[Javaslinger]

So I've certainly taken my K7 out and gotten it a bit wet, but this weekend is calling for 70% chance of showers all day Sunday. I had intended to take it hiking with me and wearing it on my cotton carrier which would have it exposed for the entire time.

How much of a risk is this? I know you can't 'dunk' it despite it's weather resistance, but part of me thinks it'll be fine.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Ken Knott

[zerodaze]

If water is going to pool up around the camera and lens, all the while getting jostled around and getting bounced, I could see water penetration happening. The lens should be a DA* and I wouldn't change lens while in the rain or wet. There are water resistent cases out there - I use a case logic model when hiking with my K-7, but there are others.

[hcc]

So I've certainly taken my K7 out and gotten it a bit wet, but this weekend is calling for 70% chance of showers all day Sunday. I had intended to take it hiking with me and wearing it on my cotton carrier which would have it exposed for the entire time.

Ken
I have taken my K-7 often out in the rain quite a few times. I regularly wipe the camera with a cloth and I try to protect it as much as I can. (If I can, I like to wear a poncho-like cloth over my raincoat to keep the camera under it when I do not use it and be able to access it very rapidly.)

The selection of the lens is important: a WR lens preferably, or a very sturdy lens like my Nokton 58mm. (This fast prime is very solid and its large aparture is a blessing in low light, rainy/stormy conditons. Also have a fibreless lens cloth to clean the lens glass regularly, if the lens is exposed.

Importantly:
- do not swap lens in the rain;
- do not open any door (battery, SD) in the rain;
- when you bring back your camera at home, switch it off and dry it thoroughly, (possibly by taking out the battery and SD car and keeping the doors open).

Hope that the comments will assist...

[reeftool]

I have taken my K10D hiking and kayaking in foul weather many times. I know it is weather sealed but I try to keep it dry anyhow. I am assuming you will also be bringing some sort of rain gear for yourself and the camera should be fine under your jacket or rain poncho. It's a fairly simple thing to keep water off the camera when you're not using it. Being exposed out in rain for a long period, even if the weather sealing holds, water will find it's way to the front of the lens eventually and the time spent cleaning the lens off will be a far bigger inconvenience than keeping the camera covered.

[Mock]

I use my K-7 and 18-55 WR to shoot lightning while the camera is completely exposed and uncovered. It has been in some extended and severe downpours. I haven't had a problem with it yet. The SP coating on the WR and DA* lenses beads the water off, so I prefer not to use a filter while shooting in the rain either.

Just use caution, all of hcc's points are very important. Also, do check that all the seals on the port covers and the rubber in the SD card door are clean and free of debris before you go out.

[jbrowning]

Hi Ken, back in June of this year I was out photographing a motorcycle weekend and it rained all day Saturday and up till about noon on Sunday. I was using my K20D and DA*300 and my backup K20D with the Pentax 55-200 WR lens. I never had any problems with either lens. Now this was shooting Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m.. And I mean it rained, drizzeld and everything in between all day Saturday and I never had a problem. Now this was with the K20D. But I am guessing the K7 should have the same seals if not more. Just make sure your lens and water resistant/proof. And as it was mentioned earlier. When I got to the hotel room Saturday evening I opened up both bodies and took memory card and batteries out and left the compartment doors open and I left the body cap off to help dry out just in case it was needed. I also left both lenses out on the counter without any caps on it. Sunday came around and both bodies and lenses performed flawlessly. Now in between races (normally a few minutes) I would always keep my back to the rain trying to keep as much rain off of the cameras.

Let us know if you need anything other ideas.

Hope that helps.
Jim Browning

[Groucho]

Both my old K20D and my current K-7 has been in heavy rains, snow, etc, with no issues whatsoever. This is with a weathersealed lens, of course. They've even been on log flume-style amusement park rides and gotten soaked. I have not made any special effort to dry off the camera or lens (except maybe the glass)... I have full confidence that it can stand up to pretty much anything short of a full dunking.

A few times I've had it in light rain with my 10-17mm fisheye and in those case, I have been careful and even wrapped something around the lens mount, since it doesn't have an O-ring on the mount and that would be a possibly place for water intrusion. I would love to see a weathersealed fisheye from Pentax!

[Skullsroad]

I want to thank Javaslinger for starting this thread, it answered a lot of questions. I am currently saving for the 50-200 WR, Kata Holster and a high quality filter (probably Marumi) to be my rain kit. I may end up spraying the holster with water repellent to aid the survivability.

Now if only it would rain....its been 80 degrees here.

[mike.hiran]

Took pictures w/ a K-7 and the 50-135 for a couple hours in the rain for a wedding and found it to be unfazed. I wiped it off when time allowed, but never had a concern. Of course most of the people w/ cameras were staying under the tents where the crowds of guests were making their shooting much more difficult. Having the weather seals made it possible for me to go where the shots were and not worry about the rain. Just perfect for the situation

[Andrew Lang]

I dunked my k20d in the lake to clean it off after it fell in the mud... has a da* 16-50 attached, no problems.

[nitewulf]

I went an a week long canoe trip and brought my K7 along. One day it poured really really hard and started filling up the canoes. We had to get out and bail water. I pulled my camera out of its soaked holster style case and handed it to my friend to take some action shots of me bailing water out with a pot. He agreed and immediately tucked it under his poncho to try and take the picture. I said, "You can't take a picture like that." He says, "But it'll get wet and it looks like a nice camera." I say, "Yea, it is, its a Pentax! And this particular one is sealed against the elements, dust, rain and snow." That was the first time I've really gotten it wet since I bought it back in February, and I wasn't scared a bit.

[mike.hiran]

I dunked my k20d in the lake to clean it off after it fell in the mud... has a da* 16-50 attached, no problems.

glad it worked out for you, but I don't think I'd suggest anyone else do this. I don't think "w" = "dunk"

[Urkeldaedalus]

I've used my K-7 multiple times with DA* lenses in heavy rains and it has worked fine for me so far. It's still annoying to have to wipe the front of the lens off while you're shooting, but I'm not sure if that can be avoided.

[Reportage]

it depends what kind of rain water.

the usual rain is not really an issue but its when saltwater mixed in the rain that will give the most grief. Usually if its raining during an event, will tape up the mount and use that one lens throughout.

Must be a reason why the WR lenses have a red gasket there while for some reason the DA* ones dont.

[Canada_Rockies]

it depends what kind of rain water.

the usual rain is not really an issue but its when saltwater mixed in the rain that will give the most grief. Usually if its raining during an event, will tape up the mount and use that one lens throughout.

Must be a reason why the WR lenses have a red gasket there while for some reason the DA* ones dont.

The DA* lenses have black gaskets. Why the colour? I have no idea. To contribute to the thread, My K10d, the first weather resistant model, has been under Moul Falls with the DA* 16-50 on it with no problems. I had the lens hood on, and never pointed the lens up, so all the water wiping I had to do was the viewfinder eye-piece.