The Camera Canopy stops your camera getting wet in the rain – and it’s a real thing

It turns out that the Camera Canopy, first shown off near the beginning of this year, wasn’t a prank after all. It’s a real genuine product. When we found out they were going to be at PhotoPlus 2019, we had to go and see it in person for ourselves. So, we did. We went to the Camera Canopy stand and spoke to its inventor, Gerald Miller, and we took our cameras along with us.

The Camera Canopy is, as the name suggests, a canopy which goes over your camera and lens to protect it during bad weather. While rain is going to be a problem for some camera brands more than others, many owners are paranoid about getting their kit wet, regardless of what the manufacturers claim it can handle.

As an idea, it makes a lot of sense, if only to allow for more comfortable shooting with a dry camera, even if it doesn’t actually need the protection. But the implementation is a little… interesting.

When I first saw this, I was concerned about having all that weight sitting on the hotshoe. It comes in at about 2lbs in total, more than twice as heavy as the hefty 12oz Nikon SB-900 speedlight. Except, with a speedlight, all that weight is contained with a fairly small area and is mostly pushing down. With the Camera Canopy, the weight is pulling up the back of the hotshoe, and the further you extend that canopy out, the more force is being applied to it.

I’m still not entirely convinced that won’t become an issue in the long term, especially in the wind, which would put even more strain on it. But I couldn’t really see myself using one of these anyway. I have faith in the weather sealing in my cameras and lenses, and lens hoods keep raindrops off the front element.

I do still like the concept, though. I just think the design needs a little more refining. What do you think?

If you’re interested in getting one for yourself, the price has gone up a little since they were first announced. You can buy one now for $87.99 from the Camera Canopy website.

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DIYP’s coverage of PhotoPlus Expo 2019 is sponsored by Luminar, Cosyspeed, PhotoPlus, and Spiffy Gear – check ’em out.

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