastic semi-re-useable rain ponchos at CVS for a couple bucks each. That might be an even better option.

PaulMD · Sep 15, 2011

mablo said:
I use a Nikon FM. No need for rain cover.

It's pretty doubtful AI/AIS lenses are weather sealed. Not only are you risking getting crap in your camera, but you could work water into your lens encouraging fungal growth or water vapor fogging.

removed account4 · Sep 15, 2011

a sombrero

removed-user-1 · Sep 15, 2011

The plastic bag tricks work really well and are very easy and inexpensive. No need to go buy a commercial product in my opinion.

PaulMD said:
you could work water into your lens encouraging fungal growth or water vapor fogging.

My 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor did indeed get water fogging in the rain forests of Costa Rica (I found out just why they are called that). What I did to solve this problem was leave the lens under a small floodlight for around an hour on both front and back. This seemed to evaporate the water. Lens is still working fine two years later.

2F/2F · Sep 15, 2011

A good rain overcoat and a good rain hat will help quite a lot. One of the many bag tricks that are posted will cover the rest. I am a fan of regular plastic shopping bags and/or static cling wrap. I also use a lens hood, of course. Gaffer tape is good for covering exposed odds and ends, and jointed/overlapping areas such as focusing collars on lenses or advance knobs.

Be sure to bring small dry towels for touching up water spots that hit the camera, and don't pack your camera away in a bag until it has dried out for some time first. Get some desiccant pouches if you can as well.

Toffle · Sep 15, 2011

My brother in law gave me a plastic tent with an "optical" plexiglass window from a surgery. (not stolen... they have to be discarded after opening ) A little cumbersome but it works.

terryw · Sep 15, 2011

The plastic bag idea is the best, I think

I use clear plastic office trash can liners and rubber bands. I do this on both film and digital cameras. I place the camera (even with a flash attached) inside the bag and tear an undersized hole for the lens, then put the rubber band around the outside. If I have the flash attached, I simply put a rubber band around the flash head and tighten the bag so that there is little air gap between the flash lens and the bag. Lastly, with the bag draped over the camera, I tear a small hole for the eyepiece. I usually remove the eyepiece, then secure the bag around the eyepiece socket with the eyepiece itself. One thing you can't argue with is the value and portability of this solution. Wad up a few with some rubber bands and stick them in your pocket. Throw them in the plastic recycling when you're done.

TheFlyingCamera · Sep 17, 2011

Of course the downside of any of these solutions is that they work best for hand-held cameras. Once you get into large format stuff, what do you do? A giant golf umbrella I guess...

jeffreyg · Sep 17, 2011

LF = Beach umbrella

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

budrichard · Sep 17, 2011

There are lots of ways and methods to keep rain off your equipment but simply put, unless you can afford monetarily and physiologically to expose your equipment to moisture, best to stay indoors.-Dick

bdial · Sep 17, 2011

Working only in good weather really limits your possibilities.
Most of the time, in the light, drizzly rain common here, I just keep the camera in the bag or under a jacket, except when shooting, and wipe off any moisture whenever I can. I've never had a problem, with ether electronics or all mechanical cameras.

On one outing with the view camera when a storm was pressing, I bought one of the extra large ziplocks sold for storing pillows and such in.
The rain stopped just in time though, and I didn't actually need to use it.

fstop · Sep 18, 2011

PaulMD said:
It's pretty doubtful AI/AIS lenses are weather sealed. Not only are you risking getting crap in your camera, but you could work water into your lens encouraging fungal growth or water vapor fogging.

its only a FM they are dime a dozen, put an e series on it and go for it

Photography in the Rain - ideas on the cheap?

holmburgers

Lee L

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hpulley

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holmburgers

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mablo

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jp498

bblhed

TheFlyingCamera

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2F/2F

Toffle

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Photography in the Rain - ideas on the cheap?

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