RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: How "Waterproof" those "Sealed" Pentax DSLRs Are?

Monday, September 14, 2009

How "Waterproof" those "Sealed" Pentax DSLRs Are?

Read the two stories of the same person below, for the K20D and K10D respectively (and both with a DA* lens), then you will know:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/72794-just-share-stories-pentax-dslrs-water-resistance.html

The quick conclusion that we can draw is that the sealing of those "WR" Pentax DSLRs is not totally and completely water-proof, or not even weather-proof. And it is just nothing that can be compared to those truly water-proof professional workhorses of Canon and Nikon, which are used by all those outdoor photographers (say, photojournalists) in a variety of adverse conditions but their cameras (bodies and lenses) still works reliably to enable them to complete their jobs without any worry, concern and constraint imposed.

Update (10-6):

Here is an interesting video for showing how a K-7 is showered:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op9mBbo92Ik

But it is told that his camera was eventually damaged and the "demonstrator" was asking for advice! ;-D

Comments (18)

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ch0hlik · 808 weeks ago

I have similar story. I was shooting with K20D and DA* 50-135mm in the rain. After 20 min of shooting camera stopped working with "card error". Lens resist with no problem. But when I get back under the roof I found that SD card was wet a little. I left my camera at the service.

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Mirek · 808 weeks ago

On the other hand, we have examples such as these...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zooPXbWJis

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RiceHigh 110p · 808 weeks ago

That user was not shooting under the "rain", but used it just for one shot *after* the "rain". So, what does this prove? And, why abused the camera and lens with such a "test", which is really not necessary and actually just silly after all? Maybe his camera and/or lens had already damaged after the "test"! Who knows?

2 replies · active 808 weeks ago

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Mirek · 808 weeks ago

I do not know, but what I see looks pretty much impressive for a camera at that price point (Not including the lens in the price equation, of course), to the extent I am willing to disregard the absurdity of such test. Also I find it hard to believe that anyone would be so-overly-joyed and enthusiastic about publishing a video of how he broke his camera and lens (and what a lens too) on purpose, unless that was his intent.

I do not claim that the Pentax system is the omnipotent all-mighty water-stopper, but you have to admit it fares much better than the average DSLR available from the other brands. Not to mention the fact, as Match pointed out, that a K10D had been sent 120 km high in space, without a sealed lens, and came back and lived to tell the tale.

I have a K200D which I used twice so far under pouring rain. I do not own a single weathersealed lens (yet). The lens used in both occasions (Sigma 70-300 APO) and the camera got splashed, but I never experienced any problems whatsoever.

In the thread you posted from PentaxForums I see examples of weathersealing both failing and performing above admirably. This might be a just a QC issue, for all it's worth.

I see nothing overly scientific or logical in the generalization of a potentially particular and minor issue into a system-level fault, either.

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chillgreg · 808 weeks ago

RH

FYI Here are some excerpts from this article from Carl Battreall http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0909/c...

"Pentax claims the camera is weather proof, so I let it sit out in the rain while I sat in my tent reading the manual, two hours later the rain stopped and the camera worked fine."

"the image quality of the K7 can produce magazine, book and fine art quality images"

"The detail is superb and the files show no signs of any aberrations. In fact, the files from the K7 are some of the most artifact free images I have ever seen."

"Is She A Keeper? Yes, I will use this very capable camera for my project. Its long-term durability is yet to be decided, but I am confident that it will survive."

"f you don’t already have an investment in a system and are looking for an SLR camera for backpacking and climbing photography, than the K7 can’t be beat."

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Match · 808 weeks ago

Perhaps in order for you to make yourselves a bit creditable / balance.
1: You could perhaps post that someone (http://www.pentaxforums.com) used a K10D shooted in ultra-space.
2: You could perhaps post that someone (dchome.net) used a K10D shooted under water continuously.

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David Timmerman · 808 weeks ago

Hard to believe that the seals on the SD card slot would leak, as I never had a problem with my K10, which is the same design....I posted on the Pentax Forums list that I never had any problems, even with my K10 connected to the DA 18-55 kit lens in a drenching rain, or snow, or mud, although I am careful about when I zoom in....

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licehigh · 808 weeks ago

rice high and bend over for canon, darling

1 reply · active 808 weeks ago

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chillgreg · 808 weeks ago

RH

It is YOUR blog. While I certainly don't agree with everything you say, and I think the solution is a better balance of articles on your main site, rather than the separate fanboy solution. But A+ for trying something at least...

But why do you allow personal and "below-the-belt" posting s to stay? If I was you I'd just delete them and keep intelligent comments and criticisms that are on-topic. eg Real Engineer. He has a good go at you, but at least keeps it civil. (No pun intended)

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Match · 808 weeks ago

Futher information about #1: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-di...

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Barbarosa · 808 weeks ago

http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0909/c...
on Alaska two hours of heavy rain without WR lens, just primes, and all for 1200€ price point
RH get life, i see some 1D MKIII with failures also nikons D3, are that bad cameras, even Mercedes have broken units or even recalls, is Mercedes bad car?

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Zebooka · 808 weeks ago

I was shooting for 3 hours in rain with K10D + Sigma 18-50/2.8

And my wife was shooting at the same time with K10D + Sigma 17-70/2.8-4.5

No problems at all. And this was not for the first time. I also washed mine K10D in lake.

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kalle anka · 808 weeks ago

RH you are so pathetic.

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wet K20D user · 808 weeks ago

I spent 6 days walking in the Tasmanian wilderness last month with a K20D and DA* 16-50. For 4 of those days there was steady rain, but the set-up never missed a beat.

Last week I spent 3 days walking in snow, once again with the K20D/16-50 at my side. Once again, not a problem...

In both cases the camera/lens was constantly wet for at lease 3 days, and in both cases there weren't any problems at all. Funnily enough, these examples seem quite similar to many others I've read on pentaxforums/flickr etc.

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vow20 · 808 weeks ago

I was shooting at 3 °C with light snow rain for two hours with K10D and the kit lens (DA 18-55) and never stopped working. The only problem was that there was algo dirt in the wind and it got between the buttons and the body, so they were difficult to press. After some deep cleaning, it was all like new. Another thing to say is that I didn't carry a case for the camera, it was all the time hanging from my neck.

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Guest · 808 weeks ago

Did you read the posting you refer to?
The user writes "Pentax system is very water-resistant - or at least you should be confident enough. Most people in the last two situations (actually, no one for the second situation) would even take out their DSLRs. And if they did, chances are, they might die pretty pretty fast.".
Your blog has been a sad affair for a while but it is getting rather desperate recently.

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CharlieO · 808 weeks ago

Richhigh. I am sorry that you have single handedly destroyed your own credibility by not telling the whole story. Almost everyone familiar with you knows that you keep up with other forums and it is almost certain that you read the other posts like mine. There are quite a few which state that they have never had any weather related issues with their Pentax cameras and lenses. You can read two of my posts by going to:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-ru...

Oh, btw, there are pictures included.

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marty Lemus · 599 weeks ago

Took my K30 to the Peruvian Amazon and it held up great. thorugh one rain squall on the river, 2 droppings, and submerged twice temporarily in a swamp. Only once did it fog up temporarily, but quickly returned to normal. This camera is the real deal and for the price I paid was a no brainer for me

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