Weather Sealing Torture Test: Canon, Olympus, Nikon Pass.. Sony?

[Canon Rumors Guy]

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<p>The folks at Imaging Resource decided to do a weather sealing torture test to help them decide on their favourite camera of 2017. It came down to the Nikon D850 and the Sony A7R III.</p>
<p>For some added fun, they also included two cameras from 2016, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the Olympus E-M1 Mark II.</p>

<p>While the Canon and Olympus passed with flying colors, the Nikon D850 had one minor hiccup that was rectified with the hot shoe cover. However, the Sony had a bit more trouble... the camera stopped working.</p>
<p>Check the video above or read the <a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/articles/2017-weather-testing-nikon-d850-vs-sony-a7riii-canon-5div-olympus-e-m1II">in-depth review here</a>.</p>
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[Aussie shooter]

Surprised about the nikon. Not surprised about the sony.

 

[woodman411]

This mirrors (no pun intended) my observations and experience with build quality: Canon > Nikon > Sony , no experience with Olympus.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Real life roshambo: rock > scissors, scissors > paper, paper > rock

CR forum roshambo: Sony sensor > Canon sensor, Canon camera > water, water > Sony camera

 

[Talys]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing it

The takeaway is that if you own an A7RII/III, keep it out of the rain and definitely away from the shoreline (where there might be a mist of salt water). That was only two 15 minute tests -- if you were out there for hours, the Sony would probably be toast. It was particularly bad that the water got into the shutter blades, battery compartment and basically everything else inside.

If I owned an A7RIII and it got water in it to the degree shown in the article, I'd send it in to be serviced by Sony before using it again. In my opinion, the potential for fires with lithium batteries is just too high. Plus, there may be cavities where water can enter, but which not particularly exposed and are problematic for evaporation.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

Real life roshambo: rock > scissors, scissors > paper, paper > rock

CR forum roshambo: Sony sensor > Canon sensor, Canon camera > water, water > Sony camera

Ha!

 

[ecqns]

The takeaway is that if you own an A7RII/III, keep it out of the rain and definitely away from the shoreline (where there might be a mist of salt water).

The second test - the persistent mist - was held after the first heavy soaking one, so its fair to say the the camera needed to be dried out more before trying the second test. I've used my Sony a7R and a7RII cameras in misty conditions and never had trouble. So while I wouldn't shoot in heavy rain anyway, I'd say you shouldn't have to worry about a shoreline situation with the Sony cameras.

 

[jolyonralph]

I wouldn't dream of taking my A7RII out in anything other than good weather. It's just too risky.

My 5DSR however just survived being outdoor in dreadful rain for days in the Scottish highlands. It coped with the weather far better than I did.

 

[Don Haines]

This mirrors (no pun intended) my observations and experience with build quality: Canon > Nikon > Sony , no experience with Olympus.

The Olympus build is on par with Canon.... they are tough little cameras!

 

[Don Haines]

The sony needs a hole in the bottom to let the water out....

 

[Karlbug]

I wonder how lower tiered bodies like 80D or 6DII would handle the test. The 80D probably not.

This is really enlightening to me as I'm planning a trip to Vietnam this summer and I realized I need a WS body... I guess I can strike out the Sony. ;D

 

[Adelino]

Can't the Sony 4K just overheat and evaporate the water out?

 

[Besisika]

Real life roshambo: rock > scissors, scissors > paper, paper > rock

CR forum roshambo: Sony sensor > Canon sensor, Canon camera > water, water > Sony camera

Ha!

Ha Ha Ha!

 

[StoicalEtcher]

The sony needs a hole in the bottom to let the water out....

Or couldn't you just turn it upside down and let it all drain out again..?

 

[ethanz]

Can't the Sony 4K just overheat and evaporate the water out?

lol. Good idea!

 

[ethermine]

No surprises there. They all produce fantastic images, but after watching one of my favorite adventure photographers Chris Burkard laugh about how he's destroyed yet another Sony camera while photographing near water, or rainy conditions, It's made me appreciate my Canon gear all the more for being able to survive all the torture I've subjected them to across the globe. Then again, I'd happily shoot, and I probably wouldn't worry much about my Sony gear getting destroyed if Sony gave me gear like candy.

It would bug me knowing I wouldn't be able to completely rely on my gear under those conditions, though.

 

[tmroper]

I took a great portrait workshop once with a retired conflict photographer (retired from the conflict stuff, not photography), and he berated the class for complaining about going out in the rain to go find people on the street to shoot. Many, I think, were worried their precious, expensive cameras might get damaged. But clients/editors don't care one bit about your weather excuses, and that's what he was trying to impart. For some photographers, both they and their gear need to be as weather-resistant as possible.

 

[woodman411]

No surprises there. They all produce fantastic images, but after watching one of my favorite adventure photographers Chris Burkard laugh about how he's destroyed yet another Sony camera while photographing near water, or rainy conditions, It's made me appreciate my Canon gear all the more for being able to survive all the torture I've subjected them to across the globe. Then again, I'd happily shoot, and I probably wouldn't worry much about my Sony gear getting destroyed if Sony gave me gear like candy.

It would bug me knowing I wouldn't be able to completely rely on my gear under those conditions, though.

You can't rely on Sony when it's hot (overheating). You can't rely on Sony when it's wet (weather sealing). You can't rely on Sony for shooting stars (star eating). You can't rely on Sony for studio work (stopped-down focusing). What's next?

 

[Don Haines]

I took a great portrait workshop once with a retired conflict photographer (retired from the conflict stuff, not photography), and he berated the class for complaining about going out in the rain to go find people on the street to shoot. Many, I think, were worried their precious, expensive cameras might get damaged. But clients/editors don't care one bit about your weather excuses, and that's what he was trying to impart. For some photographers, both they and their gear need to be as weather-resistant as possible.

And that is why I carry a 7D2 and an Olympus tough for when it really gets nasty..... any camera with three underwater modes laughs at a little rain!

 

[Don Haines]

No surprises there. They all produce fantastic images, but after watching one of my favorite adventure photographers Chris Burkard laugh about how he's destroyed yet another Sony camera while photographing near water, or rainy conditions, It's made me appreciate my Canon gear all the more for being able to survive all the torture I've subjected them to across the globe. Then again, I'd happily shoot, and I probably wouldn't worry much about my Sony gear getting destroyed if Sony gave me gear like candy.

It would bug me knowing I wouldn't be able to completely rely on my gear under those conditions, though.

You can't rely on Sony when it's hot (overheating). You can't rely on Sony when it's wet (weather sealing). You can't rely on Sony for shooting stars (star eating). You can't rely on Sony for studio work (stopped-down focusing). What's next?

You can't rely on Sony. PERIOD!