Rain on Digital Camera

A couple of drops of water is one thing, but rain soaked another Jon. I have had a 10D come back to life, but it sounds like your circuitry is seriously screwed up—thats a shame. Hope it manages to dry out…..

Jon;
I have had same problem with one of my dinky C-7070. I had same problems what you have right now… I ended up in camera store where I bought my camera. They sent my camera to repair service and then I got back in two weeks.( I still have warranty). I didn’t tell them my camera was broken because of my mistake :)...
What they suggest is that leave your camera on mode without battery for more than 24 hours for full reset then try how it goes. I did same thing but i didn’t work at all.
Hope you still have warranty….
I buy warranty for electronic things… it helps a lot. I paid 40 bucks for two years for my dinky…
Keep c-7070 alive
Cheers…

Yeah the thing that surprises me is that I wouldnt really say it was rain-soaked: once it really started to pour, I shot a couple frames and ran for shelter, immediately wiping down the camera. Once the rain let up I shot some more, and I kept the camera relatively free of the drops of rain. I mean it isnt like I left the camera out in the rain, I shot some frames and wiped it clean.

What the heck do people do when they are covering a disaster like 9/11 or Katrina or just a little flood for the 5 o’clock news? I mean do these things hold up or not? What is the use? Even my little point and shoots could take the rain.

Ali, I didnt quite get your point: I cannot leave the camera on if the battery is not in the camera. You mean I simply turn the on button on even without the battery in the camera? I will try it if that is supposed to work. No warranty at this point, I bought it over a year ago.

Sorry, Jon
Yes, you are right, turn on the camera without battery for more than 24 hours…
That’s what I got from Olympus…
cheers

Well that is what I will do. Thanks Ali. Even if I had a warranty still on the thing, I couldnt find a store down here to handle it. I would have to take it or send it to the States. Well, maybe it will be worth it to pay for repairs, but I doubt it. Maybe someone down here can rig it. Let us hope for the best. I have grown to love this little camera.

I turned a canoe over in Katrina flood waters and destroyed a T-90, and swallowed that foul liquid too…...but I went out in the storm with a plastic bag over the camera and no problem. You probably just had some bad luck Jon, I hope your karma is right and it comes back to life.

Jon let me share these with you
I don’t think the 7070 is sold as “weatherproof” is it? If not, and water damage is the cause of the problem, you will have voided your warranty.
Suggestions:

Remove the battery as soon as possible.

Place the camera in a warm, dry place to air out for a few days. I’m not sure I’d recommend it with a camera, but I once “recovered” a cell phone by placing it on a sweater shelf in the dryer on a low setting for a while.

The key is to get any/all moisture out of the camera. Leaving the batteries out for more then 24 hours should also give the camera a “full reset”.

When you think it’s had enough time to dry out, put the battery back in and see what happens.

It’s also possible that after shooting and transferring images that the battery has worn down.

Since you did expose the camera to rain, I’d want to give it a good chance to dry out first, but also make sure the battery is fully charged when it’s time to test things again.

Ha! bad and good luck both I guess. I mean if the point of the whole thing is to get good pix, then I really cannot complain, I got three or four keepers that night. Rain and spectral light cant be beat. But I would like to be able to use my camera again too!! I was crestfallen when I went out tonite to shoot and couldnt. I guess this means I just have to break down and buy that 5D!

As for voiding the warranty, well it is a moot point since the camera is more than a year old; but actually I read over the manual and nowhere does it say that one shouldnt shoot in the rain. It just says dont leave the camera out in the rain. I will follow your advice, Ali, turn the camera on, leave the battery out, let it dry. Maybe I can put it in a box with dessicant.

My experiece. Don’t turn on again until thoroughly dry. Overnight in a film drying cabinet if you have access, or a solid week sitting on a shelf. Will most likely be OK. Just be patient. Worst case scenario, you get a 5d? Doesn’t sound that bad.

Good luck. I hope you didn’t miss any good pics.

Hey Jon,

In your environment (as with mine) humidity will hinder the drying process. If you can get it somewhere with AC, that will really help. If it is just water and not a short circuit of some kind, that should do the trick (along with the full reset that’s been mentioned). FYI, what you were describing does sound like a simple water issue. Water can sometimes cause electrical connections to be made where they otherwise wouldn’t.

Good luck, and please let us know how it turns out. I’m curious as it’s the rainy season down here as well. ;-)

-Art

hey Jon, i had the same problem with my Nikon this winter in Turkey, Me and the camera was soaked! worst was the lens, moisture had gotten in between the glass . it took my 4 hours sitting by the tiny electric heater, holding the gear, making sure they’re not too close to the elements. No problem, everything worked the next day. But it’s important to take out the battery A.S.A.P.

i just got a 5D yesterday, you won’t regret it.
all best
Johnny

Back in 2004, the Canon D60 issued me by the paper I worked for got wet when I was covering a massive street protest in the Philippines. It not only rained that afternoon, but firemen also sprayed protesters with water cannons just as the rain subsided. So I couldn’t protect the camera as usual which is by hiding it under my shirt; I got soaked head to foot. I felt helpless as I aimed at one brave young man kicking a teargas canister that police shot at the mass of protesters. I felt the camera shutter click but it made no picture; that would have been THE picture. Anyway, I put the camera and lens under a hairdryer that night. I even opened the camera to dry its inside also. The camera worked for a bit afterwards but finally died out on me a few days after as water inside which failed to evaporate seeped further into its innards and shorted out the sensitive circuitry. That’s an extreme situation though. I only saw it fit to tell here considering that Canon, nothwithstanding the fact that I’m a fan, doesn’t seem to hear pleas by pros for some kind of weathersealing on their 2nd level “prosumer” cameras like the D60 then and the 20D or 30D or the 5D of today. Because not every pro or even news organizations could afford the top-of-the-line Canon digital cameras, especially nowadays when you have to upgrade every couple of years to keep up resolution-wise.

Ay Max, what a pain! At least I can say I got the shots I was after. But I am a bit miffed by the fact that these cameras simply cannot hold up against the weather. Especially in the case of a 3000 dollar camera like the 5D one should expect and receive adequate weatherproofing. Well the hairdryer trick was also recommended to me by a friend down here, but as I cannot find one at the moment I am just leaving the camera in a ventilated box with some dessicant packets. Johnny, your story was encouraging, I think it will turn out OK, but we shall have to wait and see.

In the old days when cameras weren’t made without any sealing, how did photographers keep them dry?
In Steve Mccurry’s Monsoon, he was literally swimming while taking pictures, and he was using Nikon F bodies.
What are the tricks? May be that would help us to keep the digital cameras dry.
J.L.

Jon, you could put it in the oven, very low heat of course. Maybe heat the oven, then turn it off, put the camera in. It will be warm and dry in there, more so than any other environment you could create.

The back cover of McCurry’s “Monsoon” shows him standing waist-deep in water, with an Indian fellow holding an umbrella over him. The book is excellent, especially McCurry’s prose journal. The guy’s a great writer—I wish he would write more. I also wish he hadn’t included the sahib/coolie-looking photo on the back.

but was he shooting a digital camera? I think not. I met McCurry when he was printing up the images for his other book, the general compilation of SoEast Asia imagery, and all that material was from slide. Beautiful big prints by the way. There was no writing in that book, that I can recall. I would like to see this new one, though. I always like it when photographers take the time to write, and it is surprising how many of them are quite good writers.

Yeah, I had already decided to try the oven trick, but it is so hot here I didnt want to heat up the place. Will give it a whirl.

Monsoon is an older book, Jon…..the digital camera is like a small computer, it is going to be much more suspectible to water than a mechanical one, and is probably much harder to waterproof.

Hi Jon, I returned last night from a solid month out in the jungle, it rained on average 8 hours in every 24 and up to 20 hours at a stretch.
We were sleeping out under ponchos by night by by day I had to shoot even in the full on tropical rainstorms. Everything was soaked most of
the time. The brolly I took along worked OK when standing around waiting for something to happen but was no use when hacking thru the jungle or
during attacks obiously. How my kit survived I have no idea, I use 2 D1 mk2’s and they are incredibly durable. On one occasion my strap broke, rotted thru
due the wet and dumped the camera hotshoe down in 2 feet of mud.
At the end of it all there was no serious moisture ingression into the lenses (16-35L and 70-200Lis)nothing into the cameras around the mount and just a
tiny bit into the area where the card is housed. Some water must have got in around the rocker switches and push buttons but not enough to cause any
permanat damage, sometimes the odd control packed up for a bit but a roll of toilet paper carried in a ziplock was good for soaking off the moisture
every now and then and the buttons dried out over night under the basha. I have to say I was very impressed and more than a bit relieved. Exactly how long
the gear would put up with this kind of treatment I don’t know. The Canons proved very hardy and able to withstand a lot of abuse over a couple of years in
Iraq and Afghan with all the dust issues and have now proved themselves in another tough enviroment. Still miss using good old mechanical Leicas and
Nikons in the wet as they simply go forever but don’t miss trying to change films when up to my ears in mud and foliage.
I do seriously doubt that the 5D would withstand the abuse, as far as I can tell all the extra cash for the 1’D’s is simply used to beef up the
contruction and weather proofing. If you are going to spend much time in foul weather it is money well spent though.
JPH.

AquaTech makes some very good rain covers for bodies & various focal lenghts. If you have to deal with a lot of rain/snow its a sound investment. Also, after I’ve been shooting in rain/snow I’ll hop back in the car, towel dry the cameras and then put them on the floor of the car with the car heat on for a few minutes. Hope your camera is up and running soon Jon.

I have a 2002 reprint of a 1995 paperback of a 1988 Thames & Hudson (UK) edition of “Monsoon.” Got it off Amazon, one their used stores. Cost me all of $15. This version includes the journal. He says that he carried a big golf umbrella, with an assistant (hence the photo on the back cover). Best parts of the journal—the emergency landing his fuel-deprived plane makes in a Mali millet field; and his brief stint in a Catholic hospital in Goa, where he wakes up with a concussion after a footbridge he had been crossing collapsed. The care was so poor, with other patients screaming unattended in their beds, that McCurry pulls the IVs out of his arms and walks out.

I don’t really have a good tip for you jon but I also have a story to share which just happened to me about two weeks ago.

I was shooting a friend of mine before a wedding while he was shaving in the bathroom. It was a rather big bathroom, the door and the skylight was open all the time. Of course it was steamy but not that bad. I was sweating like hell… After he finished shaving I looked at the display of my 5D for the first time and it was completely foged up from the inside. I saw nothing.

A couple of hours later the fog from the inside of the display went away but I was still not able to activate the menu. Nothing wored anymore. Another couple of hours later I was able to activate and see the menu again.

But… All images that I shot, even when I tried it two days later were black. Nothing in at all. Not only on the display but also when I transfered the RAW files onto my computer.
I had to send the camera to Canon to get it repaired. That took about a week from the incident since Canon had to check how to deal with the guarantee since I got it from them directly and didn’t have a receipt. When I send it away I tried it again and images were captured. I still send it in to check since something must have been wrong. Canon told me that this never happend to a 5D before. Well it shouldn’t have happend… Ok, the 5D is not weather sealed but I wasn’t even shooting in the rain. I was shooting inside a bathroom with open doors and I was sweating. But that shouldn’t cause that…

Hope to get my camera back soon!

Jon, mis dos centavos: I believe the mistake was to turn the camera on after the soaking the next morning. If there is no current running thru the circuitry and you let it dry throughly, the machine should come back to life with no problems. If there is current you have the risk of shorting the circuitry and it would be done. Ali’s advise is spot on. Make sure the camera is completely dry, either using a desiccant in a box or try to gently heat the camera with a blower so the water evaporates… Not much helps after all that was written but who knows…

L

Martin, so now I am having second thoughts about buying a 5D. And that is not the only story I have heard. Excuse me folks, but the makers of these cameras have to realize that we are all working in adverse conditions much of time—ok, maybe not a c7070 but a 3000 dollar 5D? Come on.

Luis, after I finished shooting that night, I turned the camera on 24 hours later, the next evening, so one would think that enough time had passed. I am still optimistic, though.

Not that this is the best solution as far as optics are concerned, but I always figured if I needed to do a lot of shooting in a wet (or extremely dusty) environment I’d bite the bullet and get an underwater housing. That way I could get sprayed with all the fire-hoses I could stand and keep right on shooting. Just a thought.

-Art

BTW, I was just reading the fine print specs on the 5D and this is a the bottom of the page… CANON 5D specs
`

Operating Environment

Operating Temperature Range: 32-104&degF/0-40&degC

Operating Humidity Range: 85% or less

`
Martin, according to these specs, you were asking for trouble with a long exposure in a steamy bathroom… It isn’t the same as a few drops of rain…
The EOS-1Ds Mark II is not much better on the specs, only it is a better weatherproof and sealed camera…
`
I’m still thinking of getting a 5D… :-)
L

Exactly Jon, $3000 is a huge amount for a still camera…..meanwhile for $700 I have set myself up with a mint Hexar and a Canon T90 with a mint 28 F2 lens. I want to try to get back to some of things that I was doing in the 80’s…..and shoot a bit of film while I can. There is nothing like a traditional fibre print, and tri-x has a classic and timeless look.

Jon, if you’re having second thoughts about the 5D, maybe it’s wise to wait until February or March next year when the replacement to the 5D is likely to come out. If it’s weathersealed like Nikon’s second-tier D200, I’d buy one myself.

Hey Jon:

Early in this thread you mentioned having someone down there “rig it.” I’d caution against that.

A few years ago, I had an issue with an Olympus E10. I took it to a reputable and local certified Oly repair shop. They said “no prob, one week”. Three weeks later, it was still dismantled on their workbench—they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it, or how to get it back together…way over their heads…turns out they were only certified to repair film cameras! I ended up paying them a minimum fee and they paid Oly to overhaul it.

The lesson I learned: digital cameras are completely different animals from film cameras, don’t trust their repair to anyone except the manufacturer.

Hi, I was shooting in the light rain and high humidity in Mexico City the other night with a 5D and had no problems. For sure it did not get soaked, I tried to cover it when possible but it did not quite work out all the time, so there was a fair amount of water on the body and no problems. The sealing issue had me worried too, but it seams to do fine unless you really soak it. Jeremy

Luis,with those specs, a 5D would have problems here, as humidity is very often above 85%—there are days when my barometer’s LED readout just says “WET.”

Andy, what you describe is very close to my own preferred, and normal, MO: I have my old FE2 with a 28mm lens, and my point and shoot Contax T3 (a superb camera except for its pokey little viewfinder). But I have been enjoying my little c7070 so much that I have embarked on a different kind of shooting, with electric color and odd almost dreamlike lighting, which ironically I am selling as stock imagery, so it all works out nicely. My ideal digital would be something along the lines of this c7070 but hardier, with higher ISOs and faster RAW writing. I really dont like the monster size pro DSLRs, they just draw too much attention and are too clunky for my taste. Something along the lines of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 is what I am looking for.

jon. olympus e-1’s are going for a song these days. they are water sealed and as an added bonus are unaffected by dust. i routinely rinse mine under the tap, with no adverse effects.

Amigo Jon :
A glass of Martini sent to sleep my Sony laptop some years ago. Perfect excuse to buy a new powerbook . A year and a half later the Sony came back to life ( a little hang over). Its all about drying those circuits.

85% humidity like Miami or Ecuador can be a problem . I learn this when I was a firefigfhter with wet radios.

Remove the battery and place the camera under your fridge near the compressor . You will find the warm and hot air. That air has normally very low in humidity. That will accelerate the drying process .

Alex that is brilliant. I am going to try that. The fridge!

A fridge, A fridge, my country for a fridge!! ;))))))))))))))....that is, absolutely, an example of real genius: what life serves up!...Jon, you owe Alex a major Dominican Rum Martini!....:))))))...cheers, bob

p.s.: when i was a little boy and couldnt sleep (from dreams, or restlessness, or summer humidity (or parents fights)), i use to get out of bed, and tip-toe into our kitchen and curl up beneath our fridge to sleep (until my parents would wake me, usually dad getting up for stomach-soothing milk)...: the warm air, the hum of the motor: a lullaby to soothe nightmares and wet cameras :))))

Jon, I can only second Mortens’ advice.
I sold my c5050 last spring and bought a new in box E-1 Kit for $250 more. It’s certainly not as small, but it’s smaller than most DSLRs, it’s fast, reliable, waterproof and extremly well built. And while the Olympus lenses are very nice (and sealed!) I’ve been using my old Nikon lenses on it with very good results.
Coming from the 5050 you won’t even need a manual, ergonomics and controls are plain “where they’re supposed to be”..
cheers

Jon,

Sounds like you have water on the circuitry from the rain or humidity. Even weatherproof cameras like the D2X have problems in high humidity.
Last year in a relatively light rain in Afghanistan I had my interior viewfinder glass fog up just from the heat of being held against my chest. Thank
goodness for autofocus!

Like suggested, anything warm and low in humidity to dry your camera in might cure the problem. Good luck.

Sgt Frank Hudec
Canadian Forces Army News
www.army.forces.gc.ca
www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca
www.frankhudec.ca

Jon, this is what you need

:-)
L

Jon, more important than the size of the camera is the sensor, which is now the equivalent of film, and it sounds like you do want the Canon CSMOS sensor which is great for low-light color. I need a break from digital and that is tri-x which I am very happy to be back using. I had forgotten about the b/w mindset, and the zen-like approach required.

Similar to the C7070 but weather sealed is the 8mp Ricoh camera…
http://www.ricoh.co.uk/products/showrecord.cfm?NODE=369&topnode=369&KEY=CAPLIO500G&KEYWORD=&MAXPRICE=&ORDERBY=&QUANTITY=10&STARTROW=1&camefrom=

Good find Jonathan. That little Ricoh 500G wide looks pretty sweet on paper. Right up Jon’s (and most of ours) alley. 1600 iso, optical viewfinder, weather/shock resistant, spot meter, snap focus (I think this is their zone focusing option, maybe not), 28-85mm (with a 22mm adapter lens). Too bad no RAW though.

Here is another bit about it. http://www.dpreview.com/news/0605/06050801ricoh500g.asp

People weren’t too happy with the GR digital quality as I recall. Hopefully they have improved things.

Handy when the rain suddenly gets going, whip out your little err ricoh and you’re away, although it seems like a camera with more uses than just for bad weather.

Andy welcome back to the fold! you can join Tian Doan, Ed Leveckis and me around the stone age campfire. Nothing matches my zen intensity when I am shooting black and white. But I have come to love my c7070,a nd the flippable screen on the back is a great feature - reminds me a bit of shooting a Rollei. But yes you are right, for my needs - digitally speaking—I have to consider buying one of the better Canons. I am kind of hoping to get by with these prosumers until the perfect, and perfectly priced DSLR or rangefinder comes along and fulfills my needs. And that Ricoh looks like it fits the bill. Still, let me tell you my little olympus has been marvelous shooting at night. Here is a little sample:

Jonny Iam: I am not surprised that McCurry could shoot in inclement weather with his F cameras. My F100 has been through it all: rain, sand storms, 9/11, and it has survived intact and is still one of my favorite cameras. The only weakness so far is its focus dial on the camera back, which is vulnerable and liable to stick if sand gets in there.

Luis, I am aware of the operating conditions due to the user manual of the 5D. But as I wrote: “It was a rather big bathroom, the door and the skylight was open all the time.”
So I am sure I was operating my camera in those conditions…

Jon, not to hijack the threaad, by my switch back to tri-x has been a bit of an eye opener. For one thing, no more neck bending to look at the previews which is the death of previsualization and shortcircuits the imagination which is what allows us to look through a viewfinder and “see” an image, especially in b/w. Film is now a cool “zen” medium, as compared to digital which is a “hot” one. Also, having the requisite discipline to work with a limited number of exposures is always beneficial. I am not abandoning the 20D or closing the door on the 5D, but for my personal work I see only advantage in turning towards a classic medium, as long as the tools are there, ie film available. And as far as the market for prints goes, there is no question that a silver gelatin print is worth 50 to 100% more than an Epson, glicee, or whatever you want to call it. Additional advantage, I can print 20×30 without spending $7000 for the 7600 Epson, or some kings ransom to a print shop. Obviously with commercial photojournalism which I admittedly dabble in, the digital may offer advantages, but for now I am very happy to return to my manual focusing cameras, a light meter, and cannisters. It feels like home.

andy, it finally got to you. back to tri-x. dried out the canoe. way to go, man. if you really want to cut costs for B+W, get short ends of Double-XX movie film for 10 cents a foot, and roll it into bulk-load cartridges. under $1 a roll!

Luis, I am aware of the operating conditions due to the user manual of the 5D. But as I wrote: “It was a rather big bathroom, the door and the skylight was open all the time.” So I am sure I was operating my camera in those conditions…
`
Oops, I missed this yesterday… Martin, I think I know what the problem was with your camera: temperature differential Is it possible the camera was in a colder room before going into the shoot? If so, going into that steamy bathroom would have caused condensation inside the circuitry. In situations like that, it is always a good idea to place your equipment in sealable bags and let them acclimatize to the new temperature of the environment where they will be used. The main reason cameras work in humid climates is because their internal temperature is in balance with the environment.
L

Not hijacking at all; apart from Alan and Tian and Ed, i am one of the LS TriX fanatics here, so i am always willing to talk Black and White. For me it definitely feels like home, because after all that is what I grew up on and it just feels right, and I also have to say that the whole experience of shooting is definitely more zen like and i tend to be more absorbed in teh moment (Bruno has commented on this too); however, I will say that, perhaps by force of habit, my digital shooting methods are really very close to my film shooting, and most certainly do not shoot image after image just because I can. For one thing, I just dont approach shoots that way, I am too focussed on the moment; and secondly I dread having to process all those digital archives, it just takes too long. I prefer lab work. Someone on here claimed to have something like 100,000 digital images stored and processed: if I had that many I would shoot myself. I throw out a good 80 percent of what I shoot, and I figure that is a good ratio.

I am finding that my digital work is subsidizing my black and white projects to a certain extent. A pattern is emerging: digital color for stock, commercial and editorial work, post cards and calendars (yep, I am developing both of the latter), some news work too; black and white for my personal projects (funded by a mix of grants, NGO money, magazine sales, sales of individual images and prints), as well as photo essays and news work for magazines wanting the black and white look. I have absolutely no problem if my digital work helps me to pay the bills while my black and white work satisfies my creative needs—and this is not to say that the digital doesnt also do that, because in fact I am steadily developing a whole new way of shooting with this medium that is quite satisfying and helps me to work on themes that are not adequate to my black and white.

So I will probably buy a Canon 20D to start the whole DSLR thing.

Hi Jon and everyone,

For the record I’ve shot in downpours with both a 20d and a 5d with absolutley no ill-effect (tuk-tuk i’ll knock on wood now). Both were 2-3 hour stints in pouring rain. My technique was to keep the camera under my jacket—pull it out to take shots and then stuck it back in. When I got back I took of the lens and opened averything that could be opened to let it dry out. No problems at all.

Martin, don’t know what to think of your experience, maybe moisture/mist/humidty can seep in unlike hard rain most of which presumably bounes off…

Mike

Don’t discount the 10D either…...in some ways the picture quality of the 10D was very interesting, although the camera had other issues, like slow write speeds, some back-focusing issues with long lenses (rarely use’m myself.)

Hi Jon,
I’m shooting in monsoonal Thailand at the moment with my 20D. I’ve got a bunch of transparent-plastic showercaps that I use to cover the body of my camera in really heavy rain, as my L lenses are sealed enough to deal with a bit of splashing. You just use the elasticised hole to stick your lens through, with the showercap itself covering all the controls, etc. Works a treat – if you buy really cheap showercaps with soft, transparent plastic, you can still operate all the controls and see through the viewfinder enough to compose your shots.

However, the other night I was on the back of a motorbike, shooting in the traffic while my friend was driving (fun!). We’re driving along, and all of a sudden a big, fat, monsoonal rainstorm drops its load on top of us (I gotta say, I’ve never seen rain like this before! So cool!). I didn’t have any showercaps with me, so i just stuck my camera under my shirt and hoped for the best. Of course, big fat thai rain knows how to put on a wet t-shirt party, and my 20D got pretty wet. On top of this, once the rain stopped I couldn’t resist shooting away (wet roads, streetlights, motorbike headlights… reflection-show supremo!), and my camera copped even more water. I got back, wiped it down and let it dry out and it’s fine. So, they’re tougher than some people think, these digital bodies.

If you’re really concerned about keeping the guts of your body dry, the only real solution with ‘new’ canon at the moment is the 1D (Mark II N, or 1Ds Mark II), which, stupidly enough, are VERY expensive and I don’t know many freelancer’s who can afford them. Another option would be to hunt out a second-hand 1Ds (you know, the 11/12 megapixel full-frame thingo), which I think are going for around the same price as a new 5D. They’re full-frame, too (the only grip I have with my 20D is that my 17-40 is no longer a 17-40… and i love to shoot wide), so maybe hunt out one of these? They are big, though.

Good luck!

Jon, I have gotten my Nikon D70 and D70s very wet on many occassions with no problems. I just returned from the monsoon jungles of Laos where they were wet on and off for 2 weeks no problem. I even partially submerged my old Nikon D100 with no problems, though it was only briefly. I did have problems with the glass fogging but that would happen with any camera.

Well, it turns out that my baby is ailing. The water shorted out the circuitry connecting the main mode dial on the top of the camera. I can operate it only in Aperture mode (fine by me). Moreover, if I dont set the mode dial to “my Mode,” I cannot control the zoom lens, and instead the zoom lens button will fire the shutter. If I set in “my mode,” the zoom lens button does its job. The menus otherwise appear to be OK, but they do sometimes refuse to allow me to set the functions properly. So I can shoot with the thing, but it is hinky (like most things down here, so I guess my camera is now Dominicanized).

I thought about getting that E-1, but I searched the web and cannot find any 250 dollar deal; on the contrary, the camera is outrageously expensive. ON the other hand, the E-500, at 8MP is selling at 600 bucks from B&H. that is not bad at all. The camera is not as hardy as the e-1 but it has a bunch of new features I like. I may just get that as an interim camera, until I i can come up with the scratch for D30 and lenses.

Hey Jon,

Sorry about your 7070. But before going with that Olympus, have a look at the 350D. It’s the same chip as the 20D and about half the price. B&H is selling it with a lens for 650. That way you could start getting your Canon lenses in preparation for your 5D (or whatever’s next).

Buena suerte.

-Art

Art, that’s a good idea, actually; hadnt occurred to me. I thought about the E-500 because I already have all this Olympus stuff, but you are right I might just as well make the leap. I will compare the stats on the two cameras and see. Course if anyone out there is willing to donate to the Anderson Indigence Fund, I could maybe dive in and get a 30D!

Art, according to DP its not the same chip as the 20, its 8 mgp vesus 8.2 for the 20D, but that looks like a very nice camera for the price. Jon, I would wait a bit to see if Canon does a 12 megapixel version of the 30D…..otherwise buying into Canobn when you have all that Olympus stuff doesn’t make sense given a limited budget.

Any opinions on the Canon lenses? The reviews on Photo Zone, which are pretty indepth, basically can the EF S kit lens and the next lens up, the EF S 17-85mm, but it pushes the older EF 17-40mm f/4, calling it “All-in-all probably the best standard zoom for APS-C Canon EOS DSLRs at the moment.” Here is the review. I like the idea of getting this lens, as it works well on the 1.6crop digitals but would be great on a full frame D5 as well, so I shell out for one zoom and later get some fixed lenses.

Well, I just bought the 17-40 for exactly that reason. I had the Sigma 18-50 2.8 but for the first time in 30 years of photography (I started early ;-)) I dropped my camera and the lens snapped off just above the mount. Anyway, I’ve been very happy with the 17-40 and don’t really miss the speed. When I can afford a 5D my next purchase will be a 24 1.4, but I like that I’ll be able to use this one right away. The only thing I don’t really like about the lens is it’s size. I’ve heard the hood described as “it doesn’t have a lens hood, it has a Mexican sombrero” and that’s pretty accurate unfortunately. It’s also pretty damn heavy… there is no perfect lens after all.

Mi 2 Centavos.

Andy’s right. There is a .2 MP difference. This article does a nice job of comparing the 2 cameras. http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/eos_digital_rebel_xt_vs_20d.html#same

I still think the 350D gives more bang for the buck… but I’ve been happily shooting with a 300D for a couple years now.

Yeah Art I checked it all out already and I think you are right, more bang for the buck. I am pretty much convinced this is the way to go. I checked it out on dpreview and checked the E-500 to compare; the 350D will do nicely. Thanks for the tip.

I hate to throw the cat amongst the pigeons as it seems you have already made your choice, but the nikon equivalent d70 is much sturdier, less plastic and is more comfortable and easier to hold. The kit lense it comes with is by no means a “kit” lense, the 18-70.
David Allen Harvey uses one, although I think thats where the long list of famous photographers who use one ends.

Although after my hearty backing of the d70, I remember that the canon 20d, better than both the 350d and d70 is now at a very similarprice to the d70 second hand, like $750 for the body.

Jon

I’ve been through a few pitched battles with water cannons and protestors with my D1X, soaked to the bone both camera and me and both came out unscathed. Something to be said about the pro cameras. Wiped it dry and kept on shooting.

Jon,
I use a Nikon D100 and D200, but always “dress” my equipment in the special “rain coat” that I bought many years ago. It is a cover specifically made for still cameras. A bit expensive, but definitely worth it. I have covered typhoons and the resulting floods in Japan, and shot in heavy rain in disaster areas in Sri lanka, Indonesia and Pakistan and encountered no problems at all.

Hey Jon,
I’ve been covering weather stories along the Texas Gulf coast, from hurricane to the daily rain shower. I found a few tools to help me out. Get a roll of that black gaffer’s tape and if you know you’re going to be shooting in the weather, use it the seal up the flash card door and the batter door. You got to put the tape on before you get wet. I found once the camera, get wet the tape won’t stick to it. Also get a shammy cloth, their great for drying off your camera; it’s better than carrying a heavy old towel around, the shammy weights next to nothing (if you can’t find one down there drop me a email and I’ll send you one). And a can of air, if you do get caught in the rain and the camera starts to act up, blow the batter contacts off get them dry as fast as you can. But the best thing I best I would suggest is get a rain coat from your camera I got mind from Robert’s Camera (kind of pricey ) but well worth if you work in the weather a lot.

Some experience sharing in favour of my 5D; Two weeks ago I was photographing for two and a half hours in the pooring rain on a warm and sweaty day. The only thing I had with me to protect my camera from rain was a shammy-leather cloth hanging over the body and lens tube while photographing. Every few minutes I had to wring the totally soaked cloth and dry off the camera and lenses. I was a bit worried about the 5D body but it kept on working great without any malfunction.

Cheers for my 5D

When I was a kid my father and I went on one of those rental speed boys down in Disney world. The boat sank along with his Yashica kit (don’t remember which model but I remember it had a meter with little colored lights so it did have electronical components.) We fished the bag from the bottom of the lake and put the body and lenses under a lamp in the hotel room all week. Evidently put it too close and melted some of the plastic on the prism but I used that camera 10 years later to shoot portraits that won my teenaged girlfriend “most photogenic” in her high-school beauty pageant.
I’ve been lucky with all my Nikons so far as every one I’ve used has gotten soaked (though never submerged) and have continued to work for me. I too thought about switching to the full frame 5D but and probably would if I could have the same confidence in it.
Hope your 7070 will live to shoot another day. If not, it’s was a small price to pay for a few good images (which I’d like to see.) Let me know if you want another one. I’ve flirted with the idea of selling mine but have trouble parting with camera gear but I know you’d put it to good use. Regards, JLee

James that is so good of you. Actually it turns out that my c7070 does still work, but only in aperture mode. I contacted Olympus and they said they could repair it for about 200 bucks. which is worth it when you consider that even used these cameras are selling for as much as a thou! But I went back to shooting film and scanning and the results are so good I dont mind at all. Come this fall I will upgrade to a complete digital kit so I can continue to work on jobs that require fast digital turnaround. Meanwhile I am loving my scans.

Nikons do well in the rain. I get me D100 soaked quite regularly and after a quick wipe down it’s fine.
I think it likes it. It’s like an old dog that way.

Price aside.. I have used the 1ds m2 on the open deck of a fishing boat in stormy seas/weather.. camera was completely soaked most of the time.. I clipped a fast drying camping towel to strap and kept camera under it when not in use.. and wiped it as needed.. and was afraid to use a flash as it was so wet.. but afterwards wiped it down with fresh water and dried it.. Never had a single problem..

I had discussed this with Canon prior to the shoot and they did not think I would have any problems.. apparently they have had people drop this camera INTO rivers by accident and survive a very brief stint as an underwater camera.

I can vouch for it weatherproofness.. Not sure I would try this with a 5D or less…

Nikon’s pro/semi-pro level cameras (D-100, D-200, D-2etc.) seem well sealed based on my experience.
I have never heard a complaint on them from any colleagues (none has admitted to dropping them in water,
however!). I have heard a much greater volume of complaints from my Canon-toting colleagues on lack of sealing
(mostly the 5D but occasionally also the 20D—never the Marks, however).

Is this a real issue with Canon or are these just random observances?

In my 20 years of experience all the Canons appear to have very poor weather sealing and all the Canon lens and body optics are particularly susceptible to fungus and dust. All Canon electronics sem to go out of whack by themselves – even the sytems flashes fail for no reason and the plastic (or is it rubber) on the bodies just decomposes and falls to pieces in no time at all. It makes one wonder doesnt it? Ironically in comparison, my ancient little Minolta Dimage7 got soaked (by an Atlantic tidal wave no less) during an editorial asignment shoot for Spectrum magazine in West Africa, dried out and works like a charm even though the corrosion is showing on the casing despite my prompt and thorough best cleaning and drying efforts in the field and at home. Go figure.

This thread is mighty long..but the gist is that your camera is still impaired Jon and you are replacing it with a what in the fall? Other than the sense of being attached to the computer, I like scanning, and I am glad you have found an interim solution, it seems the 2nd most natural thing next to darkroom time to me. BTW, Sunpak spent a month next to the fridge after his ocean swim, and was then sent in for diagnostics as I was to afraid to try to even turn it on again. I haven’t had a call saying he arrived DOA, so I am holding out hope. The estimate was under 150 US.

This thread is mighty long..but the gist is that your camera is still impaired Jon and you are replacing it with a what in the fall? Other than the sense of being attached to the computer, I like scanning, and I am glad you have found an interim solution, it seems the 2nd most natural thing next to darkroom time to me. BTW, Sunpak spent a month next to the fridge after his ocean swim, and was then sent in for diagnostics as I was to afraid to try to even turn it on again. I haven’t had a call saying he arrived DOA, so I am holding out hope. The estimate was under 150 US.

This thread is mighty long..but the gist is that your camera is still impaired Jon and you are replacing it with a what in the fall? Other than the sense of being attached to the computer, I like scanning, and I am glad you have found an interim solution, it seems the 2nd most natural thing next to darkroom time to me. BTW, Sunpak spent a month next to the fridge after his ocean swim, and was then sent in for diagnostics as I was to afraid to try to even turn it on again. I haven’t had a call saying he arrived DOA, so I am holding out hope. The estimate was under 150 US.

Erica I am still primarily a film shooter and have been scanning all along, but there is no getting past the fact that many of the jobs I could do would be efficiently and cheaply handled by a digital camera, so I cannot ignore the need for an adequate digital kit. After much back and forth the past few months on this, I have decided to stick iwth Nikon and will probably purchase a D200 if the price comes down enough once the D80 is out there. Maybe eventually a D80 as backup. And I will repair the c7070, which frankly is a neat little digital camera which I have used on many different occasions shooting RAW despite the very slow write times. I happen to like the flippable monitor which makes all kinds of new perspectives easily available.