If you want to go and create great shots while the rain and snow are falling, or when the winds are howling, you need to check out these robust, weather-sealed cameras.
We recently published a great how-to guide for shooting in the rain and inclement weather, and how you can create some gorgeous images while not worrying about Mother Nature. One thing we did stress is that you make sure to have weather-sealed cameras and weather-sealed lenses for this. In this roundup, we will take a look at some of the best weather-sealed cameras you can get your hands on right now.
If you like to go on adventures that put you out in the elements for an extended amount of time, you’re going to need weather-sealed cameras that can withstand the kind of abuse other cameras shy away from. Fortunately for us, camera manufacturers have been taking weather-sealing more seriously over the last few years, and now you can get cameras that survive even the roughest weather at reasonable prices. Listed below are some weather-sealed cameras we would not hesitate to take out into the wind, the rain, freezing cold temperatures, or the snow because, honestly, they feel right at home there. If you need a robust, ready-for-anything camera, check out our picks below.
Canon EOS R
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Build quality
- Weather sealed like crazy
- Autofocus is good
- Protects the sensor when off
- Canonâs menu system is still simple.
- Ergonomics feel nice
- With a lightweight lens, it feels just as nice as a Sony camera.
- These are some of Canonâs the best RAW files weâve seen in years.
- Good battery life
- Fast W-Fi transfers, though not as simple as Sonyâs
Cons
- Needs Dual SD cards
- Needs a joystick
- The magic touch bar is odd and could use refinement.
- Optimizing the way the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed dials work, such as the automatic remetering for ISO, not cool
- Canon needs to improve or change their face and eye detection.
- Bigger than Sony, but the L lenses are about on par with their G Master glass
Buy now: $1,799
Panasonic S1R
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Good image quality
- Decent autofocus, but not great by any stretch
- Weather sealing throughout the body and the lenses
- Direct buttons to get you exactly what you want
- We really like the top LCD screen.
Cons
- The buttons and switches can probably get in the way of your shooting unless you thoroughly memorize them.
- Itâs big, and when you put a lens on it, it gets bigger.
- Abysmal battery life
Buy now: $3,697.99
Pentax K1 Mk II
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Enough weather sealing to last a lifetime
- Rock-solid build quality
- Easy to read LCD Screen
- In-Body Image Stabilization / Pixel Shift
- Gorgeous 100% coverage viewfinder
- Excellent image quality
- Dual SD Card slots
- Great battery life
- That little light above the lens mount
Cons
- Only 33 focus points
- Autofocus system wonât win any races
- Extremely heavy
- No touchscreen
Buy now: $1,749
Nikon z7
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Good feeling in the hand
- Solid weather sealing
- Lots of focusing points
- Good high ISO output
- Lots of resolution
- A touch screen
- Image stabilization is very good.
- The viewfinder is beautiful.
- We genuinely appreciate the top LCD screen.
- Outstanding battery life
Cons
- Little things annoy us, like not being able to push the joystick in to bring the focusing point back to the center.
- Why the hell is there an XQD card slot?
- We’d prefer dual card slots.
- While we understand Nikonâs philosophy in putting a dedicated ISO button, weâd have preferred a dial.
- Did we mention the autofocus isnât up to par?
- Nikon created a brand new camera system and yet they decided to keep the single most awkward mounting system.
- The muscle memory learning curve is steeper than with most other cameras.
- Expensive
Buy now: $2,796.95
Pro Tip: If there is one thing we can guarantee when you shoot in the elements, itâs that your gear is going to get dirty very quickly. We recommend that you keep a camera and lens cleaning kit with you at all times. With one of these kits on hand, you can wipe the nasty off your camera and lenses quickly and easily. This camera and lens cleaning kit has everything you need to keep your equipment clean, and itâs very well priced.
Canon 5D Mk IV
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Great image quality, though we feel we can do MUCH more with Sony and Fujifilm files when it comes to color. But Canonâs dynamic range is pretty darn good.
- Ergonomical feel reminds me more of the old 5D Mk II than the Mk III, and we like that
- Fantastic autofocus
- Touchscreen, finally
- The quiet shutter is nice.
- Weather sealing
Cons
- Price point
Buy now: $2,499
Fujifilm X-T3
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pro
- Brand new 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 Sensor
- Brand new X-Processor 4 Image Processor
- Excellent weather sealing
- Very solid build quality
- Excellent image quality
- In body RAW processing with built-in film simulation profiles
- Versatile RAW files
- Amazing video capabilities
- Dual SD card slots (if your workflow requires it)
Con
- Battery life can use some improvement
- Lacks in-body image stabilization
- Low light performance is improved over the previous generation X-T2, but hit rates during high-speed low light situations still leave much to be desired
Buy now: $1,499
Olympus OMD EM1X
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Very fast autofocus
- Autofocus is fast for tracking but still isnât what Sony does in the Sony a9
- Very well weather sealed
- Lightweight
- A joy to carry and hold
- We love that there is no automatic mode of any sort.
- The viewfinder is very nice.
- C-lock switch is awesome
- One of the best weather-sealed mirrorless cameras weâve ever tested
- Damned good image stabilization
Cons
- Face detection isnât as good as Sonyâs and Fujifilmâs
- This system needs more long zooms/primes with an f2 or f2.8 aperture.
- Needs a star rating system for the images
- We had a battery issue and the camera overheated.
- We miss Sonyâs and Canonâs no viewfinder blackout by default with everything. You have to go into Pro Capture Mode to get this.
- This is a very noisy camera at ISO 6400.
- The RAW files arenât super versatile at higher ISO settings.
- The battery life continues to drain for some odd reason.
Buy now: $2,499
Nikon D850
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Fantastic image quality
- Built like a tank
- Buttons that light up
- The touch screen makes the menu navigation so much better.
- Great color depth and versatility
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Putting the ISO button on the right side of the camera by the grip is the better long term strategy.
- Weather sealing
- Lots of video options
- Dual card slots
- The best viewfinder of any DSLR weâve used
Cons
- Slower autofocus than the Nikon D810 in some situations
- We wish the white balance levels were a bit more adjustable.
- Sort of shocked the dual card slots arenât both SD
Buy now: $2,996.95
Pro Tip: No matter how weather-sealed your camera might be, your lens may not be protected as much as the camera, or might not have any weather sealing at all. Do not let this stop you from getting out to shoot though. Keep some weatherproof camera and lens covers in your camera bag, or in your pockets, and youâll quickly be able to give your gear an extra layer of protection from any inclement weather coming your way.
Olympus OMD E-M1 Mk II
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Good image quality, though you start to see shadow noise at ISO 6400
- Theyâve finally fixed the problem where ISO 6400 was marked as an extension.
- Weather sealing is bananas good.
- We handheld the camera and got a blur-free image at 15 seconds.
- Comfortable to hold
Cons
- Menus got deeper
- Fast autofocus can sometimes miss moving subjects in low light
- Despite having some of the best ergonomics weâve ever felt on any camera to date, it desperately needs a dedicated ISO control dial.
Buy now: $1,299
Sony a9
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Fantastic build quality
- Overall very good image quality
- The best autofocus of any mirrorless camera out there
- Dual card slots are nice.
- 20fps is pretty insane.
- Added dials and ergonomics controls are very welcome
- Weather resistance
- Significantly improved battery life
- No blackout of the viewfinder is nice
Cons
- Skin tones can come out sort of weird
- Odd metering in relation to Sunny 16 rules
- AF point being highlighted when moved around manually with the joystick would be very nice
- Not sure how to use the Ethernet port
- Touchscreen navigation of the menu would be great
Buy now: $3,498
