Fotomiguel Posted January 31, 2009 Share #1 Posted January 31, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) In Mallorca, last year was one of the rainiest years that I’ve seen. Rain is beautiful and makes photography special. The one problem is that I wouldn’t risk my M8 working under the rain. I’ve tried several tricks like plastic things or hiding the camera and taking it out just for the shot but all these make the control of the camera a bit annoying and difficult. The consequences are bad pictures and most of them unfocused or moved. I don’t mind to get wet but not my camera. I’m usually off one day a week, so that makes a rainy day, a very boring day. It should be the opposite. I started to think about creating a method of shooting under the rain. The first ideas were things like plastic cover with some holes for the controls, lens and viewfinder. All the prototypes were a disaster. Thinking and thinking I realized that the solution had to be a much easier: Just a small umbrella on the top of the camera. It should be small, light and transparent, making work very easy and protecting the camera just a bit from the rain. If it were a shoe accessory, it would be easy to set. So once the idea was clear, I started to build prototypes from different materials and shapes. I did some experiments with my old analog Nikons until I got the final prototype. The biggest problem was to find the correct rigid, transparent plastic. Easy to cut and to give some shape, but rigid enough. So, here you are. I don’t know if it’s too ridiculous or poor but it works for me. I did my first try the 7th of January. Three hours under the rain walking in Palma with a goro-tex jacket and boots. I had no umbrella and the camera was hanging from my neck the whole time. It was quite rainy but not windy. Just perfect!! The camera didn’t get more than a couple of drops. It works much better than I thought, working so easy with the camera. I was waiting for another rainy day but it didn’t arrive. I post it through my web-gallery. Just in case your reaction is too humorous or injurious, I can erase it all easily. The first shots are from my M8 with the raincap and the next ones are from the pictures I did that day. All 50mm cron. Zenfolio | Miguel Massanet Amer | M8 raincap Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Hi Fotomiguel, Take a look here M8 raincap. I'm waiting for the rain!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jamesmd Posted January 31, 2009 Share #2 Posted January 31, 2009 Si señor . Cojonudo !!! La ñapa del año , me voy a hacer uno . gracias por el invento , si te descuidas pronto te lo compras en una tienda . Great home made protector , I'll build one for mine James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex7075 Posted January 31, 2009 Share #3 Posted January 31, 2009 This is the kind of thing I really like and enjoy. Wonderful idea and very useful! Is it difficult to make? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtZ Posted January 31, 2009 Share #4 Posted January 31, 2009 Miguel, James, ¿Y no habeis probabdo esto? Universal protector A120 que podeis comprar AQUI por tan solo 3,50 €... Un abrazo a los dos PS: James, si te veo con él te saco la foto... estaras guapisimo, tio. :D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tashley Posted January 31, 2009 Share #5 Posted January 31, 2009 Miguel, James, ¿Y no habeis probabdo esto? Universal protector A120 que podeis comprar AQUI por tan solo 3,50 €... Un abrazo a los dos PS: James, si te veo con él te saco la foto... estaras guapisimo, tio. :D Pero el hombre en el video se ve como un idiota! Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtorrents Posted January 31, 2009 Share #6 Posted January 31, 2009 pues la verdad es que si el invento te funciona...es para decir lo de "ande yo caliente y ríase la gente.." qué plastico has usado? saludos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmfabian Posted January 31, 2009 Share #7 Posted January 31, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) that design is genius! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtZ Posted January 31, 2009 Share #8 Posted January 31, 2009 Pero el hombre en el video se ve como un idiota! Tim Tim, I agree... exactly as my post, it was just for fun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 31, 2009 Share #9 Posted January 31, 2009 Blimey. Clever idea, but a bit excessive. For many years I have just "liberated" the free shower caps from hotel rooms worldwide. They take up no room at all in a pocket or corner of your bag and are ideal to keep the camera dry in case of (rain) showers. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucek Posted January 31, 2009 Share #10 Posted January 31, 2009 Blimey. Clever idea, but a bit excessive. For many years I have just "liberated" the free shower caps from hotel rooms worldwide. They take up no room at all in a pocket or corner of your bag and are ideal to keep the camera dry in case of (rain) showers. Regards, Bill Ah, but with a rangefinder camera you would have to take off the shower cap to be able to focus. With this arrangement you can leave the "cap" on and still focus. I think it's a great idea! Bruce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted January 31, 2009 Share #11 Posted January 31, 2009 Seems like a slightly smaller version if the umbrella with a hotshoe attachment could be your solution... I would also suggest a color change to safari green... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotomiguel Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted January 31, 2009 It's quite easy to build when you have the right materials. I got the right plastic from a carpenter mask MercadoLibre: PROTECTOR FACIAL MASCARA FORESTACION CARPINTERIA PULIDOR - $ 50.00 A similar one just for 11 euros in my nearest hardware store Not to difficult to cut and rigid enough. I could give the final shape by heating it a bit. I also used the shower caps from the hotels, but this cap give you free and easy control of the camera. To focus and change lenses is quite easy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted January 31, 2009 Share #13 Posted January 31, 2009 Blimey. Clever idea, but a bit excessive. For many years I have just "liberated" the free shower caps from hotel rooms worldwide. They take up no room at all in a pocket or corner of your bag and are ideal to keep the camera dry in case of (rain) showers. Regards, Bill In a pinch I have used some of my stock of special order Emperor Tonga Condoms (only available through a East Africa distributor).... I cut off the tip and it fits my 135mm Tele-Elmar albeit a bit loosely.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 31, 2009 Share #14 Posted January 31, 2009 In a pinch I have used some of my stock of special order Emperor Tonga Condoms (only available through a East Africa distributor).... I cut off the tip and it fits my 135mm Tele-Elmar albeit a bit loosely.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissah Posted February 1, 2009 Share #15 Posted February 1, 2009 In a pinch I have used some of my stock of special order Emperor Tonga Condoms (only available through a East Africa distributor).... I cut off the tip and it fits my 135mm Tele-Elmar albeit a bit loosely.... theres no way im putting a condom on my M8. she would feel far too masculine... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
epand56 Posted February 2, 2009 Share #16 Posted February 2, 2009 Miguel, that is a great idea. I would have found it very usefull in Paris under the snow in January. If you do not intend to become billionaire by registering and producing your idea, I would ask you if you can post a drawing on how to self produce that camera-umbrella, telling us what kind of transparent plastic you used. Thank you for showing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted February 2, 2009 Share #17 Posted February 2, 2009 Miguel, Very nice design, elegant and functional. But I see one possible problem. the run-off backwards over the camera end, will tend to follow the material directly to the hotshooe. anybody doing this probably want to make sure there is a sharp edge before the hothoe to give water a chance to drip before it comes to the shotshoe. It is definitely better to keep the most of the roof slanting forward dripping happens in front of the camera. Personally I think the showercap with a rubberband around the front of the lens might work well, particularly in that all dripping happens below the camera. and they are in such ready supply in every hotel. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndjambrose Posted February 2, 2009 Share #18 Posted February 2, 2009 Not sure how well it would cope with rain driven by wind. Seems to me that every time I've got soaked it's always because the rain is coming in sideways. The size of the umbrella makes it most suitable for light showers that fall directly vertically... and they're not really the conditions that would cause water ingress. But a fun idea nonetheless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotomiguel Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share #19 Posted February 2, 2009 Of course It’s not for a windy heavy rain. I’ve tried just one time with not windy but quite rainy and was perfect. I was about three hours under the rain and no problem. The good thing is that you can see how is your camera. So if it star to get wet, just keep it safe. For those who want to build one, in the next days I’ll try to explain you more accurately how I made it. I’ll give you a template and the materials I used. You have to understand that I’m not English and It’s a bit more difficult to explain it than for others. For the problem of “the run-off backwards over the camera end, will tend to follow the material directly to the hotshoe” If you look at the raincap carefully, you’ll see that has a black long piece of black plastic. I added this piece to prevent this problem. I did several tries before adding it. It happened as you said. But with this black plastic thing, the drops went to the side. I just want to say, that don’t risk your cameras. That was just an idea that works for me, but If it’s too rainy or windy, I won’t use it at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsen Posted February 2, 2009 Share #20 Posted February 2, 2009 "Rain is beautiful and makes photography special...." Miguel, You know; you should move to Norway. I can promise you rain every day. And if it isn't raining, - it is snowing. An even better photo opportunity. Thanks for posting all these fine pictures from Mallorca. I love Palma! I have sailed in this annual 'Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia Mapfre' - during Easter, which would be the first sailing event on the Norwegian sailing calender. I participated when they still included Snipe, which is the boat class with the most fun. (Now they only include Olympic boats). LLink here: 2008 - 39 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia - MAPFRE Anyway, I have many happy memories of these sailing events and of Palma and Mallorca. I'll trade with you a place in the Mallorca sun - with a place in the Norwegian rain just any time.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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