FotoSharp 16″ Camera RainCoat

I've been meaning to write about and recommend the 16" FotoSharp Camera Rain Cover I picked up last summer. It's a remarkably simple little cover that scrunches up into a tiny ball in my camera bag when not in use, yet provides rain protection even with my big Nikkor 70-200 VR zoom on my D200.

The pictures on its web site pretty much show what it is, especially the 3rd one that shows it laid out flat (on top of a book, to show its transparency). It's a tube with a smallish opening on one end that goes over the lens, and a big opening on the other for you to get at the camera. The size I got cost about $30, which is perhaps a bit pricy when you look at the materials, but less so when you look at the labor and the convenience of having it delivered to your door ready to use.

I decided that I needed something like this last spring, after my rainy day trying to take pictures at one of Kyoto's more picturesque temples. I'm sure that I presented a comical sight trying to balance a big blue umbrella over myself and my camera while trying to get a picture of a fern or something. After a while, I started to realize that the huge blue umbrella (the same one seen in this post of Anthony dancing) was casting a blue light on my closeups. Ugh.

So, I got one of these FotoSharp rain covers (FotoSharp calls it a “RainCoat”) and I was very pleased. Its great combination of portability and effectiveness make it a no-brainer to always have on hand in my camera bag.

I've used it a few times, most recently when it started to sprinkle at the shrine closing ceremony I posted about last month. I've also used it as padding between items in my camera bag, to provide some measure of shade for the camera/lens on a hot day, and as a flash diffuser for impromptu close-up macro work.

The ordering process is a bit unorthodox in this modern day: you tell them what you want, they send it, if you like it, you send a check. If not, you send it back. It's got a wonderful Mom & Pop feel to it that's rare these days.

I was so happy with the one I got that I immediately ordered two more, to take back with me to Japan as gifts.

They have other styles and sizes, for all kinds of needs.

In Summary: FotoSharp RainCoat: highly recommended.


All 2 comments so far, oldest first...

You know, I have one of those, too. Except mine is called Plastic Grocery Bag With A Hole In The Bottom. It’s the same translucent white. It keeps off rain. It scrunches into a small ball for transport. And if I want it to be in a cute tube shape, it would take about 5 seconds and some tape. And it DIDN’T cost $30.00 🙂

— comment by Marcina on December 20th, 2007 at 6:13am JST (16 years, 3 months ago) comment permalink

A question: you recommend the RainCoat without the velcro tripod/hand hole…any reason for that preference?

Love your reflections on life in Kyoto, both verbal and pictorial. From the beauty to the fashion mistakes.

I recommended the one that I bought; I’ve never tried the other one. I chose the one without the Velcro opening because I don’t imagine I’d do much tripod work in the rain, and I’d imagine that the bulk and complexity imparted by the Velcro would thrust the thing past my threshold for “ease of use”. (It is perhaps telling that something so slight — a Velcro closure — could be considered bulky and complex, but the thing without it is simplicity incarnate, a feature I prize highly 🙂 —Jeffrey

— comment by Scott on January 2nd, 2008 at 3:43am JST (16 years, 3 months ago) comment permalink
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