GH2 Shooting in wet/damp conditions

ed_lee83

ed_lee83

Well-known member
I'm shooting a 3-day charity hike that may encounter rain and most definitely humid conditions.
I'm like a cat, I hate getting wet. So I have very little experience shooting in the rain and wet conditions.
Can any shooters who have experience in this recommend what I should look out for, what specific type of rain gear I should bring to protect my gear?
It's a one-man show - bringing my GH2 (no rig), 3 lenses, 4 batteries, Tekkeon external battery, tripod, H4N, microphone, SD cards. That and camping equipment.
I have a Lowepro backpack that has a rain cover, and a sling vest system where i'd attach my lens pouches, accessories etc. I don't think they're exactly waterproof so I'm debating whether it's best to just leave them inside the backpack and not have them be exposed?
I'm obviously going to need at least something to cover the GH2. Any recommendations for the budget-minded?
Thanks in advance
 
ed_lee83 said:
I'm shooting a 3-day charity hike that may encounter rain and most definitely humid conditions.
I'm like a cat, I hate getting wet. So I have very little experience shooting in the rain and wet conditions.
Can any shooters who have experience in this recommend what I should look out for, what specific type of rain gear I should bring to protect my gear?
It's a one-man show - bringing my GH2 (no rig), 3 lenses, 4 batteries, Tekkeon external battery, tripod, H4N, microphone, SD cards. That and camping equipment.
I have a Lowepro backpack that has a rain cover, and a sling vest system where i'd attach my lens pouches, accessories etc. I don't think they're exactly waterproof so I'm debating whether it's best to just leave them inside the backpack and not have them be exposed?
I'm obviously going to need at least something to cover the GH2. Any recommendations for the budget-minded?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

There are 'bags' that can be bought that perhaps good for 'slight dunking' in water, which would work for just 'rainy' conditions. Here's an Amazon search on the topic. I think you would be interested in the 'bag' rather than a rigid housing.

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3350301

The main thing is some form of 'optical' glass front.

On the other hand I have seen people wrap their cameras in Saranwrap, or similar...

For the mic and related, obviously can't wrap the mic fully, so you'd probably need some form of umbrella if you want to use that out in the 'open' when it is drizzling or raining... or even fog that is condensing on everything...

For 'in pack' I'd say get some plastic bags that have zippers to pack stuff away.
 
gonzo_entertainment said:
Ideally you'd have either a PA or a C-stand holding a large golf umbrella over you the whole time.
Click to expand...

For the one-man/woman-band...

brolly-head2.jpg
 
I was desperate one time on a rainy day so I took a large zip-lock bag and stuck it over the camera. On one end I split the seam apart for the lens. My hands went up into the bag from the bottom. Worked great.
 
Lindenberg said:
I was desperate one time on a rainy day so I took a large zip-lock bag and stuck it over the camera. On one end I split the seam apart for the lens. My hands went up into the bag from the bottom. Worked great.
Click to expand...

You can even fancy that up by cutting a hole the right size and using a UV filter to attach it to the lens. I was looking at that DIY solution once when a music video shoot I was supposed to do was taking place near water with possibility of spray. The shoot got canceled so never got a chance to try it.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
There are 'bags' that can be bought that perhaps good for 'slight dunking' in water, which would work for just 'rainy' conditions. Here's an Amazon search on the topic. I think you would be interested in the 'bag' rather than a rigid housing.

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3350301

The main thing is some form of 'optical' glass front.

On the other hand I have seen people wrap their cameras in Saranwrap, or similar...

For the mic and related, obviously can't wrap the mic fully, so you'd probably need some form of umbrella if you want to use that out in the 'open' when it is drizzling or raining... or even fog that is condensing on everything...

For 'in pack' I'd say get some plastic bags that have zippers to pack stuff away.
Click to expand...

Great tips, thanks. Yes I should bring some zip-locks especially small electrical items.
I've seen some expensive Portabrace rain covers for certain camcorders that covers the microphone, but I guess nothing exists yet for DSLR-mounted microphones...

scorsesefan said:
This looks interesting, no?: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UEMXUQ/?tag=electromall06-20
Click to expand...

Yep, that seems to be the cheapest
 
I was going to suggest a shower cap, with a hole cut for the lens. Stays on in the wind too. Zip lock will do the same job though.
 
"Mr. BBC & Nat Geo" shows some nice solutions for HDSLRs. Price point is OK actually, nowhere near as expensive as Portabrace:
 
I used a zip lock for an impromptu shoot in a snow storm. It did the job but I think I would want something more functional if I was going to do a lot of shooting in the wet.
 
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