Photos in bad weather - how do you do it?

[alliecat]

Given that Tasmania has been known to have a little tiny bit of inclement weather I was wondering what approach people take to taking photos in dodgy conditions.

I've considered taking a small umbrella and trying to juggle that and a camera to get some wet weather shots, but I haven't tried it yet. I've also thought about taking a lightweight tarp that can be quickly set up as a temporary shelter for taking photos. Has anybody tried anything like this? Or do people just put their expensive cameras away when the weather turns nasty and leave the photos for fine conditions?

I know there are a couple of weatherproof cameras out there (Pentax Optio W60; Panasonic Lumic DMC-FT1; ...) but I can't really justify buying a fairly average camera just for the weatherproofness(?) of it. But maybe for bushwalking in poor weather that's a good option.

Thoughts anybody?

Alliecat

[eggs]

Its probably a bit of a different direction, but my latest camera is a Pentax K20D Digital SLR.
It is weather sealed (as distinct from taking it underwater) - and there are a range of lens available which are also weather sealed.

I still wouldn't want to throw it into mud (had it tightly away over the Loddons), but I was probably a bit paranoid.

Not exactly a small camera though - I think it was 1.5 kg with the lens I had.

The bigger issue is keeping water off the lens - because it shows up in the photos!
So in practise, I had a big enough raincoat to be able to cover it hanging at the front to keep the rain off and then bring it out when I wanted a shot - taking care to use my body to protect it from rain. The body still gets wet from my hands, but as long as you are not aiming into the wind, you can take the pictures OK.

Another side thought is processing.
A lot of good bad weather shots are close ups or forests where the even lighting is a bonus, but if you are shooting into cloud, the post processing can sometimes help. The attached is a photo of the small hanging lake on the way up Schnells Ridge. the original photo was essentially fuzzy white cloud over most of it, but using Photoshop CS3, I was able to penetrate the fog and draw out not only the tarn, but also a bit of Lake Judd which was also in the picture. It probably also helped that the original photo was in RAW form.

View from Schnells in bad weather

eggs

[the_camera_poser]

I have a range of tactics.

#1- Use an umbrella. I have a small one that fits into my photo pack. This photo was taking in heavy rain with an umbrella.

#2- My wife tucks her camera into a fleece beanie in light rain/mist/snow. Keeps it warm and keeps the lighter rain off.

#3- I have a rain cover- it's a sleeve that fits ovr the camera body, and the lens pokes out of it. 2 of my 3 most used lenses are Canon L-grade lenses, and they are weathersealed, even though the body on my DSLR isn't.

#4- when I first started photographing is Tassie, I was terrified my camera'd get moisture in it. We've got 3 cameras, including an all-plastic 350D, and to date, they've all gotten quite damp, and no problems. I wouldn't just ignore rain, but brief exposures where an umbrella isn't possible is ok, at least in my experience. Don't sue me if it doesn;t work for you!

[alliecat]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I do find it surprising that many (most) quite expensive cameras aren't "weather sealed". I would have thought that was pretty essential for a camera to be used outdoors. OTOH, if they are mostly okay (as TCP said) just not "officially" weather sealed then I guess it's not such an issue.

I often carry an umbrella anyway as I find it useful when trying to cook in the rain (and it always rains when I'm trying to cook...) so that looks like one useful technique.

Guess I'll have to get out there and give it a go.

Cheers,
Alliecat

[lexharris]

That's a really nice shot camera_poser, and shows that one does risk missing out on some great images if the camera is stowed away when the sun disappears.

Personally I don't shoot when it's actually raining 'cos (a) my cameras are not weather proof and (b) even if they were I don't like the idea of water droplets etc on the front of the lens degrading the image quality, but I usually have a camera at the ready to whip out quickly if there's a lull in the rain.

[sthughes]

I bought an umbrella last year for this reason. It works brilliantly in so far as no matter what the forecast is, whenever I carry it there is no rain Although only an ultra-compact my camera has been pretty darn damp and never missed a beat. Ideally a DSLR and a Lumix FT1 would be the go

[north-north-west]

Yeah, I'm much the same, lex. It's one time when having a partner - to hold the umbrella for the camera - would be useful.

[the_camera_poser]

A lens hood helps with the droplets on the glass problem. Also, you can use a UV filter, just barely screwed on, to compose your shot,and then take the filter off just as you are ready to shoot, so that the rain hits the UV filter, not the lens, during composition.

[north-north-west]

I've tried that. There's going to be an addition to the Photographers' Addenda in the Laws of Bushwalking, to the effect that at least one raindrop always gets through your precautions and lands on the lens.

[tasadam]

Yep, as stated the biggest problem is water on the lens.
I keep a tea-towel sized soft hand towel in a glad bag and only get it out when I really need a dry cloth.
I keep the camera pointed down, with the hood on. I should use the lens cap, but on more than one occasion I have gone to remove the lens cap with wet fingers, only to discover it is already in my pocket - out with the towel again.
The lens I use most is the Nikon 24-70 and it has a monster hood on it which helps.
As Bjorn says about this lens

there are improved sealings and a rubber gasket to the rear to alleviate ingress of dirt and moisture. It uses a huge scalloped (petal-formed) lens shade

I always have a clear filter on my lens.
The Nikon D200 is weather sealed, I have had it pretty wet and never had problems.
The photo in the Franklin River topic that I took in misty rain was done while sitting on a rock, tripod was at a low height, about the height of my tripod pic in this post.
And I had the japara with hood pulled up high so the hood was helping cover the camera.
I don't deliberately put my camera in the rain, I try and shelter it where possible, but I'm not pedantic about it.

It's worth taking some time and cleaning your gear properly after an outing in weather.
Pet hate at the moment is struggling with the tripod if the hands are cold. First day of winter tomorrow...
I haven't found a glove I'm happy using the camera with, so my hands suffer the cold when I'm shooting. The price I pay.

[Steve]

My "Squashy Kangaroo" hat does the job for me.

[farefam]

I have had some success using a small fold up umbrella, sometimes in conjunction with a tripod (which I always carry). This is really only useful in light to moderate rain. Can't think of a solution when in heavy rain or really blustery conditions as any droplets on the lens will show up glaringly in digital pictures.

[WarrenH]

The Op/Tech Rain Sleeve comes in a pack of 2 sleeves for $4.19USD. Unfortunately postage from Adorama in the US is $60.00AUD with a 2-3 day delivery time to Australia ... http://optechusa.com/category/second/?CATEGORY_ID=13

The same sleeve can be purchased on ebay for a fraction of the total US price after postage is included. Buying a couple of packets of sleeves from Adorama with the $60 postage then becomes very affordable for friends chipping in. Here in Oz, similar products to rain sleeves are a ridiculously expensive price.

The rain sleeves are very good and work equally well for keeping out dust. When it comes to focussing, the camera's eye piece cup is removed, a hole in the rain sleeve is fitted and stretched around the eye piece and the eye piece cup is re-fitted.

Op/Tech also make a 'Weatherguard' ... http://optechusa.com/product/detail/?PR ... CT_SUB_ID=

I have a 'rain sleeve' and if you want more info or a better image than is on the OP/Tech site, don't hesitate to let me know.

Warren.

[wildlight]

If it's a DSLR- get a large click-top plastic bag, put the back of the camera in first, so the lens points towards the opening of the bacg. Use a rubber band to hold the open part of the bag tight against the hood of the lens, possibly with bag extending a little beyond hood if hood design and focal length of lens permit. A UV filter can be left on until the moment of image capture if needed. This has worked an absolute treat for me, if you are REALLY worried, try a small collapsible brolly over the whole ensemble. It can be fiddly using the tripod plate under the camera, with a plastic bag over it all, but you can push the plate through the plastic without much risk to the gear, as the hole will be at the bottom, so it minimises the risk of water penetration.

Took the missus to Ayers Rock and photographed the waterfalls coming off the rock last year. Took a brolly, and a tarp to protect the gear- the insane, post-cyclone-Yasi rain flattened both to the point of uselessness instantly. The saviour was the plastic bag and rubber band.

Take spare rubber bands.

Safe Steps

WildLight

[gayet]

I carry a small brolly, all camera bodies and lenses are in dry bags sized to suit, each dry bag has a small packet of silicone crystals to absorb moisture and I souvenir th4 lovely plastic shower caps provided in some motel rooms. Thye don't last long but they do keep the rain off and allow you to almost compose a shot through them. Just lift it off the lenses when needed. doesn't interfere with the tripod at all, dry bags can be placed over the camera and wrapped aroundthe tripod head when carrying the setup around. It might be a bit fiddly but it works for me.

[wayno]

there are clear bags specifically made for compact cameras, some outdoor shops stock them and camera shops,
there are cases for slr's but thats getting expensive and heavy, other options above are probably preferable. i've done the open ended plastic bag in the past, and or sometimes used by coat like a shelter for the lens