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How weather resistant is a 5DMK2 really?

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neuroanatomist:
I don't know of any authoritative sources on this.  My statements are based on information in the Canon Camera Museum and statements made by Chuck Westfall.

I agree that there won't be formal testing on this (who can afford to test these things to failure?).  There are ISO standards for shock and water resistance of some product lines (e.g. watches), and there some products that publish specifications for their resistance (e.g. I have a GPS unit that can be dropped from 1 meter and submerged in up to 3 meters of water).  Shock resistance, in particular, becomes an issue for a camera with internal moving parts that must be carefully aligned with other parts.

Personally, I have taken my 7D + 24-105mm f/4L IS out in rain showers - I wouldn't call them downpours, but definitely more than mist or drizzle, enough that I needed a raincoat and my hair was soaking wet when I came in.

I suspect the other contributing factor is build tolerances.  So, two different lines may have similar types of sealing, but the line with tighter build tolerances will actually be more water resistant.  Reportedly, build tolerances are much tighter for 1-series cameras than for other bodies.

Cannon Man:
Even on the eos-1 manuals they say that " this camera is a precision instrument. Do not drop it or subject it to physical shock" and the working temperature range is 0-45c (32-113F)and humidity is 85% or less.

Now obviously 1 series cameras are designed to take moew punishment than that, though they do ensure that the camera will work perfectly.

I have owned a 5D Mark II and i currently use two 1D Mark IV bodies.

The 5D II has weather sealing to some degree.. Still i didnt take risks when it was raining because it wont survive very long in the rain for sure, i have heard stories that water has got through the seals after about 20 minutes in moderate rain.

I have dared to use the 1DIV bodies in moderate/slightly heavy rain for about an hour at a time and had no problems.
Im not the kind who wants to test them to the limits and im sure they would endure but i dont want to find out.

The 7D should have equal seals as the 1D IIN so it should be ok.

Its totally up to you how far you want to take it :)

awinphoto:

--- Quote from: unfocused on October 26, 2011, 11:58:18 AM ---Pardon my ignorance, but does anyone know of a good source (whitepaper/backgrounder/etc.) that explains weathersealing and shockresistance.

I know Canon doesn't say much other than vague statements (no doubt to avoid liability) and I've watched the great video of the low-end Canon and Nikon cameras being absolutely destroyed, but I do get a bit confused about this whole issue.

Do people seriously take their cameras out in rainstorms and shoot with no protection? Are we talking about just getting a little surface moisture on a camera from a light mist, or are we talking about full-on downpours? I think I remember seeing an article once about a National Geographic shooter covering a dye festival in India and then hosing his 1 series camera off afterward.

I admit I tend to baby my equipment as far as moisture goes, although I've hard my share of accidental drops, bangs and bashings.

Just curious what the parameters are or if there is any knowledgeable source of information on this subject.

--- End quote ---

Shock Resistance, I could not tell you... worst cases I've had personally is my toddler grabbing my 7D off the kitchen table and dropping it about 2-3 feet to the floor... No damage and kept plugging along (after I let my heart settle a bit)... Water resistance I think DPR has diagrams of where the weather sealings/gaskets are on cameras they review... As far as other tests or more authoritative info on exactly how much water is allowed and this and that, I'm afraid the University of Google is your best bet if you can find that info... I've taken my 7D in snow storms and light rain without protection and haven't had a problem... I vaguely remember reading one guy who brought a bunch of 5d II's to Antarctica on a photo expedition on boats and whatnot (shortly after the 5d 2 was released) and had failures galore saying moisture got into the battery compartment (on gripped bodies) and they had to remove the battery grips and or let them dry overnight... I think he said most worked after they dried but some didn't... I guess I'd err on the side of common sense... If in doubt, protect your gear. 

unfocused:

--- Quote ---Even on the eos-1 manuals they say that " this camera is a precision instrument. Do not drop it or subject it to physical shock" and the working temperature range is 0-45c (32-113F)and humidity is 85% or less.
--- End quote ---

Well, this brings up another, maybe more practical question. I've always wondered about the temperature tolerances/guidelines that Canon (and others) publish. The range seems very narrow to me. (I mean, who actually keeps their camera above freezing in the winter. And, while going above 113 F is a little less likely, it's pretty easy to do on a hot summer day if you have to leave your camera in a car for even a short period.)

What are the consequences and are they permanent or temporary? I've certainly done plenty of shooting at below freezing and never noticed any ill effects. I don't regularly leave the camera inside a hot car in the summer, but I've probably thrown it in the trunk on occasion when traveling.

Is it the electronics, the sensor, the battery, the lubricants, some combination of all? Will the camera recover once its cooled down or does it permanently fry something?

Mt Spokane Photography:
I've used my 5D MK II in light rain with no problems, Humidity is very low in our area when it gets cold, so I never hesitate to use it in the snow or temperatures down to the teens for a short period. 

No ordinary DSLR camera is vapor proof, (some of the water proof ones may be reasonably vapor proof for a short period) so taking a DSLR from a warm humid room out into very cold weather is a formula for disaster.  Moisture will condense inside the camera and then freeze if it doesn't short out things first.

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