[drec]

I speak as a K10D owner... who lost his first K10D after 3 hours shooting in driving rain off the coast of Vancouver Island! I don't want to be afraid to take my camera in the rain again, but also want to be a lot more prudent with the 2nd one. I don't have any weather-sealed lenses.

Has anyone tried to weather-seal their lens, particularly with a rubber gasket similar to, from what I hear, the DA* lenses have?

I have emailed Pentax Canada to see if they would put the gasket on my lenses; I don't think they will. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if there is more to the weather-resistant quality than just gasket and an upgraded lens coating.

Finally, what do you think of putting a thick rubber band around the outside just where the lens and body join? Not like a gasket, no, but maybe more water-resistant?

Best,
Andre

[drec]

Whoops, moderator, please put in appropriate forum, thanks!

[Lowell Goudge]

weather sealing is not intended to be the same as water proof.

The only true waterproof camera I know of is the nikonous.

if you want to go out in driving rain, there are many schemes to protect the camera.

ALL involve putting the camera in a waterproof bag with only the filter visible. many of these make secondary lens hoods to keep all but wind driven rain off the filter as well.

Adding gaskets again only really protects against accidential sprey not getting dreanched, and even then only if the lens is IF with no external moving elements or groups (even for zooms),

Any external group movement develops differential pressure between outside and inside. In fact there have been complaints posted in the past about being able to hear air rush in and out as some sealed lenses are focused or zoomed just due to this. If air can go in and out, so can water.

It only takes common sense to protect the camera against water. All my cameras have been wet, some worse than others, non have yet failed, but that is because I don't let them sit in a wet condition, continually wipe them down, and shield them as much as possible against water when out.

They also never get deliberately dreanched, and the one that did get dreanched, malfunctioned, and had to have the batteries removed until dried out. (*istD which I still have 5 years after soaking, and 11000 shots later)

[kenyee]

I don't suppose you've tried buying a DA* lens? That seems like the simplest thing to do ;-)

[drec]

I've thought of it, but it's too high a cost for me, and I bought this camera to go small with a DSLR, no zooms.

[GerryL]

You might want to wait for the K7 kit lens: SMC PENTAX DA 18-55MM F3.5-5.6 AL WR
There is also a 55-200mm version WR too.
This thing is weather resistant (WR).
Since it is a "kit" lens, it might prove to be much more affordable or less priced than the DA * lenses.
It would look like a regular AL II but weathersealed.

[tonyjayice]

...If air can go in and out, so can water.

That's actually not true as my hiking boots and science will prove, air molecules are smaller than those of water and there for you can say that if water can go in and out, so can air.. but not vise-versa.

but drec, the technology of WR lenses lies not only on the outer "holsterings" or gaskets.. internal layers and seals between elements are a key issue for the WR badge the lens get when appropriate..
I think you're better off, saving up for a sealed lens like the DA* lenses and in the meantime be sure to treat the lenses with common care and try to wipe off water and such when shooting in rayn or drizzle..
I've never had a problem with the K10d and the kit lens, even when I once nailed it trough a bank of snow high in the mountains here in Iceland.. it was fine..

In future, if you delete the first post (before any other posts have been posted), the thread itself will be deleted. Then you can just start a new thread in the right forum.


Welcome by the way.