Do you use your cameras in the rain?

[StuartR]

When I was in Iceland this summer, the first three weeks rained every day. I had anticipated this, and I bought a rain cover for my R9/DMR. It was made for AF SLR's, so it was a bit hard to focus through (the clear plastic was not so clear. So I took an extra eyepiece (the R9 has slide on eyepieces) and super glued it to the plastic right where the camera's eyepiece would usually go. Then I cut a hole through the plastic on the inside of the eyepiece. This worked really well. When it rained, I would just pop off the eyecup on my camera, throw the raincover on, slide in the eyepiece on the raincover over the camera's finder, and I was good to go. The R9 and DMR worked great. Even after one day where I was shooting in the rain all day, the camera never skipped a beat. The eyepiece fogged up a little on the inside, but it went away after a few minutes of being out of the rain. And all this was in torrential downpour...

That one not so much because it was a great photo, but to show it was wet!

 

[jerry-harwood]

Well, I do use the M6 in all sorts of weather, some assignments you just have to get the picture, whatever the weather. try taking shots for a mag., in a soaking wet workshop, with a fine spray of water over everything, taking shots of an industrial water wheel ! Did i get wet- but the m6 functioned perfectly; I did give it a good wipe over though. Same for a Digilux 2, but that was in torrential rain !

 

[pshinkaw]

I try to keep my cameras dry, and I won't take a valuable camera out in the rain, but I do it from time to time.

This one was shot on a Pentax ME-Super, 50/2.0 Pentax-M, Fuji Superia 100, 1/250 @ f5.6.

-Paul

 

[Bike Tourist]

What exactly is rain?

They say our average annual rainfall here in Bakersfield is 5½ inches, but I've never actually seen any.

 

[jan normandale]

yes, mine's a Nikonos III

 

[RdEoSg]

I managed to freeze my 5D once... yes literaly frozen. It was covered in ice that I had to break off of the thing... Same for my 16-35L lens... After drying out, it worked just fine. I also got it completely drenched by rain, snow, and a massive puddle splashed on me on the same trip.. camera died instantly after the puddle, and then with in a half hour was warmed up and working fine again.

Oh ya.. I had my old EOS 1N drenched with water when someone dumped a bucket of water on it.. Anyone know who Rob Zombie is.. He did it He offered to pay for my camera if it was broken. He was so worried!! It was fine.

 

[robert blu]

I use sometimes my camera in the rain, when my wife keep the umbrella.
ciao, rob

 

[RdEoSg]

If I asked my girlfriend to hold the umbrella for me, she would just say "I'm taking photos too, hold the bloody thing yerself!"

 

[robert blu]

RdEoSg: it happens to me sometimes as well, but do not tell it to my friends...

 

[RdEoSg]

Your secret is safe.

 

[dagabel]

How about one of those umbrella hats?

http://www.stupid.com/stat/UMBR.html

 

[Biber]

Yes, although I usually try to shield the lens. I even find myself exposing cameras to heavy rain or snow just to see if they can handle it, that way I won't have to worry about some water when I should focus on taking pictures...

 

[Cooki]

sometimes a sudden storm makes it just a little more interesting:angel:

 

[jaapv]

Hey- It's a tool. I do take care, like returning them to the bag when not shooting and keeping them out of the worst part, but yes, rain,snow on a walk past Victoria falls (that is so wet they rent out raincoats at the entrance) and never had a problem, not even with my highly electronic Canon 10D. My Leica's don't bother me at all and never gave me a problem for decades. The only thing I don't like to use them in is sand, like high wind on the beach. I keep an old Canon Eos 600 for that.

 

[Dougg]

When we visit the island of Maui, it's usually late November, and light brief rain showers are frequent. I try to keep the camera gear protected somewhat, but a little rain has never bothered those with internal electronics, even my wife's digi-cam. About the wettest event was a winter storm on the north shore with huge breakers splashing maybe 25 feet high as they hit the rocky shore. I was trying to capture the dramatic sprays of seawater, and of course had to get close. The camera got pretty wet that time though I tried not to be IN the wave! I cleaned the salt spray off it; that was probably 20 years ago and the camera (P67) is still fine, none the worse for the experience.
Here's a shot of a damp hillside between showers... (Bronica RF645. 65mm)

 

[Stu W]

I don't bring my Leicas out in the rain. I used my Pentax LX once to get some nice snow/rain shots-the LX is supposed to be able to take it. The camera was fine but the lens was waterlogged. It dried out, but I won't do it again. I have a Pentax aps that I use in lousy weather-aps's do work well. Stu

 

[DougK]

Yes, I do. I spent most of my life in the Pacific Northwest so I tend to ignore rain unless it's a torrential downpour. I've never had a problem with any of my gear other than perhaps some fogging on the outer surface of the lens. I won't take my gear into sandy beach conditions though unless it's a fixed lens camera.

 

[sf]

I use it when it rains outside just as any other day. It rains most of the time here in Seattle during the fall, winter, and spring (9 months out of the year).

I don't shoot IN the rain, but I'm not afraid to use the camera outside if I can protect it somehow. DUring my Euro=trip, I used a hat to cover the camera while shooting. Got used to it. Works pretty well.

 

[raid]

Some of the most interesting photos can be taken immediately after the strong rain ends and there are only some rain drops falling. My wife and older daughter both love the rain, so when it rains, I drive to the beaches. The same thing happend this morning to us; during the rain we drove around and once the rain got manageable,we stepped outside the car. A lens hood helps keep the front of the lens dry.


Raid

 

[VinceC]

I usually carry a plastic bag in my pocket so that, if the rain gets really heavy, I can use the bag to protect the camera.