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What Exactly is "Splash Proof?"

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knittinggirl

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Just wondering what that means. I think they sell underwater housing, so iit must not be completely water proof.

At OlympusAmerica, it says, "Rain or snow, mud or dust – the E-M1 is ready for whatever mother nature can throw at it. Its rugged design expands your field of photography to any place on earth."

The mud is good, since it actually rained mud once.
 
knittinggirl said:
Just wondering what that means. I think they sell underwater housing, so iit must not be completely water proof.

At OlympusAmerica, it says, "Rain or snow, mud or dust – the E-M1 is ready for whatever mother nature can throw at it. Its rugged design expands your field of photography to any place on earth."

The mud is good, since it actually rained mud once.
Click to expand...
It is not waterproof. It can take moderate amounts of rain, being frozen, and splashes of mud and be rinsed over with running water. That's only if it has an accompanying weather sealed lens too. The camera isn't completely sealed off from the outside either- many lenses have to breathe, it's just constructed to be resistant.

The two worst things for camera weather sealed or not: sea water, and sand- more so sand.
 
mister_roboto said:
knittinggirl said:
Just wondering what that means. I think they sell underwater housing, so iit must not be completely water proof.

At OlympusAmerica, it says, "Rain or snow, mud or dust – the E-M1 is ready for whatever mother nature can throw at it. Its rugged design expands your field of photography to any place on earth."

The mud is good, since it actually rained mud once.
Click to expand...
It is not waterproof. It can take moderate amounts of rain, being frozen, and splashes of mud and be rinsed over with running water. That's only if it has an accompanying weather sealed lens too. The camera isn't completely sealed off from the outside either- many lenses have to breathe, it's just constructed to be resistant.

The two worst things for camera weather sealed or not: sea water, and sand- more so sand.
Click to expand...
Didn't know about the salt water & sand. But I'm not in the habit of swimming with my cameras. I assumed it was safe if on a table and someone knocked over their water glass. Which happened w/ my E-620. Being from Texas, I wish it was also heat proof. 104 degrees F doesn't work with 105-110 highs in the summer.
 
Just like those water proof watches, oblivious to rain or snow, but you don't want to submerge it deep in water because the water pressure, could force water into the camera, diving watches, and camera housings are a different build
 
If you go to the 4:45 mark in this Blunty video, you get a good description and illustration of what water resistant means for the EM-1.
 
some other cameras, but if you abuse it, you're on your own, and we determine the definition of "abuse."
 
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There are industrial test standards for various levels of waterproofing--the IPX rating being a common one--but Oly, to my knowledge, doesn't claim one. Much of my testing has been accidental, brought on by circumstances, but I've occasionally headed out in bad weather with my Oly stuff, just because. It's pretty nice having the confidence afforded by at least a layer of environmental shielding.




The E-M5 did better than my roof, this day.

Cheers,

Rick

--
"Whiskey is for drinking, digicams are for fighting over."
—Mark Twain
 
Skeeterbytes said:
There are industrial test standards for various levels of waterproofing--the IPX rating being a common one--but Oly, to my knowledge, doesn't claim one. Much of my testing has been accidental, brought on by circumstances, but I've occasionally headed out in bad weather with my Oly stuff, just because. It's pretty nice having the confidence afforded by at least a layer of environmental shielding.


The E-M5 did better than my roof, this day.

Cheers,

Rick

--
"Whiskey is for drinking, digicams are for fighting over."
—Mark Twain
Click to expand...
Living in a region known for having a misty, and rainy climate, more than a few times I've been photographing in weather like that you so nicely illustrate. And I know about the roof thing too.

Which leaves me very keenly aware of "weatherproofing". The capabilities of the E-M1 will no doubt equal those of the E-1/3/5. The 12-40mm will be very useful, along with its cohort zooms available or announced.

However there is a severe shortage of weatherproof primes. We should encourage the manufacturers to produce weather-resistant versions of the 12, 17, 20, 25, 45, 75mm lenses, as well as future UWA and Tele lenses. That's the biggest hole in the lens lineup for mFT.

Thanks for the photo, and stay dry!

Jules.

--
Artists must not only see, but see what they are seeing.
 
Is it safe to use the 14-54mm which is "drip proof?" I have the 50-200mm too, but not sure which model. Were they both drip proof?
 
knittinggirl said:
Is it safe to use the 14-54mm which is "drip proof?" I have the 50-200mm too, but not sure which model. Were they both drip proof?
Click to expand...
I can definitely vouch for the 14-54mm. It has more than lived up to the phrase "weather-resistant" in the near 10 years I've owned. I believe the Oly FT 50-200mm is at least as good in weather resistance. If that's wrong, surely someone will comment otherwise.

IMO saying "drip proof" is an underestimate. These lenses are more like "downpour proof". They may not survive a bath, but a shower? Not a problem...:-)

If you don't already have it, you'll need the MMF3, the weather-resistant FT to mFT adapter.

Jules.
 
3DrJ said:
knittinggirl said:
Is it safe to use the 14-54mm which is "drip proof?" I have the 50-200mm too, but not sure which model. Were they both drip proof?
Click to expand...
I can definitely vouch for the 14-54mm. It has more than lived up to the phrase "weather-resistant" in the near 10 years I've owned. I believe the Oly FT 50-200mm is at least as good in weather resistance. If that's wrong, surely someone will comment otherwise.

IMO saying "drip proof" is an underestimate. These lenses are more like "downpour proof". They may not survive a bath, but a shower? Not a problem...:-)

If you don't already have it, you'll need the MMF3, the weather-resistant FT to mFT adapter.

Jules.
Click to expand...
 
I've searched through the E-M1 manual several times, but so far as I can tell it doesn't really say anything about using the camera in rain, mist, etc. The closest it comes is when describing how to clean the camera; it does say the body can be wiped with a wrung out, moist cloth. And, in the Specifications section, under "Splash Resistance - Type", it says "Equivalent to IEC Standard publication 529 IPX1 (under OLYMPUS test conditions)". But, unless I've somehow overlooked it, that's all that's in the manual.

Has anyone come across any official documentation from Olympus that specifically tells the user under what weather conditions the camera CAN safely be used? As things currently stand, if I were to buy an E-M1 with the 12-40 lens, I'd be a bit leery of using it in the rain for fear of voiding the warranty.

Thanks
 
Doesn't it void the warranty to NOT use it as specified?




E-M1 and 12-40, Olympus display at PhotoPlus last week.



--
Art P
"I am a creature of contrast,
of light and shadow.
I live where the two play together,
I thrive on the conflict"
 

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I've seen the advertising. I've also seen similar photos of an E-M5 with beads of water standing on it.

I've also read posts from E-M5 owners who used their cameras in the rain, suffered water damage, and then had their warranty claims turned down. The E-M5 manual, like the E-M1's, has an entry in the specifications for weather sealing, but otherwise provides no information in the manual about using the camera in inclement weather.

So, my questions remains: has anyone found an official E-M1 Olympus document that actually provides information and guidance regarding the camera's weather sealing, and under what conditions it can (and should not) be used?
 
See my earlier reply.
 
knittinggirl said:
3DrJ said:
knittinggirl said:
Is it safe to use the 14-54mm which is "drip proof?" I have the 50-200mm too, but not sure which model. Were they both drip proof?
Click to expand...
I can definitely vouch for the 14-54mm. It has more than lived up to the phrase "weather-resistant" in the near 10 years I've owned. I believe the Oly FT 50-200mm is at least as good in weather resistance. If that's wrong, surely someone will comment otherwise.

IMO saying "drip proof" is an underestimate. These lenses are more like "downpour proof". They may not survive a bath, but a shower? Not a problem...:-)

If you don't already have it, you'll need the MMF3, the weather-resistant FT to mFT adapter.

Jules.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
3DrJ said:
knittinggirl said:
3DrJ said:
knittinggirl said:
Is it safe to use the 14-54mm which is "drip proof?" I have the 50-200mm too, but not sure which model. Were they both drip proof?
Click to expand...
I can definitely vouch for the 14-54mm. It has more than lived up to the phrase "weather-resistant" in the near 10 years I've owned. I believe the Oly FT 50-200mm is at least as good in weather resistance. If that's wrong, surely someone will comment otherwise.

IMO saying "drip proof" is an underestimate. These lenses are more like "downpour proof". They may not survive a bath, but a shower? Not a problem...:-)

If you don't already have it, you'll need the MMF3, the weather-resistant FT to mFT adapter.

Jules.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
knittinggirl said:
Just wondering what that means. I think they sell underwater housing, so iit must not be completely water proof.

At OlympusAmerica, it says, "Rain or snow, mud or dust – the E-M1 is ready for whatever mother nature can throw at it. Its rugged design expands your field of photography to any place on earth."

The mud is good, since it actually rained mud once.
Click to expand...
A term used to imply you can subject a piece of equipment to water yet non-specific enough to entale no responsibility if that product is damaged by water. So get it wet as much as you want, its not covered by warranty.
 
happypoppeye said:
knittinggirl said:
Just wondering what that means. I think they sell underwater housing, so iit must not be completely water proof.

At OlympusAmerica, it says, "Rain or snow, mud or dust – the E-M1 is ready for whatever mother nature can throw at it. Its rugged design expands your field of photography to any place on earth."

The mud is good, since it actually rained mud once.
Click to expand...
A term used to imply you can subject a piece of equipment to water yet non-specific enough to entale no responsibility if that product is damaged by water. So get it wet as much as you want, its not covered by warranty.
Click to expand...
Found this in their standard One Year Limited Warranty.

What's not covered . . .

defects or damage to the Products resulting from wear, tear, misuse, abuse, negligence,
sand, liquids . . .
 
Corkcampbell said:
some other cameras, but if you abuse it, you're on your own, and we determine the definition of "abuse."
Click to expand...
I believe you are correct in your interpretation, and also on why they don't provide more guidance on what one can and can not do with the camera under adverse conditions. If the manual said "you can use it in a gentle drizzle with no wind", some idiot would interpret that to mean they could take it out in a Force 5 hurricane / typhoon, and then sue Olympus because it quit working.

Not that it's a deal breaker for me; at 67 I try to avoid standing in any kind of rain or bad snowstorm anyway.
 
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