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Is rain your worst enemy?
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:28 am    Post subject: Is rain your worst enemy? Reply with quote

My friend got bumped by another car today when she was giving me a ride home... I took out my camera in the rain to take some pictures of the damage. How damaging is it to the lens to be in contact with the rain? Is it going to suck in some moisture when I'm focusing causing fungus to grow? my camera bag was also out in the air a lot today.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It depends on so many things.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

martinsmith99 wrote:
It depends on so many things.

like? can you give example when you use your gear in the rain?


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rain is not as bad as sea water.

Of course, it all depends on how heavily it was raining. If a lens gets completely soaked, it's not good.
Some drops here and there won't do any serious harm.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm quite paranoid about keeping rain from my old mf lenses, I've no idea how easily water could get inside but I don't want to risk it.

My 7D, on the other hand, is weather-proof so it can sit in the rain all day. Cool


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use my gear in the rain all the time, we've had to this summer ! Sad I do try and keep it as dry as I can, and I usually have a pocket full of paper towels if I go out in the rain so i wipe the camera dry before it goes back in my bag, pocket or under my coat.
I buy my wet weather jacket with photography in mind, I get a larger size so the camera on it's side strap goes under the coat, I look for huge pockets so I can get smaller cameras and lenses in them, and I like them long; down to my knees if possible. I've got a few Gore Tex mountain / outdoor coats, but they are built for walking and don't work for me, what I use is the country gent's favourite, a horse riders wax jacket. It's huge and has pockets big enough for a pheasant. And kept waxed is as waterproof as any Gore Tex. I love it.

I don't stop walking in the country and woods around here just because it's raining, and I haven't lost any equipment due to rain yet. I loved my Pentax for it's weather seals, the NEX isn't sealed so I'm more careful. The important thing is to let it dry once you get it indoors again with plenty of air circulation. I've got a small cheap dehumidifier and I put wet gear alongside it for a day before I put it away again.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LucisPictor wrote:
Rain is not as bad as sea water.

Of course, it all depends on how heavily it was raining. If a lens gets completely soaked, it's not good.
Some drops here and there won't do any serious harm.

+1


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rain water is able to corrode coating.
Once I messed up the coating of a Minolta MD 50/1.4 because I forgot to dry a bunch of raindrops
But not every coating is that sensitive.
If water gets inside be aware of fungus

My advice, dry the glas of your lens with a microfiber towel, no matter if it's tap water, rain water, sea water,...
Don't get me wrong! I like it to photograph during crap weather


Lenses and cameras are not made of sugar and a few raindrops won't hurt your gear, as long as your body doesnt get soaked and you dry everything carefully afterwards

This is also very helpful:


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Victor Nguyen wrote:
martinsmith99 wrote:
It depends on so many things.

like? can you give example when you use your gear in the rain?

How heavy the rain is.
How waterproof your kit is.
How much you care about your equipment.
How much do you really need that shot.
What I've had for breakfast.

I'm fussy about kit so when it rains I put all my kit away, except my 2 weatherproof 35mm cameras. I bought them for that specific task.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't mind about rain, I bought my tools to use them, and they'll surely be still around after I'm gone.
I love shooting under the rain!

#1


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How heavy the rain is: It was medium rain. Not sprinkling but not pouring

How waterproof your kit is: Canon 550d and Samyang 35mm f 1.4. I don't care about the camera, but I do worried about Samyang build quality sometimes and the rain doesn't help.

How much you care about your equipment: As much as a broke, starving college student.

How much do you really need that shot: I really need it to take picture in case they go to court.

What I've had for breakfast: Bacon and eggs.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@ Orio, do you use umbrella for those shots?


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Better to keep equipment dry but a few raindrops don't matter, can easy dry quick, carry a napkin. Otherwise use camera raincoat, or umbrella for prolonged rain use. After all, equipment can fully dry in dry box.

Maybe more than rain because also a dry weather problem, is abrupt temperature changes -- condensation happens when warm moist air meets cooler metal & glass surfaces. Before bring cold equipment into warm place, avoid condensation by seal equipment in plastic baggie, let baggie equipment warm before unseal.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, if it's raining and you need to take a photo, take it.
Try to get as sheltered as you can, and if you can't try to be quick.
Carefully dry your equipment before storing it, and avoid quick passages from cold to hot areas.
After you dried your equipment store it correctly, in dry ambient exposed to uv light.
If you manage to do this, you won't probably have any big problems.
Another thing that I do is trying to use the lenses that seem more resistant/in better condition: for example, if it's raining and I have to take a photo, I try not to use my 1959 auto-takumar 2.3/35: even though it's a beautifully built lens, it gives me less confidence than some newer ones in hard conditions.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Old "trick of the servant" Laughing :

- take one of those small plastic bags used to store food in the freezer

- cut the bottom of it (so to have two open ends)

- shorten it around the approximate lenght of the lens at maximum extension (nearest focusing distance)

- insert lens in it through one of the apertures

- wrap around the lens and keep in place putting one or two flat rubber bands around the focusing ring and filter ring (if they
rotate together) or focusing ring only (if filter ring does not rotate when focusing).

- use a UV filter in front of front lens.

That's it Smile


PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aldi UK are selling TODAY 18th Oct - these big dehumidifier packs in a plastic tray, I've used these around our house for many years ( It's very old and poorly insulated ) and they do draw a lot of moisture out of the atmosphere.

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_27073.htm

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_27071.htm

I'm going to stock up on refills in the morning. I've got a proper electric dehumidifier, but these are a very good and cheap alternative.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:
Better to keep equipment dry but a few raindrops don't matter, can easy dry quick, carry a napkin. Otherwise use camera raincoat, or umbrella for prolonged rain use. After all, equipment can fully dry in dry box.

Maybe more than rain because also a dry weather problem, is abrupt temperature changes -- condensation happens when warm moist air meets cooler metal & glass surfaces. Before bring cold equipment into warm place, avoid condensation by seal equipment in plastic baggie, let baggie equipment warm before unseal.


What if I put it in my camera bag, and let my camera bag warm up before taking all the lenses out?


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I went to Lake District early this summer it was drizzling. I was using my NEX 5 with SEL 16mm. I tried to keep the camera dry by wiping with a handkerchief and nothing happened at first. But after a week or so I spotted all around the LCD some damage as the rain water must have seeped in. Luckily it doesn't reach the display but just on the frame so it is mostly cosmetic. But if it was heavy rain I think it would have been worse. For better weather sealed cameras I don't think a drizzle would cause too many issues. I used to use my old 350D quite roughly but nothing has happened to it.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My NEX5 is badly marked all the way around the display screen, I believe it's common 'wear and tear' if, like me, you don't have a protector screen on top.
Mine has been out in all weathers, but I do try to keep it dry, it certainly hasn't had the soakings my old K10 had. I don't think the wet is causing the display damage.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Victor Nguyen wrote:
visualopsins wrote:
Better to keep equipment dry but a few raindrops don't matter, can easy dry quick, carry a napkin. Otherwise use camera raincoat, or umbrella for prolonged rain use. After all, equipment can fully dry in dry box.

Maybe more than rain because also a dry weather problem, is abrupt temperature changes -- condensation happens when warm moist air meets cooler metal & glass surfaces. Before bring cold equipment into warm place, avoid condensation by seal equipment in plastic baggie, let baggie equipment warm before unseal.


What if I put it in my camera bag, and let my camera bag warm up before taking all the lenses out?


That works for me. Maybe need more seal if cold is freezing and warm is steamy. My bag seals enough to move from snowing into dry air of wood-stove heated room, but maybe not enough seal to move from air conditioner into warm wet tropical rainforest.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloydy wrote:
My NEX5 is badly marked all the way around the display screen, I believe it's common 'wear and tear' if, like me, you don't have a protector screen on top.
Mine has been out in all weathers, but I do try to keep it dry, it certainly hasn't had the soakings my old K10 had. I don't think the wet is causing the display damage.


Maybe then the displays are not made upto a very high standard, which is a shame for an otherwise excellent all metal body. The only reasons I thought it was rain was that it happened almost a week after that, and the camera had been sitting in the bag all that time. I then bought an LCD protector and put it on (of course too late but at least prevent any further damage!).


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

martinsmith99 wrote:

What I've had for breakfast.

you have a breakfast? lucky bastard! Wink


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bhargav wrote:
Lloydy wrote:
My NEX5 is badly marked all the way around the display screen, I believe it's common 'wear and tear' if, like me, you don't have a protector screen on top.
Mine has been out in all weathers, but I do try to keep it dry, it certainly hasn't had the soakings my old K10 had. I don't think the wet is causing the display damage.


Maybe then the displays are not made upto a very high standard, which is a shame for an otherwise excellent all metal body. The only reasons I thought it was rain was that it happened almost a week after that, and the camera had been sitting in the bag all that time. I then bought an LCD protector and put it on (of course too late but at least prevent any further damage!).


Looking at my viewing screen through a loupe, after cleaning it with a lens wipe, I think mine is losing the anti glare coating. All around the edges it's worn away, and it looks exactly the same as the few scratches across the screen.
I think this is from carrying the NEX on a side strap and letting it rub against my clothing. I'm kinda resigned to the fact that this is something that I'll have to put up with if I want to carry and use my camera the way I do. The damaged coating doesn't bother me at all, I still use the focus peaking and everything perfectly well, which I couldn't do through someone else's NEX with a protective cover. I've seen replacement screens fairly cheap, if mine gets too bad to use I'll just change it.
I used mine in the rain again today, but with a bit of care it stayed dry.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloydy wrote:
bhargav wrote:
Lloydy wrote:
My NEX5 is badly marked all the way around the display screen, I believe it's common 'wear and tear' if, like me, you don't have a protector screen on top.
Mine has been out in all weathers, but I do try to keep it dry, it certainly hasn't had the soakings my old K10 had. I don't think the wet is causing the display damage.


Maybe then the displays are not made upto a very high standard, which is a shame for an otherwise excellent all metal body. The only reasons I thought it was rain was that it happened almost a week after that, and the camera had been sitting in the bag all that time. I then bought an LCD protector and put it on (of course too late but at least prevent any further damage!).


Looking at my viewing screen through a loupe, after cleaning it with a lens wipe, I think mine is losing the anti glare coating. All around the edges it's worn away, and it looks exactly the same as the few scratches across the screen.
I think this is from carrying the NEX on a side strap and letting it rub against my clothing. I'm kinda resigned to the fact that this is something that I'll have to put up with if I want to carry and use my camera the way I do. The damaged coating doesn't bother me at all, I still use the focus peaking and everything perfectly well, which I couldn't do through someone else's NEX with a protective cover. I've seen replacement screens fairly cheap, if mine gets too bad to use I'll just change it.
I used mine in the rain again today, but with a bit of care it stayed dry.


OK, so mine is exactly same. Anti glare coating has rubbed off around edges. Well good to know they're not too expensive to replace! But I don't plan to sell it as won't get much for it anyway so might as well use it without worrying too much!


PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A little transparent plastic bag is enought. A large lensshade (square one, please).

I prefer an old RF film camera like the yashica with 1,4 lens. Or one digital with that kind of lens. With the RF is easy to see under the rain and with the not so sharp lens, lovely images.