how well can lenses resist rain?

[ives]

I read a lot about camera manufacturers sealing their top of the line camera bodies (Eg. F5, EOS-1n) against rain. My question is in general how well do *lenses* resist rain? It seems to me water can easily seep into most lenses quite easily and should be covered when shooting under rain, even if the body is not.

 

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What is the consensus here? Do most readers here cover their camera and/or lens shooting on a rainy day?

Any horror stories to tell?

 

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Thanks,

 

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-- Ivan

[ShunCheung]

Thsi answer is very simple: keep your lens dry. If it is raining lightly and you need to take a picture or two, I would take them quickly and then wipe your lens dry and put it away. Otherwise, get an under-water camera or something.

[russ_arcuri]

I think Ivan's question is a good one. It really wouldn't make any sense at all to weatherproof a body and then not offer a single lens that could be safely used in conditions similar to what the body can withstand.<p>

 

Canon's L-series lenses handle rain fairly well, from what I understand. I don't know if they're <i>quite</i> as well sealed as an EOS-1n, but I doubt there'd be any damage using them in mist or light rain. Common sense precautions (like wiping off the accumulated water with a soft cloth every so often) should suffice.<p>

 

An acquaintance of mine claims to have used his EOS Elan and 28-80 USM lens (neither of which is a professional-grade tool) in light rain for half an hour with no ill effects other than some condensation in the LCD panel, which didn't affect camera operation and cleared up within a day. I personally don't think the consumer-grade gear is really up to it, but certainly the pro bodies and pro lenses are.

[don_baccus]

I've always used my camera gear in light rain fairly regularly, living in western Oregon means one either does so or rairly uses the stuff.

 

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I've never had any problem. I use basic precautions, like carry my gear in a weatherproof bag or pack, or stuffed under my (100% waterproof) rainparka, etc. In other words, I try to limit the gear's exposure to the rain to when I'm actually shooting.

 

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If it's raining really hard, I'll sometimes use a plastic bag with a hole punched in it for the lens, taping the hole to the lenshood, with the open end of the bag over the body, leaving me room to poke my head and hands in.

 

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Though I've never had any problem, obviously there's a certain amount of risk to your gear involved. Currently, I own mostly Canon "L" stuff, but I've also used my Mamiya 7 in light rain with no ill effects and used to use my old Minolta XD11-based system in the same way.

 

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Professionals typically have to use their gear in all sorts of weather, so one would expect professional-grade equipment to be able to stand up to harsh conditions. Better than consumer-grade equipment? There's probably more variation with lower-end gear, and this may also be a place where there's significant variation between different 3rd-party vendors, or from sample to sample.

 

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Canon touts the EOS 1N as being better sealed against the weather than the EOS 1, though I've never had any problems with the latter body in the rain. As Russ mentions, it would be pretty silly to improve the 1's already considerable ability to withstand moisture as was done with the 1N, if all the lenses one owns would crap out at the first raindrop.

 

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Anyway, to sum up, I do try to cover my gear to some degree, usually - but not always. I've never had any problem, nor do I have any horror stories to tell. And, it's raining right now here in western Oregon, of course :)

[glen_johnson]

As the others have said, the L series lenses hold up pretty well in light rain. If you arc concerned about getting your camera and lens wet, take a plastic bag, put the camera and lens in the bag, screw a step up ring onto the lens, carefully cut the plastic out from in front of the front element, and you've got an instant rain coat. If you like, put a UV filter into the step up ring for further protection. Operate the camera by putting your hands into the open end of the plastic bag. Keep a towel under your raincoat, and use it when you need to.

[dan_smith]

As well as you protect the things. But, if you will send me a new Nikkor 600 f/4 AF with the silent wave motor, I promist to give it a two year test in rain, sleet, hail and dark of night & report back on how well it works. Anyone with a brain will cover the lens in the rain, even us dummies in Utah.

[hans_buchholdt]

I don't have any rain horror stories, other than maybe describing the kind of weather I've found myself working in.

 

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I use a Tenba Raincover when I'm using setup with a tripod; it works much better then making something homemade out of a plastic. I like the tailored waterproof nylon construction.

 

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Most often though, I work with a monopod, and just carry the camera around without making much effort to keep it dry. Fieldwork photography. I use the Leica-R system, and both body and lenses can take a real soaking without any problems. Leica lenses with their extreme quality of physical manufacture (I'm not referring to image quality, I mean built tough) are impervous to the elements, which is why I use them. I'd think all top shelf are similarly weatherproof. It is something I think about though, then I standing in rain in the rainforest or a skiff feeling like a drowned rat...

[curt_weinhold]

During a two week Alaska trip this past August, and several drizzly days, I reinforced my opinion of optics and moisture. We used photo-backpacks for transport; but of course one never knows when a large animal will show for a photograph. So I kept a Lowe-Pro tele-zoom slung in front of me. In it resided a 80-200 f2.8 mounted on an N90s, (quick access and protection). A Gitzo slung over my shoulder, rifle style with arca style mount on the head. A friend kept his similar rig (70-210 f2.8 Sigma) tripod mounted and over his shoulder. After several hours of intermittent drizzle the lens fogged internally. Perhaps a Nikon lens would have fogged too. I believe in protection with quick access for moisture and shock. A gaiter or plastic bag tube is cheap and effective.