Weather Proofing Strategies For Cameras

ski3pin

ski3pin

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My Nikon camera body is in for repair. On our recent trip to Yosemite, on the trail, I and the camera took a direct hit by a slopping wet snow bomb from a tree unloading. The camera body was soaked - and turned on. Hindsight says I should have immediately turned it off, removed the battery, and dried it out completely before evaluating condition. Obviously I did not. The failure was the star wheel no longer changing aperture and/or shutter speed. The failure was intermittent, allowing me to foolishly limp along with it until frustration. Not an exercise in positive character growth.

We are always outside. In poor conditions the camera gets stowed in my backpack. What are good options?
 
Stalking Light said:
I have a couple of LensCoat rain sleeves; a smaller one for camera and regular lens and a large one for when I use a super telephoto.
Click to expand...
Same here.

A corollary to this post might also be "What to do when your electronics get wet."
You alluded to some of these points in your post snow-bomb example.

Please indulge me while I share a story:

My sister and I were trekking in Uganda with our friend Harry, looking but not finding chimpanzees in the wild. A guide was required.
We reached a jungle stream with only a log to get across. Our pygmy ranger in his tall rubber boots led the way across the wet log and reached back to help our friend Harry. Somehow, Harry slipped and went down on all fours into the creek and our little ranger ended up nearly riding Harry, straddling him. We laughed so hard, we were crying; until Harry pulled his Motorola phone out of his pocket. No phone stores there. Oops. But Harry is a savvy guy and saved his phone and taught me a few pointers.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR ELECTRONICS GET WET (please feel free to add more ideas here)
1. Immediate battery yank. If you can, pop the battery out quickly.
2. Put unit in a bag of rice for several days. Open SD card, battery compartments, etc.
I've also had luck setting a dunked Canon G10 in front of a blow drier for several hours. Eventually fogged screens cleared and the camera worked three days later when I gingerly popped the battery back in and fired it up.
 
Good points Lighthawk (and a great story!), thanks for posting!

My examples come from teaching USFS radio use classes. Your radio flies out of your bib when you bend over and lands in the snow or water. Don't turn it on to see if it still works...................... :)
 
While not the best for a camera, we have had a "Cell Phone Rice" bag for many years. Having raised 2 daughters, it got used a lot. Rice will absorb a lot of the moisture in the and will help draw it out of the electronics. As you said, don't turn on and pull the battery
 
We own LensCoat rain covers in various sizes. We have used gallon or 2 gallon freezer Ziploc bags with success. These OP/TECH covers were also used with success https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SF8X1Q4/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bE2Vx_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=XPRV3BRCHVMA5KJ4DE68&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2050b646-979e-58a9-a242-8fab61b6b2f4&pf_rd_i=3346261

Even back in the old days took a small plastic bag and put the camera in it and placed a rubber band on the end of the lens and cut the plastic end off for the lens to poke through.

Many different ways and cost.

Storing in your pack use a Ziploc bag and that will keep the unit dry if your pack takes a unexpected dunk in water.
 
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