This Filter Prevents Water Drops From Sticking To Your Camera Lens

[edkwon]

Interesting new hydrophilic lens filter from Tokina, designed not to repel but stick to raindrops and moister and spread it out on the glass to avoid beading and messing up shots in the field during rain or other wet conditions

http://gizmodo.com/this-filter-prevents-water-drops-from-sticking-to-your-1332830046

Tokina Rain Dispersion Filter. No more rain on your lens! on Vimeo

Shooting in a downpour is not unheard of, in fact, most high-end DSLRs are completely waterproof for that reason. However, photographers still need to ensure their lens isn't covered in water droplets that can end up obscuring a shot?either by wiping the lens every few seconds, or trying out this new filter from Tokina that prevents water from forming drops in the first place.
The hydrophobic rain dispersion filter was actually by developed Tokina working alongside the NHK in Japan, and it features a specially developed coating that causes water to spread evenly across the glass surface before flowing off. And this happens almost instantly, so the view through the filter is obscured for less than a second before the water is gone.
Available early next year, the filters will no doubt be snatched up by nature photographers who spend weeks in the rain forest stalking their subjects. And sports broadcasters should never fear a rainy outdoor venue?or celebratory Gatorade bath?ever again.

 

[maxtortheone]

Sounds good, to bad my D60 isn't waterproof or I'd be getting one.

 

[jibduh]

I wonder what the cost of this would be.

If it's just a mechanical surface treatment as has been done in the past, a concern could be how robust it would be to cleaning. Maybe selling them like semi-replaceable uv filters rather than treatments to the ground lens itself?

Water also doesn't seem to sheet immediately, requiring a bit of build up, so it would be interesting to compare high resolution images out of the camera with a misted lens to a clean one.