Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy)

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

I got this product on the very day I needed to photograph high school football and it RAINED. It worked very well in keeping my lens and camera protected from the elements. It rained the next night at my other HS football game - it was worth the $.

It takes a little getting used to when using the zoom but I got some great shots.

The only bad thing was having undo the neck strap if I want to thread the neck strap through the cover.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

the product works great. needs a little getting use to but it does what it needs to do, keep the rain out.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

I bought this mainly for use outdoor in the rain/snow. But recently I went to a Rallycar event and found great use for it, the trail was very dusty due to a dry week before the rally event.
The rain cover kept my camera and lense free from dust and dirt that was flying though the air when the cars went by.

Only con I got to say about it is that it covers the top of my LCD display on my 450D and making some of the buttons rather hard to push.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

Bulky. Camera did not fit properly although it was recommended for my camera.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

I bought this sport shield so I could get closer to the upcoming spring's thunderstorms. Little did I know that the day after I received it, I would get a chance to test it out!
The workmanship of this is truly outstanding, all of the seams (including the zippers) are fabric/tape sealed and as such work flawlessly. I did, however, have a bit of trouble setting this up as my primary lens Canon 17-55 f2.8l was a bit shorter than I remembered, and, as such, I ordered a sport shield that is just a bit too long. But since I also have a couple of good telephoto lenses (600mm & 1350mm) it works out really well.
Make sure that you DO order the eyepiece as it is required to get a good water-resistant fit. Since it is a different product, I won't review it here, but it has excellent build quality as well.

While the storm was approaching, I put the cover on, and made sure that my fit was just right. I attached the whole thing to my tripod and started snapping away. Usually, when the storm is about five miles out, I have to pack it in due to wind-swept rains wetting my gear. Not this time! I was out in forty-five minutes of torrential rain with absolutely no problems!

I would highly recommend this to any serious/amateur photog who wants to take pictures in the rain/snow/wind/hail. As a side note, I had the opportunity to use this in the snow/blizzard that struck my hometown last weekend (3-19-10) and it worked as expected (very well) in the blowing/drifting snow.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

After years of trying the cheap covers I finally caved in and got this one.
Very nice!

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

I had to shoot 4 football games in the rain and it was cold. I was soaked and frozen but my camera was not. This cover worked like a charm. Not only did it protect the camera from the rain, it served as a wind barrier from the cold on my hand. The only thing I can say in a con would be that the plastic fogs up at times. No big deal, just wipe it off and there is no way to use your camera strap. I still give it 5 stars.

Don't forget the eye piece for this, you need it to keep the cover in place. The eye piece is very comfortable too. Thinking about adding this eyepiece to all my cameras.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

INTRO

I purchased this cover (plus eye piece and lens cap) for a trip to Antarctica in Nov-Dec 2008, for sea-spray in the zodiac boats and shooting in snow/rain. It all worked as advertised! :) Even in steady freezing rain for over an hour it kept the camera protected and functioning (a Canon 50D, Canon 70-200 f/4 IS lens, and Canon 1.4x extender, all having some built-in environmental seals).


QUALITY

The material feels very durable, like a well-made softshell rain coat, and is well tailored to its purpose. You quickly see where it fits relative to other products on the market.


INSTALLATION

Installing/removing the cover becomes relatively easy, with a neckstrap being the most finicky part. I generally left my cover on the camera for the entire trip. The custom eyepiece fits very tightly, requiring some force to push on.


FEATURES and USAGE

The access areas to allow a tripod, an external flash, and a neckstrap are well thought-out (caveat: I used only the latter). The lens "cap" (sold separately) is very easy to put on, to protect your lens from spray when not shooting.

Camera controls have good accessibility even though it's quite snug under the cover. It's right-hand access only. Your left hand will be holding the lens outside the cover. Unzip the tripod mount area under the lens to access lens switches (AF/MF, IS, etc.)---some of the farther switches may be tricky to see. Depending on the weather conditions, you could leave this zipper open all the time to control lens zoom or focus directly. This may be difficult if wearing gloves.

I often wore no glove on my right hand as the cover itself was enough protection from the wind and cold. In colder conditions, a light glove with good tactile dexterity on the fingertips worked well inside the cover.

The cover has good room for a battery grip or a "full-size" camera body.

All of the Canon 50D's LCD displays and most controls were visible through the 3 clear plastic windows (2 on top, one on back). The Menu button was both tricky to see and reach at the upper-left side of the camera's rear LCD screen, however by moving the cover slightly you can still see/operate it. Hidden at the upper-right of the camera back are the AE Lock button, AF Point Selection button, and the 8-way control switch, and I sometimes inadvertently hit the latter two under the cover. This is to be expected with any cover, so just be vigilant with your settings.

I noticed no view degradation through the custom eyepiece compared with the Canon eyepiece.

Velcro flaps cover the various windows and potential leak areas. When shooting, the top windows are covered by flaps, which must be lifted to see camera settings. When doing this frequently, I wished the velcro was maybe a little less strong. In weather conditions where you don't need the added protection of the flaps, I discovered (after my trip) a way to roll the flaps up so that all windows are uncovered simultaneously. 1. Start with the top flap and rear flaps separated. 2. Fold the top flap's side wings, which cover the camera strap holes, inward on top of the flap. 3. Fold the top flap in half towards the back of the camera. 4. Roll the rear flap up tightly towards the top of the camera. 5. Connect the long velcro strip on the top flap to the short velcro strip on the right underside of the rear flap. Done. (Note this won't work if you have items stored inside the rear flap pocket).

As the customization of the cover to the specific lens size range is excellent, you will need to buy the appropriate cover(s) if you want to use multiple lenses. I tried using this cover with my Canon 17-40 f/4 lens without success. When weather conditions didn't require the cover, I simply unzipped the forward portion and rolled it up around the body, leaving it attached to the camera, to permit use of the 17-40 lens. Changing covers would not be fast with camera straps involved, so if you require fast changes between lens ranges *and* you need weather protection, then having two bodies with their own lenses and covers is perhaps the only way. For more casual shooters, I recommend simply going out with the lens/cover combination you are most likely to need on that particular wet day, and don't bother with lens sizes not intended for that cover.


PERFORMANCE

The camera gear kept working flawlessly in some fairly cold and damp conditions. The cover got wet inside on two occasions, and I completely removed it afterwards to dry everything out (it dries quickly!). I don't know if it was due to a leak, or if the material simply becomes saturated after extended wet usage/handling. Note my "waterproof" parka faired no better :)

I think some dampness occurs due to condensation of moisture evaporating from my hand, as the clear plastic windows would sometimes fog up on the inside surface. The military photographers where I work said they sometimes put hand-warmer pads inside their covers for warmth (wasn't needed in my case), and I wonder if this might help control the condensation inside the cover.

Operation of all shooting controls was trouble-free, and I never missed a shot due to the cover (something I can't say for other home-made solutions I've tried!). Zoom control requires twisting on the cover to get the lens to rotate, and there is a bit of a slipping/ratchet effect. After practice I could readily get to either end of the zoom range, even if fine adjustments were a little tricky. The cover did not cause the zoom or focus to drift. You could also try adjusting the lens directly by unzipping the tripod mount area under the lens, if weather conditions permit.

The grip of the neoprene cover around the lens hood is excellent, and never came loose despite lots of jostling around backpack straps, life preserver collar, other camera straps, bulky parka, crawling in the snow, etc. In fact, the grip is so good that sometimes the twisting of the cover to adjust lens zoom rotates the lens hood in its bayonet-style mount---once, it rotated far enough that it popped loose (easily put back on).

My primary concern before the trip, and one about which I wrote to Aqua Tech before purchasing, was the durability of the clear plastic windows in cold. I had read another review that mentioned one "shattering" in the cold. I'm happy to say this did not happen, and the windows remained flexible in temperatures down to the Antarctic peninsula's springtime range of -5'C. Having said that, -5'C is not very cold for some places, and having just returned to Canada for the winter, I don't yet have results for say -15 to -25'C. At those temperatures there's obviously no rain(!) nor even much snow, and a cover is probably not needed---blowing snow would be the main concern. (Aqua Tech has advised that they are doing some development testing at lower temperatures to see how things perform.)

An unexpected and very pleasant side effect of using the cover is that it muffles the camera's sound a bit, plus the cover itself is soft and does not make rustling noises. Immediately after leaving Antarctica I shot in Mexico for a week without the cover, and it was startling how much louder the camera seemed. Shooters of skittish wildlife will definitely appreciate this added bonus of noise reduction, and it may be possible to stuff other sound insulation inside the cover.

CONCLUSION

The cover worked very well, kept my equipment functioning through snow, rain, freezing rain, sea spray, and even drenching by waves that came over the zodiac's bow. My camera was always at the ready, and the presence of the cover never interfered with my getting a shot---more importantly, it let me get shots in conditions where the camera would otherwise be stowed in a waterproof bag. With this cover, I found shooting in the relatively harsh and unpredictable Antarctic environment quite enjoyable, which is much more than I can say for a miserable day I had shooting motorcycle races in the pouring rain last summer *without* a cover. I can't wait to try this cover at the next rainy race!

I highly recommend these products. Both passengers and expedition staff on the Antarctic trip asked me about the cover daily, how it worked, where to get them, etc. I quickly became recognizable among the group due to the navy blue cover around my camera. Just think how popular I'd be if I had the camouflaged version! ;)

This cover shows great attention to design detail and high quality of construction. I rate it overall 4 out of 5, as there were cases of wetness inside the cover and I think there is always room for little improvements. Score aside, I think this may be the best overall rain cover on the market today.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

I am a sports photographer and have used this cover in heavy downpours without any problems. The only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating was due to the introduction of condensation inside the cover. I do realize that this may be an unavoidable issue, but it is something that I have experienced with EVERY cover I have used and would love to see it no longer be an issue.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

Don't care how hard it rains as long as I have my Aqua Tech.Have some award winning shots with this Shield.

Comments about Aqua Tech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Navy):

This product did what it promised. It kept my camera dry while shooting in wet outdoor conditions.

Taking pictures in Alaska is always an adventure and one that is usually a wet one. That is why I bought the Sport shield for my Canon 5D before leaving on my Alaskan cruise.

Sure enough, it was needed and performed perferctly. This was one vacation that wasn't ruined by the rain.