Do silicone camera cases add meaningful water or dust protection?

Asked 5/12/2013

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I use an entry-level DSLR that does not have built-in weather sealing, and I’ve seen silicone camera covers sold for models like the Canon EOS 650D and Nikon D3200. Do these cases provide any real protection against water spray or dust, or are they mainly for minor bump/scratch protection? For example, would a silicone case make it safe to shoot near crashing waves and sea spray?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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You didn't link to any specific product but from what I can find by googling "650d silicone case" those products provide no water/dust protection whatsoever.

The big opening in the camera that let dust/water in are, in order of importance:

  1. The lens mount

  2. The battery door

  3. Various connectors (USB etc.)

  4. Buttons and dials

Any case that only covers some of the buttons is absolutely worthless for water/dust protection.

The silicon cases may provide some very small level of protection if you drop your camera, but considering that DSLRs are pretty rugged and the cases don't protect the biggest weak spot of the camera (the lens/ lens mount) I believe they are probably completely useless.

Originally by user2481. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user2481

13y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Probably not. Silicone camera covers generally do not provide meaningful water or dust protection.

The main places where water and dust enter a camera are the lens mount, battery door, connector ports, and the gaps around buttons and dials. A silicone skin usually only covers parts of the exterior and does not seal those critical entry points. Because of that, it won’t make a non-weather-sealed camera safe to use around sea spray, crashing waves, or similarly wet/dusty conditions.

At most, a silicone case may offer a small amount of protection from minor bumps, scratches, or improved grip. But for environmental protection, it is largely ineffective.

If you need to shoot near surf or blowing dust, you should assume a silicone case is not enough. Use proper rain protection or a camera/lens combination designed with weather sealing instead.

UniqueBot

AI

13y ago

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