hasselblad in the rain?

[frdchang]

i'm doing a lot of rain photography with my 501cm + 80m cfe + plastic

lens hood.

 

well... i hold an umbrella and basically fumble around to take a

picture... very pain in my ass.

 

how weatherproof is the hasselblad? if not what system do you

recommend? (i want to use a plastic bag over my hasselblad, and

leaved the lens exposed...but how waterproof is the lens?)

[hasselblad technician]

There are some waterproof cameras, but a Hasselblad is not one of them. I would suggest not exposing the camera (or the lens) to rain.

 

Dave Odess

 

Factory trained Hasselblad technician

 

28 South Main Street #104

 

Randolph, MA 02368

 

(781) 963-1166

[q.g._de_bakker]

Frederick,<br><br>The plastic bag idea is good, works fine. But you must put the camera and lens inside the bag, cut a small second opening opposite the already open side, and attach that, using elastic rubber bands, around the lens shade. You can put your hands in through the already open side to get to the camera controls, making sure you don't expose the camera.<br>The tricky bit is using the viewfinder. Another opening in the bag, on top, is perhaps not such a good idea. Water can seep into the camera's internals through the viewfinder-camera interface. So unless rain is fairly light, it will be best to view through the bag.

[frdchang]

doh!

 

i figured that my magical two thousand dollar camera would at least by a little weather proof...sigh..

 

well.. i guess ill make an unelegant bag design to protect my camera.... '

 

but are there any professional alternatives in protecting my camera? (thats hopefully somewhat cheap?)

[logicbit]

Frederick,

 

i also shoot with a hassey. in light rain you can shoot without a problem. i

carry a medium size towel in my bag and periodically dry her off completely.

in a down poor the unbrella is the best solution just have a freind come along.

this friend should also be a shooter that doesn't mind. avoid plasic bags at all

cost on humid days as sweat/condensation is far worse fro your hassey.

 

frank

[jerry_lehrer]

Fred

 

Get a friend with a brolly, preferably a golf umbrella to follow

you around.

 

Jerry

[cg]

If you can't find a friend, use a tripod and a Manfrotto magic arm to hold the umbrella while you setup and shoot. If you have the cash, there is probably a company out there who can design a waterproof housing for you. It will probably be more expnesive and heavier than plastic bags.

[nick_wilson2]

Umbrellas do work, but are a pain. In the past, I have had an umbrella from a babies pram. It can be fixed to a tripod leg. I gave up on it for no really good reason except less rain work, plus it is also a pain in its own way as it virtue (smallness) means it does not work as well.

 

The bag trick does work, but there is often condensation and general moistness inside. I live in the subtropics and it can pour. Most mechanical cameras can take a little bit of getting wet, but not too much (definitely not used in the rain without cover). You would want to dry them before storing though.

 

One of the main problems with the bag is keeping the rain off the lens glass. A lens hood helps, but if the rain is driving or you forget and turn it a bit skyward then it will get wet. It is very difficult to dry a filter of its spots of water when the air is saturated and you are too.

 

Water proof housings might be fabricated or the Ewa 'bags' would work. The main problem with underwater cases is presumably pressure testing that is not relevant to you. The problem will be controls (not with the Ewa bags) and the lens outlet (an optical filter will work but keep the rain off it).

 

It may be that an umbrella is the best way...

[charles barcellona www.bl]

If the weather looks bad, I carry a large garbage bag to put the bag, camera and all in. Also, in the bag is a small towel. So far this has worked for me.

[jaakko]

No camera is weatherproof, save the ones meant for underwater use... If you really like shooting in a torrential downpour, get a Nikonos. Also, some companies produce/have produced underwater housing for Hassies. Very expensive and clumsy for use above the surface. However, a friend once left his Hassy out for a night in heavy rain. As luck would have it the hood was open, so the camera was flooded. It took a couple of days to dry off, but there were no ill effects. How's that for reliability?

 

...jaakko koskentola

[brian_c._miller]

For my Pentax 6x7, I got artsy-craftsy and cut up a waterproof bag and made it into a little camera tent. I cut two openings: one for the lens shade, and one for the eye piece. The lens opening is cut in an X, and the flaps are held on with a big, thick rubber band. The eye piece opening has a large flap over it, sewn on and then sealed with tent repair glue.

 

Its good enough for light to moderate rain. I can't change the film inside the camera with it on, so I move to a covered location for that job.

[danny burk www.dannyburk.]

I use a flexible plastic shower curtain. I've cut a hole that fits my largest lens, and drape the whole thing over the camera if it starts to rain. Use a rubber band to secure the cut portion around the end of the lens. I can stand under the curtain (pull it over yourself like a LF darkcloth) and remain dry while using the camera. I wouldn't use it in a downpour, but it works well for light drizzle.

[r s]

For the very best in raincoats (and you can have custom made orders for hasselblad and your favorite lens length) I would check out:

http://www.aquatech.com.au/products.html

 

Cheaper but still REALLY nice is the rain hoods from Laird.

Check them out at:

http://cameras.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.apogeephoto.com/laird%5Fphoto.htm

There are three different sizes and can also do any custom sizes.

 

Good luck.