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GH2 Moisture Vulnerability
  • bheathbheath

    Have any of you experienced water damage or malfunction with your gh2? I'm always unsure of how much moisture I can allow to collect on this camera before aborting. Not asking for camera cover suggestions, just your experience with water landing or collecting on the body. A good example is stopping the car in a rainstorm running out to grab a shot and the camera gets moist. Thanks in advance.

  • 16 Replies sorted by
  • RamboRambo

    I've had lots of fresh water on both Gh1 and Gh2 from rain, mist and also when washing the saltwater residue off the body and lens when shooting without protection from a boat on the ocean. The GH1's are nearly 2 years old, gh2 one year old, no problems so far, other than slight corrosion of exterior metal parts, screws etc.

    These cameras also get transported/stored inside a waterproof backpack which can at times have sand and high humidity inside, again clean after job air blow etc.

    Fully Dunked in fresh or saltwater would obviously ruin the cameras, not happen yet.

    I think the vulnerable parts of the camera are the LCD glass/frame gap, the top of the camera where water could pool and enter button/dial/flash via gravity or seepage, also the lens mount/lens face, etc.

    If it's not drenched in rain and you clean off immediately it should be ok. To be safe, if you suspect slight fresh water ingress and you don't want to crack open the case, pull the battery, open all flaps/ doors/ etc, remove lens, wrap camera in microfiber cloth and put in a warm dry place like on top of refrigerator at back near the airflow grill for a few days.

  • bheathbheath

    @Rambo - Wow thanks so much!! THis is exactly what I was looking for. Very kind of you to respond so clearly and with the advice to boot! With your information, I will be less worried about moisture. I'm going to grab another gh2 body as well. I'm amazed how some electronics just crater in the damp and others keep ticking. Again, thanks so much for your response!

  • RamboRambo

    I must add that I always have a few oversized ziplock sandwich bags (with upper corners snipped for airflow) on hand to slip over the camera when needed, I also have proper DSLR waterproof covers I use sometimes, but mostly they hinder operation. If you have nothing else, use your hat :-)

  • bheathbheath

    @Rambo - Ziplocks yes! One thing I do, when I'm organized, is carry small white bath towels to drape over the rig, keeps the rainfall quiet (sound) and no water collects inside. You just need a few of them if its raining hard. Thanks!

  • RamboRambo

    Yep, I' ve used bath towels before too, from the hotel rooms, nice and thick and fluffy.

  • soundgh2soundgh2

    I'm sure sir Rambo has a few of these - http://www.planetdry.com/ocean-packs.html

    Work a treat to throw stuff in when near the nasty liquid stuff.

  • SisterCitiesSisterCities

    Any thoughts on protecting a camera when it's snowing?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @SisterCities

    May be try

    image

  • soundgh2soundgh2

    Lol

  • RamboRambo

    @soundgh2, yep the dry bags are great, that's what i have inside my WP Backpac. You have to keep them completely dry inside (i turn them inside out and place in the sun) or they hold humidity in hot climates.

    @VK, i definitely don't have one of those. ...haha

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Rambo

    And I have one, in -30 you'll get big issues with your ears otherwise :-) It is only -20 C now, but looking at forecast at morning it'll be -28 C quite soon :-)

  • SisterCitiesSisterCities

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev lol stylish... is that weasel or marmot?

  • bheathbheath

    Ah the fur hat. Ideal. When placed just so, it's the perfect lens effect for the the polar bear gynecologist POV;]

  • RamboRambo

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev it's +30 here VK, but I probably could use your hat as a "DeadCat" for my Senny! Remember my stuffed toy example?

    image.jpg
    1051 x 443 - 212K
  • vaitorvaitor

    i live in thailand and the humidity is extremely high here, especially in rainy season its more or less 90% ;) my gh2 is about one year old and has some corrosion/little parts of rust on the flash connecter as well as on the screws. what makes me more scared actually is the additional heat in thailand. my gh2 body stretched over time and it gives me problems with my battery "pins" - the battery is kind of lose in its slot and often i have to put a sheet of paper in it together with the battery to make it work.

  • meemee

    I live in Japan and humidity/sudden mists and rain are a given. I can't say why with any certainty, but I did have some issue with my GH2, from a bad mobo, to a bad sd card reader to an LCD issue, and the list actually goes on. The camera never flat out crapped out, and was still usable at all times, but the errors plus a sharp piece of metal sticking out after the last repair got me a new GH2 from Panasonic last week. I would say all and all it does well against moisture. Just figured my experience is worth adding in case others in humid places have similar experiences. Other potential X factors.. Radioactive lens, butter fingers, factory flaws, etc.. etc...

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