How fragile is my camera?

Canon Xsi Rebel..


We have been getting a lot of rain around here lately but I am itching to get out and really use this thing. Obviously I wouldn't stand out in the pouring rain and take pictures, but how fragile is it to sprinkles? Or moist conditions?

Thanks

Okay, I don't recommend this - but I left my Rebel outside overnight ( :nonod: )and it sprinkled and it was fine...

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Originally Posted by gracie_r

Okay, I don't recommend this - but I left my Rebel outside overnight ( :nonod: )and it sprinkled and it was fine...

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Thanks, I'll try that!


;)

My 20Ds have been rained on, slammed into bricks, dropped and rained on (yes, again). One had a Coke opened on it. No major issues, one of the pop-up flashes doesn't pop up anymore, but I found that out on accident.

Your lens is probably more susceptible to moisture damage if it is not an 'L' lens than the body. As long as you don't submerse the camera, or run a stream of water over it for extended periods, light rain and damp won't do much to it. I have had a a lens or two get strange when they got damp but with one recent exception as soon as they dried out everything was fine.

Just don't open the battery or flash card compartment without some sort of cover or protection. A big Ziplock works well. Periodically wipe the camera off with a soft dry cloth (kept in pocket obviously) if you are in the damp for an extended period and you see drops on the camera.

I continue to be amazed at just how much abuse DSLR's will take. Like Sebastian I've dropped them and banged them and other than one or two minor scrapes and cosmetic issues I haven't noticed problems. I did destroy one DSLR but that was a major deal and I had stitches and glue to put the skin on my knuckles and back of my hand back together.

Photo John having lived in the City can tell you his experience with Rebels and the weather!

Happy shooting!

Grew up with the Nikon F and F2. I drove nails with them in the pouring rain. I wouldn't try that with new digitals but most of them are not nearly as fragile as we think.

I shot the 20d in rain more times than I can count. Just keep the lens on, the cards in, and you should be good.

I have to agree, it's a lot tougher then you think but you still have to be careful of moisture. Just this year I dropped my XTi out of the backpack the left it with two or three marks, turned it on and took a few pictures and everything works. Also this year in New York we took a boat tour and got a friendly splash from a passing boat and it kept on shooting.

James

I've had my D2Xs out in the pouring rain and have had no problems with it, but with that said I still treat it like the princess that it is and use rain gear when it is really bad.

From what I understand, condensation from cold weather is a bigger threat than direct moisture. There doesn't seem to be much problem when you take the camera into the cold, but when you take it back into the heat. This can cause moisture to condense on the inside of the lens (fogging it) and on the inside of the camera (shorting the electrical circuits). Both can be devastating, so they advise that you warm it gradually.

If I'm going from cold to warm, I just keep it in my camera bag for a few hours, letting it warm that way.

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Originally Posted by Ron Kruger

From what I understand, condensation from cold weather is a bigger threat than direct moisture. There doesn't seem to be much problem when you take the camera into the cold, but when you take it back into the heat. This can cause moisture to condense on the inside of the lens (fogging it) and on the inside of the camera (shorting the electrical circuits). Both can be devastating, so they advise that you warm it gradually.

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Yes,spot on.VERY important-.it can give rise to fungus growth from that moisture,too...
-and not just in my part of Asia.

Hey Josh, thanks for asking this question. We’ve had rain, ice and now snow every few days here so I’ve been thinking a lot about how tough my camera is.

Thank you to everyone that took the time to post an answer.

Cheers,
Carl

My old digital rebel has been in some huge downpours numerous times. When it gets really bad and I know I have to stand in the rain for a couple of hours I cover it with a cheap rain cover. I never had a problem.

Cheap? I know cheap!
Black plastic bin bags and lots of electrical tape.
My 20D (also not waterproofed) and lenses survived better than I did !