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06-26-2017, 04:16 AM   #1
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Anyone checked how much waterproof is K-70?

Recently I was thinking about going out in the rain with the K-70 + PLM 55-300 but I am afraid that this set might not be waterproof enough. i was thinking about keeping it out in the rain through all of the walk, so I wonder if this is a good idea or should it be covered somehow?
I would prefer not to do take it out and hide it to take every shot.

Did anyone of you guys test the K-70 or used it in simillar conditions?

06-26-2017, 04:19 AM   #2
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It's designed for use in such conditions. If you want to be careful, don't zoom in the rain and cover the camera with your hand while you're moving and angle it to minimize its exposure to water.

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06-26-2017, 06:40 AM - 1 Like   #3
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Ask the captain of a submarine how deep his boat can really go...there is only one sure way to find out, and it usually ends in disaster.
06-26-2017, 06:54 AM   #4
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Not a problem with rain. Though remember to carry it so rain doesn't get on the front element, which will spoil your images. Keep the hood on.
As with anything, the more protection you give it the better, and zooming does carry some risk. The lens has O-Rings, but the more you do to protect it, the better off you'll be. I've been caught in rain with the 18-135, and have even used it in the rain a few times. So far so good.

06-26-2017, 07:01 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by victormeldrew Quote
Ask the captain of a submarine how deep his boat can really go...there is only one sure way to find out, and it usually ends in disaster.
I saw "Das Boot"...it is not pretty.


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06-26-2017, 07:30 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
I saw "Das Boot"...it is not pretty.
Yes, but there the choice is between absolute certainty of death by depth charging and statistical certainty of death by grossly exceeding test depth. You're putting your life in the hands of the margin of error for your particular hull being in your favour, knowing the flipside of the coin is 100% wipeout.

The same trick is pulled, again in WW2 and again in a German submarine, in a little-known novel called "The Week the Sea Blew Up".
06-26-2017, 07:30 AM - 2 Likes   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by gelokrol Quote
Did anyone of you guys test the K-70 or used it in simillar conditions?
Time and/or pressure will defeat all seals. Here are a few summary points:
  • At least once a year, a user on this site will report camera failure after a walk in the rain. This tradition extends all the way back to about 2007 with the K10D, Pentax's first weather-sealed dSLR.
  • No camera maker will warranty failure due to moisture incursion. This is true across brands, even for cameras designed to be immersed.
  • At least once a month, a user on this site will report being denied warranty repair due to evidence of moisture incursion
  • Many of us on this site have been using non-sealed cameras for decades under wet conditions without moisture-related failure
  • There is no practical reason to deny your camera the same degree of protection you give yourself. If you are wearing rain gear...
Practical advice:
  • Avoid prolonged exposure to rain or spray. I shoot landscape and waterfalls in a wet climate and keep the camera under cover as much as possible, even if that means an assistant with an umbrella.
  • Umbrellas are great in that they allow the camera to be out and dry at the same time
  • Don't allow standing water at obvious potential points of entry for any period of time. These include the areas around buttons/dials, the rear LCD, battery and other doors, viewfinder eyepiece, hot shoe, and lens mount area. Many of us make it a practice to towel off incidental splash before it has a chance to seep in past the seals.
My personal practice is to treat the seals as delaying the inevitable with the delay being measured in single-digit minutes. If my rain gear is failing and my camera has been similarly exposed, the camera is probably toast.


Steve


Last edited by stevebrot; 06-26-2017 at 07:38 AM.
06-26-2017, 07:45 AM - 2 Likes   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by gelokrol Quote
waterproof
WR is not waterproof. It is Weather Resistant. There is a difference. You can search online for the WR standards, I think they are published somewhere

QuoteOriginally posted by gelokrol Quote
walk, so I wonder if this is a good idea or should it be covered somehow?
Just be reasonable. Take photos normally, but if the downpour is insane, keep the camera covered. And keep it covered when you are not taking photos. You can do something simple like a PVC bag on hand. And give it ample time to dry afterwards; before you remove battery or SD card.
The WR equipment can prevent water droplets from going in, but its not made to go underwater. Some youtube videos I saw of Pentax WR tests are very positive, but we had cases where someone wanted to test the WR by putting the camera under a water tap and a droplet of water got in (I think the camera still worked, but the person was not happy)
Just take it easy and be reasonable

Last edited by Na Horuk; 06-26-2017 at 09:56 AM.
06-26-2017, 06:07 PM   #9
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I have had a k-10, a k-5 and a k-3, with both WR and non-WR lenses. If I have been out in more than a light drizzle for any length of time, I have used an OpTech rainsleeve (Rainsleeve - Camera cover for rain and snow | OP/TECH USA). They are very cheap insurance against a very expensive disaster.
06-26-2017, 10:44 PM   #10
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Shower caps, those you get for free at hotels/motels supposedly make for decent raincovers aswell.

My anecdotal example: I've used a K-30 + 18-135mm WR combo in plenty of rain for several years. Last time was a three day hike in mostly drizzle/showers in Scotland, spending the nights in a tent. I try to keep the camera as dry as possible, but have never use any raincover on the camera. When not in use, I put it in a camerabag with its raincover. So far no problems...knock on wood.
06-27-2017, 03:13 AM   #11
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Thank you all for the replies.
As mentioned by you guys, I will try being resonable and search for a rain sleeve in the meantime for a non standard amount of water

Thanks a lot. Topic can be closed.
06-30-2017, 11:23 PM   #12
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Just saw this thread as I'd been away from my PC for a while.

Alas... my 55-300mm PLM needs to be sent in for repair. I managed to find out how much water it takes to be an issue. Lesson learned, the seals won't keep out water if you are changing the focal length, zooming in and out is sufficient to force water in past those gaskets. The lens still functions and can take pictures, but you can see the water spots on the interior of the lens surfaces. It really wasn't that much, just some light Galveston TX rain. I'd had it in much more rain in Seattle, but hadn't been changing focal lengths as it was primarily for outdoor soccer matches. Oh the irony.

However, the K-70 is just fine.

As for my non-WR lenses, because I know they need much more care, have never had this problem. I now have a selection of hoods from lens coat to prevent this in the future, but I'll still have to send in the 55-300mm PLM to precision just waiting for their site to list the lens. I'm currently using my much heavier Sigma 50-500mm OS DG lens and missing the much lighter weight of the prior lens.
07-22-2017, 11:10 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by gelokrol Quote
Recently I was thinking about going out in the rain with the K-70 + PLM 55-300 but I am afraid that this set might not be waterproof enough. i was thinking about keeping it out in the rain through all of the walk, so I wonder if this is a good idea or should it be covered somehow?
I would prefer not to do take it out and hide it to take every shot.

Did anyone of you guys test the K-70 or used it in simillar conditions?
It is rated as splashproof if you look at the official ratings of these things, not as waterproof. It'll survive getting splashed by blowing rain just fine, but water on the lens doesn't make for good shooting, so I would think about a rain cover / hood of some sort to keep water away if you want to shoot it in the rain. You can buy one (a quick search on Adorama for "rain cover" turns up a number of them), or you can make one with a small cardboard box and plastic trash bag and duct tape, though it'll look quirky. Your choice. Personally, I consider splashproof/dustproof to be more assurance that if I get caught in a random rain or dust storm with nothing to protect my camera, it won't die. Not that I can go shooting in a rainstorm or dust storm with no protection for the camera.
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