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With some effort, it's possible to find out which camera models and lens have weather sealing. However, there seems to be little information available on weather-sealed flashes.

From another answer I got a hint that Canon 580EX is weather-proofed. Are there any others known?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The SB-700 and SB-900 offer an optional "Drip-Proof Mounting Foot Cover (Water Guard)" \$\endgroup\$
    – Evan Krall
    Commented Mar 21, 2011 at 23:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ I find it quite interesting that Nikon sells rain-covers for flash feet without making any claims for weather resistance of the flash itself. \$\endgroup\$
    – Imre
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 22:17

3 Answers 3

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AFAIK, it's the 580EX II, to be specific. None of the others in the current Canon lineup appear to have that. Nikon, Pentax, and Sony don't appear to have an option, though Nikon offers a water guard for their flashes. That seems like more of a compromise than anything. On the 3rd party front, Sigma is out (I have one and know) and I can't find any evidence that Metz has a weather sealed option and I know the current top of the line doesn't, so that also indicates.

Beyond that, I don't know, but that covers a lot of ground. Net effect, I think that if you want to seal it, it's the old plastic bag for the vast majority of them...

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I seem to remember from its introduction, but do not positively know, that the 580 mk II is only actually weatherproof if mounted on a 1D/1Ds mk III or IV. Possibly the 7D as well. Not just any old hotshoe, anyway. \$\endgroup\$
    – Staale S
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 0:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Staale - The camera must also be weather sealed for the whole thing to mean much. Otherwise you may still have issues on the shoe itself. \$\endgroup\$
    – Joanne C
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 0:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ Yeah... but the 1Ds mk II, for instance, is weather-sealed as such but I think it leaves the hotshoe less protected with a 580 II than a 1D III does. So you can have a sealed flash (580 II) on a sealed camera (1Ds II) but have the total system un-sealed because the hotshoe is not protected. \$\endgroup\$
    – Staale S
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 14:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Staale - Sure, all you're saying is that the 1DS mk II may not be completely weather sealed. Nevertheless, as far as I can tell, there's only one option for a flash that is and so combined with a full weather sealed cam you're in good shape. Is there something else you're trying to say? The OP didn't ask about cameras. \$\endgroup\$
    – Joanne C
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 15:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ No, John, the 1D/Ds marks I and II are completely weather-sealed, to the very best of Canon's ability. You can pretty much use them in the shower. Surely you must know this? But for the join with the equally weather-sealed 580 EX II to be weather-sealed the camera body around the flash-shoe must be designed in a particular way to fit the flash snugly, the 1D/Ds marks III and IV have this design and marks I and II do not. \$\endgroup\$
    – Staale S
    Commented Mar 22, 2011 at 20:06
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Perhaps an overkill, but underwater strobes should be more than weather-proof. They don't seem to be mountable on hotshoe (which seems to be hard to make waterproof), so they are for off-camera use only (intended for use on bracket). Some of them support TTL.

Nikon SB-102, SB-103, SB-105 and SB-104 seem to be discontinued.

For example, Inon S-2000, Z-240, D-2000 seem to be currently offered universally TTL-capable models. Seacam 150D supports Canon e-TTL and Nikon i-TTL. Olympus has UFL-1 and UFL-2 capable of wireless TTL with Olympus cameras. SeaLife Digital Pro has an Auto Mode.

Underwater Photography Guide has an extensive Underwater Strobe Chart.

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Now Pentax has 2 WR flashes both of the new 360 and 540 fgz versions (II) are weather sealed. But i did use my Sigma 610 DG Super in some rainy weather and i really have no fear to do it again. (Cover the hotshoe with playdoh.)

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