Hydrophobia rain cover promises to keep your DSLR dry, mysterious
By Donald Melanson 
posted January 27th 2010 8:40AM
posted January 27th 2010 8:40AM
Alright, so a new rain cover for a DSLR isn't the most exciting of developments, but the folks at Think Tank Photo have managed to put a bit of a new spin on the idea with their new Hydrophobia 70-200 and Hydrophobia 70-200 Flash covers (both based on the company's pro-level 300-600 cover). Those, as you've probably discerned, will accommodate a DSLR with up to a 70-200 lens (and, in the latter case, a flash), and protect it during even the toughest downpours. What's more, you can actually attach your DSLR and simply carry it by the rain cover, and the two sleeves are big enough to not only let you control the camera (with the help of a clear window 'round back), but swap out batteries or memory cards as well. Of course, this one doesn't come cheap, with the basic model running $139, and the flash-accommodating model setting you back $145.
Is that zoom lens in your jacket or are you just happy to see me?
@1800BelowMe On his head???
@bakkermaarten007
They have those, ya know.
@brown like dookie
Thats what I was thinking. I don't think it would need to be POTUS either. I have found that my SLR itself is a magnet for dipshit security guards all over the place. Trying to walk around in public with this thing is going to cause you to do a lot more explaining than shooting.
or you could just grab yourself a nice pentax k10,k20 or k7 and a da* lens and not look like an idiot :)
Ive actually washed my camera/lens in the shower..
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4265606646_c5fd1dce74_m.jpg
@usuqa lol, I think $150 is more reasonable then buying all new camera gear.
@IO That is true :), i was lucky with mine tho.. got it on ebay for £350 and i got the da* 50-135 for £500 (its just under a grand now). But with the k7 you get WR kit lens also.
I live in scotland.. the weather here is unstable at best lol so when i was looking into an SLR system the first thing i thought about was how it works out doors.
There's nothing funnyer than watching other people running for shelter when it starts to get wet and i can just keep going :). (ive done the running thing to with my d3 because my lens arnt so good)
Its something to keep in mind when buying a system tho.. if you need a camera that will work outdoors and don't have enuf for the very expensive nikon/canon WR system/lens there is the pentax option (they are going for a rugged outdoor system).. at base iso my gx10 (k10d) with the da*50-135 is better than d3 at base iso with 80-200 f2.8 but that's because of the glass mostly :)
camera-flash and rain don't mix ... save yourself the $6 ;-)
@stemu2000
But I like bright white streaks in my pictures.
How would you control a DSLR flash with this on anyway. Now, if you had one for underwater diving, that may be different (this wouldn't work). Or if you are working in an environment where you get splashed with water occasionally, but want to keep things dry.
@BdgBill1 I don't think if you're out in the rain people would freak out too much, but if it was dry then I can see what you mean.
I would love this thing if it wasn't so expensive. I find myself on long hikes sometimes and the weather changes and all I can do is not shoot, but this would solve the problem (for those than can afford it).
I believe this is so much overpriced...
True, I could probably make one myself for like 25$ with a sewing machine
It's like MI5 in England. He's just taking photographs of all of G20 protesters.
I'm not sure. I'd be a bit worried if I see that dude aiming at me sometime at night.
Great for grassy knolls.
I think its pretty cool. I mean for people who don't have a weather sealed camera and don't want to buy one this looks great. Sure the price is high, but I dont think it is excessively so.
@Rick James My E-3 laughs at this. Why?
Because http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfightor/4299072062/in/pool-zuikodigital
@sl33stak nice lol...
ive never tried dunking my pentax, is the 7-14mm lens you used weather resistant?
Im guessing at very shallow depth.. just below the water things would be ok.. keeping it under there and going deeper would prob kill both tho.
This actually seems like a great idea, if not already in existence, for sporting events. The price seems steep, but I see it as a more professional device - something people are using at the sidelines of football or soccer matches.
maybe he just has a extremely huge dong...
@Mr w00t @bakkermaarten007
A weather sealed camera would be much easier to use. K20D does this nicely.
This wold be a definite must buy for me, if I was still doing pro photo work. I used to cover festivals and all kinds of events, where there was a lot of dust and rain going around. Because of this my DSLR has rust on it's hinges. This cover might have saved my camera from a lot of moisture and dust, if it had been around 6 years ago.
It's price is steep, but if you think about how much it saves you by not having to replace parts because of corrosion, and by letting you take shots in the rain therefore earning you money, I'd say it's worth it. And you can probably buy a Chinese knockoff of one of these within a week or so ;)
Good News: Your camera is protected from the elements!
Bad News: Your hands are locked up in a Chinese Finger Trap.
nice thought and good effort but does nothing to address the raindrops landing on your lens :(
@Atkins You might be better off going with a kata-bags.com solution. Three different sizes and you can find them for under $100. I've used one for the last four years and not one problem. Keeps my DSLR cameras dry in rain and snow. Two hand access and clear window in back for viewing the screen.
Yes, people do look at you, especially when you don't look like everyone else in another country, but you'll notice other photographers looking at your camera first, then you.
I'm having flashbacks to this bastard child at CES:
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/haaaaat_4.jpg
In true Engadget spirit, I'm sure someone could hack that into something cheaper for a camera with some duct tape and black garbage bags.
You would think that the dang thang would have more rainproofing for the lens than a lens cap. A small umbrella-ish thingie at the working end of the whole idea.
So near, and yet, so what.
Hydrophobia? I don't think that they know that "fear of water" in Greek is another name for rabies. It's a very offputting name. reminds me of when Reebok had a shoe named "The Incubus". To makes matters incredibly worse, it was a woman's shoe!
@VAGRANT
I've used the Kata rain cover, and the long lens version of the Hydrophobic. The Hydrophobic is better IMO because it uses a viewfinder adapter so you don't have to look through plastic at your viewfinder you use the viewfinder as you naturally would. It's much more comfortable to use.
I think AquaTech's Sport Shields are a much better product than this. How can Think Tank rip them off like that, its a cheaper version of the Sport Shield!?!?
I bought a 2 pack of clear plastic rain sleeves for $6 at my local camera shop. Sure this thing is probably better, but I don't make it a habit to go shooting in the rain.