mdwsta4
Matty Westside
Or, you know, just shoot...
One shot from that roll
One shot from that roll
Tactics for photographing in the rain - with a rangefinder
- Thread starter dugrant153
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:: Mark
Well-known
Brilliant! And somehow it seems strangely in keeping with the rangefinder ethos of weird and clunky add-ons... ;-)
To those advocating shooting without protection in the rain, I am not sure that I would be very happy to have an expensive, unsealed lens drenched in water for any length of time.
Ranchu
Veteran
:dance: :dance:
oculus
Member
Yes, Exactly.
Huss
Veteran
Pancake lens, slip it under your jacket. Zone focus.
dugrant153
Established
Options:
Options:
Options:
Nikonos – Not very practical for me as I need the accuracy of the rangefinder for the work I do (I tend to shoot close to wide open). Would be cool if I went scuba diving though!
Umbrella and one-handed – This was my original approach and perhaps I need an umbrella chest strap or something but I can’t use both hands on the Leica rangefinder to focus and shoot (I’ve tried using my pinky to grab the focusing tab while also straddling the winder and the shutter button but… that was more finger gymnastics than I needed). I could pre-focus but my distance guessing kind of sucks … and DOF is usually really thin at F2.0 and below.
Camera bag – noting that water would be trapped if I did this but currently I keep my Leicas in pouches close to my body with flaps to cover them. However, every time I opened my pouch, I’d be letting water in… unless I had an umbrella on me… but now I have one hand on the umbrella……..
Under the Jacket – This sort of works. I don’t have cameras on straps anymore due to shoulder issues, which of course complicates matters. Wouldn’t my body heat plus moisture cause condensation issues?
Ever-Ready Case – Tried this and it has come in very handy. Adds bulk to the rangefinder but does the job. I have to fumble to take the front covering off but once I do, I’m ready to go usually.
Move to the desert - …. Ummm….
Plastic shopping bags and gaffers tap - Guess you’d have to poke two holes for the rangefinder windows, eh? This would be my preferred method but didn’t think I could practically put on a shopping bag on a rangefinder (although works well for SLR).
These questions all stem from a recent assignment I had covering a parade that began to experience rain. In practice , I took my chances and let my Leica and Fuji get rained on. They were OK for the most part (I kept it close to my body, tucked under my arm) but had to take time to dry them out with silicon packets and a dry box when I got home.
If it’s monsoon rain, like in SE Asia, I’d probably be under some cover rather than venture out into nature's bathtub. Chances are I’d quit from being all wet before my camera does. Thankfully the film Leicas are more mechanical as that helps alleviate my fears or shorting something.
I'm still not entirely sure of what I'm going to do yet. That tiny camera umbrella seems like a good idea though. I think the ideal would be some sort of umbrella chest strap to keep my umbrella tight against my body, which would leave both my hands available for operating and storing the cameras.
Options:
Options:
Nikonos – Not very practical for me as I need the accuracy of the rangefinder for the work I do (I tend to shoot close to wide open). Would be cool if I went scuba diving though!
Umbrella and one-handed – This was my original approach and perhaps I need an umbrella chest strap or something but I can’t use both hands on the Leica rangefinder to focus and shoot (I’ve tried using my pinky to grab the focusing tab while also straddling the winder and the shutter button but… that was more finger gymnastics than I needed). I could pre-focus but my distance guessing kind of sucks … and DOF is usually really thin at F2.0 and below.
Camera bag – noting that water would be trapped if I did this but currently I keep my Leicas in pouches close to my body with flaps to cover them. However, every time I opened my pouch, I’d be letting water in… unless I had an umbrella on me… but now I have one hand on the umbrella……..
Under the Jacket – This sort of works. I don’t have cameras on straps anymore due to shoulder issues, which of course complicates matters. Wouldn’t my body heat plus moisture cause condensation issues?
Ever-Ready Case – Tried this and it has come in very handy. Adds bulk to the rangefinder but does the job. I have to fumble to take the front covering off but once I do, I’m ready to go usually.
Move to the desert - …. Ummm….
Plastic shopping bags and gaffers tap - Guess you’d have to poke two holes for the rangefinder windows, eh? This would be my preferred method but didn’t think I could practically put on a shopping bag on a rangefinder (although works well for SLR).
These questions all stem from a recent assignment I had covering a parade that began to experience rain. In practice , I took my chances and let my Leica and Fuji get rained on. They were OK for the most part (I kept it close to my body, tucked under my arm) but had to take time to dry them out with silicon packets and a dry box when I got home.
If it’s monsoon rain, like in SE Asia, I’d probably be under some cover rather than venture out into nature's bathtub. Chances are I’d quit from being all wet before my camera does. Thankfully the film Leicas are more mechanical as that helps alleviate my fears or shorting something.
I'm still not entirely sure of what I'm going to do yet. That tiny camera umbrella seems like a good idea though. I think the ideal would be some sort of umbrella chest strap to keep my umbrella tight against my body, which would leave both my hands available for operating and storing the cameras.
ruby.monkey
Veteran
Richard G
Veteran
I do this a lot. The issue with light rain is that it may not stay light. I use a rain jacket and have the camera around my neck and it slides inside the coat. But I'll take an umbrella too. I should say, the umbrella. Melbourne is very windy. I have had English umbrellas for thirty years that have a thick wooden shaft continuous with the handle. These are great in strong winds. This sort of umbrella also allows much better control of the umbrella with one hand on the shaft at the same time as holding the camera. Thin metal shafts are no purchase on the whole umbrella, and are dangerous to people nearby. If I'm out without the rain jacket, then I just hold the camera high under the canopy, chin level, strap around my wrist as the strap can't be made very short. In Michael Markey's avatar you'll see he has a very short neck strap: I'm sure rain is the reason.
pyeh
Member of good standing
You can get rain jackets designed especially for photographers, by companies like Manfrotto and Cooph. They have a huge pockets for your gear (as it were) and a giant extendable visor built into the hood that extends out over your camera when you're shooting. They are pretty dorky though.
The Cooph jacket even has a big zip in the side so you can reach in and grab your camera if it's slung under the coat.
The Cooph jacket even has a big zip in the side so you can reach in and grab your camera if it's slung under the coat.
GarageBoy
Well-known
Those who just shoot with no protection over the camera - hope you don't get haze, corrosion, and lens fungus
As tough as Leicas are - they're not sealed at all - it's still a precision instrument (that's why you bought it) and requires care - like a surveyor's total station - meant to be tough enough to survive job sites, but doesn't mean you should drop it into mud
I like the ziploc with holes cut in method
As tough as Leicas are - they're not sealed at all - it's still a precision instrument (that's why you bought it) and requires care - like a surveyor's total station - meant to be tough enough to survive job sites, but doesn't mean you should drop it into mud
I like the ziploc with holes cut in method
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
I stand under an awning, or shoot through a window.
