[Verglace]

Hi,

My friend and I ordered the K-5 recently and we are looking into some information regarding the 'WR'.

Just wondering how much the kit WR lenses can take, so far as I am aware the DA* is more 'sealed' than the kit 'WR'. There are plenty of videos showing the K-5 along with the DA* lenses taking some punishment and surviving through them unscathed. How does the kit (18-55 and 50-200) compare? What situations could we use the weather sealing in that we normally would not take a K-x for example? Drizzle? Rain? Pouring rain?

Thanks

[hcc]

WR is listed as weather resistant. This is definitely a plus under the rain and harsch conditions, but it is essential to stress again that WR is not water-proof nor dust proof. While the DA* lenses are built with stricter tolerances, these lenses are WR like and not waterproof. Simply the WR indicates some "durability for use in rainy or dusty conditions".

You asked about Drizzle? Rain? Pouring rain? It will all depend upon the care that you take. I have had my K-7 in subtropical rainstorm (and I use non-WR lenses) without a glitch. I work often outdoor in foul weather, incl. in muddy, salty, sandy environment. I am glad that I have a WR camera, but I still look after my camera and lenses.

I cannot comment on DA* lenses. But I know first hand that some lenses are more sturdy than others. I have no officially "WR-labelled" lens, but my DA18-250mm and Voigtlander Nokton 58mm are very solid lenses that I regard as WR equivalent (even if I need to be careful with the DA 18-250mm zoom). If you intend to work outdoor, learn more about the lens, read users' review and threads in the Forum.

Hope that the comment will assist...

[Verglace]

Can you elaborate what you mean by care? Does it mean just being sensible and not changing the lens while it is raining.

Or does it mean using one of those plastic 'rain coats' for cameras? Doesn't using those defeat the purpose of weather sealing as they themselves protect the camera from the rain and can be used by a non-weather sealed camera? I just want to know what the limitations are.

All reviews of the k-5 that delved into the WR testing used the DA* lenses. I haven't found one that tested the kit 18-55/50-200 at all, so while I know what the DA* lenses are capable of, I still have no idea what the kit ones can't do.

Edit: Also the official page http://www.pentaximaging.com/camera-lenses/smc_PENTAX_DA_18-55mm_F3.5-5.6_AL_WR/ is quite confusing. Maybe it's because I'm not a native english speaker but it defines it as:
Weather-resistant to handle damp, inclement conditions. (http://www.pentaximaging.com/camera-lenses/smc_PENTAX_DA_18-55mm_F3.5-5.6_AL_WR/)

Now I would interpret damp as just having a bit of moisture (ie very light drizzle), inclement on the other hand according to google means "Stormy, of rough weather; Merciless, unrelenting"... so once again, its quite unclear what the capability of the WR actually is.

[Ash]

Changing lenses in the rain is generally not a good idea as you can never prevent water from hitting the rear element of a lens before you're able to mount it onto the camera. WR is fairly decent for once you have the lens mounted and then enter a challenging weather condition. The kit lenses are very good in the wild weather also. I've had it in the rain a number of times, but I cannot say they are as good/not as good as the WR of DA* lenses.

Inpecting the rubber O-ring seals of each type of lens, they appear quite similar and I'd infer they are as weather sealed as each other. Where it may differ is between the extending barrel and the lens internals. As said, I've never had a problem with this, but I still wipe my lenses dry before retracting a barrel that has been subjected to the rain.

Generally, rain that is of the intensity of a bathroom shower is about the limit I would be out with a WR lens on a WR body. This I would consider to be very heavy rain.

[hcc]

Can you elaborate what you mean by care? Does it mean just being sensible and not changing the lens while it is raining.

Or does it mean using one of those plastic 'rain coats' for cameras?

It means that I regularly wipe my camera and lens from any droplets, dust, sand, mud... And I protect/put them in a bag or beneath my raincoat when not in use.

Further, once back at home, I dry carefully and completely both lenses and camera in a warm and dry place.

Importantly, as pointed by Ash, changing lenses is a NO-NO in foul weather.

[Verglace]

It means that I regularly wipe my camera and lens from any droplets, dust, sand, mud... And I protect/put them in a bag or beneath my raincoat when not in use.

Further, once back at home, I dry carefully and completely both lenses and camera in a warm and dry place.

Importantly, as pointed by Ash, changing lenses is a NO-NO in foul weather.

Ok so really, treat the camera like any other camera and still use camera rain coats. That's fine. I was thinking that the weather sealing might remove the need for the raincoats , but that's okay, better safe than sorry