[nanhi]

As an FYI, weather sealing does almost nothing with condensation. As long as air can get in somewhere, humidity will as well. Weather sealing is intended to restrict water droplets, etc.
You can offset condensation by having the body and lens reach the temperature of your surroundings while in a bag with desiccants. It'll reduce the moisture within the camera and lens, and with the temperature stabilized, condensation will not likely form.
Great photos btw

I am very surprised at the statement "weather sealing does almost nothing with condensation".
I have a different experience with the K-5 (also K-5 IIs) and the 18-135 WR lens. I live in California as well as Toronto. where weather changes can go from to extreme ends. In the San Francisco example from an outside temp of 8 centigrade to 28 centigrade indoors. I have never had any condensation.
But did suffer condensation when using a non WR Lens like the Sigma 10-20 on the K-5.

Then last August we we were in the Canadian Rockies. We encountered terrible weather - rain, sleet, snow, fog & extreme cold. Cloudy and dull always with worst conditions on the Columbia Icefields and the awesome Glaciers. The Sigma 10-20 would refuse to move upto Infinity Focus on the K-5 IIs, and I had to focus manually - no focus clutch on this lens. I would check back lens fogging frequently on the Sigma but found none. I am still perplexed at this behavior - AF not moving the lens closer to Infinity for distance landscape shots.
But the 18-135 WR lens worked flawlessly.
When we returned to the sweltering heat of Toronto, the Sigma 10-20 began behaving properly.

Regards.

Condensation is tiny droplets of water entering the camera to fog up the lens and settling on the motherboard. And I think the WR lens & camera seals lived up to its specs.

[JinDesu]

I am very surprised at the statement "weather sealing does almost nothing with condensation".
I have a different experience with the K-5 (also K-5 IIs) and the 18-135 WR lens. I live in California as well as Toronto. where weather changes can go from to extreme ends. In the San Francisco example from an outside temp of 8 centigrade to 28 centigrade indoors. I have never had any condensation.
But did suffer condensation when using a non WR Lens like the Sigma 10-20 on the K-5.

Then last August we we were in the Canadian Rockies. We encountered terrible weather - rain, sleet, snow, fog & extreme cold. Cloudy and dull always with worst conditions on the Columbia Icefields and the awesome Glaciers. The Sigma 10-20 would refuse to move upto Infinity Focus on the K-5 IIs, and I had to focus manually - no focus clutch on this lens. I would check back lens fogging frequently on the Sigma but found none. I am still perplexed at this behavior - AF not moving the lens closer to Infinity for distance landscape shots.
But the 18-135 WR lens worked flawlessly.
When we returned to the sweltering heat of Toronto, the Sigma 10-20 began behaving properly.

Regards.

Condensation is tiny droplets of water entering the camera to fog up the lens and settling on the motherboard. And I think the WR lens & camera seals lived up to its specs.

Condensation is NOT tiny droplets of water entering the camera. It is the inherent humidity in the air being forced from an gaseous stated to a liquid state as due to temperature or pressure change. You can condense water onto a surface even if the system is completely air-tight.

[cobbu2]

Great to hear actual experiences from those who've had their K-5 exposed to the elements. Mine hasn't been tested to quite that extent but it may very well be as we're planning a trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone this summer... quite reassuring!

Cheers, Allan

[Wasp]

Sounds like an amazing trip. Your pictures are very nice, too. Thanks for sharing the experience with us. Glad to hear your Pentax is alive and well.

The condensation might have been a result of high humidity and the change in temperature.

[cobbu2]

CXCJ, yes, very nice pics! Just curious, what was your exposure technique for the Orion shot?

Cheers, Allan

[cxzj]

CXCJ, yes, very nice pics! Just curious, what was your exposure technique for the Orion shot?

Cheers, Allan

Hey Allan,

It was just a single exposure with basic edits in Lightroom. EXIF details are exactly as shown in the photo, lens was the FA 50mm F1.7, taken using a tripod.

[cobbu2]

Hey Allan,

It was just a single exposure with basic edits in Lightroom. EXIF details are exactly as shown in the photo, lens was the FA 50mm F1.7, taken using a tripod.

OK, excellent, thanks!

[robgski]

Very good user story about the K-5, I love mine as well, especially because I like to go out and shoot in all sorts of weather. I've started a thematic thread titled Bad Weather Makes Good Pictures, please consider posting there.

[Signguy]

Got some great pix at Utah last year! Talked to a guy with a large professional canon lens. Asked why he was using his phone camera instead of his canon gear. He showed me how the dust affected his new lens-couldnt focus. Not a problem at all with my k52s!

[Lowell Goudge]

The experience sounds very similar to that which I experienced with my *istD in 2004 when my kayak got swamped.

The solution was also the same, with the exception that I also left the lens cap off. After all, that was the biggest opening into the body.

What I don't see noted by anyone, is that sea level in the phillipenes is a very humid place, and 3000 meters up (10,000 feet ) has a much lower absolute humidity, Could it be, simply that by changing elevation, the humidity in the camera went through the dew point, and condensed.

Assuming that lenses, batteries and memory cards were changed at sea level, the camera could be filled with warm humid air, that simply condensed out as the elevation and temperature changed.

the elevation change alone would lead to a 20c temperature change which could easily take you through the dew point. Remember, weather sealed works both ways, it not only keeps humidity out, it keeps it in as well

[VitaliyPotapchikov]

I photographed my K5 in the frost and in the rain. The moisture inside the camera does not fall. The main thing is that all the rubber plugs are buried. And the camera was wearing a waterproof lens.

18-55WR+K5