Got caught in a downpour at the Griffith Observatory and it changed my whole gear setup
I was up there last April trying to get some shots of the moon over LA. A sudden rainstorm came out of nowhere and my camera bag got soaked, even though I thought it was water resistant. Lost a whole night of photos because my lens fogged up inside. Now I always pack my gear in a dry bag with silica gel packs, even if the forecast says clear. What do you guys do to protect your equipment from surprise weather when you're out shooting?
My old Canon 6D got wrecked in a surprise fog bank at Big Sur a few years back. Honestly, that dry bag and silica gel idea is smart, I should really start doing that. I just use a heavy duty trash bag now, but it's a pain to get the camera out quickly. Tbh, weather sealing feels like such a lie sometimes.
My rain story is from a hike at Multnomah Falls last fall... I was so proud of my camera's weather sealing I didn't even bring a cover. One heavy mist later and my viewfinder looked like a fishbowl. I feel you and @karen_nelson40 on the weather sealing thing, it's more like a gentle suggestion. Now I keep a cheap plastic shower cap in my bag to throw over the camera body in a pinch. It looks ridiculous but it works way better than trying to wipe a lens with a wet sleeve.