[PGillin]

@PGillin - I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're talking about. Picture?

Sorry, I get bad at explaining things when I've been writing papers all day. Let have another go-round.

It goes something like this-
A piece of hardware, this - http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_az07PLfwhLw/SwebiD8KTAI/AAAAAAAABl4/53VO99k_W2A/s1...0f093cf5b3.jpg

Attaches, with one side, to the camera's shoulder strap (which I'm assuming you use). The camera THEN goes over your shoulder, or, if the strap is long enough, across your chest. The other, "free" side of the clip, not attached to the strap, can hook through a belt loop or around your belt. The advantage while climbing is enormous. The strap is quite firmly attached to you at the waist, and so can not swing around. It can, in theory, *pivot* but I haven't had this problem. However, with the differing weight and balance of a K-5 with a zoom vs. a Spotmatic with a 55mm, YMMV.

That's not the only advantage, though. If you shoot from the tops of tall things, or leaning over railings, or from the underside of bridges, and you leave the strap clipped to you, you can shoot it without keeping the strap around your neck/shoulder/body part of choice, and have full range of motion AND know that you're camera (If it weighs under 2lbs, I make no claims beyond that) won't be lost if you lose your grip. To illustrate this-

I live in florida. It was rather dry last year, and one day a friend and I went to shoot on the edge of the everglades. I, like some sort of jacka**, thought it would be smart to climb out over a mostly-dry canal on the underside of a bridge. Once out there, I took my camera off my shoulder and took two or three shots. As I went to put the lens cap back on, the camera slipped. There was a second of sheer, unmitigated terror as all two 1/3 pounds of Spotmatic and 55mm 1.4 went out of my hands. And then... The camera almost ripped my beltloop off. ALMOST. Two pounds of equipment dangled from a 2$ clip, a 1970's vintage Pentax strap, and my pants. Apparently the look on my face was one of sheer terror, and this was somewhat comical, because, at the end of a few long seconds of pulling my camera up, I noticed just how hard my friend was laughing.

Anyways, as for a picture of the entire rig, I can only offer this crudely drawn diagram. The purple represents whatever you choose to clip your camera to, belt, camera bag, etc. and the red is the camera strap. The nice thing about the S clip is that you can clip or unclip one without accidentally undoing the other.

Attached Images

 

[jremick]

Ahh, I see. Neat idea, I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[DSims]

I've read stories here before of people dipping their WR Pentax body/lens in the lake, so I'm partly going by that too.

[Schraubstock]

@PGillin - I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're talking about. Picture?

@Schraubstock - I certainly understand the differences but the K-5 appears to have well enough designed weather sealing to survive a quick dip/splash into water. I mean, some of the videos I've seen show pouring/showering water over it with no issues (and others report the K-7 being dunked in falls and pools without issues). Assuming it's a quick, shallow dip, I don't expect it to be an issue but I guess if I ever fall in then I'll find out, haha.

It seems similar to the idea of a water resistant watch vs a waterproof watch.

By the way, I plan on visiting your neck of the world here pretty soon. I'm working with a company (Envato.com) located there.

O.k. your K-5 might be surviving a lightening quick "whip in and out" under controlled conditions, but as you can well imagine if you come off a slippery rock as you cross a swollen creek you'll be anything but quick saving your cam. You are wishing and hoping and you are sounding to me like you want to convince yourself that it is a survivable situation for your cam. I think the odds are pretty long.

I am sure my countrymen (and women) will make you very welcome. (I have two American friends here, they came eight years ago and never went back). So be prepared.

Greetings

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Last edited by Schraubstock; 04-19-2011 at 11:09 PM.

[sajah]

No need to baby your camera. It is intended to be used. Take a look at these two threads:

Pentax - weather resistance, a myth or fact? - PhotoMalaysia Community

Sg. Chiling Waterfall Outing - PhotoMalaysia Community

I can't see the photos. Is registering (which I hesitant to) the only way to see those pictures?

[jremick]

O.k. your K-5 might be surviving a lightening quick "whip in and out" under controlled conditions, but as you can well imagine if you come off a slippery rock as you cross a swollen creek you'll be anything but quick saving your cam. You are wishing and hoping and you are sounding to me like you want to convince yourself that it is a survivable situation for your cam. I think the odds are pretty long.

I am sure my countrymen (and women) will make you very welcome. (I have two American friends here, they came eight years ago and never went back). So be prepared.

Greetings

I don't really think I'm trying to convince myself that it's a survivable situation for the camera, but rather figure out how much risk I'm willing to put the camera in and how much it can handle. I don't expect it to be waterproof.

If you knew the risk I put the K-x in you'd probably laugh at me, but I've been doing it for a few years and haven't killed it yet. I'd hope that the K-5 would do much better at surviving more abuse.

Haha, your countrymen made me feel welcome when we all met up in the States! It'll be fun to see what they're like in their own territory. Seems like every Aussie I've met is a ton of fun.

[RonHendriks1966]

I think there are possibility's for a quick drip into the water, but that is far out of warrenty. So for crossing, either in a bag or keep your balance.

[sebberry]

I think there's a big difference between weather-resistant (rained on) and being fully submerged (waterproof).

It looks like the body is coated with some sort of water repellant to allow the water to bead up and sheet off instead of sit around and leech into the buttons.

The sheeting is important to quickly move water away from any openings in the body. That won't happen if the camera is dunked under water.

Pouring water from a bottle over the camera =/= dunking the entire thing under water.

[WerTicus]

pouring bottles/ buckets over a camera is a lot different to submerging into water...

[hawk1500]

well one guy said this on that Malaysia forum:

"Actually, my 1855WR did get condensation, more probably due to the fact that it got dunk in the lake. Yes, my entire set up was place underwater for about 10seconds and thereafter, my 1855 was fogged up badly... So I switched to another lens, Tammy 2875. No problems there. K7 was still happily clicking away.

Anyway, got home, dried it. Left it on my table... 1 week later. All fine.

But the best thing from this experience? K7 was performing fine all the time. YES!!! Well worth the $$$ spent!"

[Fries]

A good en easily accessible waterproof bag with a shoulder harness is what I use for hiking and river crossings. This way I have the camera ready for use even when I am fly fishing and wading.

[30v iPentax]

Typerä kysymys kaikenkaikkiaan. Enpä omiani kuitenkaan leluina pidä.

[Schraubstock]

If you knew the risk I put the K-x in you'd probably laugh at me, but I've been doing it for a few years and haven't killed it yet. I'd hope that the K-5 would do much better at surviving more abuse.

I understand what you are saying, but as for me I am not that much of a thrillseeker as far as the well-being of my K-5 is concerned. I believe in risk minimisation and because of that I also have not yet killed a cam in over 40 years even though I came close a couple of times. For me a sturdy plastic ziplock bag (the ones with a movable zip) is a very simple risk minimisation device that I would engage every time there is a chance I could finish up in the drink. I used these (with a few satchels desiccant inside) to store my gear during my ocean racing days on a 60 ft Cutter but this is possibly a different thing altogether.

Finally I hope you will never be in a situation to find out how water tight the K-5 really is and we can argue (sorry discuss) the point a bit longer. (Now that is truly scary)

Greetings

[jremick]

A good en easily accessible waterproof bag with a shoulder harness is what I use for hiking and river crossings. This way I have the camera ready for use even when I am fly fishing and wading.

What bag do you use? I'm thinking of getting a small sling style bag and putting a drybag in it, then if I think/know I'll go in then I'll put the camera in. I can't find any bags that are relatively easily accessible and waterproof though.

[30v iPentax]

En pulauta K-5, mutta Nikon ja Canon kyllä.