It’s fun to say “poncho”
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with, sponsored by, or otherwise coerced by any brands mentioned in this article, and all opinions are my own.
Finally, rainy days are here in North Georgia. The arrival of moody weather, dramatic skies, and lush foliage is welcome after a dry, dusty summer. But these blessings bring worry; worry of water damage to our camera and lenses. Even with the excellent weather sealing of my camera gear, these fears creep in. Besides, water and streaking on the front element may not cause permanent damage, but can sure ruin a shot.
Worry not, for the poncho offers salvation.
The poncho is the superior wet-weather outfit for the mobile photographer.
An umbrella offers better water protection for shooting in one location - but is a hassle and takes one of our limited number of hands. Plus, it does not do much to keep us warm from drafts.
A rainjacket seals us up, keeping dry and toasty - but offers no protection for our camera equipment - or legs!
But the poncho? The poncho provideth and does not taketh away.
Generally longer than a jacket, it does wonders at protecting from rain and trapping heat.
Open at the sides, ventilation is of no concern.
Spacious inside, you can wear a backpack or camera on a strap.
Once you try it, you will surely be a poncho believer like me.
My setup - one body, two lenses
A quick word about my camera equipment is in order. I use Micro Four Thirds, and the relatively small equipment fits neatly on my person as I describe here. This may not work for a full-frame setup, but an oversized poncho can easily drape over a pack.
I attach my camera to a Peak Designs “Leash” strap. Any strap will work, but I like the small size and quick-adjust features of the Peak Designs product. When walking, I keep the camera slung cross-body such that the camera hangs at my right side. I usually keep my 12-45 F/4 mounted. If I decide to take my longer 40-150 F/4, that goes in a microfiber pouch tucked inside a JanSport fanny pack slung cross-body opposite my camera.
Shooting from the poncho
Set up like this, I can manipulate my camera and even change lenses under the safety of the poncho. When I want to shoot, I’ll do one of two maneuvers.
First, I can bring the camera out the open side of the poncho and up to my face. The strap can get a little tight, but a tug on the quick adjust tab takes care of that.
The second method is useful for shooting on a tripod or in very blustery weather. I will pop my head inside the poncho and use the front as a sort of awning to keep rain off the front element. If using a tripod, you can drape the poncho from the tripod, much like using a dark cloth on a large format film camera.
A pack can be taken off to do a surprising amount of gear manipulation with the poncho acting as a small tent while you kneel on the ground.
Buy or make a poncho
I use either a Sierra Designs or Frog Toggs poncho, but a garbage bag with a hole cut in the top and the sides cut open would do the job 90% as well. Even a good poncho is not very expensive: the construction is simple and expensive breathable-but-waterproof (Gore Tex) are not required as the design offers airflow through the sides.
Get a poncho today and shoot in the rain!
