Water and electronics don’t mix! I just returned my iPhone and was told that water damage caused the hardware malfunction. And, of course, that’s not covered under the warranty. Since much of my life relies on the convenience of the iPhone, I had no choice but to purchase a new one at the Apple store.
The cost of an iPhone is a heck of lot less than a DSLR, so protecting your camera from water damage is very important. Not only will it save you from costly repairs or replacement, it will allow you to shoot even in the worst conditions.
I usually keep my cameras away from wet environments, but occasionally that is your only opportunity to film an exciting event or scene. I recall going whale watching in Icy Straits in Glacier Bay, Alaska. It was raining when we left the lodge so I brought a plastic bag from the waste basket in the room. I was using a Nikon F100 and a Tamron 200-400mm Zoom lens. I cut a hole in the bottom of the bag and taped it to the lens hood and extended it back over the camera.
It was pouring when we got there, but the whales didn’t mind as they were enjoying the abundance in the nutrient rich waters. Our captain/tour guide turned off the engine and several humpback whales surfaced near our boat and kept circling in close proximity. I stuck my head in the plastic bag a la the black hood of large format cameras. It worked. I got some shots and the camera LCD only got a little moist and was temporarily unreadable, but that cleared up by the next day after a few sessions under the portable hair dryer.
Knowing what I know today, I have to think that I was pretty lucky that the camera survived at all.
Recently I had the opportunity to go the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The spray from the falls makes the area surrounding it a rain forest that stays wet most of the year. You can walk fifty feet and get drenched by torrents of water falling in the atmosphere and then in the next fifty you will remain relatively dry. This time I was prepared. I brought a waterproof DiCAPac ® made specifically for DSLR cameras.
The contraption is form-fitting plastic bag with sealed finger holes so you can access the shutter release and lens zoom ring. You can view the rear LCD screen and the view finder. through the clear plastic panel. It will hold a full-size DSLR but it won’t take a long zoom lens. I used it with a 12-24mm, and a 50mm. The clear polycarbonate lens cap gets water on it so have some dry paper towels handy so you can keep it clean. Otherwise your images will only feature water droplets.
The manufacturer claims you can use it underwater to about 16 feet, but I’m never comfortable doing that. I stressed every minute I used my Nikonos V, even though I never had a problem. However, if you want to shoot in a wet environments like hurricanes, storms at sea or while kayaking, this handy package could save the day without breaking the bank.
If you go to http://www.dicapac.com you can check to see which model is designed to fit your camera brand and model. You can buy one for your DSLR for under $100 and for your point and shoot for under $50.
The cost of an iPhone is a heck of lot less than a DSLR, so protecting your camera from water damage is very important. Not only will it save you from costly repairs or replacement, it will allow you to shoot even in the worst conditions.
I usually keep my cameras away from wet environments, but occasionally that is your only opportunity to film an exciting event or scene. I recall going whale watching in Icy Straits in Glacier Bay, Alaska. It was raining when we left the lodge so I brought a plastic bag from the waste basket in the room. I was using a Nikon F100 and a Tamron 200-400mm Zoom lens. I cut a hole in the bottom of the bag and taped it to the lens hood and extended it back over the camera.
It was pouring when we got there, but the whales didn’t mind as they were enjoying the abundance in the nutrient rich waters. Our captain/tour guide turned off the engine and several humpback whales surfaced near our boat and kept circling in close proximity. I stuck my head in the plastic bag a la the black hood of large format cameras. It worked. I got some shots and the camera LCD only got a little moist and was temporarily unreadable, but that cleared up by the next day after a few sessions under the portable hair dryer. Knowing what I know today, I have to think that I was pretty lucky that the camera survived at all.
Recently I had the opportunity to go the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The spray from the falls makes the area surrounding it a rain forest that stays wet most of the year. You can walk fifty feet and get drenched by torrents of water falling in the atmosphere and then in the next fifty you will remain relatively dry. This time I was prepared. I brought a waterproof DiCAPac ® made specifically for DSLR cameras. 
The contraption is form-fitting plastic bag with sealed finger holes so you can access the shutter release and lens zoom ring. You can view the rear LCD screen and the view finder. through the clear plastic panel. It will hold a full-size DSLR but it won’t take a long zoom lens. I used it with a 12-24mm, and a 50mm. The clear polycarbonate lens cap gets water on it so have some dry paper towels handy so you can keep it clean. Otherwise your images will only feature water droplets.
The manufacturer claims you can use it underwater to about 16 feet, but I’m never comfortable doing that. I stressed every minute I used my Nikonos V, even though I never had a problem. However, if you want to shoot in a wet environments like hurricanes, storms at sea or while kayaking, this handy package could save the day without breaking the bank.
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