Weather Sealing is a Gimmick.

MichaelKJ wrote:

Brian Wadie wrote:

when I am stood on the beach shooting Kite / windsurfers with an on-shore force 6 wind, spume, sand and seaweed flying through the air and its hissing with rain I can assure you weather sealing is a gimmick I wouldn't be without (especially when it comes to washing the salt and crud off afterwards )

Have you ever had a non-weathersealed camera damaged in those conditions?

Yes,

and don't forget to put that protection filter on the end of the lens, another very useful gimmick that has saved me a few bob over the years, much better to scratch a filter than the front element of my lens

How do you know it has saved you money?

This remains a controversial topic:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7333331953/should-you-use-a-uv-filter-on-your-lens

because a long time ago I scratched the front element of a lens when trying to clean the salt muck off when shooting such action. Since then I have always used a filter in such conditions and had to replace a couple of protection filters but never again a lens element

Have you ever shot in these conditions and if so, how was it for you? (how did you keep the kit clean a dry and prevent salt water corrosion)

Be clear, I only ever use a protection filter when shooting in these conditions, for all normal use the lens hood provides all the protection I need and I use the bare lens

I can't really see what your point is that you are trying so hard to make, if you don't want or need to use weather sealed kit for your photography, good for you, but some of us do and it should cause you no problem as we don't ask or expect you to follow our example