Waterproof bodies and lenses

[PaulPausescu]

I never appreciated a waterproof (splash) system and neither i sensed the need for one, but there are 4-5 days in a row in which is almost constant rain. And i can`t go to my daily walk to photograph because in the m4/3 system i only have the em10 mark II body, and its not splash proof. It drives me insane. I also have a sony 7A III - thats waterproof, but the 2 lenses i`ve got for the full frame system are not... so this is not an option either...

So guys, i`m really thinking of buying an oly thats waterproof. My question is: with a waterproof body and lens, its safe to go outside and shoot in medium rain, for lets say 1 hour? What are the limits to an oly waterproof combo?

[Rob Trek]

I've never really tested the limits of the weather sealing, but there are so many testimonials about how great the Olympus weather sealing is. People have told me their em5-ii is a real beater camera. The em1 is legendary.

[MagRat Garlic]

Paul,
Yes, it is safe to take one of the weather sealed Olympus OM-D series cameras out in the rain, even quite atrocious weather conditions. However, it is important to remember that Olympus describe their weather sealed cameras and lenses as "splashproof" and not waterproof.

My Olympus E-M5 MkIIs and PRO series lenses are all weather sealed. Even so, you don't want rain on the lens glass when you're taking a shot and you, most definitely, don't want to be swapping lenses in a downpour, else you risk getting water inside the sensitive interior electronics. This is why I own two E-M5 MkIIs and usually fit the zoom lenses if it's raining.

If I'm shooting hand-held in a torrential downpour, then I will use my body and my coat to shield my equipment as much as possible. (My coat may be open, so I can wrap it around my kit, as it is more susceptible to water than the photographer. Skin is waterproof.) Whereas, if I'm using a tripod and it's likely that the equipment will be out in the downpour for an extended period, then I'll fit one of those plastic raincoats -- such as the ThinkTANK -- over the camera body and lens. In would never attempt to change lenses in the wet; which is why a zoom is a better choice than a prime, albeit that heavy rain is also typically associated with lower light levels where a prime's faster aperture would be useful.

I also carry a lot of absorbent cloths with me. Although Olympus have done a brilliant job on their weather sealing, which is rated as by far the best in the industry, I try to keep my equipment as dry as possible. It's not just that I don't like to take any chances, it is also best practice to always treat your tools with respect.

Washing and rinsing can be an important maintenance task when you get home. If you're by the sea, the air can deposit highly corrosive salt onto your equipment, even on a seemingly dry day. If you're just out in the rain, remember all those horror stories about 'acid rain' and how it damages the stonework of our beautiful ancient cathedrals. You certainly want to clean that stuff off at the earliest opportunity. Even Champagne spray, if you're at a family wedding or other celebration, can test your equipment's weather sealing. Rinsing your equipment off under a slowly pouring stream of warm water, followed by careful drying with absorbent towels is my regime. Your weather sealed Olympus is "splash proof" and that means it is proof against the low pressure water falling from the kitchen tap (faucet, or is it fawcet?, for those of the American persuasion).

It's also important to be aware of the role weather sealing plays in stopping condensation forming inside the delicate electronics of the body or misting up your lens. Also, you definitely don't want to find fungus growing inside you equipment next time you take it out. Condensation is associated with taking your equipment from a warm centrally-heated residence out into the cold and wet. Weather sealing will certainly be your friend, but a bit of forward planning, specifically, gradually acclimatising your gear to the temperature you'll be working in helps. The day before your planned shoot, give your kit a check over, then move it into somewhere a bit cooler. I usually place my equipment inside an army surplus ammunition box, as they are cheap to buy and completely airtight, yet the metal construction will allow whatever's inside to cool from where it's been stored in a hot dry atmosphere. And, when it comes to putting your kit in your vehicle, it wants to be in the coldest area, typically your boot/trunk, where it's away from the heated cabin.

Am I worried about using my Olympus E-M5 MkIIs in a heavy downpour or a storm? No. But that doesn't mean I won't take every reasonable precaution to test the weather sealing unnecessarily.

One last thing, if you decide to buy a ThinkTANK or similar raincoat for your precious equipment, then you'll probably want to purchase the larger size eyecup that fits on the back of the electronic viewfinder. It'll give you a better weather seal. And take care to check that your equipment bag is weatherproof, many of those sold on Amazon aren't. Note: I wouldn't recommend using a raincoat on the unsealed E-M10 and unsealed lens combinations, as condensation still builds up inside the raincoat. The thinkTANK's job is to protect from high pressure rainstrikes, which could defeat even Olympus' legendary weather sealing.

Stay safe and dry,
Rick

[PaulPausescu]

Thanks a lot for the replies. I don`t intend to go in a storm to shoot. But medium rain, yeah... i would love that. Also, the advice to protect the equipment as much as i can even if it is splashproof - its common sense. I own an sony A7III and i took it out on a rainy day and i kept it protected with my coat while i was not shooting. Also, i put some rubber band at the jonction of the body with the lens, just to be safe. So yeah...

Thanks again and ... now i will be saving money for an om-d em1 mark ii. Thats my next purchase.

Have a great day, guys!

Cheers,
Paul.

[MagRat Garlic]

Hi Paul,
You might want to reconsider that rubber band.

One of the biggest problems is capillary action drawing water into the gap where two components (e.g. lens and body) come together. Unless your rubber band is a really tight fit, and I'd advise you've also used silicone lubricant, there's a danger that your improvised seal will actually draw more water.

If you watch the video that Rob posted on how Olympus weather seal their cameras, it'll give a good idea of how water seals work. I'm not familiar with the camera you mentioned, but assuming it's not weather sealed, you might want to consider smearing a small amount of silicone grease on the joint to act as a temporary barrier to stop capillary action drawing water in. However, this will not protect the vulnerable buttons and dials, and I would not recommend using silicone grease on these.

I always tell people to buy just one or two really fast and weather sealed lenses in the PRO range, rather than lots of cheaper, slow and unsealed "enthusiasts" lenses, because there are too many times when you can't trust your equipment being up to the job because it's raining or you're forced to push the ISO. As you know we photographers often talk about the best images being captured in the "golden hour" around dawn and dusk, and if your lens isn't fast enough, you're giving yourself an enormous handicap.

My advice is buy a weathersealed body and 1x fast, weather sealed wide angle PRO and 1x fast, weather sealed telephoto PRO. The 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO + the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO would give the most bang for your buck. Otherwise, consider the 17mm f/1.2 PRO and the 45mm f/1.2 PRO as two excellent Primes. Ultimately, this will be a cheaper way of giving yourself more opportunities to get that truly outstanding shot than having the whole range of lenses that can't be used because it's too dark or wet or your kit is misting up.

Rick

[PaulPausescu]

The sony A7III - is a mirrorless full frame - splash proof, dust proof, freeze proof. It`s a great body, but its twice as big as my olympus...

I appreciate the advices and the thorough explanations.

Cheers!

[Rob Trek]

Not sure I'd put grease on the mount. Wouldn't it be prone to collecting solid particles like dust and sand? Over time I'd think this would wear on the camera and lens mounts weakening the seal between the two. The lens would also carry these contaminants between bodies.

Just thinking out loud.

[MagRat Garlic]

Absolutely correct, Rob, you'd need to remove all traces of the silicone grease from the mounting plates as part of your after shoot drying and maintenance. Also, ONLY use silicone grease if you've no other option and DO NOT change lenses, else you'd definitely risk getting contaminants in the grease and the grease migrating into the lens and body. It is a one off technique you can use in an emergency, but not something to do on a regular basis. The best silicone grease is that sold in small tins for fly fishing (MUCILIN "Green" is the UK brand I use) as it is relatively hard, so easier to ensure it only goes where you put it. (Note: it's sold for use on fly fishing lines, and is NOT the same as the silicone grease lubricant sold for fishing reels.) It'll prevent water ingress by capillary action, but that's about all.

Even though I use the weather sealed PRO lenses fitted onto a weather sealed body, I will still use a smear of silicone grease if the rain is very severe, as it offers better capillary action protection than the silicone rings of the weather sealing on their own. But, as I said, NEVER attempt to change lenses in such conditions. And ALWAYS clean off the grease (using an isopropyl alcohol injection swab) immediately after you've dried the water from the outside of your kit. It's definitely not something you want on the lens mount except in exceptional weather conditions.

Rick

[Rob Trek]

Absolutely correct, Rob, you'd need to remove all traces of the silicone grease from the mounting plates as part of your after shoot drying and maintenance. And ALWAYS clean off the grease (using an isopropyl alcohol injection swab) immediately after you've dried the water from the outside of your kit. It's definitely not something you want on the lens mount except in exceptional weather conditions.

Rick

Thanks, Rick. Makes more sense now.