ELNikkor

The raingear I wear in bad weather is baggy enough to allow room for my camera and 100-300 zoom. I'll keep it sheltered between shots of my subjects, shoot quickly, then wipe off the water as quickly as possible. My friend who shot a lot of soccer games in the rain had one of those rain-protective lens bags that allowed him to shoot for hours in the rain with his 70-200 f2.8 Canon, yet his lens always stayed dry, don't remember how he protected his Canon 70D, but it too never failed.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Weather sealed does not mean WATER PROOF. Folks who think otherwise are risking expensive equipment.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

I assume my EF 85mm 1.2 is weather sealed but it has developed what looks like a fungus spot on the inside of the rear element. It has only been in wet environments a couple times briefly. So much for weatherproofing.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Lenses still breathe and vapor can get in regardless.
None are hermetically sealed.
Just bad luck.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

I've had an RX10 IV since they were first offered and have used it in all conditions including falling snow and heavy rain with no extra protection. It is still fine and has no lens or camera damage. It's advertised as sealed against moisture and dust but not waterproof. The only precaution I've taken is that I always try to dry the zoom portion of the lens with a cloth before retracting it.

Bill_de Loc: US

In most situations true weather sealing may not be needed. Having spent many hours on the beaches I appreciated having good weather sealing.

One cold day while 'hunting' a Snowy Owl we spent hours walking on an ocean beach following this bird. It started to snow causing most folks to leave. When snow turned to sleet we figured it was time to head for the cars, better than a mile away. Beach sand, wind, sleet, rain, equals fun ... not! We were carrying our cameras, on tripods, over our shoulders. When we got to our cars the cameras and tripods were caked in ice. We turned to the one professional in our now small group and asked what we should do. The answer surprised us. "Wrap the cameras, with lenses attached, in a towel and let's go have lunch.

There were 3 Nikon and 1 Canon camera being used fitted with 400 and 500mm lenses. By the time we finished eating the ice had melted. After drying the gear and noticing the sun was out, we went back to the beach. No issues with any of the cameras or lenses.

Under many/most conditions weather sealing might not be needed. Sometimes it is.

---

GLSmith Loc: Tampa, Fl

My remote gear has to be left outside at times for up to 72 hours. I always cover body & lens in a rain cape & always use a rubber band around the barrel of lense with a moisture absorber (silica gel). When assignment complete, lens & body are placed in dry heat sun room for 48 hours & stored in photo bag with a bag of
Silica gel…No need on tempting fate

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

PhotoMono123 Loc: Houston, Texas

If you ever lay on the sand flats on a coast line or wetlands with your camera mounted on a ground-pod, you will appreciate built-in protection — even with a weather cover over your gear. But when you do this, the photos you can get of wading birds just can't be beat.

After such a session my camera (and also me) is usually covered with wet sand. I let the sand on the camera dry and then use a light brush and a lens duster to clean the camera. The lens has a filter as a cover so the lens' glass is not exposed to the sand. All cleans up perfectly. All I can say is that I am thankful that I shoot Pentax gear as they have been doing weather sealing longer than anyone else and really have it down to a science.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

98%of those here will NEVER do that.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

My Lumix and my two best lenses (12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 pro zooms) are weather resistant. I've taken them out many times in the rain. The last 48 Hour film project we did (2022), we had a GH4 and a GH5 out in light rain for at least half of a day, with only the audio gear bagged in plastic. We have used them in other rainy conditions, and recorded video for an hour in 95°F heat. We only stopped then to change the memory card and battery. I once got caught half a mile from my house in a downpour, with a camera and lens around my neck, no rain gear at all. The camera had no issues at all. Each time they got wet, we just toweled them dry and let them air out a bit before storing them.

I do have two lenses without O-rings around the lens mount. I never use them if rain is imminent. I won't use my flash then, either. I ALWAYS keep all the port caps closed and the lens hoods on. Chances are, when making videos, I'm using an ND filter so I can use a wide aperture.

It is nice not to have to worry about losing a camera to a rain shower. I would never have used my older Canons or Nikons that way. I had a Nikkormat FTn back in the day that died of a dust intrusion. Its meter used a glass and carbon resistor in a ring surrounding the lens that was coupled to the shutter speed and the ASA control. Dust got into it, caused it to become intermittent, and it failed just two years after I bought it. I'm very glad that modern cameras are getting proper sealing against moisture and dust intrusion.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

That is correct. My gear is only weatherproof, not waterproof. Although I have heard of people dipping their OM gear just below the water's surface without any damage, it will void the warranty and be hard to explain how the water got into the camera.

But as far as weatherproof, I was timid at first (2011) but now ruthless as far as weather goes. Wet down to underwear and socks in the pouring rain and I will still be shooting. Biggest problem is getting rain drops or snow off the front lens element to shoot.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Everyone’s experience is different I am sure. It is a bit like getting an extended warranty on your car. Perhaps unlikely it will break-down on the manufacturer’s warranty, however, many consumers purchase the extended warranty, just in case. For me, having waterproof bodies and lenses, as the old deodorant marketing hype used to say…”it takes the worry out of being close!” Happy Thanksgiving!!!

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

Normally I shoot ‘as is’ - conditions not withstanding. If the conditions are moderately bad I might use an older body & lens. If conditions are extremely bad - dust storm, hurricane, or blizzard I have an underwater housing for my Z camera’s. Which paid for itself when I was standing in a river shooting and fell into the river. Had to go swimming for the camera.