F-803 in the rainy season?

[Rafael]

I'm off to Venezuela in a couple of weeks and will arrive right smack in the rainy season. This essentially means that we will get at least one major downpour per day. I have never photographed in these conditions and am wondering about the right bag for the trip. I usually carry my gear in a Safrotto F-803. The bag is well sprayed with Nikwax and has never had a problem with Canadian rain. But the Venezuelan rainy season may be a different matter. Has anyone here used a Domke bag in similar conditions? How did it fare? Can anyone suggest another bag that can handle this kind of rain but is also as low-key as the Domke satchels? I will be carrying an M body with 35-50-90, film, and a Minolta autometer IVf.

Also, if anyone has other suggestions for shooting in this kind of weather, I will be very grateful for them.

 

[peter_n]

How many spray coats of Nikwax?

 

[Rafael]

I sprayed it three times.

 

[amateriat]

Well, my (untreated) cotton-duck F803 has been through some nasty downpours (with gear mostly dry), but I imagine Venezuela is a whole 'nother kind of rain. The ballistic nylon version of the 803 might fare better, but I can't say for sure. One thing I'd advise doing is having at least a few heavy-duty zip-lock bags with a silica-gel pack in them for stashing the gear in the event of something just short of a washout. There are certain situations where almost no bag can handle things by itself.


- Barrett

 

[peter_n]

Same number I sprayed mine. I'm going to Fiji in a few weeks and I'm thinking of giving my bag another couple of coats. I'm taking the canvas Domke though. If you are really worried I would look at a medium Timbuk2 satchel (waterproof) and put your Safrotto insert into it, that might work for you. You'll find them in outdoor stores like REI.

 

[saxshooter]

YMMV, but having lived in Southeast Asia for 10 years and 10 rainy seasons, I had to be very careful of leaving lenses in damp canvas Domke bags for extended periods of time. It is an invitation for fungus. I would always try to take the lenses out of the bag, or at a minimum leave the top of the bag open when I got to the office or back home, to encourage "drying out" (which can be a challenge in a humid environment)a. Ballistic nylon Domkes helped, but I eventually switched to Billingham, which I found to repel water better. Their black with black piping photo satchel worked for me.

 

[Rafael]

Thanks for the suggestions guys (have a great trip to Fiji Peter!).