Just to share stories on Pentax DSLR's water-resistance...

NotSteve · 07-20-2013, 11:31 AM

Well, these stories aren't mine, but I am sharing them, as CRPhoto hasn't posted in here yet. Full submersion, on more than one occasion apparently:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/152568-weather-sealing-4.html#post1599987

and

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/115277-k-5-sports-photography-50.html#post1961942

CRPhoto · 07-21-2013, 06:34 PM

Here I am, I just saw this thread. Adding to what NotSteve posted, I also have this video of my K-5 and 18-55WR to further scare non-Pentaxians:

Youtu.be

NotSteve · 07-22-2013, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by CRPhoto

Here I am, I just saw this thread. Adding to what NotSteve posted, I also have this video of my K-5 and 18-55WR to further scare non-Pentaxians:

Pentax K-5 test..a day at the beach. Sand and Water resistant! Pool dip! - YouTube

Thanks for the video CRPhoto. I have to admit that I had my doubts that you had actually submerged your camera when you posted those photos last year, but all doubt has now been eliminated.

I think this actually could scare a few Pentaxians as well. The dramatic tension of watching someone dunk their camera AND not use any kind of strap in case it slipped out of their hand was fairly unnerving.

Feel free to make things worse by telling us that you also do this in salt water...

CRPhoto · 07-22-2013, 08:47 PM

I;m sure a lot of people didn't believe me at first. It's normal i think. No one in it's right mind would do such a thing! lol.
Well, now that you mention the salt water, I'm gonna start thinking about doing it. The problem is that I have sold that particular K-5 and I only have one K-5 IIs and one K-5 Silver. Also my K20D is gone (sold). I'm thinking of getting another K-5 IIs, and once I get the second one I might continue my tests.

I do have another story about WR. I often shoot motocross with a Press pass. After a race I went to the Press area (tent) and since the camera is all covered in dust then of course, I take water from the big cooler were the drinks are, and start pouring it all over the camera and lens to clean it. Needless to say, it shocks all the Canikon users. I love it!.

Alizarine · 07-24-2013, 01:07 AM

Living in a tropical country with an average of about 4 storms a month in the rainy season I can only say I'm lucky there's Pentax here.

So far haven't tried putting my K-5 IIs and DA* under a strong jet of water (and will never do it intentionally) but it's so far been tested in 6 storms this year for an average of 30 minutes each.. and so far the biggest problem that happened yet was the VF and lens fogging up after taking my gear out from an air-conditioned room to a humid morning at the beach.

Originally posted by CRPhoto

Here I am, I just saw this thread. Adding to what NotSteve posted, I also have this video of my K-5 and 18-55WR to further scare non-Pentaxians:

I almost fainted seeing that full-body dunk. Sure, a split second... but... terrifying! I don't think even a Canon 7D user would do that! and to do everything without the camera strap!! Really scary and cool

slip · 07-24-2013, 10:38 AM

while in the tropics there was a very heavy rain fall. My wife was using my k10 with a sigma 17-70. well the short story is the K10 body died and the non water resistant lens lived

oh well, I eventually got a k5iis out of it, but missed a lot of great shooting opportunities in puerto rico

thanks

randy

mythguy9 · 01-23-2014, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by jamesm007

I have read of many DA* leaking and the tell tale sign is the water in the elemen

Brought my K5 into a rain yesterday and the K5 is acting up like the original poster's, so i put it in a box with silica gel, hopefully the problem will go away (button glitch etc). And water DID leak a bit into the mount when I use the DA* 16-50, but not a hell lot of it (1-2 mL?)

OldNoob · 01-23-2014, 10:43 PM

Well here's a little story from the other day. Spill't sweet tea on my k-30 in my bag by accident. The thought of the weather sealing gave me a great deal of relief. Cleaned up ok, no issues The bag however, sadly just acted like a coffee filter.

aglet · 01-27-2014, 10:55 PM

I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10.

I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry.

OldNoob · 01-27-2014, 11:31 PM

Originally posted by aglet

I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10.

I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry.

I would never "Purposely" test the weather resistance of any camera. i see people making videos putting their camera under the sink faucet and in the shower or under the hose. it seems silly to me to risk damaging ones equipment all for the sake of making a youtube video.

Alizarine · 02-27-2014, 06:01 AM

I've showered with my K-5 IIs and DA*50-135 at a beachside resort. Yeah I did look like I'm bragging, but it was also the quickest way to clean all the sand and saltwater on the camera. Needless to say I patted it dry with a spare cloth afterwards and put it under a shade with a fan nearby to dry. WR buys you time to keep your gear going, but it definitely doesn't make the cam "immortal"

**TER-OR** · 02-27-2014, 07:30 AM

I wonder if the rubber seals somewhere on the K10s are either degrading or just plain dirty. Whenever you open one of your hatches, at least inspect it. On the battery compartment I try to clean it with a wet cotton swab a few times a year at least (if not right when swapping batteries). Dirt, oil, and grime are the worst enemies of rubber seals. I suspect this could be a major issue with the lens mount, which does seem to get more grimy than the other seals.

NotSteve · 03-01-2014, 08:19 PM

Well, if we're speaking of credentials, we can't really go on anyone's anecdotal experience, can we? Not when there's dozens of other posts where Pentax weather sealing has successfully been put to the test. Seals sometimes fail, even on newer cameras, and one presumes this becomes more likely as the camera ages. How old is your K10?

I've had my K-5 for three years now. Once it got soaked in a torrential downpour while I continued to shoot. Dried it off, aired it out, it was fine. The other day, the camera was half-submerged while I shot along the lakeshore. Dried it off, aired it out and it was fine.

Originally posted by aglet

I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10.

I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry.

07-24-2013, 01:07 AM	#35
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Living in a tropical country with an average of about 4 storms a month in the rainy season I can only say I'm lucky there's Pentax here. So far haven't tried putting my K-5 IIs and DA* under a strong jet of water (and will never do it intentionally) but it's so far been tested in 6 storms this year for an average of 30 minutes each.. and so far the biggest problem that happened yet was the VF and lens fogging up after taking my gear out from an air-conditioned room to a humid morning at the beach. Originally posted by CRPhoto Here I am, I just saw this thread. Adding to what NotSteve posted, I also have this video of my K-5 and 18-55WR to further scare non-Pentaxians: I almost fainted seeing that full-body dunk. Sure, a split second... but... terrifying! I don't think even a Canon 7D user would do that! and to do everything without the camera strap!! Really scary and cool Last edited by Alizarine; 07-24-2013 at 01:13 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Weather Resistance? yeah how about coke resistance?	redeleon	Pentax DSLR Discussion	9	10-19-2010 12:32 AM
Japan: EVIL ~30% market share; DSLR 35% increase yr over yr	nosnoop	Pentax News and Rumors	121	07-20-2010 07:40 AM
Pentax Had a 4% Share of DSLR in 2008	fwbigd	Pentax News and Rumors	30	09-29-2009 07:21 PM
Under water case for my pentax DSLR camera?	Crazy88s	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	3	01-14-2009 02:10 PM
Resistance to water	guillermovilas	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	4	05-13-2007 12:17 AM

07-20-2013, 11:31 AM	#31
NotSteve Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 200	Well, these stories aren't mine, but I am sharing them, as CRPhoto hasn't posted in here yet. Full submersion, on more than one occasion apparently: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/152568-weather-sealing-4.html#post1599987 and https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/115277-k-5-sports-photography-50.html#post1961942

07-22-2013, 08:13 PM	#33
NotSteve Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 200	Originally posted by CRPhoto Here I am, I just saw this thread. Adding to what NotSteve posted, I also have this video of my K-5 and 18-55WR to further scare non-Pentaxians: Pentax K-5 test..a day at the beach. Sand and Water resistant! Pool dip! - YouTube Thanks for the video CRPhoto. I have to admit that I had my doubts that you had actually submerged your camera when you posted those photos last year, but all doubt has now been eliminated. I think this actually could scare a few Pentaxians as well. The dramatic tension of watching someone dunk their camera AND not use any kind of strap in case it slipped out of their hand was fairly unnerving. Feel free to make things worse by telling us that you also do this in salt water...

07-22-2013, 08:47 PM	#34
CRPhoto Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 260	I;m sure a lot of people didn't believe me at first. It's normal i think. No one in it's right mind would do such a thing! lol. Well, now that you mention the salt water, I'm gonna start thinking about doing it. The problem is that I have sold that particular K-5 and I only have one K-5 IIs and one K-5 Silver. Also my K20D is gone (sold). I'm thinking of getting another K-5 IIs, and once I get the second one I might continue my tests. I do have another story about WR. I often shoot motocross with a Press pass. After a race I went to the Press area (tent) and since the camera is all covered in dust then of course, I take water from the big cooler were the drinks are, and start pouring it all over the camera and lens to clean it. Needless to say, it shocks all the Canikon users. I love it!.

07-24-2013, 10:38 AM	#36
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	while in the tropics there was a very heavy rain fall. My wife was using my k10 with a sigma 17-70. well the short story is the K10 body died and the non water resistant lens lived oh well, I eventually got a k5iis out of it, but missed a lot of great shooting opportunities in puerto rico thanks randy

01-23-2014, 10:36 PM	#37
mythguy9 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 276	Originally posted by jamesm007 I have read of many DA* leaking and the tell tale sign is the water in the elemen Brought my K5 into a rain yesterday and the K5 is acting up like the original poster's, so i put it in a box with silica gel, hopefully the problem will go away (button glitch etc). And water DID leak a bit into the mount when I use the DA* 16-50, but not a hell lot of it (1-2 mL?)

01-23-2014, 10:43 PM	#38
OldNoob Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 402	Well here's a little story from the other day. Spill't sweet tea on my k-30 in my bag by accident. The thought of the weather sealing gave me a great deal of relief. Cleaned up ok, no issues The bag however, sadly just acted like a coffee filter.

01-27-2014, 10:55 PM	#39
aglet Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Alberta, central Posts: 99	I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10. I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry.

01-27-2014, 11:31 PM	#40
OldNoob Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 402	Originally posted by aglet I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10. I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry. I would never "Purposely" test the weather resistance of any camera. i see people making videos putting their camera under the sink faucet and in the shower or under the hose. it seems silly to me to risk damaging ones equipment all for the sake of making a youtube video.

02-27-2014, 06:01 AM	#41
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	I've showered with my K-5 IIs and DA*50-135 at a beachside resort. Yeah I did look like I'm bragging, but it was also the quickest way to clean all the sand and saltwater on the camera. Needless to say I patted it dry with a spare cloth afterwards and put it under a shade with a fan nearby to dry. WR buys you time to keep your gear going, but it definitely doesn't make the cam "immortal"

02-27-2014, 07:30 AM	#42
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	I wonder if the rubber seals somewhere on the K10s are either degrading or just plain dirty. Whenever you open one of your hatches, at least inspect it. On the battery compartment I try to clean it with a wet cotton swab a few times a year at least (if not right when swapping batteries). Dirt, oil, and grime are the worst enemies of rubber seals. I suspect this could be a major issue with the lens mount, which does seem to get more grimy than the other seals.

03-01-2014, 08:19 PM	#43
NotSteve Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 200	Well, if we're speaking of credentials, we can't really go on anyone's anecdotal experience, can we? Not when there's dozens of other posts where Pentax weather sealing has successfully been put to the test. Seals sometimes fail, even on newer cameras, and one presumes this becomes more likely as the camera ages. How old is your K10? I've had my K-5 for three years now. Once it got soaked in a torrential downpour while I continued to shoot. Dried it off, aired it out, it was fine. The other day, the camera was half-submerged while I shot along the lakeshore. Dried it off, aired it out and it was fine. Originally posted by aglet I'm beginning to think this pentax WR is more bragging than serious credentials. I've had less water infiltration on cheap Canon Rebels than my K10. I'll put more gear to the test this coming summer when I feel like getting wet and have a suitably showered subject. Pricier gear I'll just keep dry.