Rain, Rain ... Weather Sealing

[IanCD]

Not much choice but to risk the rain these past couple of weeks, here... so had my camera (D7000) out in a couple of showers, then wondered how good the weather/moisture sealing is... seems I needn't have worried: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFTxF8VxXag

Still wouldn't do that, though... would you..?!!
Ian

[beckyhumphries]

Great clip Ian, although they missed a trick by not showing the camera actually working after that downpour

I'm a bit of a fair weather photographer so maybe I need one of these to rid me of my excuses for not going out on a typical rainy english day!

Still not sure I would ever subject the poor camera to that amount of rain though

Rebecca

[herbert]

Still wouldn't do that, though... would you..?!!

As a Canon user I have no problem putting anyone's Nikon camera out in the rain all night.

It would have been a better video if it had shown the camera working with all the buttons being constantly pressed. It could have been a dead camera.

Alex

[MrB]

Similar test here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpjPqIE7e6s

Philip

[carloshpvp]

Anyone know which Nikon lenses are weather resistant to match with the WR of the camera body? I think the kit lens that comes with the D7000 is not weather sealed...

[Colin Southern]

As a Canon user I have no problem putting anyone's Nikon camera out in the rain all night.

Reminds me of an old joke; An American was talking with a Russian. The American said "here in America we have true freedom. I can stand in the middle of times square and shout DOWN WITH THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT and nobody will arrest me" To which the Russian replied: "here in Russia we have freedom too. Nobody will arrest me if I stand in the middle of Red Square and shout DOWN WITH THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT"!

[Colin Southern]

Not much choice but to risk the rain these past couple of weeks, here... so had my camera (D7000) out in a couple of showers, then wondered how good the weather/moisture sealing is... seems I needn't have worried: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFTxF8VxXag

Still wouldn't do that, though... would you..?!!
Ian

I don't get too upset if mine gets wet, but I do tend to think of "full weather sealing" as being more "insurance" than something I go out of my way to test. They may have lots of gaskets and seals ... but that doesn't mean to say that all of them are working perfectly.

[IanCD]

It would have been a better video if it had shown the camera working with all the buttons being constantly pressed. It could have been a dead camera.
Alex

Try this one

[dan marchant]

Not sure which forum (don't think it was CiC) but there was a post I read recently from someone whose weather sealed camera stopped working properly after they used it in the rain. When they sent it in for repair they were informed that the warranty didn't cover water damage even though the pr blurb specifically states that it is weather sealed. If you are going to use your camera in the rain check the small print of the warranty or, better yet, get a rain cover.

[Colin Southern]

Not sure which forum (don't think it was CiC) but there was a post I read recently from someone whose weather sealed camera stopped working properly after they used it in the rain. When they sent it in for repair they were informed that the warranty didn't cover water damage even though the pr blurb specifically states that it is weather sealed.

To the best of my knowledge, only the 1D series have full weather sealing; the rest are "Dust and Moisture resistant".

[rpcrowe]

There is a grat deal of diference between being waterproof and water resistant.

However I use all my 1.6x cameras/lenses in the rain with no problem. I shot for ten days of solid rain and drizzle in Alaska with no camera problems because I used a camera rain cover made by Kata...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Pro_Light.html

I will admit though, I shoot a heck of a lot more and shoot more often in decent weather conditions than I do in the rain. With the Kata cover, the camera remained drier and more comfortable than I did...

[Geoff F]

I mentioned previously that my Canon 7D had to have a new main circuit board. I'm not sure of the cause but a few weeks earlier my Lowenpro camera bag got slightly wet, although the camera wasn't used in wet conditions or actually placed in water.

So I don't know how good the 7D sealing is; but I'm now keeping a large plastic bin bag in my backpack just in case I get caught in the rain again.

[rpcrowe]

Geoff,

A bit more expensive than a bin bag (but still quite reasonable in price) is the Optech Rainsleeve which costs about $6.50 U.S. dollars for two here in the USA. I always have a pair of these in the back pocket of my photo vest. They fold up really small and weigh next to nothing.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

However, if I am going out intentionally to shoot in the rain (which I try not to do) I will take my Kata Cover.

[Hero]

To the best of my knowledge, only the 1D series have full weather sealing; the rest are "Dust and Moisture resistant".

Well there is this one Nikon camera, but you are forgiven for overlooking it. Hardly anyone knows it even exists.

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/waterproo...k-62111050.htm

[Colin Southern]

Well there is this one Nikon camera, but you are forgiven for overlooking it. Hardly anyone knows it even exists.

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/waterproo...k-62111050.htm

Sorry, I was only talking Canon lineup. I spent many years as a SCUBA diving instructor (my "life" before my aviation "life" before my photography "life") and knew of the Nikonos (and their excellent accessories) well; very much wanted to buy a system back in those days.

Do they still make them?

[Hero]

Sorry, I was only talking Canon lineup.

Woops my bad, D1/1D

I spent many years as a SCUBA diving instructor (my "life" before my aviation "life" before my photography "life") and knew of the Nikonos (and their excellent accessories) well; very much wanted to buy a system back in those days.

Do they still make them?

Well since this model was for military use, things around the 425m and possible successor(s) are all a bit secretive. But I sure hope something similar is still being made.

[Geoff F]

Geoff,

A bit more expensive than a bin bag (but still quite reasonable in price) is the Optech Rainsleeve which costs about $6.50 U.S. dollars for two here in the USA. I always have a pair of these in the back pocket of my photo vest. They fold up really small and weigh next to nothing.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

However, if I am going out intentionally to shoot in the rain (which I try not to do) I will take my Kata Cover.

Thanks for the information, Richard. I'm intending to have a browse of the Op Tech site so I will particularly look out for those items.

[Glenn NK]

I've been using the KATA E702 for several years. I realize it's much more expensive than the Optech Rainsleeve, but it's meant as a permanent solution, not a temporary one.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Pro_Light.html

The tragic thing about the KATA pictures online is that they absolutely do not represent what they look like in real life (poor production photography IMO). The arms are definitely not as long as it would seem in the above link.

The entire camera and all the controls are visible through the transparent portion (which is flexible and easy to clean).

It is not cheap, but it will probably last a lifetime.

Unlike Richard, I do intentionally go out in the rain (I live on the west coast where it's been known to rain a bit).

Glenn

[stardelta]

As a Canon user I have no problem putting anyone's Nikon camera out in the rain all night.



Alex

Love it.

[Rhoads238]

I've been using the KATA E702 for several years. I realize it's much more expensive than the Optech Rainsleeve, but it's meant as a permanent solution, not a temporary one.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Pro_Light.html

The tragic thing about the KATA pictures online is that they absolutely do not represent what they look like in real life (poor production photography IMO). The arms are definitely not as long as it would seem in the above link.

The entire camera and all the controls are visible through the transparent portion (which is flexible and easy to clean).

It is not cheap, but it will probably last a lifetime.

Unlike Richard, I do intentionally go out in the rain (I live on the west coast where it's been known to rain a bit).

Glenn

I am going to have to get one of these. Thanks