Weatherproof equipment...how much rain can it handle?

[FHaluska]

We've all been there, out hiking (or otherwise far from shelter) when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Sometimes storm conditions dictate that we have to stop shooting, but sometimes that's just when the photo comes together, your subject emerges, or the light starts to cooperate.

So how much rain is too much for today's equipment with "weather sealing"?

For the record, I am typically shooting a Nikon D500 with 105 VR, 80-400G or 500mm F4G. My inclination is that the zoom would be most susceptible to water damage, and I rarely let it get wet if I can help it. However, there are plenty of times I want to shoot macro in the rain, especially when looking for frogs and insects in the tropics. And the 500 F4G is supposed to be built to the most robust, professional standards, but I'm worried about damaging my most prized (and expensive) piece of glass! In practice I have only really shot them in a light mist/drizzle, and quickly wiped them off afterwards.

And I being overly protective? Or the opposite? What are your experiences shooting in the rain?

 

[DRwyoming]

What are your experiences shooting in the rain?

I've ended up shooting quite a bit in the rain, snow and worse that combination of both that clings to you and your gear. Decent weather sealed equipment can take quite a bit of moisture without troubles but I agree the zoom lens is probably the most vulnerable piece of kit short of changing lenses in the field in heavy precip (or in dusty blowing conditions).

FWIW, I do have a long lens rain coat that I very rarely use but keep handy if I just know I'm going to get soaked while shooting but I always have a couple of small and packable items in my camera bag for when the rain comes down but the shooting is good. One is a disposable shower cap that I can quickly place around my camera body using the built in elastic to hold it in place, these usually come from the last hotel I stayed in and are tiny and disposable in a little cardboard case.

I also carry a sheet of coated ripstop nylon that I found for a couple of bucks at a fabric store. I just drape that over my lens body and if it's raining harder maybe over the camera like an old view camera hood. If it's really windy I might strap it on with some velcro straps but if the wind isn't bad I just drape it over. Again it's nothing fancy but I figure it gives a first line of defense against rain getting in the zoom mechanism and again packs up to almost nothing in the camera bag.

For fixed lenses I usually just let them get wet and carefully blot dry everything with a clean towel as soon as I'm back somewhere dry but if it's really nasty I might throw on their little rain ponchos as well.

 

[FHaluska]

For fixed lenses I usually just let them get wet and carefully blot dry everything with a clean towel as soon as I'm back somewhere dry but if it's really nasty I might throw on their little rain ponchos as well.

Thanks for the response! I typically carry a cheap plastic rain sleeve that can fit over my lens and camera for when things get really bad, but I was just wondering how much moisture/water these things can actually take, and at what point I NEED to either add an extra protective layer or put everything away and find shelter. I've never been sure of where the danger threshold is regarding getting cameras and lenses wet, but I've always been extremely wary with precision electronics and water...

That said, I don't think I've heard any stories of people's gear dying from rain-based water damage...hopefully that means our equipment is built better than we (or at least I) give it credit for?

 

[DRwyoming]

That said, I don't think I've heard any stories of people's gear dying from rain-based water damage...hopefully that means our equipment is built better than we (or at least I) give it credit for?

Yeah, I think it's probably a bit more weather resistant than folks might think but it would be a hard thing to know for certain or even to quantify how wet is too wet. Sure, don't drop it in a lake but where's the danger point in a downpour? Hard to know for certain but at least in the high end bodies and lenses it can probably take at least as much miserable weather as most of us can tolerate.

 

[Steve]

I've had my 600 F/4 out in the rain for too long before and ended up getting fogged elements on the inside. Some time in front of the car's heater vent (heat on high) took care of it, but you do need to exercise caution. From my experience, it seems like duration has as much to do with it as intensity. You don't want the lens soaked for long periods of time and dry it off when you're done.

Still, most of the time I don't worry too much about a bit of rain or snow when I'm shooting. For the most part, I'm not going to be out in it that long and if I am, I have a rain coat for the lens like DR mentioned.