Got weather sealing?

[Niresangwa]

So for those of you who don't really know and follow Pentax (that should be about all but 5 or 6 of you), they just released their new flagship model the K-5, with it becoming available in the last week or so. As I anxiously watch the UPS tracking on mine, I'm spending time reading lots of camera-p0rn articles and user reviews... quite happily, it seems to be exceeding its specs and expectations in regard to its *almost* FF like performance at high ISO and a new spiffy AF system. However, one of Pentax's selling points on it's platform is the weather sealing...

...anxiously awaiting my new baby's arrival however, I was mortified to see this test...



no matter how much I trust Pentax, pretty sure I would never do this with my brand new, just released camera... hell I wouldn't even try this with one of my older weather sealed bodies...

[Murtasma]

Looks real nice, it's still is a pentax tho haha

So exactly what's weather sealed in this camera and up to what point? Surely you probably could submerge this in water could you?

[Jim Bryant]

Know what you mean. Even through the EOS 1D to MK IV systems are touted as waterproof with seals around buttons, the wheel and CF card flap, I still use my Aquatech gear with it's raining outside. Just don't want to take any chances, know what I mean?

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by Murtasma

Looks real nice, it's still is a pentax tho haha

So exactly what's weather sealed in this camera and up to what point? Surely you probably could submerge this in water could you?

Well, even though it might 'be a Pentax' (snort) the K-5 is exciting for us as they seem to have completely knocked it out of the park based on what's showing up as it finally gets into the hands of users (the high ISO results are absolutely unfathomable very usable at 12K, 24K and even 51K with relatively little NR)... very exciting times... all in a tiny almost indestructible package.

As far as the sealing goes, the whole thing is sealed, and enough of the newer generation lenses are sealed too. The seals aren't pressure sealed, so no extended or deep submersion, but rain, snow, mud, dust and sand, head-first into a stream, shallow lake etc... you're pretty safe. This includes add'ons like the BG and lenses..

...having said that, I would never try it out. It's been a part time job for me to get this body the last week or so, the thought of immediately throwing it in the shower made my stomach churn...

[Jim Bryant]

When I was a staffer with the Seattle Pi, they paid for repairs for those who used personal cameras/ Now that I freelance, I'm a lot more careful with my equipment.

[Murtasma]

I would love to have a waterproof camera but those housings are so expensive. Plus I have no water to submerge myself in. I think underwater photography is pretty sweet because you don't see it very often.

[i speak in math]

I've cleaned off my K20D in the sink when I got some mud on it. The weather sealing is great. I love shooting in the rain because I can get shots no one else does. They are too scared of damaging the camera. Man, I love my pentax.

[navcom]

Yep...my Pentax K10D and K20D are also waterproof. Paid $500 for the 10 and $780 for the 20 new. I actually dropped my K10D in the Lester River by Duluth, MN. It was submerged for about a minute while I panicked as I thought for sure it would be swept away. I got it back, toweled it off with my jacket, and proceeded to take the rest of my pictures.

On top of being waterproof, they are also extremely well built and can really take a punishment...which is why I really love them...especially being a landscape photographer. And you can't beat the price when you compare the Pentax's features with the competitions model in the same nitche.

As I said before on this forum, I dropped my K10D on my Canon Rebel from about 4 feet (by accident...yes I am a clutz!). The Canon was completely destroyed and my Pentax barely got a scratch. They hit lens to lens. The Canon's body fractured and the lens pushed into the sensor. The Pentax bounced a couple times but works as good as ever. I bought both camera bodies for about the same price.

A guy who drops his camera as much as I do needs it to be strong.

And before you ask...yes, I do have camera straps. And yes, I actually dropped a camera while using a camera strap...that broke from jumping up on a rock for a better vantage point. Too bad Pentax doesn't make the straps.

Yeah, I do go on about my Pentax, it's my fave, and I'm biased. But in reality I haven't really found a bad camera brand...just different features and build intent. And Pentax satisfies my needs to a tee.

Awesome test! Looking forward to purchasing a K5 in the near future

[rosserx]

I saw the shower test on youtube when the K-7 was released. My K-x will have to hold me till I fatten up the piggy bank some. Actually though, I plan to build a hefty lens collection first then upgrade the body when the time comes.

[Athas_orm]

Originally Posted by navcom

As I said before on this forum, I dropped my K10D on my Canon Rebel from about 4 feet (by accident...yes I am a clutz!). The Canon was completely destroyed and my Pentax barely got a scratch. They hit lens to lens. The Canon's body fractured and the lens pushed into the sensor. The Pentax bounced a couple times but works as good as ever. I bought both camera bodies for about the same price.

Thats very unlucky Canon DSLR Suffers 3,000-Foot Fall, Camera and Lens Still Work