Shooting in the rain.

Dangerspouse

Dangerspouse

Senior Member
We've had a lot of rain here the past few days, and more is expected today and tomorrow. I originally was going to go out and takes some pictures in it, having read that the D500 is pretty well weather sealed. But...what about the lenses? I've seen videos of nature photographers doing their thing out in the rain with their $$$ pro lenses. But what about my little collection of kit and economy lenses? Will they stand up to it?
 
TwistedThrottle

TwistedThrottle

Senior Member
Yeesh, I wouldn't chance it without some sort of external protection. Maybe with a prime lenses with the weather seal gasket, but even then, how much trust do you put on your camera not getting damaged through the lens? I would not trust any DX camera lens and only FX if it says it's fully weather sealed. It seems one of the ways to keep DX lenses cheap is because they are not fully weather sealed. Caught in a drizzle while you are out is a little different than marching into a deluge. I would suggest snagging a ThinkTank emergency rain cover if you just gotta get the shot. It covers the body and lens and there are different sizes for different camera/lens combos. I grabbed one to have in the camera bag, but have not had the need to use it yet. If you do go out, it's probably good practice to keep the camera protected as much as possible. Shoot under an umbrella, keep the camera wiped down with a dry microfiber, have a bunch of those moisture absorber packets in the camera bag, etc. If you shoot with an air pumper lens, don't retract it when its wet (or dusty). Wipe it off first. When you get home, set everything out to dry in a well ventilated area, not in the camera bag.
 
L

lucien

Senior Member
I beg to differ. Pentax sells bodies and lens fully weather sealed. But this isn't a pentax forum. But you still have to wipe off the rain drops. Olympus might be another company that sells fully weather sealed gear.
 
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TwistedThrottle

TwistedThrottle

Senior Member
Umm, ok. So go grab a pentax camera and a pentax lens to shoot in the rain. Who cares if that stuff gets ruined, LOL!

Not really though (I was recently just given an old Pentax K1000 film camera by my in-laws they bought new in the early 70's and would be devastated if anything happened to it)


I don't know anything about those systems and if their kit lenses are fully weather sealed, cool. Nikon DX lenses do not have the same weather sealing FX weather sealed lenses have. Im talking about lenses like the 300PF, 500PF, 400f4, etc. Lenses that cost more than the body. Lenses that are meant to be brought to the rainforest mounted on the D500 the OP is talking about. Again, caught in a drizzle is different than intentionally going out in the rain unprotected, fully relying on the camera and lens to be the only protection.
 
L

lucien

Senior Member
I was referring to their mid range cams and not kit lens ie k-3, k-5, k-7 and the wr series of lens. I should have been more specific regarding which bodies and which lens. But point taken. Who gives away weather sealing for free? The person would also have to invest into another system.
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I use the Think Tank Emergency Rain Cover although I haven't used it during heavy rain. The small just fits my 300mm f/4 PF with an attached TC. When I use it with my 24-120mm f/4, there's a lot of excess material bunched up. So it's plenty long for my gear.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._photo_740618_emergency_rain_cover_small.html

There are also less expensive rain covers available. At a minimum, use the thickest grocery or store bag with some method of securing it around the lens hood. Painter's tape works. ;)

One day while I was out in a snow storm, I didn't realize my Think Tank cover would fit my 300mm f/4 PF so I used that lens coupled with my D7200 without any protection. That's when a little snow must have gotten down in the shutter button area causing the body to no AF with any lens. It worked perfectly in BBF though. Then I did that camera body reset that someone here mentioned, and it resolved the issue completely. So even though the gear is listed as weather sealed, it isn't waterproof.
 
TwistedThrottle

TwistedThrottle

Senior Member
Marilynne said:
This was in my e-mail today
https://www.shutterbug.com/content/keep-your-camera-yourself-dry-wearable-umbrella-canope
Click to expand...

I've seen something like this before. The deluxe model comes with a whack-a-mole mallet, a cooling fan and flowers for the accidental whacks



MV5BMTc1MWExYmYtMDI3Yy00ZmIxLTg4OTMtODIzZjRjOGExMGY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA3MzQ4MTg5._V1_.jpg



Go go gadget umbrella!
 
nikonpup

nikonpup

Senior Member
​​​​​​why look like a dork shooting with a plastic bag when you can look like a pro shooting with a rainsleeve. :)
 
Dangerspouse

Dangerspouse

Senior Member
Thanks everyone for the great product suggestions, and general tips! Very much appreciated...except for maybe the Inspector Gadget one ;)
 
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