Rain cover for Canon 5D3 for Iceland trip

[cortlander]

I am spending a couple of weeks in Iceland from next week and need recommendations for rain cover for my Canon 5D Mark III. The lenses that I am taking with me include Canon F/4L 11-24 mm which is a bit of a monster, Canon f/4L IS 300mm with a 1.4x extender, Canon f/4L 70-200mm.

Suggestions will me much appreciated.
Best,

[E.J. Peiker]

I've been to Iceland a dozen times.  I generally just use the shower cap from whatever hotels I'm staying at

[mbaginy]

I've been to Iceland a dozen times.  I generally just use the shower cap from whatever hotels I'm staying at

+1
In addition, I always have a few plastic bags in my backpack onto which I can kneel when shooting at ground level.

[Kevin Raber]

I have been to Iceland and encountered every kind of weather you can imagine.  I just use plastic bags and towels and keep my camera in a pack until I'm ready to use it.  Most gears these days can take a bit or weather.  Lens cloths are important though so have a bunch of those.  On the lenses, you mention you don't have anything in the mid range like a 24-105 or 24-70.  You'll find that lens in the environment of Iceland will be used the most.  If this is your first trip there you will enjoy it.  It is rather tourist-heavy these days so make sure you visit locations at times only photographers would be crazy enough to be shooting. On my summer workshops, we do most of our shooting between midnight and 7 AM.  Some amazing light at those hours.

[TonyVentourisPhotography]

Since you asked for a recommendation... I have used the Op/Tech quick rain covers.  It's basically a plastic bag.  However, if you want a serious rain cover especially for the telephotos look at ThinkTank Photo's Hydrophobia.  Those are pretty much the gold standard rain cover.

[cortlander]

I have been to Iceland and encountered every kind of weather you can imagine.  I just use plastic bags and towels and keep my camera in a pack until I'm ready to use it.  Most gears these days can take a bit or weather.  Lens cloths are important though so have a bunch of those.  On the lenses, you mention you don't have anything in the mid range like a 24-105 or 24-70.  You'll find that lens in the environment of Iceland will be used the most.  If this is your first trip there you will enjoy it.  It is rather tourist-heavy these days so make sure you visit locations at times only photographers would be crazy enough to be shooting. On my summer workshops, we do most of our shooting between midnight and 7 AM.  Some amazing light at those hours.

Thanks Kevin, this is very helpful. Yes, I am taking a Canon 17-40 and a 7D body with me to cover the middle range. This is my first trip there.

[cortlander]

Since you asked for a recommendation... I have used the Op/Tech quick rain covers.  It's basically a plastic bag.  However, if you want a serious rain cover especially for the telephotos look at ThinkTank Photo's Hydrophobia.  Those are pretty much the gold standard rain cover.

Tony thanks for the comments. I was thinking about the Op/Tech but then came around to the conclusion that with all the wind there, just as well keep enough lens cloths as Kevin mentions.

[stever]

i tried a couple of the more expensive rain covers and much prefer the op-techs.  i use uv filters in the rain and have a couple microfiber hand towels to wipe down lens and camera.

[cortlander]

i tried a couple of the more expensive rain covers and much prefer the op-techs.  i use uv filters in the rain and have a couple microfiber hand towels to wipe down lens and camera.

The Op-techs are inexpensive enough - won't hurt to keep them. I will order them.

[cortlander]

I have been to Iceland and encountered every kind of weather you can imagine.  I just use plastic bags and towels and keep my camera in a pack until I'm ready to use it.  Most gears these days can take a bit or weather.  Lens cloths are important though so have a bunch of those.  On the lenses, you mention you don't have anything in the mid range like a 24-105 or 24-70.  You'll find that lens in the environment of Iceland will be used the most.  If this is your first trip there you will enjoy it.  It is rather tourist-heavy these days so make sure you visit locations at times only photographers would be crazy enough to be shooting. On my summer workshops, we do most of our shooting between midnight and 7 AM.  Some amazing light at those hours.

I was wondering if the 300mm lens is an overkill, except for the puffins?
What I am leaving at home are 50mm f/1.4, 100mm f/2.8 IS macro and maybe leave 300mm behind as well.

What I would be left with:
5D3 and 7D bodies and
11-24, 17-40 and 70-200 lenses with 1.4x extender
Probably easier on my old bones.

[stever]

depends on how much you like puffins (I like them) and some other birds and wildlife. the 70-200 and extender on the 7d is marginally okay.  in situations like this i take the 100-400ii instead of the 70-200.

having used the combination of Canon ff and crop frame on a lot of trips (ever since the original 5d) i prefer to use the ff with wide to medium lenses and tele on crop frame most of the time. i was never particularly impressed with my 17-40 and it would not be my first or second choice with a 7d for IQ to make landscape prints.

where are you going in iceland? - this affects your lens choices somewhat as well as your primary interest and printing intent

[cortlander]

Thanks Steven.  Most of my photography is landscape, some birds and portraits under strobes. Process with Capture One/Topaz and the ones that are half way decent are made into 17x22 prints on an Epson P800 usually with Canson paper.

I too use the 7D mostly with tele lenses. Good point about the 17-40, I have never tried it with the 7D (used to have a 10-22 for it). I do have several ND's for the 17-40 which may come in handy since the 11-24 does not have any filters. Perhaps I can do HDR with the 11-24 over several shots to get the dreamy waterfall shots and alleviate the need to use 17-40?

We plan on taking the ring road, Gulfoss area (1 night), Vik(2), Hofn(2), Myvatn(3), Hvammang(1), Snaefellsnes peninsula(3) on a horse farm, and the last night at an airport hotel. Getting on in years, and some health issues limit my ability to do the strenuous stuff. I found a contraption to strap my camera day bag to small 4-wheeled carry on to make transportation a bit easier. So I should be able to take the 300mm etc in the carry-on and the camera bodies in the day bag. Maybe the 50mm prime too?

[stever]

Gulfoss probably best in afternoon but we were there early morning before the buses and still spectacular. Not impressed with Geyser (no comparison to Yellowstone) - the tour buses do Gulfoss, Geyser, and Thingvalla every day. Enjoyed the Skogar Museum, not so much the famous foss.  Vik has the worst weather of anywhere on the coast, but should be puffins there reasonably accessible. Dettifoss pretty spectacular.  Hverin Geothermal field (liked colors better than Geyser).  Aldeyjarfoss probably my favorite foss but need 4wd to get there. Herring museum in Siglufjoddur was interesting. As is the Borgarnes Heritage museum.

think i've got those in the right order, we went clockwise.

have a great trip

[cortlander]

Thanks Stever. This is good stuff. I think I will skip Geyser, based on your comments. I am reading that June is great for puffins and other wildlife. We are leaving on Wednesday. Am watching the weather reports - no horrendous wind forecasts yet. The packing worked out well. 5D3 body plus 11-24, and 7D with Sigma 50mm 1.4 in the day bag, and 70-200, 300 and 1.4 plus personal stuff in the little wheeled Travelpro.

[Christopher]

It all depends on what you want to shoot and the conditions. I'm currently in Iceland for 3 more weeks.

At the moment I'm in the westfjords and today was a strange day. Great shooting conditions from 4 till around 10:30 after that the wind started going and the rain poured down. I spent the rest of the day hiking. No sense in using any camera in these conditions. (Problem being the rains covers the lens faster than you can wipe and the wind is getting even my heavy gitzo/phase combination moving so that there is no way to shoot anything


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[cortlander]

Christopher, fantastic that you are shooting in the Westfjords - that must be every photographers' dream. I have never shot in the rain, and from your description it is going to be a bit problematic.

Thanks for the comments and enjoy your trip. Who knows, our paths may cross...

[Christopher]

Don't worry to much about rain. Yes there. An be a horrible afternoon like yesterday, but so far in my 5 days (the forecast was rain nearly everyday) I haven't had to many problems. As some said before most cameras can take a a few drops.

One not when it's raining s longer lens is much easier to work with as it has a long lens shade and keeps the rain away from the glass.

I think you will have an amazing time over here.


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