"tough" camera recommendations please

[tom lombard]

I didn't take a camera with me to an event because there was a good chance of rain. It turned out that it was a very memorable event _due_ to the rain and all I got was a few grab shots & short vids with my iPhone (which mostly stayed in a plastic bag in my pocket for the 3 hours). So what would have been a good camera to have had? Needs to be DSLRish form factor so it's not out of place or prohibited at public events. May be wet conditions so fairly water resistant. May be cold or hot. Able to get by with a single zoom lens. Sensor not big factor so full frame, mirrorless, MFT, DSLR,... all fair game. I could have just taken my Canon 77D with the kit 18-135 and kept it in a plastic bag but wonder if there's not a better solution. Any thoughts welcome. Thanks, Tom

[Daniel Klockenkemper]

Several of the major camera companies make "tough" or weather-resistant cameras. I think the Olympus TG-5 is one of the best-selling cameras in Japan right now, and looks reasonably pocketable. Nikon has similar cameras that would probably also be worth a look.

[Jaron Berman]

If the Canon C series aren't too big for what you're trying to do, they're remarkably weather resistant and offer many features over using a DSLR. We recently shot 3x days in a facility that trains pilots for rescues at sea, and they simulate hurricane winds and rotor wash with torrential downpour. Primary cameras were Canon C300 (mk1) with Canon EF-L glass because that combination is rainproof. I can vouch that without any additional exposure coverage on the cameras themselves (we did wrap the audio, timecode, video transmitters), they were great for 3x days of 12x hours in heavy rain and humidity. I have never personally dunked on, but the camera is built to survive immersion. I have actually shot in russian steam baths with those cameras as well where the crew all had to bow-out from the heat and humidity while the cameras and lenses chugged along just fine.

 

Any time I need a camera system that's bulletproof - Canon C series. For your purposes, shooting it like a hasselblad w/o the monitor will make it look/feel like a dslr. But FYI the monitor system itself is ALSO water resistant.

[Giacomo Girolamo]

I didn't take a camera with me to an event because there was a good chance of rain. It turned out that it was a very memorable event _due_ to the rain and all I got was a few grab shots & short vids with my iPhone (which mostly stayed in a plastic bag in my pocket for the 3 hours). So what would have been a good camera to have had? Needs to be DSLRish form factor so it's not out of place or prohibited at public events. May be wet conditions so fairly water resistant. May be cold or hot. Able to get by with a single zoom lens. Sensor not big factor so full frame, mirrorless, MFT, DSLR,... all fair game. I could have just taken my Canon 77D with the kit 18-135 and kept it in a plastic bag but wonder if there's not a better solution. Any thoughts welcome. Thanks, Tom

 

All the middle ground Canon dlsr are weather resist, and I believe the top of the line (not the cinema, I mean like a Canon 7d) are water resist.

Just research a little in the home page.

[Mark Kenfield]

Olympus's top cameras appear to be the kings of weather proofing. They literally run them under hoses in their promotional materials.

[tom lombard]

Thanks for all the input. I had some additional input as well. Ended up getting the Olympus TG-5. My budget was limited but this looks to be perfect for what I need. It really isn't any bigger than a thick iPhone so fits well in the pocket. Won't get the output from it that I would from a higher end camera but should be adequate for anything viewed on small screens (like computer, pads, phones). I'm looking forward to getting something shot. Thanks.

[David Peterson]

I would have got a Panasonic G80 with its kit 12-60mm lens, that is weather resistant and super affordable, yet still give a very nice image for its price.