[tibbitts]

I can't imagine rinsing a camera under a stream of water. There's just no need. I've gotten my non-WR Pentax bodies very wet, enough to get water blobs under the top LCDs, but just wiping with a soft cloth, and then letting them dry, is sufficient. If you have a clean, gentle source of warm air (maybe filtered hair dryer on low at a distance), you use that, but absolutely not an air pump, which is likely to blow as much oil as air. Even when I've had salt spray, a damp cloth has been sufficient. I just don't understand the point of pushing the WR technology, which is limited at best, when we've all had non-WR cameras getting wet for years from rain/snow, and wiping with a cloth was always sufficient.

WR means weather-resistant, not weather-proof or water-proof.

Just let it dry up and clean the lens if needed. If you get it muddy or so rince it with water from a bottle and dry it with a cloth. If you have a zoom lens, extend it, dry it and let it sit.
I have had my K-3 submerged in water with the 18-135 WR on, been out in heavy rain with the DA*300. No problem. Just let it dry up on its own after a litte use of ca cloth.

NO heaters, lamps or so. That will give you problems. If water enters it is a warranty thing in my opinion. (You have all seen the comersial.)

[AlexZav]

Thank you to you all. The microfiber cloth and paper tissues are now part of my "standard" equipment. Next saturday I will participate in a nature workshop and weather forecast is not that good, so now I feel a bit more confident in enjoying it without worries...

[TER-OR]

Just let it dry. Dry the front element with your lens cloth but just let the camera air-dry. I've been caught in numerous rain showers (and more snow) and never had an issue.

[nosliwmit]

I recently spent 3 weeks in Peru, during which time my hands were frequently covered with sun-screen, mosquito repellant or both (and opportunities to wash hands were frequently non-existent). When I got home I wasn't comfortable just wiping, so I filled a large bowl with warm water, fired about 3 squirts of 409 in it and, with a cloth only slightly moistened in the liquid, gave the camera body and lens bodies a wipe-down. Possibly some would argue this wasn't a good idea, but I'm confident that the finishes on the camera and lenses are robust, and it seemed unlikely that a very dilute 409 solution would do more damage than DEET (which has turned rubber bits on my binoculars rather gummy).

[DeadJohn]

^ You're correct that chemicals (and salt spray) can damage rubber and plastic so that mild wash is a good idea.

Disclaimer for the general PF community: I think the post immediately above this is just talking about cleaning the camera body and lens barrel, not the glass. 409 probably won't damage modern lens coatings but don't risk it; once the coating is damaged there's no way to repair it.

[lister6520]

Just a few hours after my post above I was shooting some rough sea which was creating a dense salt haze as well as the occasional splash of droplets. Fortunately the wind was such that I could keep the front of the lens away from the wind and avoid getting it too wet but the rest of the camera, and myself, was quite well drenched, and it was all salty water as there was no rain. As I got back to the car I poured a half litre bottle of water over it to flush the salt out of the nooks and crannies and gave it a brief wipe. A few hours later I removed the lens and opened all the ports to check for any ingress of water and all was OK, but I left it open in a plastic box with silica gel just as a precaution.

I wish I had done the same with my glasses as I wiped them after they had dried and scratched the lens coatings, probably by grinding the dried salt into them.

Rough sea

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Last edited by lister6520; 02-05-2014 at 12:30 PM. Reason: to fix broken link

[agsy]

It is really exciting to read this thread and realize how robust the WR bodies/lenses are from Pentax.

I haven't had the opportunity to test my k5II and 18-135 in wt conditions but it's nice to know that it holds up in case you need it.

Sounds like the micro fiber cloth/paper towel is the way to go.

[lister6520]

.......

Sounds like the micro fiber cloth/paper towel is the way to go.

Yes, for relatively clean water (like rain). But for salty water/spray, mud or generally dirty water I think it really needs a rinse as the cloth will never get the water out from all the recesses such as the buttons, control dials or the moving surfaces of the lens. The only way to get that out is to flush it out with clean water otherwise the water just dries out leaving behind the salt and/or grime firmly stuck there.