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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Komodo weather resistant?

Daniel Brand

Daniel Brand

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So I can’t seem to find anything official on the Komodo specs on the website, but I’ve seen an article about someone using a Komodo in a blizzard and reported that it worked flawlessly. And even in that corny Jason Mammoa promo they appear to be using it in harsh wet conditions.

I have a shoot coming up that might be rainy, I still plan to keep the camera fairly covered but has anyone done any shoots and got the camera wet from rain? Or know if it is weather sealed?
 
Official is what the manual states in the Safety Instructions section:

DO NOT use the camera or accessories near water. Avoid exposing
your camera to moisture. The unit is not waterproof, so contact with
water could cause permanent damage to the unit as well as electric
shock and serious injury to the user. DO NOT use the camera in the
rain or under other conditions with high moisture without appropriate
protection, and immediately remove power source if camera or
accessories are exposed to moisture.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose the camera to rain or moisture.
Click to expand...

Despite that, many have used it without problems in rain and snow. Check out this thread:

https://www.reduser.net/forum/red-cameras/komodo/187568-komodo-weather-sealed
 
Despite not 'officially' being weather sealed, the Komodo holds up very, very well in wet conditions. There was one time on a tent-based backcountry ski shoot where I fell into really deep, moist snow with the camera unprotected, and was certain it would be damaged—I was able to keep shooting after swapping for a different lens, despite crazy wind/snow/rainfall. You'll have problems with lenses, touch screens, and just about anything else before you ever have a problem with the camera, providing you can dry out your gear properly as soon as you're done shooting. A plastic dry-bag is more than sufficient for any weather you're likely to encounter in a situation where bringing your camera indoors is an option—if you're sleeping in a damp environment (tent) and your camera bag is soaked inside for multiple days in a row, that's when I'd be concerned... but even in those conditions taking extra care to keep things at a 'reasonable' moisture level has been sufficient.
 
There is another important note in the instructions which I admittedly failed to stick to:

INDOOR USE ONLY: This device is designed primarily for
indoor use.
Click to expand...

I wonder what the secondarily use would be, within the "indoor use only" restriction...
 
Daniel Brand said:
So I can’t seem to find anything official on the Komodo specs on the website, but I’ve seen an article about someone using a Komodo in a blizzard and reported that it worked flawlessly. And even in that corny Jason Mammoa promo they appear to be using it in harsh wet conditions.

I have a shoot coming up that might be rainy, I still plan to keep the camera fairly covered but has anyone done any shoots and got the camera wet from rain? Or know if it is weather sealed?
Click to expand...

Good when humid to make sure the camera is brought dry into the shooting environment temperature. Not bring it from cold aircond indoor environment straight out into topic humid heat or such. Then moisture will form on and inside lenses, on the sensor and everything like on a cold glas of soda.

Depending on shooting style of course. But normally when shooting in rain and shitty weather I find it best to use quite roomy see trough plastic bags preferably with a cut hole for the filter tray of the lens. Then just let the bag sit like a rain coat over the camera setup with the opening hanging down around the tripod. Then its easy enough to stick your hands in there from underneath to change settings etc. And as the plastic is se trough you see all your settings etc trough the plastic and the opening of bag lets the camera breath and the heat created inside help dry out moister. Then as addition to that one of those fold up party tents is your best friend. If the tent is not possible bring a big umbrella or parasoll.

I had my Komodo in heavy snowfall and rain and got it dripping wet and where a bit worried water would come in trough the buttons on the top or such but have not had any problems. So yes I think its way more weather resistant than what the manual says to the point where I would actually be more worried about the lens, a lens that gets moisture inside can grow to quite a problem.
 
My Komodo failed, stopped working at -16 degrees Celsius (dry cold, no snow) when I was filming Snowy Owls in Canada. When I contacted Red Support they said "-16 is outside of the recommended operating range of 0 C to 40 C (32 F to 104 F)".

There are media reports of RED CEO and President Jared Land and also Matt Tremblay testing the Komodo in extremely harsh winter conditions and in a blizzard. Please know that media reports do NOT count, its the FINE PRINT that matters for support and warranty.

I contacted Matt Tremblay on Instagram and this is what he said: "...I was wearing a sling inside my jacket. It was all handheld, so whenever I cut the take the camera hid back inside my jacket".

Others have reported using it in our harsh Canadian winter using stick on warmers and such. My shoot was a complete failure. I went back again with my trusted old Red Raven which shot at -20C like a charm. Have not taken the Komodo out in the cold again.
 
Dipanka Sarma said:
My Komodo failed, stopped working at -16 degrees Celsius (dry cold, no snow) when I was filming Snowy Owls in Canada. When I contacted Red Support they said "-16 is outside of the recommended operating range of 0 C to 40 C (32 F to 104 F)".

There are media reports of RED CEO and President Jared Land and also Matt Tremblay testing the Komodo in extremely harsh winter conditions and in a blizzard. Please know that media reports do NOT count, its the FINE PRINT that matters for support and warranty.

I contacted Matt Tremblay on Instagram and this is what he said: "...I was wearing a sling inside my jacket. It was all handheld, so whenever I cut the take the camera hid back inside my jacket".

Others have reported using it in our harsh Canadian winter using stick on warmers and such. My shoot was a complete failure. I went back again with my trusted old Red Raven which shot at -20C like a charm. Have not taken the Komodo out in the cold again.
Click to expand...

wasn't the Komodo marketed that it could withstand tough conditions? This looks a lot colder than 32 F

https://youtu.be/hRuS8QaewH0
 
That’s exactly my point, the fine point and legalese is what matters. Media reports, even if the report is about the top Red bosses, do not matter.
 
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