Running an $8.5K Camera Under a Shower — For Science (Pentax 645Z Weatherproof Test)

The Pentax 645Z digital medium format camera has been receiving a lot of buzz since its announcement earlier this year. It's been hailed for its CMOS medium format sensor which offers unrivaled image quality and unheard of high-ISO capability when compared to CCD sensor models. The Penatx 645Z even features weather sealing to boot. That's why the guys over at QusabesdeTV on YouTube put together this video showing off the quality of this weather sealing.

We're all pretty excited for this sub-$10K digital medium format body, it's good to know they didn't skimp on the details. ​Seriously though, don't try this at home. ​If you liked what you saw, be sure to check out our previous coverage of the 645Z and be sure to keep a look out for any upcoming announcements and reviews of the Pentax 645Z.

[Via Hanssie @ SLR Lounge]

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Austin Rogers joined Fstoppers in 2014. Austin is a Columbus, OH editorial and lifestyle photographer, menswear aficionado, pseudo-bohemian, and semi-luddite. To keep up with him be sure to check out his profile on Fstoppers, website, drop him a line on Facebook, or throw him a follow on his fledgling Instagram account.

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8 Comments

Pretty impressive. A buddy of mine brought his Hassy to the desert and the sand simply blowing through the air broke it. He never set it down.

Weatherproofing has always been something Pentax excels at. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo61t5fH6Qw

I took the Phase One iq250 through the desert and beat the hell out of it with sand and dirt. It was on Pratik's Creative Live the following week, firing like a champ.

was watching this and my heart stopped a bit...

I'm glad to see Pentax making a sub-$10k MF body/back combo, but until they step up their lens game and make a series of leaf shutter lens, this camera is a deal breaker. Yes, I know there are OLD LS lens available, but a new design specifically for digital bodies is a must.

Nothing new for pentax, i've been washing my pentax camera's under a tap for around 4-5 years now, its a good way to get sticky beer (being hit by a flying pint while shooting a in the pit at a gig), metallic dust (from shooting in a working foundry) and other such things off the camera.

Just the other week I half submerged my k5 and da* 16-50 into a canal to try a shot I was thinking of out.. took it home and washed it under a tap to get the smell of stale water off it and I checked all ports after drying it and no water anywhere.

I have no problem leaving my camera sitting in the rain while setting up a shot.

Pentax has always been pretty crazy when it comes to rough conditions.

The Nokia of cameras :D