Z Cameras, Lenses Waterproofing

[wotan1]

Thanks for everyone's comments and general support which confirms my thinking is that too identical bodies/setups is hard to beat. As an aside ruggedness tests are not likely done by many intentionally but yesterday by accident my Z8 and 600mmPF took a hard drop from about 4 feet high and skidded along my drive way. After my heart started beating again I picked it up and the lens hood is scratch pretty bad, a small scratch on the hot shoe and after it was cleaned up I can find no other scratches dents or visible damage. I tested it throughly last night and I can find no functional issue at all. Please do not try this at home but hopefully it gives some comfort for others on the ruggedness.

I think you are right, the weather-sealing in a regular camera like the Z8 or Z9 is nowhere at the level of the Nikonos, but the latter are designed to be waterproof at what, 150 feet or more? Several atmospheres. Thus the sealing has to handle water under pressure, which is a much bigger challenge.

No question the pressure is greater when diving and the dive cameras have to meet the minimum standard.

Cameras like the Nikon Z series are not rated to handle immersion.

In water the pressure doubles approximately every 33 ft. Unless you have special training and equipment a diver’s depth is typically limited to around 100 ft. You can go deeper but below 120 ft your safe dive time is very limited.

Open water depths vary considerably depending on the geology of the local area. It is not uncommon around me to find depths greater than 600 ft, in addition most channels for ship navigation are at least 50 ft deep.

If you drop your camera in open water it is going to sink. It will be soon at dive depths or worse. It is not likely to survive. You have to have it tethered and you need to quickly get it out of the water.

 

[mrt]

Just how far do you trust the Z8, Z9, Z600TC, and Z100-400 waterproofing? Next week I’m going to the Shetland Islands, Svalbard, and the northern coast of Norway where rain is to be expected. Camera rain jackets are annoying, but are they worth the trouble?

I appreciate everyone who took the time to respond. The videos were also very helpful in shaping my attitude.

 

[PhotoLover]

No question the pressure is greater when diving and the dive cameras have to meet the minimum standard.

Cameras like the Nikon Z series are not rated to handle immersion.

In water the pressure doubles approximately every 33 ft. Unless you have special training and equipment a diver’s depth is typically limited to around 100 ft. You can go deeper but below 120 ft your safe dive time is very limited.

Open water depths vary considerably depending on the geology of the local area. It is not uncommon around me to find depths greater than 600 ft, in addition most channels for ship navigation are at least 50 ft deep.

If you drop your camera in open water it is going to sink. It will be soon at dive depths or worse. It is not likely to survive. You have to have it tethered and you need to quickly get it out of the water.

If you drop your camera in a lake, you have indeed probably ruined it.

But mostly where I was going was that even heavy rain places much less burden on weatherproofing than underwater use at multiple atmospheres of pressure. And I think rain is typically what people worry about. If you are in a boat, sure the camera might be dropped. But otherwise, the question is how much rain can the gear handle. Which is not a question I know the answer to, since the camera makers don't say (and may not know).

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

It is for me crucial to protect my gear and I would rather use a raincoat, or anything I have handy to protect my camera gear.
Should I drop my bag in the dam, $26000 later, the insurance will pay out the first time. But then the fun starts.

I had a huge claim last year - (it was my first claim in 15 years) and although they paid out without any trouble, the trouble started after.
Premiums go up.
Excess to be contributed may be affected.
And not long after this happens to you the third time, you become uninsurable. And don't even try to change insurers. Remember ANY insurance company is there to make money off you - not to help you.

It is true that no camera manufacturer will state how much moisture is too much before your camera becomes deceased. It is well worth being responsible, protecting the gear so you can keep shooting.

EDIT: according to my insurance, mould (fungus) is classified the same as rust. If your tripod rusts - it's not covered under your insurance. It falls under maintenance.

 

[Len Shepherd]

My insurance is personal property, not photography specific so that could be your issue. Nothing physically mentions fungus, it isn't listed in any exclusions, and there's no wording to suggest it wouldn't be covered.

I have reservations about your comments.
An insurance claim usually requires a specific identifiable event such as I dropped my lens on the 8th of May.

 

[nmerc_photos]

I have reservations about your comments.
An insurance claim usually requires a specific identifiable event such as I dropped my lens on the 8th of May.

Specific identified event - "I went to use my lens on the 8th of May and it was inoperable due to fungus".

At the end of the day insurance companies don't care what happened. If they won't accept your fungus claim, just drop the lens instead. My adjuster suggested that if any claim ever gets denied, I just go out kayaking and lose the lens at sea.

I've already had a lens replaced due to fungus, and my Z9 + 400TC combo repaired for a completely-my-fault drop onto cement. No issues. Same with when my truck got stolen with camera gear inside of it.

I think there are a lot of people talking about insurance who either have bad providers, minimal experience, or who aren't very familiar with the industry. but YMMV.

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

I think there are a lot of people talking about insurance who either have bad providers, minimal experience, or who aren't very familiar with the industry. but YMMV.

and then I think there are the others that are crooked

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

Perhaps I should be more clear as I don't regard laughing as an appropriate response

I believe that if you lie to your insurance company - you can lie about anything. You have no credibility, and neither do you command respect.
I would like to believe I have more integrity than that. I would hate that my children, friends and family regard me as a liar.
You choose the behaviour - you choose the consequences.

 

[nmerc_photos]

Perhaps I should be more clear as I don't regard laughing as an appropriate response

I believe that if you lie to your insurance company - you can lie about anything. You have no credibility, and neither to you command respect.
I would like to believe I have more integrity than that. I would hate that my children, friends and family regard me as a liar.
You choose the behaviour - you choose the consequences.

You posted a funny statement, so the "haha" response is the best one that fit When we make jokes, we expect people to laugh, no?

I don't see anyone in this thread suggesting lying to an insurance company.

Whether your lens has fungus, water damage, dropping damage, theft, what is in common? The lens is not functioning. If the lens is not functioning, that is the entire point of insurance. The insurance company should make no distinction. They don't care. It's a numbers game. X amount of people will make claims, Y amount of premiums are collected. If you make a claim, they increase your premium anyways. You may as well get your money's worth.

If you pay for insurance on your gear, and they will not pay out, they have lied to you, no? What is the point of spending all this money on insurance if it provides no value?

I agree with you that the insurance industry is one of the most crooked out there. Especially when their own adjusters have to tell you how to work around the poor precedents that are set.

 

[glsmith9823]

Moisture resistant vs moisture proof. A number of years ago, "legal eagles" i.e. attorneys jumped all over companies (think watch companies) for using the term proof...it cost the companies millions....so the term resistant has been used since. I would not trust my equipment to possible continuous moisture from mist, rain etc. Are you willing to chance it & have to go through the hassle of claiming insurance & down time in getting new equipment as well as lost "once ion a lifetime pictures.". I've worked with & tested a number of various rain jackets for cameras & lenses & found by accident Bar None the easiest to work with is actually offered on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Movo-Pack-Cl...=camera+rain+protection&qid=1715434993&sr=8-4

They are not perfect, but the draw string in the front is fantastic & I can always cut out a small portion about the viewfinder as needed.

 

[Roy]

Just how far do you trust the Z8, Z9, Z600TC, and Z100-400 waterproofing? Next week I’m going to the Shetland Islands, Svalbard, and the northern coast of Norway where rain is to be expected. Camera rain jackets are annoying, but are they worth the trouble?

I've been caught in the rain several times
My main tactic is dry the gear as much as possible and I use silica packs to absorb any moisture left.
Mold is aq camera/lens killer and may not show up for a couple of weeks.

 

[hef19898]

I trust higher tier cameras and lenses unconditionally since the days of the Nikon F4. Unless you litterally submerge them, bodies and lenses are fine. Just avoid swapping lenses. Dry after use and put them in a dry and warm place. Never encountered problems, regardless of rain or spray, regardless of intensity.

Plastic bags have on risk: the risk holding water, exposing the gear much longer than whatever rain can do, I don't use those. If it is extreme enougho warrant tgat, you only see gray anyway.

Edit: Tested in temps between -30 and +45 dehree celsius, snow storms, sabd and dust storms (those are, IMHO, harder on gear than rain and humidity) and rain than was more like taking multiple showers simultabiously to the point even the good GoreTex jackets failed. Onr caveat so, the gear was not exposed by putting in on a tripod and letting it sit there. So it was carried eith some protection during the rain. Good care at the end of the day is king so.

 

[mrt]

I trust higher tier cameras and lenses unconditionally since the days of the Nikon F4. Unless you litterally submerge them, bodies and lenses are fine. Just avoid swapping lenses. Dry after use and put them in a dry and warm place. Never encountered problems, regardless of rain or spray, regardless of intensity.

Plastic bags have on risk: the risk holding water, exposing the gear much longer than whatever rain can do, I don't use those. If it is extreme enougho warrant tgat, you only see gray anyway.

Edit: Tested in temps between -30 and +45 dehree celsius, snow storms, sabd and dust storms (those are, IMHO, harder on gear than rain and humidity) and rain than was more like taking multiple showers simultabiously to the point even the good GoreTex jackets failed. Onr caveat so, the gear was not exposed by putting in on a tripod and letting it sit there. So it was carried eith some protection during the rain. Good care at the end of the day is king so.

This is how I’m leaning with a measure of prudence in extreme circumstances.

 

[hef19898]

Prudence is the key word, that, and the difference abusing and pampering ones gear. Humidity is, IMHO, less bad than sand and dust. You can dry the former, the latter wears down anything mechanical over time.

 

[mrt]

Prudence is the key word, that, and the difference abusing and pampering ones gear. Humidity is, IMHO, less bad than sand and dust. You can dry the former, the latter wears down anything mechanical over time.

Fortunately not much sand around the arctic circle

 

[hef19898]

That's true! And snow and ice is much less an issue than rain!

It depends so, I had the last dust storm, or almost storm, in Iceland this year! No rain so, which was nice! Ah, "bad weather" photography, makes for very dramatic and compelling scenes usually, doesn't it?

 

[mrt]

That's true! And snow and ice is much less an issue than rain!

It depends so, I had the last dust storm, or almost storm, in Iceland this year! No rain so, which was nice! Ah, "bad weather" photography, makes for very dramatic and compelling scenes usually, doesn't it?

Volcanic dust and ash? Wind, rain and salt spray is what I’m anticipating. 30 days in and around the North Atlantic so probably all of the above

 

[hef19898]

Yep, volcanic sand and dust and pretty steong winds from inland towards the sea. I was quite happy that the car was a rental!

30 days around the North Atlantic, lucky you! So far, knock on wood, I never encountered any issues due to weather, salt spray, rain and so on, with any of the D-series, or F-series back in my youth, and my very limited experience with a Z6 doesn't hint at anything that might cause a difference.

 

[Butlerkid]

I don't panic in a short, light drizzle or rain. I have disposal rain sleeves in my bag if needed. But if I know I will be likely shooting in heavy wet conditions for a long period of time, I definitely use my ThinkTank rain covers. When not needed, they fold out of the way. I've continued shooting in down pour situations with no problems.

 

[mrt]

I don't panic in a short, light drizzle or rain. I have disposal rain sleeves in my bag if needed. But if I know I will be likely shooting in heavy wet conditions for a long period of time, I definitely use my ThinkTank rain covers. When not needed, they fold out of the way. I've continued shooting in down pour situations with no problems.

Thanks Karen.

 

[Activert]

Just how far do you trust the Z8, Z9, Z600TC, and Z100-400 waterproofing? Next week I’m going to the Shetland Islands, Svalbard, and the northern coast of Norway where rain is to be expected. Camera rain jackets are annoying, but are they worth the trouble?

I travelled last Summer to Newfounland and Maritime with all the equipement you mentioned except the 100-400 and I can tell you that they are really waterproof. I spend a week in one area in Newfounland in July where the weather at that time of the year was a combination of rain, mist, grizzle with a lot of wind. My equipement did not fail me. I always carry with me in my photo bag the thin absorbant microfibre towel that we use in backpack hiking and I use it to wipe the exterior of cameras and lenses When it needed. I believe Nikon products are one of the best when it comes to waterproofing.

 

[mrt]

I travelled last Summer to Newfounland and Maritime with all the equipement you mentioned except the 100-400 and I can tell you that they are really waterproof. I spend a week in one area in Newfounland in July where the weather at that time of the year was a combination of rain, mist, grizzle with a lot of wind. My equipement did not fail me. I always carry with me in my photo bag the thin absorbant microfibre towel that we use in backpack hiking and I use it to wipe the exterior of cameras and lenses When it needed. I believe Nikon products are one of the best when it comes to waterproofing.

Thanks. I’m feeling pretty confident myself.

 

[Woody Meristem]

Although I've shot in rain and snow many times, the only time I had internal moisture in a camera was from a heavy wet snow. It was one of my older Canons and wouldn't turn on as the snow melted on the camera and the water got inside. The camera wouldn't turn on, but after several days in a bag of rice all was fine -- the camera still works several years later. My pro Olympus cameras and lenses are "weather resistant" but remember each time you change lenses, batteries and/or memory cards there's a bit of wear on those seals and eventually one or more will fail under adverse conditions.

 

[mrt]

Although I've shot in rain and snow many times, the only time I had internal moisture in a camera was from a heavy wet snow. It was one of my older Canons and wouldn't turn on as the snow melted on the camera and the water got inside. The camera wouldn't turn on, but after several days in a bag of rice all was fine -- the camera still works several years later. My pro Olympus cameras and lenses are "weather resistant" but remember each time you change lenses, batteries and/or memory cards there's a bit of wear on those seals and eventually one or more will fail under adverse conditions.

Thanks for your thoughts Woody.

 

[EricBowles]

I use an absorbent towel if practical. These towels can be draped over the camera and lens and will absorb virtually 100% of falling rain. When they are too wet, you just wring it out and put it back over your camera. The key to this approach is you never have drips or collected water on your camera, over seals, etc. If you are on a tripod it's quite convenient.

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Chamois-Synthetic-Ultimate-Drying/dp/B01EMG49B8?ref_=ast_sto_dp

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If you are mobile, there are a wide range of covers. The top of the line is the Think Tank Hydrophobia. This cover actually attaches to your camera and covers the lens. It's good for ongoing torrential rain - but still won't help with submerging your gear.

I normally will have had enough rain before my camera reaches that point. My approach is a Vortex Storm Jacket. I also have a couple of disposable covers. The Storm Jacket is in a small pouch clipped to my camera bag at all times. I've used it for rain, snow, and blowing sand or dust. It's not a perfect solution, but gives you 90% of the protection you would get with the Hydrophobia while being convenient and inexpensive.

It's important to blot any water on your camera or controls. Use a cloth that absorbs the moisture. Don't wipe moisture across buttons or covers where it can be forced into the camera.

Fresh water is much less of a problem than salt or alkaline water. Cameras and lenses can survive fresh water - especially if you remove the power and let it dry completely after getting wet. I use a heating pad or a warm electric appliance to dry cameras and lenses after extensive moisture or water exposure.