Pentax WR... Want it? Need it? Trust it? Tested it...?

[joe_jackson4]

<p>What with all the well-deserved "WR" kit lens EXCITEMENT around these parts, I thought it would be a good time to get some opinions/experiences on the pleasingly moist matter of "weather resistance"...</p>

<p>Now, regarding my shiny K200D, <a href="http://www.pentaximaging.com/slr/K200D/">Pentax</a> have this to say:</p>

<p>"<strong>Dustproof, weather-resistant body: </strong>The PENTAX K200D body has 60 seals to reliably protect the inner components against humidity, moisture and dust particles. Add the durability of a fiber-reinforced polycarbonate body and a stainless-steel chassis, and you can keep shooting even in harsh conditions."</p>

<p>Sounds good, but since I don't own a suitably sealed lens, I'm not all that keen to use my K200D in a heavy downpour just yet... And I have no idea how "resistant" these seals really are, in practice, especially when actually twiddling dials and pressing buttons and whatnot. And how about the reliability aspect...? Will these seals still be effective after a year or two of regular camera use...?</p>

<p>Now some of you have those nice DA* lenses, but have you been out shooting in the rain...? For hours...?</p>

<p>Post your soggy experiences/thoughts/expectations/concerns here...</p>

<p> </p>

[jptreen]

<p>Hours of falling snow in not-quite-frozen conditions, meaning moisture everywhere. Various other rainy times since. The K10D is still working now. If it gets very wet, I open all the seals and let it dry properly - but I don't know if that's really necessary.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Paul, I for one have taken my DA* stuff out in the rain, but I have also taken my non weather proof stuff out as well and have yet to have a problem.</p>

[brad_n]

<p>Paul,<br>

Nobody knows what "weather resistant" means on a camera because they don't test to a standard like they test marine electronics. My local dealer, who sells Canon and Pentax, says that Canon's idea of weather proof is minimal and cannot compare to pentax. He sells alot more Canon than Pentax.<br>

This is why I bought the K10D when I finally went digital. It has 200 seals and costs (then) $900. The Canon and Nikon sealed cameras started at $3500!<br>

I shot out of a boat in saltwater all summer. After 2 seasons, both the K10D and K20D look and work flawlessly. To the contrary, I use a Sigma 55-300 and it is getting etched from the salt water and the operation is not smooth. I haven't used my DA* lenses in these conditions.<br>

None of my gear has been dropped in the water but its got plenty of drenching splashes of salt water and rain.<br>

Weather sealed cameras and DA* lenses are a good example of how Pentax has made all the manufacturers step up their game!</p>

[tomadakis]

<p>Funny you asked this question Paul. I have a story to tell.<br>

Two weeks ago I helped my father in law to cook at a Greek festival for the weekend. I spent 26 hours in kitchen. Not bad for a computer guy...<br>

I had the k10d, the FA 50mm, a Sigma 18-50 and the Tamron 90mm. I am not sure which lens was on the camera at the time. I left it on the counter for a minute to pull something out of the oven. We were using aluminum trays to keep the food warm and while a tray was pulled from the warmer to be given out to the food line there was a spill... on my camera. The alluminum tray gave in, and bent. The body of the camera was drenched in hot sauce from lamb shanks.<br>

Once I was resuscitated, I cleaned the camera, first with dry paper, then with a wet cloth (it was all sticky), and then with dry tissue and toothpicks to get to all the corners. The lens was OK, but there was stuff inside the flash opening. It was everywhere else but the lens.<br>

All is working well, needles to say I am happy that the K10d is sealed the way it is!</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Paul,<br>

Fair questions. I live in Puget Sound, WA and know wet weather intimately. I've used the DA* 50-135mm+ K10D/K20D in rain showers outside quite a bit. No problems. More frequently I've used non-weatherproof lenses in the same conditions with no problems as well. I always use lens hoods and UV filters in that weather and do have a cloth in pocket just in case. Most of us here live in Goretex and fleece half the year, so it is common for me to open the jacket to protect the camera when not in a shooting position.</p>

<p>I rarely shoot in driving rainstorms so I cannot attest to the weatherproofness of either camera body or lens in those conditions. </p>

<p>I don't think anyone knows how long the seals will be good. It's all newer technology.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[miserere_mei]

<p>Let's also remember that Weather Resistant is not only for rain, but also for dust. While water can evaporate if it gets inside the camera, crap and grime can't.</p>

[personalphotos]

<p>To Miserere's point about dust, I sometimes work with another wedding photographer who shoots Canon (5D is one of his primary cameras) and here on PEI we have miles of ocean beaches where everyone wants their wedding shots done. I've used my K10 and K20D cameras there many times. Sometimes even wading in the water to create the shot. He won't go near the beach with his 'better' cameras and has a cheaper Canon for this work. Scared to death the sand blowing or salt spray blowing around will get in the gear.</p>

<p>Last year I had an outdoor wedding. The forecast was for showers and I had the K20D with a DA16-45mm and AF540FGZ. Just as the bride's car drove up, the heavens opened up. All the guests had umbrellas due to the forecast. Attendants protected the wedding couple with umbrellas as well. I haven't mastered carrying an umbrella and shooting, so I took the flash off and put it in a protected spot and resumed shooting. 40 minutes later, I was soaked to the skivies, the gear was drenched and the pictures were great. The DA16-45 did show a few signs of water on the inner barrel but it dried just fine and never had an issue. The camera was perfect.</p>

<p>The WS definetly works and if this new kit lens has a WR designation, I'll be getting one as soon as they are available. The first version of this lens is surprisingly good and VII was supposed to be sharper. Add WR to that and this lens should outsell the new K-7.</p>

[les_lammers]

I live in SW Florida near the Everglades. The humidity here is usually very high in the summer and it can be dry and dusty in the winter. Weathersealing was the reason I went with Pentax. I have no intention of pushing the WR envelope. I keep everthing in a Pelican case and use dessicant...mainly for the lenses. Digital cameras and moisture is a bad combination. The WR kit lens will be a big hit IMHO.

 

Paul, the seals appear to be silicone and I think they will last as long as the camera.

[lorenzo_perfecto]

<p>Two weeks ago I went on my very first caving trip. For two hours I was holding my K10D with guano-coated hands while it was raining bat piss. After that, I still had to walk for an hour under a slight shower. No problems so far.<br>

I've been waiting for a low-cost weather-sealed kit lens for some time now. :)</p>

[mc2imaging]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't think anyone knows how long the seals will be good. It's all newer technology.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Not exactly, the LX is also a sealed body. I can't afford one (I never expected to have a 645n before an LX), so I can't say what kind of seals they used then or how long they last. Materials technology has improved since the release of the LX, so I'd expect Pentax has improved on their working knowledge in this area in the last 30 years...</p>

[jacques c pelletier]

<p>Paul,<br>

I live in this part of the country where water surrounds us: lakes, rivers, sea (salt water) and ... lots of rain. My outings are nearly 100% very close to any such body of water. My gear is quite often exposed to the elements even if I try the hardest to keep at bay from direct splashes and torrential rains. I also usually would "wrap" then lens with a plastic bag of some sort if need be.<br>

That seems to be working this far (fingers crossed) because I really never had any problem(s) with humidity/water infiltration, both on the K10D and the K20D, coupled with the two DA* lenses (16-50 and 300) which I use extensively.<br>

I cannot tell whether the Sigma 100-300 F4 would endure any direct splashing and I certainly do not want to find out the hard way. None of the other lenses I own are WR, I think.<br>

I have, however, an issue with dust infiltration with the K10D; nothing dramatic but it does happen often when I switch lenses. Tonight, for instance, another "fleck" on the mirror which required prompt removal. Funny this does happen hardly ever with the K20D.<br>

Honestly, if new lenses to be fitted with this K7D are WR, and do what they are supposed to do (as with the DA*'s), it would certainly appeal to me as long as they are also compatible with my existing K10D and K20D.<br>

JP</p>

<p> </p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>Considering the cheapness of building in weather sealing to the expense of the high-tech electronics in cameras, manufacturers who build unsealed cameras are just unrealistic. Perhaps they expect their DSLRs to remain inside the fashion(able) studio. I'm glad Pentax has taken the high road on weather sealing. It's just a plain old good idea.</p>

<p>Think about it. The camera costs us a fair amount. One drop of water rolling around inside a charged chassis could easily muck up the works of any computer. The idea that other manufacturers are not building weather sealed cameras is just appalling. Perhaps they want to keep their customer complaint hotline people busy or something.</p>

<p>Weather sealed lens assemblies make similar good sense. If the outer portion of the lens assembly's chassis is static, like in an IF lens, why not? It doesn't have to be totally waterproof. Water resistant to avoid the occasional splash is good enough. You can always bag the camera or put it in a housing if you need serious resistance.</p>

<p>Failure to weather seal electronics that depend on the controlled flow of microvoltages and microamperages, that's just begging for computer failure. A three cent gasket can keep a customer happy and protect thousands of dollars in investments.</p>

<p>I think I saw a Leica M8 thread once where the photographer was upset as can be because a drop of salty water had gotten to a circuit board inside his camera when he had taken it somewhere. I think the story was kayaking in Greenland or something, but I could be wrong on that. I believe somewhere around sentence number two in his post, it was clear he was an unsatisfied customer. He told us all how much he enjoyed receiving his warranty rejection and a dismissive customer service response to his request for repairs. That one alone would have been worth three cents of gasket polyvinyl.</p>

<p>Three cent gasket or three thousand dollar loss? Pentax equipment, once again, built like a tank. Weather sealing makes sense.</p>

[mountainvisions]

<p>I know a lot of people say sealing is not needed, and yes you can either seal a non sealed camera with baggies and camera hoods, or you can just chance it, and most likely nothing will happen if you dry it out really well, and limit exposure. I've never lost or damaged a lens from rain, but I typically would take my old manual focus lenses to places they would see bad weather since they are built a little better. But even my FA 28-70 is holding up just fine after 10 years of use.</p>

<p>However, I like the added protection of sealing and my experience with a K20D and a DA 50-135 in TORRENTIAL rain is that it's fully weather proof. If 45 minutes of non stop rain, amounting to about 1 inch isn't fairly severe then I don't know what is. Also, my K10D has seen the same conditions John Paul mentions with the snow, and sleet on multiple occasions, and it was the first time I didn't remotely worry about my camera.</p>

<p>As Peter noted if the new kit is sealed, I'll be adding it, and it will be my very first kit lens ever. The Pentax kit is pretty respectable, it's light, and sealing would make it the perfect cheap lens to beat up in the mountains when I don't have a specific goal.</p>

<p>Of course as Mis noted, ALL Pentax lenses should be sealed (even the Limiteds). I'd love to have a 21mm and a 15mm sealed lens!!</p>

[tom_price1]

<p>I repeatedly exposed my K200D to salt spray at the water's edge last year at Cape Hatteras. I used a Ebay Kiron manual exposure zoom so I wasn't so concerned about toasting the lens. I would wipe the camera and lens down with a damp cloth afterwards - no ill effects whatsover. I have been caught in a downpour locally and the camera got pretty wet as I had no umbrella. I held the lens down while I ran for shelter and let the body bear the brunt of it. Camera was unaffected, I just let it sit until it was dry and did not try to open any of the doors. I am sold on the weather sealing and consider it an important feature, one reason I have not bought a K2000 as a backup camera.</p>

[joe_jackson4]

<p>Cheers for sharing your (positive) experiences folks. It's certainly reassuring to hear that Pentax's sealing seems to have performed well in the conditions you've described.</p>

<p>I guess my gut feeling on the matter is that it's gotta be far better to have some kind of sealing in there than not have any at all... So yep, if the WR kit lens is sold separately, I shall definitely be buying one. (Well, assuming Pentax don't go too crazy with the pricing, of course...)</p>

<p>I think there are many people out there who value good, old-fashioned practicality in real-world situations, so I can see this "WR" thing being a strong selling point...</p>

[les_lammers]

<p>Lorenzo wrote "Two weeks ago I went on my very first caving trip. For two hours I was holding my K10D with guano-coated hands while it was raining bat piss. After that, I still had to walk for an hour under a slight shower. No problems so far."<br>

I don'r guano go there. :-)</p>

[orly_andico]

<p><img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u246/Aquacat_11/DSCF7571.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u246/Aquacat_11/pentax-k10d-waterproof-test.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[personalphotos]

<p>Maybe not as good as the shots just above, but I have a brand new story to share. While shooting a wedding. I was at the reception and was cutting through the guests when one person hit the elbow of another who had a tall glass of water. The entire contents of which landed on the K10D, Grip, DA*16-50mm and FlashWaves transmitter. I took the transmitter off the shoe and battery out of the transmitter right away. We'll see in 4-5 days how well it dries out. (As a side note, always have spares when doing this sort of work. It's expensive to have spares of everything, but well worth it.)</p>

<p>The camera and lens were fine of course. The looks on a few faces could only be described as fear. You know the fear that one feels when you think you're going to have to shell over a grand or more for some little mistake. The great thing was, there were a number of DSLR owners/shooters there and they were very impressed to see me pop on a spare transmitter and go right back to shooting.</p>

[revolver]

<p>Orlando....you are a brave man, Rich or.......</p>

<p>good luck with that.</p>

<p>My solution is never taking my camera's out in the rain.. :)</p>

[orly_andico]

<p>Christopher, not my camera :-)<br>

Got those pics from a local forum in my country.</p>

[joe_jackson4]

<p>OK, I'm (almost) convinced... Now I shall go and wee on my K200D just because I can ... :)</p>

[david_stewart6]

<p>I just wanted to add that Pentax has been doing WR sealing on cameras & lenses for a long time. My first auto-focus-zoom 35mm film camera was the Pentax WR90 with 28-90mm zoom (which I stilll own & which used to come on every backpack trip). I bought the WR90 in about 1994 and it was very well sealed and advertised as submersible (down to 3 feet I think). I washed it in the sink and on several occasions it also got soaked in my backpack, but it never had any problems. The sealing is also great for keeping out beach sand as others have mentioned.<br>

I'm looking forward to having a WR Pentax DSLR body & lens (I currently use the K100DS which is not weather sealed) and I'll be looking at what kind of packages/deals are to be had with the weather sealed DSLR bodies and these new WR lenses.</p>