Weather sealing Canon 7D while using external mike?

[D Ben]

I've been using gaffer tape to reseal the connection area while the external mike is plugged into my 7D. Has anyone a better idea? I've thought about drilling a hole in the cover, and then using a small plug when the mike isn't needed.

[Richard Lane]

Welcome to the Forums!

The 7D has some weatherproofing for a light drizzle, but anything more than that and you are putting the entire camera at risk, and not just the external mic port. The hot shoe, control dials and lenses are a concern too.

Depending on how bad the weather is, you may want to consider a rain cover. For "in the water shots" there are soft and hard housings as well.

I would think that cutting a hole in the rubber cover would help protect the port from dust and perhaps a drizzle, but I would probably order a replacement cover from Canon first, just so I had an extra one, but like I mentioned the rest of the camera and lenses are still at risk.

There are some that will accommodate the external microphone as well. Here are some examples:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?sts=ma&Ntt=rain+covers&N=0

I use the Think Tank Hydrophobias for Heavy Rain:

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/rain-covers/hydrophobias.aspx


For backup or light rain I always carry the Op/Tech Rainsleeve which is cheap and very convenient. It's at the top on the B&H link above.

Rich

[Seehorse]

I've always used the low tech approach when I had to video in the rain and simply used a large trash bag over the camera/VF and cut an opening for the snout of the lens and another for the 5" studio viewfinder. It keeps the camera dry and functional even in a downpour. It works as well or better than the custom raincoats for cameras and I can buy a heck of a lot of trash bags for the cost of one of those. Of course the OPERATOR doesn't get that benefit but they generally don't short out when they get wet. Short temper maybe, but not short out.

I'd use much the same approach with a DSLR... probably using a ziplock bag instead of a trash bag. Stuff the camera into the bag, tear a hole to poke the lens hood out of and reach into the open end of the bag to operate the camera. That should keep it dry and functional; the only issue would be the optical viewfinder... you could use a transparent bag and see through that. I would certainly use a UV filter; you will get drops on the front element and a filter's easier & safer to clean.