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01-08-2018, 04:55 AM   #1
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Sony A7R III is only camera malfunctioning in weatherproofing test

QuoteQuote:
It turned out the sound was coming from the A7R III, which was firing continuously. It was set to continuous-high mode, but its power switch was turned off. The only way we could get it to stop chattering away was to drop the battery. When we did, there was no sign of any water in the battery compartment, but watching the shutter actuate, we could see that there was water on the shutter blades themselves. Dropping the battery at the right moment let us catch it with the shutter closed, so we could (very carefully) dab at it with a tissue, to remove most of the water. Hoping we hadn't done any permanent damage, we set the A7R III under a fluorescent lamp, providing very gentle warmth in the dry air of our office. (The camera body ended up at perhaps 80-90 degrees F, and the air in the office was quite dry, thanks to a cold wave that hit Atlanta just after our tests.) After a day of gentle drying, we were dismayed to find the A7R III completely unresponsive. With a freshly-charged battery, it didn't respond at all when we toggled the power switch on and off. Our hearts heavy, we left it for some more drying, hoping it would recover.
Water Torture: Nikon D850 vs Sony A7RIII, Canon 5D Mk IV & Olympus E-M1 II

There is going to be major corrosion inside this camera over time and warranty will be gone.

01-08-2018, 05:23 AM   #2
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Too bad they didn’t test the K-1 as well. Not for us Pentaxians since we know it probably has the best weather sealing but for all the people who do not take Pentax seriously.

Just yesterday I’ve spent two hours in the dark at -5°C taking 130 thirty second exposures with my K-1 with one single battery and no problems whatsoever.

Last edited by alpheios; 01-08-2018 at 06:07 AM.
01-08-2018, 07:06 AM   #3
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Meh.

01-08-2018, 10:09 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by alpheios Quote
Too bad they didn’t test the K-1 as well.
The author of the test said this in the comments:
QuoteOriginally posted by Dave Etchells:
Haha - yeah, whenever we tried to bring the K-1 outside, it stopped the rain entirely and punched a hole in the clouds ;-)
Actually, I think our sample of the K-1 is out with one of our editors currently, hence it not being included in the test. I'm sure it would have done fine, though, given how much emphasis Pentax has given to weather sealing in recent years. As with the Olympus E-M1, I've heard of people just rinsing their K-1 off under a faucet when they've gotten mud on it :-)


01-08-2018, 07:56 PM   #5
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I have the A9 which has basically the same build as the A7rIII. The build quality of the Sony cameras is average at best. The K-1 is one of the best built cameras you can buy. If only the K-1 had the A9 AF.
01-08-2018, 09:13 PM   #6
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Things I took note of:
  • The observation about moisture "lingering" at various junctions
  • The failure of the D810 seal through the hot shoe
  • The rubbery hot shoe cover available for the D810...Ricoh/Pentax are you listening?*
  • The stated assumption that "real world" photographers would provide at least minimal protection of their weather-sealed gear
  • The call for testing standards, remembering as I read that the warranties would still include the water damage provision
  • Multiple comments from readers stating that no sane person were shoot with even a weather-resistant camera in the rain with no protection
  • ...and the best reader comment...
    QuoteQuote:
    What is a "professional" camera. Most pros don't shoot in the rain yet many non pros do.
Perhaps they might take the Sony to Roger Cicala for a forensic examination at some point.


Steve

* No...contrary to recurring assertions, the hot shoe cover on Pentax dSLRs is not part of the seal system. It does not make a seal and does not impede the movement of water onto the hot shoe surface.

Last edited by stevebrot; 01-08-2018 at 09:30 PM.
01-09-2018, 12:12 AM   #7
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From what i'm lead to believe the $$$$onys are "lightly" weather resistant...which means if it looks like rain bring your Pentax!

01-09-2018, 03:55 AM   #8
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Overall, it does say that Sony is skimping some on build. They are still long on specifications and I think most folks will tolerate a little weaker build in order to get the specs that the A7r III and A9 bring to the table.

Of course, we are Pentaxians and so weather sealing is high on our list of importance -- in particular because there are some pretty cheap lenses and camera bodies in the line up that are sealed. But I don't know that it is a major driver of sales.
01-09-2018, 04:32 AM   #9
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On Lens Rentals, Sony is much appreciated for their clean, elegant design - but this is partly cost reduction at the expense of ruggedness.
For me, it would be difficult to regain my trust after the A7's mount blunder.

OTOH I think you're spot on, many would rather have the features than build quality - and even build quality is often seen as a disadvantage (think: weight).
As a side story, a bit ago on a Romanian forum infested by Canon users each time someone mentioned Pentax' weather sealing (no affordable alternative back then!) someone would say how he dropped his non-WR Canon in a river and it was just fine.
(Just to be clear, because of history and whatever: no relation with anyone present.)
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