Best raincover at DVinfo.net

Rob Jacobs · August 14th, 2003, 05:31 PM

I will be shooting in Alaska for a month with a gl1 and an xl1. I will be on the coast, wading rivers, not to mention daily rain. What is the best way to protect my camera. Also, I will be using a wireless mic (samsom airline) and a shotgun mike mounted with the lightwave isolator (mmxl1). So are there any raincovers that will allow these accesories to fit and still keep my cameras dry? Which cover will work best kata, camkote or portabrace? Are there any others? I'm just worried about the water exposure over that long a period of time. Is it possible to do this without frying all my gear?

Dan Holly · August 14th, 2003, 06:38 PM

I use Kata covers on both of my cameras.

I would suggest getting a large golf type umbrella, and outfit it with a pointed end at the base. This way you can shove it in the ground for security (watch the wind though, and use guy wires/ropes).

The only problem with this method is you must use a wireless lav setup on your cast, unless the sound does not make any difference.

(This is due to the sound captured from the cameras onboard mic. picking up the raindrops on the umbrella, and washing out the actual sound you want to lay down to the final product)

As the old saying up here goes....... "if you don't like the weather, wait 15 min's.". But remember, the fish don't care.

And in addition, rain covers up here are great if the rain is coming straight down....which is about 15% of the year.
<:~)

Dylan Couper · August 14th, 2003, 07:58 PM

PortaBrace is the nicest, but the Kata is the best for the money at almost 1/2 the price of the Portabrace.

Rob Jacobs · August 14th, 2003, 07:59 PM

I thought about an umbrella but I don't think it will work for my situation. Filming bear hunts. Do your katas work well? Not if the wind is blowing the rain sideways? I will probably have to nix the audio in extreme weather but I want to capture what I can. Does water tend to get in around the lens?

Ken Tanaka · August 14th, 2003, 08:53 PM

Rob,
I'm a BIG Porta Brace fan and loudly second Dylan's endorsement. PB hand-crafts each case and the craftsperson signs or initials a tag on the product they made. If it's wrong, they'll make it right. Kata's craftsmanship, detailing and materials are several steps behind PB.

Yes, PB is a more expensive product. But ask yourself how expensive it will be if one of your cameras gets trashed after a day shooting in the rainy southeastern Alaskan climate. (I assume that's the area you will be visiting.)

Hey, tell us more about your project!

Robert Poulton · August 14th, 2003, 10:53 PM

I was out on a saine fishing boat for a week and I was using the Kata the whole time. It worked out great. The only problem I had was when I went into shore and got into the trees and humidity jumped. Mainly it was because of my body heat.
It was rainning all the time and nothing was affecting the camera.

I don't know how the PB handles body mosture.

Rob:D

Dan Holly · August 15th, 2003, 11:01 AM

I don't like to get my cameras or covers wet at all regardless how well one cover or another works. I'm retentive like that with my gear <:) That's the reason I use the umbrellas.

Then again I don't shoot footage like you are attempting to shoot. I've got enough bear stories without even hunting them to fill you ear for a couple of hours. (but yes, I hunt for food now and again)

The only problem I've ever had with the rain is that inevitably the rain is blowing sideways (per sey), and it's coming from the angle I need to point the lens.

Back to the retentive side.....there is not a rain cover made that has a tight enough seal on the lens to make me comfortable to use it as the only protection for the camera IMO.

You might get lucky though and get a good window of weather and you won't have to worry. I had 2 guests up I was guiding the weekend before last, and we went a week straight without any rain in South Central. Yesterday afternoon after work I was down at my favorite Silver Salmon spot about 45 min's from here, and the area had 2+ inches of rain in 24 hours. The camera I took stayed in it's Pelican case <:( It only rained lightly in Anchorage as a comparison.

Mike Avery · August 15th, 2003, 02:35 PM

Hey Dan,

We must have been real lucky....just got back from eight days on Kodiak Island and only had rain for a few hours one night.

I fell in love with your state. You have the most beautiful and rugged countryside I've ever seen.

We came home with several hours of great video.

I'll definately be back.

Mike Avery

Rob Jacobs · August 15th, 2003, 10:58 PM

Is that Mike Avery from Avery outdoors?

Dan Holly · August 16th, 2003, 02:39 PM

Mike,
Glad to hear you had a good time up here. Kodiak is great.

A ramble about Kodiak and the weather:
You are lucky, the last time I went on a hunt in Kodiak we went out for 9 days, and I came home 19 days later....(with 9 shopping days to x-mas). We chartered a 52' Halibut long liner with his gear off. We were held down by the unforgiving early winter weather, needless to say. The seas were so bad we couldn't make it across from the Barron Islands to Homer, in fact we couldn't even go north around to Kodiak.

The time before that....we had 6 guys and 2 Goose's full of food and gear......we got dropped of for a 7 day hunt, and we waited for the weather 3-4 hours gong in. After it got dark we had 70mph winds that blew our camp up the side a mountain(great place to setup, since it was already up there), and we never heard another plane fly until the day we were to be picked up.

Needless to say I need to go over there in the summer instead of winter <;~)

August 14th, 2003, 05:31 PM	#1
Rob Jacobs Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: St. George Utah Posts: 82	Best raincover I will be shooting in Alaska for a month with a gl1 and an xl1. I will be on the coast, wading rivers, not to mention daily rain. What is the best way to protect my camera. Also, I will be using a wireless mic (samsom airline) and a shotgun mike mounted with the lightwave isolator (mmxl1). So are there any raincovers that will allow these accesories to fit and still keep my cameras dry? Which cover will work best kata, camkote or portabrace? Are there any others? I'm just worried about the water exposure over that long a period of time. Is it possible to do this without frying all my gear?

August 14th, 2003, 06:38 PM	#2
Dan Holly Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 336	I use Kata covers on both of my cameras. I would suggest getting a large golf type umbrella, and outfit it with a pointed end at the base. This way you can shove it in the ground for security (watch the wind though, and use guy wires/ropes). The only problem with this method is you must use a wireless lav setup on your cast, unless the sound does not make any difference. (This is due to the sound captured from the cameras onboard mic. picking up the raindrops on the umbrella, and washing out the actual sound you want to lay down to the final product) As the old saying up here goes....... "if you don't like the weather, wait 15 min's.". But remember, the fish don't care. And in addition, rain covers up here are great if the rain is coming straight down....which is about 15% of the year. <:~) __________________ Dan Holly Anchorage, Alaska

August 14th, 2003, 07:58 PM	#3
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	PortaBrace is the nicest, but the Kata is the best for the money at almost 1/2 the price of the Portabrace. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

August 14th, 2003, 08:53 PM	#5
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Rob, I'm a BIG Porta Brace fan and loudly second Dylan's endorsement. PB hand-crafts each case and the craftsperson signs or initials a tag on the product they made. If it's wrong, they'll make it right. Kata's craftsmanship, detailing and materials are several steps behind PB. Yes, PB is a more expensive product. But ask yourself how expensive it will be if one of your cameras gets trashed after a day shooting in the rainy southeastern Alaskan climate. (I assume that's the area you will be visiting.) Hey, tell us more about your project! __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

August 15th, 2003, 11:01 AM	#7
Dan Holly Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 336	I don't like to get my cameras or covers wet at all regardless how well one cover or another works. I'm retentive like that with my gear <:) That's the reason I use the umbrellas. Then again I don't shoot footage like you are attempting to shoot. I've got enough bear stories without even hunting them to fill you ear for a couple of hours. (but yes, I hunt for food now and again) The only problem I've ever had with the rain is that inevitably the rain is blowing sideways (per sey), and it's coming from the angle I need to point the lens. Back to the retentive side.....there is not a rain cover made that has a tight enough seal on the lens to make me comfortable to use it as the only protection for the camera IMO. You might get lucky though and get a good window of weather and you won't have to worry. I had 2 guests up I was guiding the weekend before last, and we went a week straight without any rain in South Central. Yesterday afternoon after work I was down at my favorite Silver Salmon spot about 45 min's from here, and the area had 2+ inches of rain in 24 hours. The camera I took stayed in it's Pelican case <:( It only rained lightly in Anchorage as a comparison. __________________ Dan Holly Anchorage, Alaska

August 14th, 2003, 07:59 PM	#4
Rob Jacobs Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: St. George Utah Posts: 82	I thought about an umbrella but I don't think it will work for my situation. Filming bear hunts. Do your katas work well? Not if the wind is blowing the rain sideways? I will probably have to nix the audio in extreme weather but I want to capture what I can. Does water tend to get in around the lens?

August 14th, 2003, 10:53 PM	#6
Robert Poulton Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 245	I was out on a saine fishing boat for a week and I was using the Kata the whole time. It worked out great. The only problem I had was when I went into shore and got into the trees and humidity jumped. Mainly it was because of my body heat. It was rainning all the time and nothing was affecting the camera. I don't know how the PB handles body mosture. Rob:D

August 15th, 2003, 02:35 PM	#8
Mike Avery Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 87	Hey Dan, We must have been real lucky....just got back from eight days on Kodiak Island and only had rain for a few hours one night. I fell in love with your state. You have the most beautiful and rugged countryside I've ever seen. We came home with several hours of great video. I'll definately be back. Mike Avery

August 15th, 2003, 10:58 PM	#9
Rob Jacobs Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: St. George Utah Posts: 82	Is that Mike Avery from Avery outdoors?

August 16th, 2003, 02:39 PM	#10
Dan Holly Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 336	Mike, Glad to hear you had a good time up here. Kodiak is great. A ramble about Kodiak and the weather: You are lucky, the last time I went on a hunt in Kodiak we went out for 9 days, and I came home 19 days later....(with 9 shopping days to x-mas). We chartered a 52' Halibut long liner with his gear off. We were held down by the unforgiving early winter weather, needless to say. The seas were so bad we couldn't make it across from the Barron Islands to Homer, in fact we couldn't even go north around to Kodiak. The time before that....we had 6 guys and 2 Goose's full of food and gear......we got dropped of for a 7 day hunt, and we waited for the weather 3-4 hours gong in. After it got dark we had 70mph winds that blew our camp up the side a mountain(great place to setup, since it was already up there), and we never heard another plane fly until the day we were to be picked up. Needless to say I need to go over there in the summer instead of winter <;~) __________________ Dan Holly Anchorage, Alaska