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M8 Shooting in Rain - Suggestions


wstotler

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I have a photoshoot Saturday that's outdoors and it may be raining. Any suggestions on how to cover/shield the M8 top plate and lens top? (I'm assuming I won't have Tina Manley's luck.) I've read various threads about the topic on the forum, ranging from "it will be fine" to the one with the plastic umbrella thingamajig that affixes above the top plate.

 

If you shoot in the rain with your M8 can you take a moment to share your methods/practices?

 

Thanks!

Will

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Take common sense precautions. tuck inside your coat when not shooting. But unless you are shooting in a down pour, you should be just fine. I have shot in medium to heavy rain and also on the Maid of the Mists at Niagra Falls with no problems. Dry off when you can, or as often as/if possible. Tina has certainly had phenominal luck with her M8's, and she has not babied them at all. Mine have not been through what she has put hers through, but I have used it in rain, heat, snow, -20F to 114F temps, and not a single glitch.

 

Gene

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A small sandwich plastic bag or cling wrap around the camera, and/or some surgical tape to seal the lens mount and shutter is good for heavy rain. In light rain, cradling the camera in your hands and maybe wearing a baseball cap for protection by the visor should do.

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This?

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Be careful though not to stick your camera away in a non-aired very humid bag or rucksack.

 

Humidity kills the camera. When in doubt: whip out the battery. In the M9 manual it is confirmed that there is an electrical current running in the camera even when shut off Should be the same for M8.. With humidity and electricty you get a lethal combination.

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I'm not Tina, but I've had no problem shooting the M8 in the rain--even very, very heavy rain. I admit that I've perhaps been lucky, but it hasn't let me down over the last 3 years.

 

Having said that, a small and light umbrella is a good thing, even sans assistant (though I agree with David that's the best). I can usually wedge a small umbrella under my arm and cover the M8 (and my head) without obstructing my FOV.

 

Lots of times, though, there's no time for that, and I'm shooting in a thunderstorm. Wipe camera down afterwards, don't put it in a bag, and of course use your coat when possible (not usually for me because a flash is on top :) ).

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Take common sense precautions. tuck inside your coat when not shooting. But unless you are shooting in a down pour, you should be just fine. I have shot in medium to heavy rain and also on the Maid of the Mists at Niagra Falls with no problems. Dry off when you can, or as often as/if possible. Tina has certainly had phenominal luck with her M8's, and she has not babied them at all. Mine have not been through what she has put hers through, but I have used it in rain, heat, snow, -20F to 114F temps, and not a single glitch.

 

Gene

 

I fully agree. I'd just further recommend that all lenses always have their shade on, you put the lens caps when not using them or, if too difficult, hang the camera lens downwards when out of the coat but not shooting. But be not too concerned. Unless rain is heavily pouring, some drops of water may pass unnoticed on the final result. Wipe the camera when possible and never forget your wet camera in a closed non perspiring bag.

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I keep a 80 x 40 cm micro-fibre travel towel handy for wiping the camera dry and to wrap it up in when I've finished shooting until I can get to a place with proper, dry ventilation.

 

Travel towels are super-absorbent, very light and inexpensive.

 

Pete.

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I have found the best solution to be the same as is used for professional cinema cameras which are no more waterproof than the M8. Cut up a professional 4x4 poly bag to cover the camera and tape it to the edges of the shade just leaving the filter exposed to the elements.

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Thanks, everyone, for the information about your ways of working and suggestions for handling. Very appreciated!

 

Will

 

... and you think you're finished with us? Now we want to know how it went and what solution you implemented! :-)

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... and you think you're finished with us? Now we want to know how it went and what solution you implemented! :-)

 

Finished? Naw. Was out shooting in the rain! :) (It was near-freezing, on top of that.)

 

Thanks again, everyone!

 

Suggestions followed:

 

* Took two Leica lens cleaning cloths to keep the front element clear of raindrops. (rob_x2004) Checked front element often, wiped as needed.

 

* Dabbed top plate and top of lens dry with extra towel often. (grduprey, farnz)

 

* Let camera hang facing downwards when not shooting. (!Nomad64)

 

* Wore baseball cap + jacket hood. (Wear a cap/hood normally. Looking into the long-billed cap.) (Tom Johnston, BerndReini)

 

* Stuffed M8 inside jacket when raining hard and not using camera. (grduprey)

 

* When checking lenses indoors during a break, noted that a spot of water *did* find its way onto the flange of the bayonet/lens mount. Nothing inside the camera, but enough to make me pause. Will look into the surgical tape option for next time. (BerndReini)

 

* Kept a soft release screwed into the shutter release at all times to full the hole. (Me.)

 

* Kept the camera out of the camera bag to mitigate closed-bag humidity risk. Immediately after shooting, removed the camera from the Luigi case and popped out the battery. Once home, unmounted everything and left the camera/lenses to air dry overnight. (Jaime Roberts, !Nomad64, vanhulsenbeek)

 

--> I have confidence to shoot the M8 in the rain now. Looking into the long-bill cap and surgical tape options.

 

Few shots from yesterday attached. Model is Atul Narula.

 

Full set can be found here:

Atul Narula Photoshoot - a set on Flickr

 

Thanks!

Will

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Will,

.... or you have this (page 7) :

http://optechusa.com/datafiles/french_flyer.pdf

Regards

Henry

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Looks foolproof--but not good for "running-and-gunning" on the street?

 

 

Awesome pics! And you took all shots with the CV35 in available light?

 

Thanks! Yes, the flat top-light from it being overcast worked out well and everything being wet helped model surfaces with shinyness. I was shooting at f/1.2 (I use a 1.25x magnifier to aid focusing) and a happy side-effect was that shooting at f/1.2 mostly hid the rain.

 

Will

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