Question about lack of weather sealing

[sebas1430]

Hi,

I'm a X-Tx user but I really love this X-S10 for 1) IBIS 2) deep grip 3) compact body 4) unlabelled dials (I never use ISO and speed dials anyway on my X-Tx as I prefer front/back dials).

In fact, if that camera shape and layout existed few years ago, I would have bought this one rather than a X-Tx.

I can live with smaller EVF but I'm not sure about weather sealing. The X-S10 seems pretty well built for its class, but as my main camera that I use anywhere (outdoors activities, travel), would you consider this a big issue?

Let's be honest, I'm shooting in light rain or snow just a few times a year. Sometimes it can be cold in winter, but the X-S10 is still rated to work at -10 Celcius.

What do you think? I always had weather sealed cameras but not always using weather sealed lenses. I'm wondering if it's a real issue or no. 

Thanks

[CatsAreGods]

All I can say is what I went through in my own head before buying mine. I've had a number of fairly decent cameras over the years, both analog and digital, and shot in lots of different conditions including rain and snow and sand. I never even heard of a "weather-sealed camera" before a few years ago, but I never had any trouble because I always protected my camera with my outerwear or even plastic bags when necessary.

I've carried a few disposable camera rain covers in my bag for the last 6 years or so, but never had the occasion to take them out of their package. But I'm sure that if I got caught in a downpour, they'd protect my X-S10 just fine. And if you also only encounter adverse weather on relatively rare occasions, that's probably all you'd need too.

Edit: all my Fuji lenses are weather-sealed, so that's another thing to consider.

Edited February 20, 2021 by CatsAreGods
thought of something else, as usual

[Greybeard]

7 hours ago, CatsAreGods said:

Edit: all my Fuji lenses are weather-sealed, so that's another thing to consider.

I've thought about this - and wondered if the weather proofing of the lens made any difference to moisture (or anything else) getting into the camera at the mount.

I don't see any difference on either the camera or lens side between weatherproofed or non-weatherproofed lenses or cameras.

[gjolden@gmail.com]

try this one (if you didn't already...)

 

https://www.thephoblographer.com/2020/12/18/fujifilm-xs10-weather-sealing/

[Herco]

There's always a lot of debate about the value of weather sealing. First of all, weather-resistance is not absolute. In fact, Fujifilm doesn't provide any information as to the quality or WR or the tests that cameras and lenses need to pass. That means that we have no clue to what extend the WR-badge 'protects'. To my knowledge only Leica provides you with an IP-rating which indicates what standardized tests the camera and/or lens is able to pass. Fuji's -10 C claim is a quite generic one. The past 35 years I haven't had cameras unable to operate at -10 C. Regardless of brand or the WR-status.

The weakest point of an ILC is obviously the lens mount. You should avoid changing lenses under challenging conditions unless you can provide protection against direct impact. That means that lenses with rubber gaskets also protect the weakest point of a non-WR camera.

In my experience (I meet a lot of enthusiasts in workshops) most amateurs are quite meticulous about their camera and lenses. Just some generic TLC will go a long way, also for non-WR cameras. Submerging your camera or leaving it unprotected in a downpour or snowstorm, can lead to immediate failure. If not, then you were lucky. WR only protects a little against that but not entirely (not at all to submerging by the way).

The real issue is the long-term threat. Dust and moisture gradually builds-up inside the camera and starts corroding the contacts and print boards, resulting in strange and erratic failures until complete shutdown. WR helps a little bit in this area. But when your camera survives the rain, it doesn't mean that you're in the clear. Always wipe dry your camera. Esp. around the dials and buttons. Also when your camera is WR. If the elements are really severe (monsoon season or arctic winters) I would always use a rain cover. Regardless of WR or not.

Sometimes people claim that WR doesn't make a difference at all and that most cameras in repair are actually WR. That's a bit misleading imo. Cameras in repair are usually the more expensive cameras, where repair is worthwhile. These more expensive cameras are mostly WR, so that messes-up the statistics. Next to that, these are also the cameras mostly used under severe conditions, so eligible to more potential damage. Esp. when their owners have complete faith in the WR-badge.

So, in short, if you like the X-S10 and you apply a little TLC it shouldn't be a problem. Just avoid the severest of conditions and if not possible, use one of these cheap plastic rain covers.

[SimonW]

I agree with all that's been said above, hence my decision to buy XS10 rather than XT4. The reputation of Pentax was that if it got covered in mud you could wash it under a running tap. I never tried that but was happy to use it in briefly in heavy rain and desert sandstorms and never had a problem. I wouldn't be that confident in such circumstances without weather sealing and would use poly bag and chamois even in less extreme conditions.

It's often the small doors covering SD slots, batteries etc that aren't sealed, and some times cable and microphone or remote shutter sockets have no cover at all. Sealing a pop-up flash isn't easy either. Worth protecting those points if you're out in weather you want to protect yourself from.