Water resistance of the SL's competitors - pity they didn't test the SL

[LocalHero1953]

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This

 

FWIW, I have had the SL and 24-90 zoom out in medium rain without any problems.

 

I wish the industry would get together and agree a definite standard for water/weather resistance.

[Irakly Shanidze]

have you ever seen a Rolls Royce in a "best of the year" car lineup?

[steveBK]

The Sony dying is not surprising.

I recall when the A7/A7r originally came out, Sony was claiming some amount of weather-resistance which they quickly walked back (wiped from web) when people complained of dead cameras.

 

I had the A7s & A7rII.  Fine cameras, but not for me.

There is no comparison for weather resistance though, they are nowhere near as robust as the Leica SL/M cameras I have used.

Lots of mechanisms that look like an easy place for water to get in.

The whole rear LCD tilt mechanism made me nervous that I'd bend it and/or water would accumulate and rust within it.

[LD_50]

There are standards for water/weather resistance. IP Codes are pretty well defined. 

 

Most electronics manufacturers don't use them. It would add cost if they manufactured to something like IPX6 or higher.

[frame-it]

does any camera company even follow these standards ?

 

 

 

 

The IP code is made up of two digits. The first digit indicates the level of protection against solid bodies and the second digit indicates the level of protection against liquids. The higher the digit, the better the protection.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that these evaluations are not only based on dust and water protection but also on water pressure protection, among other things. In addition, ratings are rather objective: it’s not the manufacturer that assigns them but the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). You can see below what each of the digits in an IP code mean.

 

First digit Meaning
0
No protection (this can also be represented with an X)
1
Protection against solid objects measuring up to 50 mm³
2
Protection against solid bodies measuring up to 12 mm³
3
Protection against solid objects measuring up to 2.5 mm³
4
Protection against solid objects measuring up to 1 mm³
5
Protection against dust, limited ingress of dust (posing no risk to the device)  
6
Complete protection against dust


Second digit Meaning
0
No protection (this can also be represented with an X)
1
Protection against vertically dripping water (condensation)
2
Protection against water spray when vertically tilted at 15°
3
Protection against water projections at any vertical angle up to 60°
4
Protection against water projections from all directions – minor ingress
5
Protection against jets of water from all directions – minor ingress
6
Protection against slight jets of water, limited ingress (under the casing, for example)
7
Protection against effects from immersion in liquids between 15 cm and 1 m in depth
8
Protection against long immersion periods and water pressure

 

 

 

Ultimately, it’s important to understand that protection against immersion is directly linked to water pressure. This means that damages will be more significant if the device is exposed to a powerful jet of water than if it falls into a puddle.
 

[Timkr]

What is the SL rating?

[frame-it]

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Dunno... but the screenshot of the user manual is "quite" clear

 

 

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[thomasstellwag]

these IP codes are for machines, that are sealed, or not and not manipulated by the user

I own a Nikon 1AW, which can dive below 10m, means over 1 bar pressure form the outside, but here the connection lens/camera is sealed by a O-ring with silicone grease on it and has to be checked regularly by Nikon service.

For me the weak point is the lens mount - all other places might be able to seal for strong rain, this the place where I take care, using my other gear in rain. I cannot imagine a camera producer giving IP promises for a system and user might influence , even with 3rd party lenses.

Edited January 8, 2018 by thomasstellwag

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I've gotten my Sony's wet in torrential rain. No problems. Just didn't let water near the battery door. It's a weak point.

 

On the other hand I haven't hosed them (gently), which I have done with both my Olympus and SL bodies (with the appropriate lenses) to get sand off them. At the SL launch Leica Australia was pouring glasses of water over the SL all night.

 

Gordon

[scott kirkpatrick]

With the SL, I would be fairly confident with an L lens but nervous about the electronics contained in the R to L and M to L adapters, plus the seals at the M and R lens interfaces.

 

But I really do intend to protect my CL.  Those buttons on the top worry me with respect to possible leak entry points.  Has anyone seen a teardown or cutaway model to know if there are seals inside?  But Leica has taken care of little things -- I noticed that the final, shipped product has an opening to let sweat and moisture drain away from the eye-detection sensor into the larger area of the viewfinder cover glass.  I think that change was made at the very last moment, after Jono Slack and probably others had had problems with the eye sensor getting fouled.  I have an Olympus E-M5.2 with a clogged sensor from the same situation, no where for sweat to drain. 

 

I thought the Imaging Resource testing was quite fair and thoughtful, and well-reported as well.  A healthy influence.

[LocalHero1953]

I recall an early post here or on FB from someone who took the new SL and zoom out in a small boat in the tropics. It was held over the side to take a shot near water level, but the boat rolled: the shot posted was a nice underwater shot. The SL, after rinsing, was unharmed.

[geetee1972]

 

but nervous about the electronics contained in the R to L and M to L adapters, plus the seals at the M and R lens interfaces.

 

So you should be. The SL with an M lens is categorically not water or weather resistant as I have found out. I got very lucky and the camera started working again after an hour of dry time but I resolved then never to let it near rain again.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Absolutely. Anything but an SL lens and all bets are off.

 

Gordon

[lx1713]

Have shot under tropical downpours. Soaked with seawater and sand. So far pretty good after a rinse. I was careful to treat it like a precision instrument even under those conditions because backups can be inconvenient to pull out. I would say as good as my 1D cameras.