Rain Cover & Salt Air
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Guest
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Re: Rain Cover & Salt Air
You might consider just going down to Smart & Final and buying some clear trash can liners. The "Pro Value" 10 gallon size works pretty well for the DVX sized camera. The box will cost you about $6 and you'll get 360 bags (a rain cover for almost every day of the year!) It's not as cool as the other rain covers, but they are really functional. It works really well against water and will probably be better than the real cordura rain covers from Kata or Porta Brace in staving off the salt air because it won't breathe as much. It would probably take weeks of exposure and high humidity for the salt air to really do damage to your camera. But if you've got the bag on, you might also get a package or two of silica beads (dessicant) and tape them to the handle of the camera. Those should quickly absorb the moisture in the interior of the bag. You can get a nice sized cannister of this stuff at cases4less.com that's about the size of 1.5 miniDV tapes and you can keep it in your gear case when you're not chasing Moby Dick.
The bag may sound silly, but we use the larger sizes on a lot of rain shots on 35mm Steadicam rigs when we're doing water tower work (man-made rain). The bonus is that they're clear, so you can see everything on the camera. Quickly customizable and easy to tear off. If it's a real hostile environment, you can actually look through the plastic at the LCD viewfinder without exposing the viewfinder to the elements. I also use them on video cameras when shooting rally events (think WRC) when you're in the elements, 10 feet from a logging road, and race cars are flying by at over 100mph, flinging mud and water all over everything. Doesn't destroy the rain cover and saves the camera pretty well.
However, if you're shooting something where there will be other cameras from national media outlets who will probably get one or two shots of you (like at a political rally), just use the Kata or Porta Brace. Saves you from looking like a dork on prime time CNN.
You might consider just going down to Smart & Final and buying some clear trash can liners. The "Pro Value" 10 gallon size works pretty well for the DVX sized camera. The box will cost you about $6 and you'll get 360 bags (a rain cover for almost every day of the year!) It's not as cool as the other rain covers, but they are really functional. It works really well against water and will probably be better than the real cordura rain covers from Kata or Porta Brace in staving off the salt air because it won't breathe as much. It would probably take weeks of exposure and high humidity for the salt air to really do damage to your camera. But if you've got the bag on, you might also get a package or two of silica beads (dessicant) and tape them to the handle of the camera. Those should quickly absorb the moisture in the interior of the bag. You can get a nice sized cannister of this stuff at cases4less.com that's about the size of 1.5 miniDV tapes and you can keep it in your gear case when you're not chasing Moby Dick.
The bag may sound silly, but we use the larger sizes on a lot of rain shots on 35mm Steadicam rigs when we're doing water tower work (man-made rain). The bonus is that they're clear, so you can see everything on the camera. Quickly customizable and easy to tear off. If it's a real hostile environment, you can actually look through the plastic at the LCD viewfinder without exposing the viewfinder to the elements. I also use them on video cameras when shooting rally events (think WRC) when you're in the elements, 10 feet from a logging road, and race cars are flying by at over 100mph, flinging mud and water all over everything. Doesn't destroy the rain cover and saves the camera pretty well.
However, if you're shooting something where there will be other cameras from national media outlets who will probably get one or two shots of you (like at a political rally), just use the Kata or Porta Brace. Saves you from looking like a dork on prime time CNN.
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Guest
Guest
Re: Rain Cover & Salt Air
One other thing -- if you're going to suffer from a lot of overspray, get some RainX and coat the optical flat/UV filter right before you go out. Then keep a soft towel or microfiber with you and be ready to constantly dab the lens. The RainX really helps the water bead up and run off the filter quickly and it's faster to clean off.
One other thing -- if you're going to suffer from a lot of overspray, get some RainX and coat the optical flat/UV filter right before you go out. Then keep a soft towel or microfiber with you and be ready to constantly dab the lens. The RainX really helps the water bead up and run off the filter quickly and it's faster to clean off.
Re: Rain Cover & Salt Air
Top rated Fox Valley Video Service recommends keeping your DVX-100 in a plastic bag with dessicant packs before and after the shoots! The salt and moisture will cause you no end of problems............I live in Key West and have really had problems! Respect your cam!!!!!!!! If you send it in for service you jeopardize your warranty if salt crystals are found on/in the camera!!!!!!!! Luckily Panasonic has been merciful to me!! Prevent a possible repair costing in excess of $1000 by taking every precaution possible! Sea water and salt air spell disaster in terms of lost income because your cam will go down!!!!! Take care!!!
Top rated Fox Valley Video Service recommends keeping your DVX-100 in a plastic bag with dessicant packs before and after the shoots! The salt and moisture will cause you no end of problems............I live in Key West and have really had problems! Respect your cam!!!!!!!! If you send it in for service you jeopardize your warranty if salt crystals are found on/in the camera!!!!!!!! Luckily Panasonic has been merciful to me!! Prevent a possible repair costing in excess of $1000 by taking every precaution possible! Sea water and salt air spell disaster in terms of lost income because your cam will go down!!!!! Take care!!!
moe_snodgrass
Well-known member
Re: Rain Cover & Salt Air
If you decide to go the trash bag route, consider getting what are called "contractor-grade" trash bags from Home Depot. These are super-heavy-duty. They have a million uses. I never leave home without them.
If you decide to go the trash bag route, consider getting what are called "contractor-grade" trash bags from Home Depot. These are super-heavy-duty. They have a million uses. I never leave home without them.
FlacaProductions
Well-known member
Re: Rain Cover & Salt Air
[quote author=BH link=board=Links;num=1097072790;start=0#2 date=10/06/04 at 17:31:05] Saves you from looking like a dork on prime time CNN.[/quote]
does anyone even watch them anymore?
[quote author=BH link=board=Links;num=1097072790;start=0#2 date=10/06/04 at 17:31:05] Saves you from looking like a dork on prime time CNN.[/quote]
does anyone even watch them anymore?