How waterproof is your camera? (D70)

KillinTime · 26 Mar 2006 at 02:46

I'm at the World Championship Snowmobile Hillclimb in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

(pics: http://www.iseepeople.co.uk/firemonkey/main.php?g2_itemId=3061)

The entire event takes place on a double black diamond ski run (and they're going up it) meaning the only sensible downhill transportation for intrepid photographers is the butt-sledge.

As a consequence, I was travelling at a pretty good clip. My poor D70, despite being tucked into my jacket, was submerged in wet slushy snow. I had no idea this was happening, because I could'nt see anything, or stop.

At the bottom I had a large snowball, not a camera. I cleaned it off with my T-shirt, checked all the seals were dry underneath, held my breath and snapped a photo. No probs! (that I've noticed in the 1.5Gb I've shot since)

I've had this puppy with water pouring off it during a freak rainstorm twice, been thrown off a bike with it strapped to my chest (grinding it into the road, the camera again 100%).

All I can say is:

Nuff respect Nikon!

(with knuckles white from holding onto wood)

Has anyone got more tails of SLR survival?

[OZ] · 26 Mar 2006 at 09:25

KillinTime said:
with knuckles white from holding onto wood

SDK^ · 26 Mar 2006 at 10:32

I've shot in rain with my 10D and 20D and whilst the camera still works it's not advisable. Unless the camera has environmental seals (Canon 1x, Nikon D2X, D200 etc) then moisture will get inside the camera.

The camera may still work but continued exposure to water will have bad long term effects to the circuits.

Joe T · 26 Mar 2006 at 10:34

SDK^ said:
I've shot in rain with my 10D and 20D and whilst the camera still works it's not advisable. Unless the camera has environmental seals (Canon 1x, Nikon D2X, D200 etc) then moisture will get inside the camera.

The camera may still work but continued exposure to water will have bad long term effects to the circuits.

Agreed

D70s kick **** in terms of build.

SDK^ · 26 Mar 2006 at 10:38

Joe T said:
D70s kick **** in terms of build.

...it's plastic !
Try out a Nikon D200, D2X or Canon 1D series and tell me the D70s still has great build

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Mar 2006 at 14:13

The 20d has great build but it didnt stop it from water entering and damaging the circuits. As SDK say, Highly not adviseable to shoot non weatherproofed cameras in wet conditions

mrk · 26 Mar 2006 at 15:49

SDK^ said:
...it's plastic !
Try out a Nikon D200, D2X or Canon 1D series and tell me the D70s still has great build

indeed, the d70 im using now has been to new zealand and back and has seen meany wet times, so much so the shutter release sometimes acts up, a depress will not activate the AF mechanism sometimes etc requiring a few extra tries before AF-s/c kicks in.

But even so, on sealed bodies like 1d/d2x/d200 you need to be using a lens with a rubber seal around the mount, without the seal moisture can still get in!

SDK^ · 26 Mar 2006 at 16:03

mrk said:
But even so, on sealed bodies like 1d/d2x/d200 you need to be using a lens with a rubber seal around the mount, without the seal moisture can still get in!

All Canon L lenses have rubber lens mount seals

As far as I'm aware only a select few of the most recent Nikon AFS lenses have rubber seals.

mrk · 26 Mar 2006 at 16:06

SDK^ said:
All Canon L lenses have rubber lens mount seals
As far as I'm aware only a select few of the most recent Nikon AFS lenses have rubber seals.

Only nikons premum end lenses do, I think the price of the afs ones will tell you which ones

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Mar 2006 at 16:06

SDK^ said:
All Canon L lenses have rubber lens mount seals
As far as I'm aware only a select few of the most recent Nikon AFS lenses have rubber seals.

The 100 - 400 L doesnt ? But my 17 - 40 L does.

themask70 · 26 Mar 2006 at 17:09

DO NOT use a 350D in heavy rain..... i did the other day and i have to pay 300 quid to get it fixed

It is ok in light drizzle

Matt · 26 Mar 2006 at 17:23

Only ever used my 300d in light rain, and that was bad enough! What you need is an assistant to hold and umbrella for you when it starts raining

I needed that when i went to Spa last year!

Get yourself a waterproof bag to transport it in too

SDK^ · 26 Mar 2006 at 17:28

Fstop11 said:
The 100 - 400 L doesnt ? But my 17 - 40 L does.

True, the push-pull design isn't weather proofed so that includes the 28-300mm and 35-350mm L lenses.

jhmaeng · 28 Mar 2006 at 00:42

Far from all L-lenses have environmental seals, according to dpreview.com which states:

It is however worth bearing in mind that the camera is only as well sealed as the lens used, and for that you'll need one of the special L lenses with rubber grommets which fit flush to the lens mount:

Canon EF 16 - 35 mm F2.8L USM
Canon EF 17 - 40 mm F4.0L USM
Canon EF 24 - 70 mm F2.8L USM
Canon EF 28 - 300 mm F3.5 - F5.6L IS USM
Canon EF 70 - 200 mm F2.8L IS USM
Canon EF 300 mm F2.8L IS USM
Canon EF 400 mm F2.8L IS USM
Canon EF 400 mm F4.0 DO IS USM
Canon EF 500 mm F4.0L IS USM
Canon EF 600 mm F4.0L IS USM
Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Canon Extender EF 2.0x II

(having said that, the list might be not up to date. But apparently all non-tele L-primes are not designed to be used in wet conditions accordingly to the list, for example, as well as a number of older L-zooms)