Protecting Your Camera From the Elements

Sorry for the hiatus in posting -- I've been super sick the past week so I have not felt like writing anything. Now, however, I feel relatively better so get ready because new content is coming your way!

As Hurricane Joaquin moved along the eastern seaboard several weeks ago, and I hunkered down for a few days, I thought it would be a good time to prepare a post on how to protect your gear from the elements. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people carrying cameras in the rain or snow without any protection. You will often hear people say things like "oh, well these cameras are built tough so a little rain won't hurt it." Maybe a little rain will not hurt your camera today, but a little rain over a relatively long time will destroy your camera.

Earlier this summer, I went out to photograph a field of sunflowers in Maryland. When I arrived at the location, however, it was pouring down rain. Rather than risk damaging my equipment, I waited in my car for the rain to end. As I sat there, I watched a guy and a girl go walking towards the field. They had an umbrella but he had his Nikon DSLR dangling from his hands, not protected at all from the rain. It was pouring outside and I could not believe he would treat such a beautiful piece of equipment with so much disrespect.

See, water, dust, or other particles can easily shorten the life of your camera by damaging the sensor or mirror on your camera. While the damage may not be visible immediately, it will definitely become more obvious over the years, eventually resulting in the complete destruction of your camera. Thus, it is important to protect your camera from the elements. So, how do you do this? Well, each weather situation requires slightly different considerations. Therefore, below you will find a few suggestions on how to protect your camera from rain, wind, sand, or cold or hot weather.

Rain - Water and Electronics Don't Mix

When it comes to rain, my response is pretty simple -- just avoid it. Now, I am certain that you have heard of rain covers for your camera, which can be purchased at any camera store. Basically, the rain cover does exactly as expected, it covers your camera so you can shoot in the rain. Many people also use a plastic bag to accomplish the same purpose. However, you should not expect a rain cover or plastic bag to fully protect your camera from rain as neither offers complete protection, especially in the middle of a downpour.

While I own a rain cover for my camera, I use it sparingly. I only use the rain cover if it is misting or drizzling or I am in a greenhouse that sprays water at regular intervals. In these circumstances, I place the camera inside the rain cover and limit the use of my camera to no longer than 15 minutes. Why limit it if I am using the rain cover? Simple -- water and electronics do not mix. If it is raining or pouring, just wait until the rain stops or find a way to take your pictures so that you and your camera are fully protected from water. No image is worth damaging your gear.

Wind or Sand - Be Aware of Flying Particles

When it is really windy outside or you find yourself in a sandy environment (beach, desert, playgrounds) you risk getting dust, sand or other flying particles in your camera or on your lens. And, if (heaven forbid) you need to change your lens, you are risking damage to both your lens and your camera. Thus, my first piece of advice is to avoid changing lenses. If you are photographing around sand, just bring two cameras. But, if it is simply a windy day, go indoors to change your lens and you will substantially minimize the chances of damaging your camera or lens.

Additionally, regularly check the front of your camera lens when photographing in windy or sandy environments. The last thing you want is to get home and realize there is a small blot on each photo caused by dust on the screen. Instead, have a cleaning cloth or brush handy to free dust or other particles from the lens. Personally, I place a UV filter over all of my lenses to protect the front of the lens from scratches so, I advise you to do the same, especially if you intend to photograph around sand. You will also want to keep the lens cap on the lens when you are not using the camera and, in between uses, wrap the camera in a cloth or place it in a bag to ensure maximum protection from sand, dust or other particles.

Finally, once you arrive home, take the time to use an air blower on the outside of the camera to remove any dust or particles that might be trapped in small crevices. Pay particular attention to the area where the lens attaches to the camera. The goal is to minimize any chance that dust, sand or other particles might find their way into the insides of your camera or lens. Take time to thoroughly clean the outside of the camera and ensure you clean any camera bags or other equipment that you brought with you.

Snow - Snow Days Are Inside Days

Photographing people or scenes during a snowfall might be fun, however, many people forget that snow is simply frozen rain. Therefore, the risks to your camera in snow are similar to those faced in rain. If it is snowing lightly, feel free to use your rain cover, however, the moment it begins to snow heavily, put the camera away. It is important to note that you need to be careful about how you put your camera away so as to minimize damage by the cold weather, which I will touch upon next.

Cold - Baby It's Cold Outside

There is nothing wrong with going out to shoot in the cold. Every camera contains warnings that it will not function properly when used under certain extreme cold conditions, however, it is unlikely you will be photographing under such extreme conditions. Thus, you do not need to necessarily worry about using your camera outside. But, you will need to be careful about how you warm your camera back to room temperature after you finish shooting in the cold. Do you know what happens if you take glasses outside in the cold and then bring them back inside? Condensation forms on the lenses. Well, the same thing will happen to your lens or the mirror or sensor on your camera if you bring your camera inside immediately after using it in the cold. If condensation forms inside the camera, it will eventually damage the interior circuits of the camera and might even lead to the growth of mold on the sensor or mirror.

So, how do you avoid this? You need to ensure your camera readjusts to the temperature in your environment gradually. I prefer to do this by placing my camera in my camera bag while I am still outside so that the camera will warm up slowly. Due to the amount of padding in the bag plus the closeness of the bag to my body, the interior of the bag is less susceptible to extreme temperature shifts and thus, remains slightly warmer than the camera. If I am driving as opposed to using public transit, once I get to my car, I place my camera bag on the backseat (not the floor), away from any vents to ensure the camera bag does not warm too quickly.

Some people also place their cameras in a Ziploc bag so that any condensation forms on the bag instead of the camera. I have never tried this method and, frankly, I will probably never try it. I prefer to rely on my camera bag for temperature control.

Hot - It's Hot Hot Hot

Again, there is nothing wrong with shooting in hot weather per se. However, you should be aware of your camera's warnings concerning heat as the camera will fail to perform properly when exposed to extreme heat. As such, do not leave your camera in the trunk on a hot day because it will bake. The interior of a car on a hot day gets hotter than you might think! So, while you should be fine using your camera in a hot day, again, you should be mindful of how you cool your camera down to room temperature. Personally, I engage in a process similar to my "cold" process described above. I place the camera in my camera bag and, if I am driving, I place the camera in the backseat away from a vent so that the bag is not suddenly inundated with a blast of cold air.


So, there you have it, tips, advice and suggestions on how to protect your camera from the elements. While the elements should not always prevent you from taking photos, you should always ensure you are protecting your camera from any damage the elements might cause. Happy photographing everyone -- it is good to be back!