[Greenneck]

I went on about a four hour hike yesterday in light rain. I had my k3ii and 18-135wr so I had no worries of walking the entire time holding my camera. Both I and the camera got fairly wet with water droplets no water pooling on the camera or anything. On my way back out the camera stopped wanting to power on. I pulled the battery out found it pretty wet, putting it back in helped it power up. Gave up on it

Got back to the car, got a "memory card one failure" message, pulled the memory cards found even more water, decided to check the hdmi conenctor found a little water. Where is the weather sealing on this camera everwhere that should have remained dry in light rain didnt.

This morning the camera now powers on but the rear screen flashes and mostly wont display and it wont take pictures.

This is now my second pentax camera dead in a year and a half.

[jatrax]

Suggest you dry the camera out before attempting to turn it on. Any electronics with water in them should be treated that way, before powering on. Hope you did not fry anything by turning back on.

A box of dry rice is often recommended, with lens on put the camera in a sealed container of the rice so that any moisture will be pulled out. Silica gel packs will also work but rice is a lot cheaper for the amount you will need. Do not turn on the power again until it is all dried out.

[stevebrot]

This is now my second pentax camera dead in a year and a half.

Time to get a weather resistant Nikon...

That the card door would leak does not particularly surprise me. Failure of the HDMI flap does. Time and/or pressure will eventually defeat any seal. I live in a fairly rainy region (fellow Northwesterner) and while I frequently use my K-3 in moist conditions (mostly heavy mist from waterfalls), I don't know that I would hazard 4 hours of prolonged exposure to even light rain.

With any luck your K-3II will dry out and be just fine.

Steve

[stevebrot]

Suggest you dry the camera out before attempting to turn it on.

Battery out too. All door and flaps open.


Steve

[Adam]

Did you zoom a lot while the camera was wet? Because the 18-135mm does not zoom internally, it's possible for water to enter through the lens if you are persistent enough.

Also, were any of the flaps that cover the camera's ports/terminals dirty or not closed all the way?

Try putting the camera in a bowl of rice to suck out the moisture.

If that doesn't work and if your camera is still under warranty I would see if you could get it repaired for free. Definitely worth a shot.

[MarkJerling]

I went on about a four hour hike yesterday in light rain. I had my k3ii and 18-135wr so I had no worries of walking the entire time holding my camera. Both I and the camera got fairly wet with water droplets no water pooling on the camera or anything. On my way back out the camera stopped wanting to power on. I pulled the battery out found it pretty wet, putting it back in helped it power up. Gave up on it

Got back to the car, got a "memory card one failure" message, pulled the memory cards found even more water, decided to check the hdmi conenctor found a little water. Where is the weather sealing on this camera everwhere that should have remained dry in light rain didnt.

This morning the camera now powers on but the rear screen flashes and mostly wont display and it wont take pictures.

This is now my second pentax camera dead in a year and a half.

Disappointing. I use my K-5 in the rain regularly. Most recently this Saturday at my son's football, when it was raining rather heavily. Both the camera and I were very wet!

[Greenneck]

Did you zoom a lot while the camera was wet? Because the 18-135mm does not zoom internally, it's possible for water to enter through the lens if you are persistent enough.

Also, were any of the flaps that cover the camera's ports/terminals dirty or not closed all the way?

Try putting the camera in a bowl of rice to suck out the moisture.

If that doesn't work and if your camera is still under warranty I would see if you could get it repaired for free. Definitely worth a shot.

I did use the zoom a lot I didnt notice any moisture in that area, those seemed to be the only seals that held.

The rain really was not bad yesterday thats why Im so surprised it failed at so many points, unless the water came in the cards and leaked else where. When it first acted up I just thought the battery had gotten to cold, and after trying it for five minute this morning the only thing that may power on is the gps light now. Even if they do cover it Ill be too afraid to use it in any kind of weather for more than a couple minutes now because really it basically had a light coating of rain drops on it yesterday my hands did not even get wet enough to prune up. Ive read some peoples stories about they holding up to heavy heavy rain for a decently long period of time so I never would have imagined a few hours hiking would take it out. Ill try the rice and update with what ever the rice (probably way too late) or ricoh does.

[Adam]

I did use the zoom a lot I didnt notice any moisture in that area, those seemed to be the only seals that held.

The rain really was not bad yesterday thats why Im so surprised it failed at so many points, unless the water came in the cards and leaked else where. When it first acted up I just thought the battery had gotten to cold, and after trying it for five minute this morning the only thing that may power on is the gps light now. Even if they do cover it Ill be too afraid to use it in any kind of weather for more than a couple minutes now because really it basically had a light coating of rain drops on it yesterday my hands did not even get wet enough to prune up. Ive read some peoples stories about they holding up to heavy heavy rain for a decently long period of time so I never would have imagined a few hours hiking would take it out. Ill try the rice and update with what ever the rice (probably way too late) or ricoh does.

Even if the lens wasn't that wet, it could have "sucked" water in from elsewhere. Best of luck with the camera!

[Greenneck]

In the meantime here is a collection from the hike that killed the k3 Barclay lake

[C_Jones]

As was mentioned, if you are still within warranty or extended warranty you may want to contact Pentax customer service at (800) 877-0155 (Toll-free), M-F, approx. 8:30A-4:30P Mountain Standard Time. Tomorrow they may be closed due to the holiday. They may recommend that you send it in for repair or replacement under warranty. If it is for repair, you can box it up for shipping, with copies of your purchase receipt, serial number card (if you retained it), Pentax warranty or extended warranty card, and a letter explaining your difficulty with water entering your camera which is normally identified as a weather sealed type. After all of the information is packed up, including your phone number and return address which they will use to identify your order, send it to Precision Camera and Repair via a known carrier like FedEx or UPS, and they will take it from there.

I have a K-3II also and have never shot in any moderate type of rainfall due to my zoom (150-500 Sigma DG OS) not being weather sealed, so I have never experienced what you have.

If it was me I would send it in if it was still covered by warranty.

[stevebrot]

If it is for repair, you can box it up for shipping, with copies of your purchase receipt, serial number card (if you retained it), Pentax warranty or extended warranty card, and a letter explaining your difficulty with water entering your camera which is normally identified as a weather sealed type.

As with the rest of the industry, the Pentax warranty specifically excludes water damage. The exclusion applies to cameras having seals as well as the unsealed variety. It does not hurt to check, but if there is frank incursion and they find water inside the camera it is unlikely they will pay for the repair.


Steve

[stevebrot]

In the meantime here is a collection from the hike that killed the k3 Barclay lake

I know that trail (grew up in Seattle). The lake and Baring have not changed much.


Steve

[Mallee Boy]

That's bad luck. I have shot with the K3 & da 300 in torrential rain, you can see that clearly from the shots, and again in dust followed by rain in Lower Antelope that left the camera(s)....my wife had the k5.....coated in orange mud. Both cameras still going strong. Makes me wonder if your issue is faulty seals if you are sure all doors were firmly closed.
The rice thing worked with a drowned iPhone, took a few months, but phone is till going today, probably the only i3 still in operation.
I would be returning the camera under warranty claiming the seals are faulty, within the warranty period.
Good luck

[snpsht]

My K-3 came back to life a couple of months after taking an absolute full immersion with non-wr Sigma lens (was smashed when it hit a rock) in a fast flowing icy river, so don't give up hope.

All doors open....rice...warmish place and patience.

Good luck!

[C_Jones]

As with the rest of the industry, the Pentax warranty specifically excludes water damage. The exclusion applies to cameras having seals as well as the unsealed variety. It does not hurt to check, but if there is frank incursion and they find water inside the camera it is unlikely they will pay for the repair.


Steve

I was not aware of that.

Thank you.

---------- Post added 05-30-16 at 11:23 AM ----------

I suppose the best route for Greenneck to take would be to contact Pentax Customer Service for authoritative advice on what real options are available.