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Sony on A7R Weatherproof question

Georg Baumann

Subscriber Member
Hi,

Fwiw, I contacted Sony asking about their claims of dust and moisture factors.

I asked:

I have a question regarding the A7R press release where it states that:

With a tough magnesium alloy body that’s dust- and moisture-resistant, the α7R weighs in at just 407g (body only) as the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens camera with a full-frame sensor.

Can you be more specific with regards to the dust and moisture protection? I wonder whether this statement can be substantiated via the official ingress protection rating code any further. If I were to shoot in the pouring rains of NW Ireland and the A7R and attached Zeiss 35 /f.28 are exposed to such weather conditions for any length of time, can I expect to be on the safe side?

I can not find any information on how many seals are used and a review of the canadian THE CAMERA STORE speaks of no seals to be found in the card slot for example, and this would worry me naturally.
Sony's answer:

Hi Georg,

As I said in my previous note, we are not making any IP Rating claims. The A7R was designed with dust and moisture protection in mind, but we do not make any guarantees for pictures taken in the rain.

I appreciate that this is probably not the answer you were looking for and I apologise about that.

Best,
David
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Thanks!

I suspect that a lot of their claims about the "new" sensors also would fall in this category. Although, there will be no clear answers (either from Nikon or Sony) to confirm or deny them.
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
So, it's GUARANTEED up to IP00 ;);)

In fact, do other manufacturers guarantee anything in regard of Ingress Protection,when they claim moisture and dust protection ?

C U,
Rafael
 
V

Vivek

Guest
So, it's GUARANTEED up to IP00 ;);)

In fact, do other manufacturers guarantee anything in regard of Ingress Protection,when they claim moisture and dust protection ?

C U,
Rafael
The Nikon AW1 is rated to IP-6.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
No one is really falling for this "weather protection" in A7/7R. The biggest selling point is the huge sensor in a tiny package (perhaps even smaller than the OMD with a small sensor).
 

pophoto

New member
Dust and moisture protection has always been in my opinion, just that, regular protection from dust and moisture, and not waterproofing of any sort!

With that said i have taken non waterproof camera out in light rain and keep it covered until i need the shot, and covered when not. i guess the A7R will do better :)
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
{sarcasm}
Gosh, I thought my E-M1 would rival a Nikonos! ...
{/sarcasm}

LOL! I'm just constantly amazed at the level of nitpickiness of the modern camera enthusiast world.

G
 
V

Vivek

Guest
{sarcasm}
Gosh, I thought my E-M1 would rival a Nikonos! ...
{/sarcasm}

LOL! I'm just constantly amazed at the level of nitpickiness of the modern camera enthusiast world.

G
I am not amazed since the EM1 and select lenses sport a "PRO" designation. :p
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I am not amazed since the EM1 and select lenses sport a "PRO" designation. :p
What does that matter? Do the photos of an E-M1 sitting in a shower with water running all around it not convince you that the weather sealing works ok? Or does some legally constraining cited specification compliance mean more to you than actual capability?

Sheesh.

My Nikon F was never rated "pro". It defined pro. And it was not weather sealed ... it just worked whether it was wet or not.

G
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
{sarcasm}
Gosh, I thought my E-M1 would rival a Nikonos! ...
{/sarcasm}

LOL! I'm just constantly amazed at the level of nitpickiness of the modern camera enthusiast world.

G
Godfrey, maybe, this explains that ???

San Jose, California :
Because of this, the city is somewhat more sheltered from rain, giving it a semiarid feel with a mean annual rainfall of 15.82 in (402 mm)

Brussels, Belgium :
Brussels experiences an oceanic climate. There are approximately 200 days of rain per year in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Precipitation mm (inches) : 852.4 (33.559)

Maybe, just maybe ?

C U,
Rafael
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
2 gallon zip lock bag. Always been my weather protection and its disposable . Lol

Actually in Maine Ed and I shot both our tech cams of Bass Harbor lighthouse in the pouring rain with out tech cams. 100k worth of gear protected by 50 cent bags. We both got the shot and went to breakfast afterwards. ROTFLMAO

Bottom line it works.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Godfrey, maybe, this explains that ???

San Jose, California :
Because of this, the city is somewhat more sheltered from rain, giving it a semiarid feel with a mean annual rainfall of 15.82 in (402 mm)

Brussels, Belgium :
Brussels experiences an oceanic climate. There are approximately 200 days of rain per year in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Precipitation mm (inches) : 852.4 (33.559)

Maybe, just maybe ?

C U,
Rafael
Explains what?

I love shooting trees in fog. The San Franciso Bay Area is well known for dense and persistent fog throughout the morning for a good bit of the year. Fog so dense that yesterday morning I could not even see the trees fifteen feet away and my clothes were soaked after shooting for five minutes.

I don't have to live in Brussels to want weather sealing for various shooting needs. On the other hand, my Nikon F has none yet continues to work just fine.

G
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
I think we just need to sit back and wait for these to come out on the market before any intelligent conversation can be made for or against it. Right now we're all stuck in the same limbo place of reading what the manufacture wants us to read. The way I see it is that most if not all information from Sony is weighted more to a marketing sense that a real world sense. The few actual write up/videos have all be made from testing a prototype and not the actual camera that's soon to be on the shelves. So far I'm interested but willing to wait.

Just my 2-cents worth
 
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