22Feb/105
Op/Tech 18″ SLR Rainsleeve for Digital & Film Cameras with Lenses up to 7″ Diameter, 18″ Long
- Protects your gear from dust and inclement weather
- Designed for handheld use or tripod application
- Unique eyepiece opening adapts to most viewfinders for viewing through the lens not plastic
- Camera & lens controls are easily visible and operable through the RainSleeve
- Fits lenses measuring up to 7-inches (17,8 cm) in diameter & up to 18-inches (45,7 cm) in length
Product Description
Be Prepared for the Unexpected with Rainsleeve! Protects your gear from dust and inclement weather Designed for handheld use or tripod application Unique eyepiece opening adapts to most viewfinders for viewing through the lens - not plastic!Camera & lens controls are easily visible and operable through the Rainsleeve Fits lenses measuring up to 7-inches (17,8 cm) in diameter & up to 18-inches (45,7 cm) in length Drawstring lens opening offers easy access and a snug... More >>
Op/Tech 18" SLR Rainsleeve for Digital & Film Cameras with Lenses up to 7" Diameter, 18" Long
February 22nd, 2010 - 06:48
I bought this sleeve to allow me to take pictures in bad weather. I live in Seattle in the Northwest which is known for constant rain. I plan on using this for my D300 with a lens as large as 18-200mm. It is essentially a plastic bag with elastic around your arm and the lens. Another plus is that they fold up into your bag. Each bag contains two of them
Rating: 5 / 5
February 22nd, 2010 - 07:37
I have a Canon 5D Mark II which is prone to water damage so bought this rain cover because it always seems to rain when I go to the Renaissance Festival.
Well, its raining today off and on and I’m going anyway, so I opened the packaging and pulled one of the two out. It’s kind of like a plastic bag shaped to go over your camera and lens. I slipped off my eye piece protector and pulled the bag over my Canon 135mm F/2 L lens and placed the opening around the eye piece and slipped the protector on then pulled the cord tight around the lens end. It’s got a nice little slip cord release button that makes resizing a breeze.
Bingo, instance emergency weather protection. But I get it on and start using it and right away there are two problems, one the slip cord end over the lens hood keeps slipping back towards the camera, I ended up using some gaphers tape to hold it to the hood. The other problem is you lose the use of your neck strap since it is hanging out the end. You really don’t realize how much you use your neck strap until you can’t use it. Still I’m out in effiy weather with ominous looking dark clouds and I feel safer then without it. Ok now it’s starting to rain and my fingers are really getting wet so I have taken leaving my hand inside the cover on the camera at all times which is easy to do since taking it in and out of the camera bag is a pain anyway and the bag is getting wet. Still I’m out in the rain and taking photos and no problems so far with my 5D Mark II.
Pros:
Easy on and easy off
Very good price point
You get two with each order!
Keeps your camera and lens dry
Cons:
Lens end keeps slipping back down barrel of lens
No place or hole for neck strap so you have to carry camera entire time.
Conclusion:
Get a pack just in case but don’t rely on this as your primary weather protection.
Rating: 3 / 5
February 22nd, 2010 - 07:54
This thing does the trick. It protects your camera from rain. Of course you have to put on a clear filter so the front of your lens is protected.
Rating: 4 / 5
February 22nd, 2010 - 08:44
It really does what it says, your camera won’t get wet with it, but the little hole for the viewfinder is just a whole in a single plastic sheet, nothing else! It gets destroyed very very easily, the only bad point I could find.
I keep it only as a backup, I’ve bought a way thicker one for “normal use”
Rating: 3 / 5
February 22nd, 2010 - 09:42
I bought a pack of these sleeves to use when shooting outdoor sports in the rain. I’m not a pro photographer and couldn’t justify the expense of the superior Aquatech rain gear. I needed something small and light that fits in my camera backpack and keeps me shooting during poor weather conditions I occasionally encounter.
If you do a lot of shooting in questionable weather and can justify the $200 cost, the Aquatech is obviously a better solution. But for $6, the Op/Tech sleeves are hard to beat in a pinch, particularly for casual photographers.
The sleeves are large enough to cover most all but the largest of the pro telephoto lenses. It fits my D300 with battery pack and 70-200 2.8 with room to spare. The sleeve has a hole in the rear – just remove your eyepiece cover, stretch the hole over the eyepiece, and replace the cover to hold it in place. The sleeve has a drawstring closure in front that holds very securely to the lens hood. The plastic is transparent and thin enough to allow operation of all the controls right through the sleeve (vs, sliding your hands up inside). It’s a very usable solution, although it does make adjusting the zoom a bit more difficult. But again, this is intended to be more of an emergency or occasional rain solution.
I’ve spent endless hours shooting football games in the rain and the protection provided is excellent. As long as you don’t poke a hole in it, your equipment will stay dry. I’m able to reuse them multiple times.
Pros: Very low cost, stores anywhere, excellent protection, low tech ease of use, able to see all of the camera’s controls, works with tripods and monopods.
Cons: Takes a few minutes to put on and get adjusted, makes accessing some controls a little awkward (but not impossible), far too long for short lenses.
Bottom line: Excellent emergency protection during occasional bad weather for cameras with larger lenses. Those using smaller lenses should look for another solution.
Rating: 5 / 5