Hey all,
I am moving into a new system, after using the X2DII system for a while. I wanted something that could take weather better, but can also using adapted lenses better. I am torn between the Nikon Z8 and Sony A7R VI. I am curious if anyone has experience with the newer Sony cameras weather sealing, the A7R V or VI ideally. I have used an A7S II and A7R II and neither was ideal, but ive heard its better now.
I don't know if anyone can give a useful answer regarding Sony.
I had numerous Canon 1 Series DSLRs. They have a reputation of having very good sealing.
I once put my approx 10 year old 1DS2 under a running tap to wash salt water off it and also 1D4 to wash off a coffee spill and another time salt water. Both survived without issue. A friends near new 1DX failed after being exposed to light rain. It came good after about 10 days in a dry cabinet.
Recently my Sony dropin Circular Polariser seized. It was water damage. I could not remember any rain exposure. Maybe a single drop of water off a tree. Possible I could experience further issue with the lens.
The way I see it, if I was a working Pro and doing well, or using company equipment, I'd risk water ingress. Otherwise, I don't want to test the sealing.
If you want the best full-frame weather sealing, get a Leica SL3, SL3-S or SL3-P. They're the only interchangeable-lens full-frame bodies with an actual IP rating (IP54: dust and splashing water from any direction).
Nikon and Sony just call theirs "weather sealed." There's no standard behind that and neither brand guarantees it, so every thread here is half "Sony's great, Nikon's junk" and half the opposite.
Whatever you shoot, you're only as sealed as the lens on it.
My anecdote is I live in Oregon - The Z8 and A7rv have both held up in the rain and snow.
My bigger decision point would be- Do you want a body as large as the Z8? Do you want a body as small as the Sony A7RVI? Some love the Z8 for its size and others hate it (me).
I have the A7rvi and used it in a mild rain. The only issue was you'll get an accessory not supported error if the hotshoe gets wet. I need to look into it but I hear small rig makes a hot shoe cover that is weatherproof to prevent that specifically for Sony. If I know it's going to be heavy rain, I take my OM1mkii. I had a Z8 and it held up in snow, but like RustyRus above I didn't appreciate it's size (with my dainty size 10 hands).
Sony weather sealing is much better on the R VI body than the R II. The R II had problems with even water falling from above on it. I don't think any of the buttons or dials were sealed against water intrusion. I lost my R II twice to salt water spray from shooting at the coast (I fixed it the first time).
Later R bodies are better (I have R IV and R VI). I think the buttons and dials all have some kind of protection from water ingress. However, the hotshoe is still a weak point and the exposure compensation dial (with the pop-up lock) can get gummed up. The R IV does have sealing around most of the ports and openings, mine survived a nasty wave which killed the lens (24-105 zoom).
The R VI should be better than R IV. But the hotshoe isn't improved. Also even if the dials and buttons are sealed, sand can still get in there and grind for a bit. The R VI viewfinder seems like a weak point to me (when I was cleaning mine, it looks like the edges aren't sealed).
Bottom line is I would trust it for rain falling from overhead, not so much from ocean spray which carries sand and can come from all kinds of directions with varying amounts of force. I haven't shot with canon/nikon in a long time so I don't have a comparison point.
Sony weather sealing has improved over the generations. The a1 and a9 series have always been a little more robust than the a7 bodies. None are designed to be water proof to any degree. I've never had any trouble with water ingress into Sony bodies exposed to light rain and snow. But if it's raining steadily or wind driven, I'm using a cover.
When my gear does get wet, I dry it off ASAP. Leaving a camera or lens with water sitting on the outside gives it an opportunity to seep in. Lots of moisture problems occur after shooting if equipment is stored damp or exposed to extreme temperature changes causing condensation. I worry far more about that than getting a few rain drops on the camera in use.
The weakest point is always the lens to body connection. Adapting lenses means the weakest point is likely to be the adapter itself. Metabones adapters have a simple gasket seal at the rear mount. But I don't know if there's any internal sealing beyond that.
Thank you all for the replies. The A7RVI body is very nice to hold, the size is really nice compared to the X2DII and Z8(which is a lot bigger than I remember it being).
I had thought about the Leica SL series, but I cant get comfortable with the grip.
I am not expecting insane levels of weather sealing, but enough that I would feel comfortable taking it out in a light to medium rain.
