Bessa & Rain

[bmicklea]

Has anyone done much shooting in the rain with their Bessa? I was caught in a storm the other day and fired off a couple of quick shots but I really rushed things for fear of ruining the camera in the rain. Am I paranoid? Is the camera fairly rain-proof? Other than wiping it down is there anything I should do if it gets wet again?

 

[kully]

I would not do it on purpose, but I've a pint all over my R2a (it was hanging vertically from the t-winder) and i just wiped it down the next day. Nothing got into internals I could see.

However, I wouldn't do it again, I can imagine water getting under the frame selector, shutter release &c. &c.

I think you and I were lucky.

 

[lubitel]

If you fired a few shots in a storm, then I think you are not as paranoid as me 🙂 I use it sometimes in very light rain, but not when its pouring down.

I had a poll about this a few months ago:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17641&highlight=rain

 

[thafred]

.last time in the rain was two weeks ago, i was carrying my Bessa R on the wrist strap and only capped the lens (J8) so it did´t get raindrops on it. after nearly an hour in the wet the viewfinder was hazing so I guess it isn´t waterproof sealed (surprise 😉 maybe R2/3 is betterin this regard ) it cleared up in short time at home and the camera worked perfectly all the time. no amazing pictures thou from the trip..

I have my R since a Year now and must say that I trust the camera very much! survived some hard hit´s and my messy bag

regards

 

[bmicklea]

Thanks all, common sense sounds like the best guide. Sounds like the Bessas are at least reasonably water-tight. And luckily they're not ridiculously expensive...

(Thanks for the link to the poll Lubitel - for some reason I didn't see that in my search).

 

[BrianPhotog]

There's been nothing but downpour in Taipei for the last week, so I haven't a choice if I want to take pics outside. Anyway, a new 28/1.9+pouring rain+night time neon= can't resist! 😉

I'm not worried. After shooting I just take the cameras inside to dry out. Haven't had any issues yet.

 

[marknyc]

I would not stand with in pouring rain, but not afraid of a little drizzle and a quick wipe down. But, I'd err on the side of keeping under cover whenever you can.

 

[anabasis]

My biggest fear about mechanical cameras in the rain is that water will get into the internals. While the damage might not be immediately apparent as it would be with an electronic camera, corrosion on the internals could be a fatal condition. I would avoid rain if possible with all cameras unless sealed.

JCA

 

[robertdfeinman]

Plastic bags with a hole cut for the lens to stick out are a quick solution.
Some people hold the bag on using a filter or the lens hood.

They take no space in your bag so why not fit one to your needs and leave it there?

 

[kshapero]

Constantly hit with surprise downpours, sometimes intense for twenty minutes or so. Never a problem, just wipe it down. Sea water, a whole different story. Salt can do permanent damage. Pay heed.

 

[BrianPhotog]

Constantly hit with surprise downpours, sometimes intense for twenty minutes or so. Never a problem, just wipe it down. Sea water, a whole different story. Salt can do permanent damage. Pay heed.

Doesn't even need to get wet. Salt in the air just being near the ocean can damage metals over time

 

[Macpod]

any good waterproof bags that would fit the bessas? most popular slrs have one but i havent heard of one that was made for rangefinders.

 

[matteaton]

I was trying to shoot some waves hitting the rocks on holiday earlier this summer with a bessa R + 15mm f4.5 Heliar when suddenly I got hit by a huge wave bigger than I was expecting. I got drenched from head to toe and so did the camera. Literally covered it in salt water. Wiped it down and it was fine.

Then a few weeks ago I was out shooting street with some friends and it started raining. I didn't have a bag with me and we were nowhere near shelter so I had no choice. I kept on shooting in the rain for about an hour, got some interesting photos and didn't have any problems at all with the camera.

In short, Bessa R's are, in my experience, fine in the rain. No problems at all.

 

[Fred]

Bessas I guess are the same as most cameras these days, no they are not waterproof, care should be taken not to get them imersed in water . A heavy rain shower followed by a sensible drying out period should be absolutely fine. A great camera that should be used to capture good images, regardless of the conditions. Just common sense I guess. I'm just as paranoid of damage though.

 

[kully]

any good waterproof bags that would fit the bessas? most popular slrs have one but i havent heard of one that was made for rangefinders.

I don't know if they sell them any more, but my Dad had one which screwed into the filter ring and you then pulled it back to cover the whole camera and lens - only the element was left unprotected.

Thinking back - it may have been homemade 😉

 

[tedwhite]

I did my last two years of college at San Diego State University and lived in South Mission Beach (a two block wide finger of land between ocean and bay). My place was on the ocean side. I had a Fiat and I had a narrow parking place protected by a two foot seawall and the car faced the sea. As prevailing winds are from the west, when I graduated two years later the car was junk.

Wet salt air apparently presents a considerable danger to anything metal.

Didn't have a Bessa then, of course, as they didn't exist. But recently I have shot in the rain with no noticeable effect on the Bessa.

Yesterday I found I could shoot with a light umbrella. Simply held its little handle tight against the camera.

Ted

 

[matteaton]

oh yeah, of course I splashed it with some tap water to wash off the salt. My point was that they can take on quite a lot of water before you get it inside the camera.