Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?) Part II

This is Part II of images I took on a June Narrows Hike.

I have hiked the Narrows Trail in Zion National Park 4 times. The other 3 times were in the Fall when you need a wetsuit. This June was my 4th time and everyone in my group was  wearing shorts.

The “trail is the Virgin River, literally. The water is mostly ankle to knee deep but in spots can be up to waist deep.

I took a spill in water that was deeper. I carry my camera high in deeper water but fell forward. My camera and lens were totally, and I do mean totally submerged for however long it took me to raise it out of the water. I will guess 1+ second.

I had an R5 with a circular polarizer adapter, and 24-105 L lens. There are about 24 buttons or dials, a flip screen, battery compartment, flash card compartment, and two side panels for various electronic connections.

So what happens to an EOS R5 when it is totally submerged for a second or two?

That is not a question I cared to find the answer to, but I now have the answer.

What happens? Nothing!

I expected a nasty repair bill but thanks to a metal screw cap that I keep on all my lenses, not even the lens got wet. The only leakage I could see was a single drop of water on the front element. As soon as the camera dried off, I tested the camera and it worked fine. It’s still working weeks later.

Kudos to Canon for a clearly a superior job in taking rain resistance to a much higher level. I had a second lens with me in a backpack that was in the water for 20 seconds or so until someone helped me up. That lens may have been ruined but it was in a dry bag as was my iPhone.

Continue reading “Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?) Part II”

Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?)

I have hiked the Narrows Trail in Zion National Park 4 times. The other 3 times were in the Fall when you need a wetsuit. This June was my 4th time and everyone in my group was  wearing shorts.

The “trail is the Virgin River, literally. The water is mostly ankle to knee deep but in spots can be up to waist deep.

I took a spill in water that was deeper. I carry my camera high in deeper water but fell forward. My camera and lens were totally, and I do mean totally submerged for however long it took me to raise it out of the water. I will guess 1+ second.

I had an R5 with a circular polarizer adapter, and 24-105 L lens. There are about 24 buttons or dials, a flip screen, battery compartment, flash card compartment, and two side panels for various electronic connections.

So what happens to an EOS R5 when it is totally submerged for a second or two?

That is not a question I cared to find the answer to, but I now have the answer.

What happens? Nothing!

I expected a nasty repair bill but thanks to a metal screw cap that I keep on all my lenses, not even the lens got wet. The only leakage I could see was a single drop of water on the front element. As soon as the camera dried off, I tested the camera and it worked fine. It’s still working weeks later.

Kudos to Canon for a clearly a superior job in taking rain resistance to a much higher level. I had a second lens with me in a backpack that was in the water for 20 seconds or so until someone helped me up. That lens may have been ruined but it was in a dry bag as was my iPhone.

Continue reading “Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?)”

Rockville Bridge Milky Way and Grafton Ghost Town

The Rockville Bridge and Grafton Ghost Town are just outside Zion National Park. The bridge was built for the National Park Service in 1924 to provide a link between Zion National Park and the North Rim area of Grand Canyon National Park.

The Rockville Bridge is 91 years old now and is showing its age. The Department of Transportation’s inspection of the bridge in 2012 revealed such deterioration that the bridge’s load rating was reduced from 25 to 14 tons and the Town of Rockville was put on notice that “something” needed to be done about the bridge.

Plans were made to put up a new bridge next to the old one but the town objected. In 2016, the Joint Highway Committee allocated $2,500,000 for the Rockville Bridge to be rehabilitated – with the condition that the Town submit a plan for an alternate route for a new road and bridge to cross the Virgin River at another location.

In March of 2017, the Town of Rockville finished raising the matching funds required for the Federal funding of the bridge restoration project. The project is scheduled to get underway in October of 2017.

The preceding three paragraphs are slightly modified excerpts from The Rockford Bridge Organization. The organization has a photo tour.
Continue reading “Rockville Bridge Milky Way and Grafton Ghost Town”