Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] photography in the rain
From: Harrison McClary <hmcclary@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 15:17:01 -0600

Saturday, Saturday, January 23, 1999, Doug Herr wrote:
> Has anyone used any sort of rain cover
> over a long lens?

Doug  to  steal  from an old ad campaign..."Don't get mad...Get Glad."
Use a garbage bag.

I  always  carry  2 or three with me all the time. Use gaffer tape and
tape  the bag to the front of the lens hood and drape it back over the
body. The tall kitchen kind leave plenty of room to do this with a 400
2.8.  (To  anyone out there who uses AF lenses BE SURE you do not tape
the  bag  to  a  rotating  front  lens barrel...you will burn out your
focusing  motor  faster than you can say expensive repair. I know some
of the Canon front lens barrels rotate, and I think some of Nikon's do
too)

You  can  also  tape the bag together under the lens near the monopod,
but be aware that if you do this and rotate the camera you will tangle
up  the  bag. I usually wear a ball cap then a poncho with the hood up
to  keep  myself  dry.  The bill on the ball cap makes the poncho hood
turn  when I turn my head so I can see and it gives me a cover for the
top  of  the camera when shooting so the finder stays dry. I have also
learned  to  load  the camera with my face very close as the bill also
helps keep the inside back dry if done right.

Of  course  if  it  is  raining  hard  I use  my  Outdoor Research rain
hat...looks  like a gortex cowboy hat, kinda funny looking, but really
keeps ya dry.

Oh yeah  it  always  helps to be shooting for someone who will foot the
repair bills for water damage...

Best regards,
 Harrison McClary
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto
preview my book: http://www.volmania.com