[amoringello]

Did you know if you shoot bulletproof glass repeatedly in the same spot your bullets will get through, not so bulletproof I suppose.

True, but I would not give the analogy much more than a C. B- at best.
If you just had your glass inspected and you were subsequently fatally wounded by blow dart passing through as if it were am open door, you might be a wee-bit pissed off. I would suspect a lawsuit would be in order upon such a dramatic failure as well.

I agree. No guarantees.
But the amount of rain in my instance should not have caused the damage incurred unless the seals were all but missing.

Pentax's advertising is darned near fraud when you look at the camera's manual where it states explicitly that it can only withstand "mist".
Without an actual water-proof/resistance rating these claims are useless.

So, although in many cases you honestly can be in a hurricane, or in the desert throwing sand on your camera, and even rinse your Pentax camera with a garden hose without adverse effect... don't count on it.
And if you are caught in a light mist... don't count on it surviving that either because you'll simply be s--- out of luck if the camera fails.

[VoiceOfReason]

I've use my K5 with 18-135WR out in the rain a few times with no problem at all.

[Na Horuk]

there shouldn't be any leaks if you have a WR camera and WR lens. Both need to be WR, though.
And WR is weather, not water. Don't challenge it by putting it under tap. But it should handle rain without problem, as long as you dont leave it in a puddle. You still need to take care of it correctly.

[TER-OR]

Yeah, keep the seals clean and they'll be better. I need to clean the lens and door seals myself, it's been a while.

[normhead]

The analogy of WR vs bulletproofing gets an A+! If you wear a bulletproof vest, you're still not supposed to intentionally get shot... Especially not over and over again. It's a backup safety for the event in which you do fail to dodge a bullet. So is WR in cameras. A backup for when your rain sleeve fails. Or for when you unexpectedly get splashed or something.

And if you do get a bit of moisture in your lens and you end up growing mould, it may not turn up until 6 months later, don't assume that because your camera works the next day, you're off the hook.

[clackers]

When I got back to my room I ran it (attached to my K-3) under the faucet

(Gak!) Why take this risk, Geomez?

[amoringello]

When I got back to my room I ran it (attached to my K-3) under the faucet

(Gak!) Why take this risk, Geomez?

he, he, I've been doing that myself immediately after opening the box since they came out with WR gear.
If you don't have the pressure up high, it *should* not be a problem.
I've used my K7& K5 for years in muddy conditions and where dogs drool on and mouth my gear (not bite/chew), so being able to do some careful rinsing or damp wiping down is a good safety measure to keep the gear safe from deteriorating.

Again, no guarantee your gear won't have a flaw, or that mine for some reason wasn't well beyond specifications.
I may have been lucky.

Just also realize nothing lasts forever. The seals may/will wear out.

... and don't let the repair center at your gear unless you have no choice.
At that point, treat it as if no weather seals were ever put in. In fact, treat it as if they drilled holes in the body like a sieve because it may very well be.

[Clavius]

I've used my K7& K5 for years in muddy conditions and where dogs drool on and mouth my gear (not bite/chew), so being able to do some careful rinsing or damp wiping down is a good safety measure to keep the gear safe from deteriorating.

EEEEWW! If a dog got drool on my camera gear I would prefer to drown the dog instead of my camera.

[Lowell Goudge]

You know, this topic comes up from time to time, and if you go back to the release of the K10 you will even find people who complained because it failed after the 50th time being washed under the kitchen tap. I joke not, there are posts here with that complaint!

My whole point is, I shot for years in bad conditions using film cameras and MF lenses neither of these being WR.

It takes simple care. Use a camera bag/ water proof shooting hood or what ever primary protection you use, and rely on WR as insurance if the primary protection fails.

If I get caught in a down pour with my old sigma 70-200/2.8 and a 2X TC I shade it best I can , it is too big to put under your coat, but I still shoot, wipe /pat the excess off regularly and make sure I dry it thoroughly when I get home, BEFORE opening it, and that's all. I have never lost any part of my kit to water, and that includes my *istD, which got swamped and full of (fresh) water in a kayak. I dried it out externally, opened it up, pulled the batteries and memory card out, and left it all sitting in the sun for 4 hours. That was 10 years ago, I still use it, it still gets occasionally wet, and it still works!

Simple care of gear is all that's needed

[amoringello]

EEEEWW! If a dog got drool on my camera gear I would prefer to drown the dog instead of my camera.

Ha!
I do pet photography... so I think that might be somewhat of a conflict of interest for me.
But some days.....

[reeftool]

I try keep water off my camera and lenses, period. I consider weather sealing an extra protection for accidents and splashes and a little rain or snow that may get on the camera while shooting but I keep my camera and lenses covered when the weather is bad. It isn't that hard to do and as your gear gets older, the sealing is going to fail, no matter whose name is on it. Simple things like a plastic bag or even an umbrella work. My gear probably gets exposed to snow the most. When it's cold, it isn't too much of a problem but wet snow is worse than rain. I shoot at a lot of motorcycle races. On dirt tracks in summer, the dust gets in everywhere. My high tech protection is an old tee shirt. On the ice in winter, the bikes kick up a cloud of fine ice crystals and the tee shirt works fairly well there also although I'm more concerned there about getting the front of the lens coated as it can be dusted off the camera. One potential problem with snow and ice is it can settle into places and then melt after bringing your gear back inside so it's always good to not allow it to accumulate on your camera or lens.

[HockeyDad]

There was a great thread a while back if you're interested in reading more opinions on both sides of this discussion: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/151-pentax-k-30-k-50/198996-water-resistant-my-ass.html

I'm certain my opinion is expressed in there somewhere but sum it up to say that one of the major reasons I upgraded from K-r to K-30 was to play in the rain. I never give any thought to rain ( or sprinklers or kids splashing in the pool or squirt guns ) and the K-30 with 18-135WR has never let me down.

If it should someday fail within the warranty period, I will switch back to my K-r and begin an epic battle with Ricoh / Pentax if necessary because they're the ones that set my level of expectation and I do not consider it inappropriate to use the features of the camera. Yes, I am firmly in the camp that considers WR to be a feature, not an insurance policy. Just as I consider the ABS brakes on my car to be a feature that should always work. Neither of these are features that may or may not work and should never be tested except in an emergency where I should consider myself lucky if they happen to work.

[geomez]

(Gak!) Why take this risk, Geomez?

Simple, because I've seen Heie dump sand and water on his cameras in his famous youtube video and because I've seen Pentax marketing.

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

As far as I can tell, Pentax cameras are water resistant and not water proof, meaning they can take water, but not excess water pressure and submersion. I have seen nothing to make me thing otherwise. Is it expected that the seals will wear and one day fail? Yes, just like if I drive long enough my tires will wear and eventually fail. Knowing that use equals wear is a healthy frame of mind, no different than realizing that a WR, "rugged", built-like-a-tank camera like the K-3 is still susceptible to wear and damage even in the most controlled environments by the most careful of user.

These products are meant to be used as advertised and that is how I intend to use them.

[amoringello]

These products are meant to be used as advertised and that is how I intend to use them.

Same here.
Just be prepared that Pentax (and likely Ricoh) will not warranty the repairs if their products do not meet up to their advertising gimmicks... let alone to the extent of use that some of us will put them through.

[geomez]

Same here.
Just be prepared that Pentax (and likely Ricoh) will not warranty the repairs if their products do not meet up to their advertising gimmicks... let alone to the extent of use that some of us will put them through.

I'm ready for that day, should that day come.