What is the difference between "weather sealed" and "water proof"?

Snowleopard

Ever since I moved to semi pro and pro level gear, I am talking about bodies and lenses that are "weather sealed" like all the Nikon pro bodies and lenses, I have wondered if the rubber seal around the mount really does anything? I mean dust still gets on the sensor,etc... It might keep most water out.

Then you have the AW1 (not a pro body) that is "water proof" to so many meters of water.

I mean is the weather seal on the mount for pro grear really just smoke and mirrors or does it really work.......?

Ironheart

Just peel the gasket off the back of the lenses, you don't need it. Junk really.

esquilo

"Weather sealing" keeps the rain out. That's about it. Dust will still get sucked in while zooming. That's unavoidable as the internal volume of the lens changes when zooming.
"Water proof" is just that. You can submerge it. Pro gear needs an underwater housing to become water proof.

It is basically like comparing a house to a submarine. A house keeps the rain out but it's not waterproof.

PB_PM

Nikon says they are water and dust resistant seals, no proof. All the seals do is slow down the ingress of dust and water, not stop it. Whenever I work in the rain or wet snow I wipe my gear off and make sure to keep the mount pointed down when not shooting.

Killerbob

If you want cheap safe weather sealing, take a look at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/134012-REG/Ewa_Marine_EM_U_AZ_U_AZ_Underwater_Housing.html I use this for snow- and rainstorms...

kyoshinikon

I personally believe it does work but only marginally so. I shoot in very dusty environments and I seldom get noticeable dust on the sensor or mirrors with the pro lenses. When I used to use cheapo lenses that were missing the seal the amount of dust was far more noticeable. Also when it rained sometimes water got in the metal part of the mount. Weather sealed usually means that it can take a splash, intense dust, snow etc but cannot be engulfed with water. Water proof means it can be engulfed with water and handle the pressure of water atop it as the pressure will force water into the device without seals.

Personally I find the whole weather sealing debate a farce as I know so few photographers who will actually test the limits of where they take their gear. Mine have been dropped, buried in snow, soaked more than once, covered in mud, been in dust-storms, worked in 15- & 105+ weather, and a whole other issues and whether it was the D7000 or the D4s they all still preform like a champ.

Killerbob

For the last years I have raved on about the weather sealing on the Nikon lenses. However, I have managed to get salt water on my sensor, as well as plemty of fnuggies etc., and by now I simply adhere to a strict cleaning regiment.

The weather seealing is nice, but it is no longer a deal maker for me, and next time I go out into a snowstorm I will put my camera in an EWA Marine waterproof pouch.

spraynpray

I think to really understand how 'weasely' these marketing words are, you need to have a detailed look at the IP rating definitions. Most people who see the letters 'IP' think "Oh great, it's water proof" but IP starts at a level of sealing that hardly stops rocks from rolling in there. The way I see it is don't get your gear wet because they can always deny culpability and never take it into a corrosive environment. The real destructive one that most people screw up on is condensing environments - you cannot stop condensation without having a level of sealing that can stop the difference in air pressure causing the item to warm up and breathe out then cool down and breathe in.

I just take the best care I can and forgetaboutit.

Msmoto

And, then there are those of us who use fairly good techniques in avoiding dust dirt, moisture, when handling the camera before and after a shoot, but, in actual shooting conditionsI have almost sacrificed the camera to get a shot.

However, I must admit, I like to use the LensCoat RainCoat Pro (Realtree Max4) when shooting the big guns, as the weather can be a bit nasty, wind, rain, etc., and the protection also keeps my right hand warmer when on the camera.

While I do not think I have had any "weather" caused ingress of contaminants into my gear, I also prefer it not happen if possible and believe the "weather sealing" probably helps to keep at least some crap out of the internals.

Oh, yes, in salt water conditions, I use the Ewe Marine, just to avoid a salty wind from leaving stuff on the camera which I would have to carefully rinse off.

ThomasHorton

If a manufacturer puts in one piece of foam, they can call it "weather Sealing".

A camera is sealed against the effects of weather up to the point it isn't.

I tend to treat all my cameras as being "weather vulnerable" and take extra precautions.

Golf007sd

Never had an issue on my D7000 or my D4 in the rain or snow. My number one recommendation, try to prevent changing lenses as much as possible.

esquilo

Just a note: The Nikon D7000 and D7100 are "weather sealed". The Nikon D5100 is not. However, it has the same rubber seals over the left side ports. The cheaper D3200 on the other hand just has a plastic door.

Msmoto

Maybe the biggest difference in weather sealed vs. waterproof is in the marketing arena. Of course, I would not stick my D4 under water, with one exception....if in a bizarre shooting scenario it were splashed by a corrosive agent, I would not hesitate to rinse it gently under running water.

kyoshinikon

I shot my D4 in pouring rain for hours end on end and it worked fine...

PB_PM

Working in the rain is possible, I've done it for over an hour as well. I still like to use a rain cover in extreme conditions, for long shoots. I just keep in mind that the water will still get into the camera if there is enough volume. You might not see it, since the outer shell of all the cameras is plastic, and it might not damage the electrical systems of the camera, but it could eventually lead to rusting of the magnesium alloy parts of the frame on higher end bodies. Of course, most people around here don't seem to keep their cameras long enough to notice those effects, so this might not matter to some people.

spraynpray

Nit-picking @PB_PM but mag alloy doesn't rust - only iron and its alloys do that - but mag could corrode if left wet. ;;)

haroldp

If you have a lens whose barrel extends either in zoom or in focus, try not to retract the barrel when it is wet, and dry it thoroughly while extended, otherwise, water that is drawn inside will be more persistent and destructive.

Fungus on internal elements is hard to correct in PP.

.... H

Msmoto

"Fungus on internal elements is hard to correct in PP "

Understatement of the day...LOL )

rmp

Sorry but I cannot help myself.

What is the difference between "weather sealed" and "water proof"?

About $1,000.00

KingBertilSwe

As one of my first posts here I'd like to agree with kyoshinikon. Take care of your gear but don't overdo it and do it to the extent that it will cripple your photography spontaneity or adaptability. Of course be sane and careful with your equipment and don't make it suffer more than needed to get the best most spontaneous and extrems shots .

I've had my D700 (now sold) bump into more things then I would prefer while photographing urban exploring, now I've learned to be more careful and that almost never happens to my D4, for the luck I've mostly bumped just the camera (D700) and not the lenses and have never breaken anything. My D700 was very well used when I got it. I'm more careful with my D4 but had it falling in snow while a 2,5kg manfrotto tripod fall on top a mountain in extremely snowy and windy conditions. However it got caught and totally soaked by the snow.

About the durability of pro bodies (at least D700 which is thought to equal the D3 and hopefully D4? in quality), read this useful article: http://www.jimreedphoto.com/content.html?page=5