Weather covers to keep your gear dry

When shooting outdoors, you run into all sorts of elements that could potentially damage the camera. Water and sand are the two big ones. You need to protect your gear from exposure to that stuff… and a plastic bag is often not enough.

Here are four recommendations for good camera covers/shrouds that I’ve encountered in my travels, and have received good reviews from those who have used them.

Ewa-Marine has been making underwater housings for still cameras and camcorders for a while. If they can keep your camera dry at 50 meters, it’ll keep it dry in a tropical rainstorm.

Kata are a case and pack manufacturer, and their Elements cover is perfect for a digital SLR with almost any lens. It has a couple of hand slots on either side allowing you to get inside the cover to control the camera.

AquaTech’s Sports Shield is a similar design to the Kata, but they also offer a flash cover and a camo version of the camera cover.

FM Photography also provide a cover called the Shutter Hat, which appears to be a thicker material but drapes over the camera rather than encompasses it. They also have a Shutter Hut, which sets up to provide you a place for lenses or a camera bag to stay dry and protected.