Sunday, May 29, 2011

A Complete List of Weather-Resistant Nikon Lenses

Yes, this is about Nikon lenses but I'm showing a white Canon because the weather seal (the black rubber gasket around the lens mount) is a lot easier to see here than on a black Nikkor.


See Also:
Sigma Weather Resistant Lenses for Nikon


Don't Own Any of these Lenses?
How to clean your camera's sensor yourself



Being a new Nikonian, one thing I always wondered was what Nikkor optics were weather-resistant. Unfortunately, I haven't succeeded in finding a concise list of such lenses anywhere. So, seeing a solution rather than a problem, I decided to compile one myself. So, if you're in the same boat I was in, here you go: a concise list of weather resistant Nikkors. Know someone else you think would find this useful? Why not pass it on?

Companies are quick to tout cameras for weather-resistance. Unfortunately, what most beginning dSLR users don't know is this: there might as well be no weather sealing in the camera if it doesn't have a weather-sealed lens to go with it. Why is this? Simple: the lens/camera connection is the best avenue for unwanted junk, whether it be moisture, dust, or something else, to get into your camera. With a lens that has a rubber gasket at the mount, this problem is eliminated.

In terms of lenses, weather-sealing is one of the newer innovations for the simple reason that film cameras were nowhere near a susceptible to the elements as are today's “superior” digital versions. So, to keep their pros happy, camera makers started putting rubber gaskets on their lenses' mounts. Below is a complete list of Nikon lenses that have mount gaskets.



Film/Digital
14-24 f2.8
16-35 f4 VR
24 f1.4 AF-S
24-70 f2.8
24-120 f4VR
28-300 f3.5-5.6 VR
35 f1.4 AF-S
50 f1.4 AF-S
50 f1.8 AF-S
55-300 f4-5.6 VR
70-200 f2.8 (I and II)
85 f1.4 AF-S
200 f2 VR
200-400 f4 VR (I and II)
300 f4
400 f2.8 VR
500f4 VR
600f4 VR


DX Digital Only
10-24 f3.5-4.5
17-55 f2.8
18-200 VR (I and II)
18-70 f3.5-4.5
35 f1.8
60 f2.8 AF-S Micro


Now, even with all of these lenses, there is one important catch: Nikon does not market these lenses as “weather-proof,” only “weather-resistant,” which means that they probably won't go servicing your camera/lens that got dropped overboard on that fishing trip when your buddy was reaching for his beer but accidentally bumped your camera instead. If you want true weather-resistance, go buy a tough P&S like my Olympus Stylus 550WP or, if you don't mind shooting film, a Jacques Cousteau-inspired Nikonos film SLR.



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6 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting. I also found an interesting thread regarding this issue, and one of the members emailed Nikon for a list. Here is what was sent back...

    All of our range of lenses are weather sealed and can be used in light rain. Some of the lenses - which are listed below - have a rubber mount seal for extra protection, however.
    If you have any further queries regarding this matter, please click the link above to update your question.

    14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S NIKKOR
    24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S NIKKOR
    AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
    200mm f/2G ED-IF AF-S VR NIKKOR
    AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED
    600mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR (no rubber mount seal but excellent dust and water resistance)
    500mm f/4G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR (no rubber mount seal but excellent dust and water resistance)

    The thread can be found here if you'd like to read the discussion.
    http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-205317.html

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  2. "All of our lenses are weather-sealed?" I'd love to see them put their money (or rather their lenses) where their mouth is on that one.

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  3. The nikkor 70-300mm f 4.5-5.6g if-ed af-s vr lens also has the rubber gasket.

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  4. just got 18-300 dx, has water sealent rubber ring

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  5. I still think that Nikon and Canon have NOTHING on Pentax when it comes to rugged cameras... The K-5 series from Pentax actually has BETTER weather-sealing than the Canon 1D and Nikon D# lines, and the lenses have better sealing as well (Even the 18-55mm WR kit lens).

    ReplyDelete