Five reasons Op/Tech Rainsleeve should be in your camera bag

You like to keep water off your camera, don’t you? A few dollars could save you a lot of grief and protect your camera well.

Water, water everywhere (and dust!)

Water and electronics don’t mix well. This is particularly true if you are photographing by ocean water, which is corrosive. Rain, water play, waterfalls, sprinklers and garden hoses aren’t exactly great for your camera either. And neither is lots of dust, particularly when it’s windy.

Rain and monsoons can suddenly surprise you. This is especially true in desert, tropical, mountainous and island regions. Parts of the southwest can have five or more storm cells roaring through in a single day.

Enter the Op/Tech Rainsleeve. Here’s five reasons why you should have one of these in your camera bag.

Five reasons Op/Tech Rainsleeve should be in your camera bag

1. They’re durable

They’re durable. Sure, it’s a plastic bag. But I’ve had them for many years! I purchased two Op/Tech Rainsleeves for $4.99 in 2012. That’s a good deal. They cost a little more than that at B&H now.

2. It’s the perfect size

The eyepiece opening works well and is the perfect size. Just fit the opening around your camera’s eyepiece and you’re fine. No ripping the bag or cutting a hole yourself. 

3. You can see the camera controls

You can see the camera controls through the sleeve. Well, most of the time. if it’s really raining hard or there’s a lot of water spray, maybe not so much. You can’t see through it here in this photo, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

4. It has a drawstring lens opening

This works very well, providing a very nice, snug fit regardless of lens size. Trust me, I seriously doubt you are going to have a lens that is longer than what this rainsleeve provides. Just in case you do, the longest it’s rated for is 18 inches. I don’t have a lens that long or I’d report back.

5. It stays out of the way

It hangs well below the camera, but it’s still short enough that you can get your hand up in there to control the camera buttons by feel. I prefer to do this because I am used to touching my camera and can generally tell all the controls by feel.

Bonus tip: The “free” version

If you forget your Op/Tech Rainsleeve, don’t have one, or whatever, what can you use? A shower cap. These work surprisingly well. I used this before I discovered the Op/Tech.

Every time I would stay in a hotel, I would take the free shower cap. Hotels don’t seem to offer these very much any more. Maybe they caught on to me, and I’ve ruined it for everyone else? For that, I’m sorry.

No, it’s not as good. Your lens still gets nailed with water. But it’s really better than nothing. It keeps water off your camera. If you have a small plastic bag, you can wrap that around the lens too.