5d2 weathersealing

Just a stupid question. This is Canon's info regarding weathersealing in 5d2:

"Water resistance: 10 mm rain in 3 minutes"

What the hell does this mean?
The camera can be 10mm underwater? It holds on under rain for 3 minutes? It doesn't die with 10mm of rain and only for 3 minutes? Or will it explode after 3 minutes?

I wouldn't take it out in rain.

^ Key word is "water resistance" and not "waterproof"... Two different animals to say the least...

- airbutchie

10mm of rain in 3 minutes is a rate of rainfall that it can withstand.

Thx Adam, i thought rain was measured in mm/area or volume.

So, in practice, we should get a recipient with an area equals to a raindrop diamater and a ruller, and we shoot with the 5d2 until the water reaches 1cm? lol, amazing canon!

If you put a glass of water (or, preferably, a rain gauge) outside and it's filled with 10mm (or 1cm, i.e. 0.4 inch) of water in one hour, that means the rain is "10mm/hour", which is considered "heavy rainfall" (rated between 5 and 15mm/hour if I remember correctly).

Canon says that in this type of rainfall you can have your camera out for 3 minutes. In other words, if what Canon says holds true, that is quite weather resistant for this type of goods.

Hope that clears things up for you.

Yes, it is measured in mm per area, and this is a convention (metric system). Canon is just suggesting the rate in which the camera can withstand.

Then again, why would you want to take out such an expensive piece of equipment out in such weather. I wouldn't

Well, after the jokes, and retaining what's important, seems that the camera is nicely sealed, although not perfect.

fungry, i agree, i won't take my future one in the rain. Even a 1d i would be relutant to take it into the rain, but probably warranty would cover that. But how the hell could you prove canon the rain rate at a certain time if the camera dies because of that? We can always buy an underwater case ahah

I have no hesitation taking my 1D MKIII out in the rain at all.
In fact a few months ago I was at Niagara Falls with some family and got on the maid of the mist. Got drenched. My 1D MKIII + 24-105 (Both sealed) got absolutely soaked, dripping with water. I mean might as well pour a bucket full of water on the thing.

Not one problem...

Would I do that with the 5D MKII? Probably not, being that Canon is kinda vague about the level of the seals. Incidental rain shouldn't be a problem. Heck my the 5D classic handled that, no problem. Sustained rain? Dunno...

My concern is the lens on the camera. While different canon bodies may or may not have water resistance or some type of seal, what about the lens? Doesn't do a shooter much good if the lens is not weather sealed. Maybe I'm wrong here but I don't see how you can weather seal a lens.

If it's raining hard I'm going to have a bag or housing around my cam or set up shutter/aperature/focu​s and pull the cam out from my rain jacket real quick and squeeze the shutter - then back in the jacket it goes. Hopefully you won't get a waterdrop on the lens.

When I was shooting up in the Andes mountains in NW Argentina it was real dusty. I got a whole lot of dust particles inside the lens - an EFS 17-85 IS on a 20D. Deoesn't appear to affect the pics but if this was a video cam lens with this much dust - I'd be doomed!

Somba1 wrote in post #6814121
My concern is the lens on the camera. While different canon bodies may or may not have water resistance or some type of seal, what about the lens? Doesn't do a shooter much good if the lens is not weather sealed. Maybe I'm wrong here but I don't see how you can weather seal a lens.

If it's raining hard I'm going to have a bag or housing around my cam or set up shutter/aperature/focu​s and pull the cam out from my rain jacket real quick and squeeze the shutter - then back in the jacket it goes. Hopefully you won't get a waterdrop on the lens.

When I was shooting up in the Andes mountains in NW Argentina it was real dusty. I got a whole lot of dust particles inside the lens - an EFS 17-85 IS on a 20D. Deoesn't appear to affect the pics but if this was a video cam lens with this much dust - I'd be doomed!

A good portion of Canon's L lenses are wether sealed. All the super telephotos AFAIK and the 70-200 2.8 lenses. Could be others but I'm not sure. Also to complete the seal, lenses with screw-on filter capability need a filter on the front.

I've shot it drizzle and light rain before. I have also shot on numerous occasions around water, sea spray, and occasional splashing. I was using a standard 5D with no weather sealing. I am just careful not to get the camera "WET." Sometimes you cannot avoid being away from water if that's what your shot involves.

Rain is not the only source of water. Ever shot in a jungle? Ever had sweat completely run over the camera?

Any kind of sealing helps in a variety of conditions. My 5D has stood up to conditions well, I figure having any weather sealing with the mkII will be even more piece of mind.

Knowing whether your gear is suited to the environment you are intending to bring it in is half the battle, no?

The 20D and the 17-85 are not weather sealed.

My 1D MKIII and 24-105L are. Now I wouldn't go dunking the combo in a pool or anything like that, but a little "weather" really doesn't concern me.

Now if I had my 35L or 85L mounted, that would be an entirely different story. They aren't seal and don't have the rubber ring by the mount. In fact it would be foolish of me to expose them to extreme elements.

Looking at mine I'd say that the 3 small holes for the mic are the only real issue for HEAVY rain. Everything else looks very weather resistant and I am not going to worry about it any more or less. The only issue I have with it is that there is a small rubber cover on the bottom for the extension terminal. It's not connected to anything and I can see this getting lost. It is in there pretty firm so it "shouldn't" be an issue for me.

Not doubt Canon's legal dept. insisted they say "water resistant" rather than "waterproof".

While we're on the subject, it's going to be below freezing here for the next several months, with the occasional day in the upper 30's 40's. Canon's lit says operating temp down to 32 degrees Farhenheit.

Anyone shot at freezing or below?