[WhiteComet]

Just got the Camera yesterday. I have a quick question about their term "Weather Resistant" can I use the camera on a light rain ? and how bout the Pentax Lenses are they Weather Resistant too ?

thanks

[joefru]

The (more expensive) DA* lenses are weather resistant. I wouldn't use the camera in a light rain unless I had * glass mounted.

[Adam67]

I think you would be fine in a light rain. With a * lens you could shoot in heavy rain.

[WMBP]

Just got the Camera yesterday. I have a quick question about their term "Weather Resistant" can I use the camera on a light rain? and how bout the Pentax Lenses are they Weather Resistant too ?

Couple points in response.

Weather resistant does NOT mean weather proof. What's the difference? Well, the folks at Pentax certainly aren't promising that you can take the camera out in any kind of weather - say, a thunderstorm - and use it as if you were shooting inside your house on a nice, dry day.

So what exactly ARE they promising? That's tricky, because as far as I have been able to tell, they don't specify.

You should certainly be aware that the non-DA* lenses are not weather-resistant. So, let's say you're shooting with a K200D or K20D in a moderate rain. We don't know exactly how big a risk you're taking if you use a new DA* weather-resistant lens; but we do know that, if you're using an older NON-weather-resistant lens, you're taking a BIGGER risk of getting moisture inside the camera.

Remember also that, when you get out of the weather you're probably going to want to open the camera to get the SD card out or change batteries or change the lens. Before you do that, you ought to make sure the camera is perfectly dry.

What it all boils down to for me personally is not much. I don't panic if I'm shooting outside and it starts to rain or snow, especially if I have the DA* 50-135 attached to the camera. I do however get out of the weather a.s.a.p. and if the camera got wet, I dry it off carefully with a cloth then let it sit for a while before opening it up. I'm encouraged by the reports from others that their personal camera survived being outside in a heavy rain. But I'm not personally willing to push my luck. I always carry a big plastic bag in my camera bag when I'm shooting outdoors and I've used it occasionally.

In short, it's an insurance policy whose terms are rather vague. Good to have it, but it's best to hope that you don't need it.

Will

[HermanLee]

WhiteComet, please be careful, since it seems you're new to Pentax system.

Not all * lens is weather sealed.
The older & expensive Pentax glass lik A* and FA* also has * behind their name but they are NOT weathersealed.
As this time only:
DA* 16-50mm & DA* 50-135mm that are weather sealed.
Oh, also DA*200mm and DA*300mm.

Some people already tried it even with Limited glass and K20D and they ended up miserably.
So be very careful.
Just be patient and do your research first before you regret it.

Hope this helps,

[Andrew Faires]

Just got the Camera yesterday. I have a quick question about their term "Weather Resistant" can I use the camera on a light rain ? and how bout the Pentax Lenses are they Weather Resistant too ?

thanks

"Weather Resistant", as others have said, is based on using a weather resistant lens - which means one of the DA* lenses. That said, I've used my k10d paired with the DA* 16-50 in moderate rain and in a couple of snow-squalls with no ill effects.

[axl]

Don't worry, just use common sense and you'll be fine.
I've been out there in showers, drizzles and rains, and fogs too. I mean anything London can throw at you. And I only have K100D and non sealed lenses.
And the camera is still kicking strong...
BR

[babelphotos]

I made pics under the rain (check my website) with the K20. The first day it was light rain and the camera had no protection. On that second day the rain got a little bit harder and i didnt took any chances and got the camera rain gear on but it actually did work fine...just dont change the card under the rain...obviously

[*isteve]

Lenses are generally resistant to light rain for a while (as long as you dont zoom them all the time) but the area of concern is the lens mount. If water gets into the camera it can fry the electronics in no time.

The new 17-70 F4 although not weather sealed to the same extent as the DA* lenses does have a gasket on the lens mount, so the camera will be protected. You could probably get it out in the rain and take a couple of shots with no problem. I would not conduct a longer shoot without a sealed lens.

[WhiteComet]

thanks for the replies guys! I am really careful about my K200D. I asked this because Im going to take pictures this week and I saw the forcast that it might rain. I dont want to get caught with my pants down.

[Groucho]

I mentioned in another thread, but I recently shot with my K20D and DA* 50-135mm F2.8 lens in the rain at Disney World and even used it on Splash Mountain, where you get pretty well soaked - with the camera right out in front of me, and had no problems whatsoever. Like others have said, I'd be careful about opening anything while it's still wet (including changing the lens), but the camera seems to be able to shrug off most weather with no issue, short of submerging it in water. This also helps with sand at the beach or other harsh environments.

Someone had mentioned a video of pouring a pitcher of water over their Nikon D3 - I don't know if I would bother doing that to prove a point, but I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't bother the camera very much.

[OniFactor]

honestly, i think people are overprotective of their cameras. i've used my k110d, a non-sealed camera, with a kit lens, non-sealed as well, in a heavy snow, and it was perfectly fine. if you're going to be using it in light rain, or a misting, i don't think it would be a problem. but i don't think the seals would hold up to a driving rainstorm

[Ben_Edict]

I have used all my cameras over the years in all kinds of weather, including moderate rain or snowfall (during heavy rain or snowfall photography is usually futile, anyway). The only issues I ever had – once with a Super Program and recently with a K20 –, was, that some water penetrated the mount and shorted the electrical contacts. On the Super Program, the lens' aperture settings then were completely nonsensical on the K20 the AF did stop working. In both cases I wiped the contacts on the lenses and bodies dry and after that, everything worked again flawlessly.

As long as the water doesn't penetrate insode the camera body, the danger of lasting damage is really low. On the other hand, I always considered cameras to be tools to work with. A tool can break and then be repaired or replaced...

Ben