[schnitzer79]

unless you're not planning in dipping the whole camera in a pool of water, id say the factory weather sealing of the k-50 and the 18-135mm is pretty much spot on.
i used that combo recently when i visited krimml waterfalls in Austria. it was raining that day plus it was quite windy which meant all the water from the falls was spraying everywhere. the camera got really wet but I thought "hey its my chance to test it in extreme conditions since its still under warranty". all ive got to say is k50 - krimml 1-0 after when i got in the car, i just let it dry on the car seat.no need to wipe it dry, as this might force some water into any cracks or crevices.
unless you're in a rainstorm, then a little bit of rain shouldnt worry you.

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Last edited by schnitzer79; 08-27-2014 at 10:57 PM.

[adwb]

Complete waste of time, there are to many other points of entry if very wet, use a purpose made camera and lens cover, As already pointed out WR mean weather resistant ,= light showers, it is not meant to be or claimed to be WP =water proof.
If you have a Wr lens you will see there is already a o ring fitted to the attachment flange.

[Bolt]

Thankyou for your feedback and critical response, it is appreciated.

I totally understand that both the camera and the lens are already weather resistant, and that weather resistance and waterproofing are different things. The aim of the teflon tape around the lens filter was to make it (almost) impossible for dust or moisture to interact with the front element, and then needing to be removed to fix the introduced substance. This would be used WITH the lens hood, obviously.

Secondly, the rubber o-ring and teflon tape were designed to stop water and especially dust particles from building up inside the gap, which does happen with this particular lens/DSLR combination especially if you travel in areas of the world with similar climates (Outback Australia and National Parks while hiking). I am confident in the effectiveness of the rubber and have tested it personally. There would need to be considerable force to move any substance around the ring, and even if this happened, it would have to then pass through multiple layers of teflon tape. These rubber o-rings are designed to seal.

Also, in regards to the frame. It would be made out of steel or an alloy and be very light weight [Less than an L-Bracket] and be lined with rubber to ensure no dust or moisture could enter between it and the camera body.

Sorry for the terrible quality images. My 5D Mark III is "not accessible" so my mobile phone will have to do.

[JinDesu]

Good faith in doing that, looks like the front element seal works well.

[rawr]

Remember all the other body and lens seals:



You are going to need more Teflon tape

Another thing to test out is to mount the 18-135 on the body, and then zoom the lens in and out ... you will probably find some air escaping around the top of the camera, perhaps near the hotshoe, or some other point.

This effect of air suction/compression is to be expected, as otherwise the zoom wouldn't be able to zoom. But it is something to be aware of when out in the field. Don't be actively zooming in and out when things are too wet or dusty. WR primes (or internally moving WR zooms) are probably the safest bet for maximum WR.

[Bolt]

Remember all the other body and lens seals:



You are going to need more Teflon tape

Another thing to test out is to mount the 18-135 on the body, and then zoom the lens in and out ... you will probably find some air escaping around the top of the camera, perhaps near the hotshoe, or some other point.

This effect of air suction/compression is to be expected, as otherwise the zoom wouldn't be able to zoom. But it is something to be aware of when out in the field. Don't be actively zooming in and out when things are too wet or dusty. WR primes (or internally moving WR zooms) are probably the safest bet for maximum WR.

Oh, how I would to to open it up and apply all the telfon and epoxy in the world!

Definitely. Sadly, Pentax do not offer a weather resistant wide angle lens option suited to my needs, which is why I operate my Canon. But we can all hope for the future!