So, which rain covers do people like/dislike?
Rick
I have a couple of the generic Hong Kong made rain covers that I got from ebay ... they are a padded nylon form fitted case which basically covers the whole DSLR body and lens and secures onto it with Velcro ... there is elastic where the lens goes through, and usually an elastic "sleeve" that you can insert your arm into on the right side of the case so you can operate the camera controls ... the ones I have also have a clear window on the back and top where the camera displays are
these generic ones aren't bad for the money, and they DO work to keep your gear dry ... they are also useful for shooting in an area where you don't want the camera to make any noise because they absorb all of the camera sounds ... kind of like a blimp – to be honest, I don’t have anything bad to say about the generic ones, but you get what you pay for
Here are the 2 non-Kata covers that I got (
http://cgi.ebay.com/Camera-Rain-Protector-cover-for-Sony-Canon-Nikon-KM-C5C_W0QQitemZ200134229544QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200134229544 )
One thing about the generic ones, I haven't found any of them that have a provision for a flash
However, I also have a Kata 702 (
http://www.amazon.com/Kata-E-702-Digital-Camera-Raincover/dp/B0001VB1QU )
With the Kata 704 lens cover (
http://www.amazon.com/Kata-E-704-Lens-Sleeve-Kit/dp/B0001VB1X8/ref=pd_bxgy_p_text_b/103-7618497-6185456 )
and the Kata covers are just the nicest ones that are made that I know of ... but you will pay a little more for them
I don't think that the Kata system actually keeps out the water any better than the cheap HK covers, but they are a lot nicer to use and it gives you a much better view of the camera displays and controls … the quality and fit differences are obvious though, and you can tell that these are a higher quality item
If I had it to do all over again, I would have just bought 3 of the Kata 702/704 systems instead of what I have now just because they are so much nicer to use (and you CAN use a flash with the Kata cover) ... the Kata covers are easier to install/uninstall, and just seem like they are built to a higher standard, which I'm sure they are
----> One thing I will say in favor of the Hong Kong no-name brand covers … they are REALLY nice to have in the winter – they provide a lot of thermal insulation where the Kata doesn’t … so, when shooting in the nasty Minnesota winters, I’m happy to have the HK covers when it gets insanely cold – it really helps out with battery life and condensation
Kata makes all of the covers for the video gear for the Discovery channel, History channel and other documentary shooting in harsh environments, they are pretty much the 'standard' in weather covers for professional photographic and video equipment
Watch what you’re buying though, there are quite a few ebay auctions listing rain covers called ‘702’ and 704’ that are NOT Kata … it’s a rip-off brand that looks like a Kata, but isn’t made by them … I've never seen one, or used one of these, and to be fair, they might be just as good as the genuine Kata, but I wouldn’t take that chance
Kata is right up there in line with Lowepro and Tamrac – it’s a huge company that you will be able to count on if any problems arise – it’s not some no-name HK company that will go out of business next week and then pop up again under a different name the week after that … as usual with Hong Kong stuff, Caveat Emptor
