[ehrwien]

I have to admit I took my Nikon 1 V1 out on a night drinking with me once, only to discover the next day that I must have gotten some beer or another drink over the shutter button and the lever on the back. I tried cleaning it with a lightly damp paper towel into the little gaps more than once, but for months or years after I could feel a little resistance when pushing down the shutter button or moving the lever. I think it got better over time, but it made me never take a good camera with me ever again when I know I'll drink considerable amounts of alcohol.

I store my camera and lenses in a little lockable cupboard, on the second shelf from the bottom, the first one storing my single malt whiskies (I wouldn't want them to leak all over my camera gear, would I?). It's about 30-35cm above ground, and my lenses and camera are usually stored inside a padded case. Nonetheless my heart went racing twice when a lens and the camera with a lens attached fell down to the wooden floor from that height. Thank god nothing happened to either because they were in padded cases, but it made me be even more careful with my gear than I already had been.

[lumenchaser]

Some might call this abuse. I would call it appropriate use.

Making full use of the WR/AW sealing. In a Zodiac inflatable dinghy. On the open sea. In Antarctica. In a blizzard.


The Pentax advantage

Sandy Hancock, you are my hero. And that photo you supplied should provide the backdrop for Pentax's next ad. So glad you shared this, as I am altogether inspired! Cheers!

[Snapppy]

A few years ago, a friend and I were hiking up to a pass near Telluride, CO in summer (August). We were a little slower than planned, and didn't make the pass before the storm hit. We hustled back down, first in hail, then rain. My kit for the day was a K-5, FA20-35, FA31, FA77, and a DA18-55 backup for inclement weather. The FAs, which had done a marvelous job on the way up, all went in the waterproof bag, but I thought: "This is just the time to really test out the weather resistance of Pentax equipment". So the 18-55 went on the K-5, and this combo was deliberately left out in the elements for the full trip down, in the pouring rain, hanging on my chest from the neck strap. We got soaked. 3 hours of rain out of the 4 hour trip down, with some pictures taken here and there. Nary a problem, on the hike down or later on. Just wiped it off with a towel when we got down. Still working today. Pentax is tough, certainly in this case.

I actually don't consider that abuse - it was a deliberate test, with possible fatal consequences for the kit.

Yeah that's pretty awesome. I don't know if I've ever been *that* gutsy with my tests... But I do trust it. I will say at the times that I have pulled my kit out in rain, or on a canoe, it's made other people very nervous just watching me and no amount of explanation will help xD

[reh321]

In late Autumn 1978, I walked around the local reservoir with my then-girlfriend. As we came close to where we planned to finish our walk and head for the Residence Halls, we discovered what everyone else in town already knew - the bridge was out. We didn't want to reverse our path {it was now near sunset}, so we "Forded" the creek; about five feet of water was barely OK for me - but she was 4'10", so she just bobbed alongside.

When we got back to the Residence Hall, I suddenly remembered that my {Canon} rangefinder camera had been hanging from my neck - into the water - all the time. In the next seven months, we became engaged, and the camera made trips the the repair-guy, but it was never the same. For our Honeymoon, she allowed me to purchase a Pentax "ME SE", which became slightly damp several years later at Niagara Falls and was replaced by the Pentax "Super Program" on the left side of my signature photo.

Forty years later we still laugh about crossing the creek. Maybe it did cement our relationship, but it was no good for the camera.

[TedH42]

In late Autumn 1978, I walked around the local reservoir with my then-girlfriend. As we came close to where we planned to finish our walk and head for the Residence Halls, we discovered what everyone else in town already knew - the bridge was out. We didn't want to reverse our path {it was now near sunset}, so we "Forded" the creek; about five feet of water was barely OK for me - but she was 4'10", so she just bobbed alongside.

When we got back to the Residence Hall, I suddenly remembered that my {Canon} rangefinder camera had been hanging from my neck - into the water - all the time. In the next seven months, we became engaged, and the camera made trips the the repair-guy, but it was never the same. For our Honeymoon, she allowed me to purchase a Pentax "ME SE", which became slightly damp several years later at Niagara Falls and was replaced by the Pentax "Super Program" on the left side of my signature photo.

Forty years later we still laugh about crossing the creek. Maybe it did cement our relationship, but it was no good for the camera.

You certainly weren't paying attention to the camera.

But it was well worth it, eh?

[NotMyFatDog]

Some might call this abuse. I would call it appropriate use.

Making full use of the WR/AW sealing. In a Zodiac inflatable dinghy. On the open sea. In Antarctica. In a blizzard.


The Pentax advantage

Awesome, I'm happy to hear another Pentaxian gets their gear wet! This is the abuse I can admit to as well. Took my brand new Pentax DA* 300mm out on a zodiac, in a rainstorm and choppy water in October this year for whale watching. I'm scared it would be affected by the water so let it dry at home with an open bag.

[Zooland]

The worst I can remember is smashing a Polaroid with a hammer.

[tokyoscape]

Drop my K5 LCD first on a rocky floor. Big crack on the sensor!

[MJKoski]

Well, I have killed (very) expensive setup four times.

1) Slipped on icy riverbed and fell through ice with D800E & Zeiss 21mm distagon
2) Rock surface cracked under tripod and 6D + 70-200 fell into...rock
3) Slipped on slicky wooden platform on wilderness trail and fell on my back where I had Sony A7 & Zeiss 21mm Distagon
4) Fell into ocean during heavy winter storm, had a mild concussion, nearly drowned and lost K-1 + 15-30 zoom which I picked up later with a fishing net

[bertwert]

Well, I have killed (very) expensive setup four times.

1) Slipped on icy riverbed and fell through ice with D800E & Zeiss 21mm distagon
2) Rock surface cracked under tripod and 6D + 70-200 fell into...rock
3) Slipped on slicky wooden platform on wilderness trail and fell on my back where I had Sony A7 & Zeiss 21mm Distagon
4) Fell into ocean during heavy winter storm, had a mild concussion, nearly drowned and lost K-1 + 15-30 zoom which I picked up later with a fishing net

Some people just get all the fun...

[timb64]

Worst camera abuse story?

I once mouthed off at a Canikon user who stepped across me just as I was framing that once in a lifetime,one-off shot.I suspect that's not the type of abuse you mean though!

[Snapppy]

Well, I have killed (very) expensive setup four times.

1) Slipped on icy riverbed and fell through ice with D800E & Zeiss 21mm distagon
2) Rock surface cracked under tripod and 6D + 70-200 fell into...rock
3) Slipped on slicky wooden platform on wilderness trail and fell on my back where I had Sony A7 & Zeiss 21mm Distagon
4) Fell into ocean during heavy winter storm, had a mild concussion, nearly drowned and lost K-1 + 15-30 zoom which I picked up later with a fishing net

That poor Zeiss Distagon keeps getting beat up I assume those were different copies?

And what a crazy catch fishing your K-1 out of the water! I can't believe you were able to recover it! What was the result? Were you just able to salvage the SD card?

[NotMyFatDog]

Well, I have killed (very) expensive setup four times.

1) Slipped on icy riverbed and fell through ice with D800E & Zeiss 21mm distagon
2) Rock surface cracked under tripod and 6D + 70-200 fell into...rock
3) Slipped on slicky wooden platform on wilderness trail and fell on my back where I had Sony A7 & Zeiss 21mm Distagon
4) Fell into ocean during heavy winter storm, had a mild concussion, nearly drowned and lost K-1 + 15-30 zoom which I picked up later with a fishing net

Are you a cat? That's 4 out of your 9 lives! Be careful!

[MJKoski]

Same Zeiss 21mm lens survived both fails. It was serviced two times, first at local service shop and 2nd time sent to Zeiss Germany due to mislocated lens element and some broken screws. It came out better and eventually I was dumb enough to trade it during some random gear lust moment. I should have kept it and converted with Leitax.

Pics? Yeah I used the broken bodies and lenses in my skeleton series later. Here is a new one from season 2.

[tokyoscape]

One time I unknowingly loose the cover for the shutter release socket during 3-4 hours walking in on & off rain. Notice it when I see condensation built up on the sensor. I can see glow everywhere on the image like if you wear glasses and walking out from a very cold a/c room to a hot summer day outside.