What to know about rain photography: Protecting your camera in rain
NOTE: This article is specifically about protecting your gear from rain and is not applicable to underwater photography. Underwater photography poses different kinds of risks and requires additional underwriting information to insure. If you do any photography underwater (or at the surface of water), contact us to discuss your insurance coverage options.
How to protect a camera and lens from rain?
Insurance claims do occasionally arise from cameras being damaged by rain, so let’s review some best practices to prevent rain-related damage to your photography gear. Professional cameras are expensive, and you don’t want to risk ruining yours in a single photoshoot.
Use a camera rain cover / rain sleeve; these are generally inexpensive. Some well-known brands include Zacro, OP/TECH and Movo [Amazon Affiliate Links]. You can find waterproof camera cases, lens hoods and custom rain covers. The Think Tank Photo Emergency Rain Cover [Amazon Link] is another product with mostly positive reviews on Amazon.
How to weather seal a camera?
Weather sealing a camera refers to having rubber gaskets in the seams to keep water from the camera’s internals. But if the lens doesn’t have weather sealing also, water can still enter into the camera through the lens mount. Therefore, make sure to keep the lens mount dry.
Many cameras are already weather sealed, but don’t assume that your camera is necessarily sealed just because it’s a new model. Be sure to check with the camera manufacturer to verify.
If your camera isn’t weather sealed and you still want to risk shooting in the rain, consider getting a camera condom – yes, that’s a thing! A camera condom (or skin camera protector) is a rubbery skin for point-and-shoot cameras, similar to the cases that have been protecting iPods and iPhones for years. Well-known brands selling these include Delkin and Polaroid. [Amazon Links]
But, ideally, if you’re really into shooting in rainy conditions, get a sealed camera body and lenses.
Backpack rain covers / waterproof backpack covers & waterproof backpacks / waterproof camera bags & camera cases
If you’re out in the rain with your photography gear in your backpack or camera bag – but that backpack or bag isn’t waterproofed or properly covered – you could damage your gear, so consider a backpack rain cover, waterproof backpack or waterproof camera bag.
A well-known backpack rain cover brand is Sugoidan. [Amazon Affiliate Links]
Some well-known waterproof backpack brands include NEEWER and Tarion. [Amazon Affiliate Links]
In terms of camera bags: the Peak Design Everyday Messenger Bag [Amazon Affiliate Link] has a waterproof galaxy foam bottom liner and was recommended by notable product review website Wirecutter. The waterproof Tenba Cooper 13 Slim [Amazon Affiliate Link] was also recommended by Wirecutter.
For added protection, consider wrapping your photography gear in padded equipment wraps before placing it inside any backpack. Some brands in this space are Ruggard and kilofly. [Amazon Affiliate Links]
Keep a microfiber cloth in your bag/backpack to wipe down your photography gear, if necessary. Some of these cloths are designed specifically for cleaning lenses, such as the Carson Stuff-It Super-Soft Microfiber Lens Cloth and the MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloth [Amazon Affiliate Links].
Get Photography Insurance | Camera Insurance | Photography Equipment
Front Row’s photography insurance policy is a good option for insuring your photo gear. Many Canadian photographers have come to recognize Front Row as the industry’s best coverage – and rely upon us to protect their valuable camera gear. You can get a quote, purchase a policy, or read more about the coverages available here: https://photographer.frontrowinsurance.com/
NOTE: This article is specifically about protecting your gear from rain and is not applicable to underwater photography. Underwater photography poses different kinds of risks and requires additional underwriting information to insure. If you do any photography underwater (or at the surface of water), contact us to discuss your insurance coverage options.
