Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/02/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Very few cameras in the history of photography have anything resembling water sealing. I member when the Pentax LX came out it in 1980 was the only camera system in photography professional or otherwise that was sealed. That was its main selling point. I knew a guy who got one. As it turned out people who bought into the system found out that it cost hundreds of bucks just to get a simple oil change. It took an hour for the repair person guy to just get the thing open with all kinds of complex seals (Arf!). And there were condensation issues. As it turns out a camera may just need to breath. Any moisture that does make it in there needs a way to get out. This whole panic on "I just spend thousands on a camera and if it gets wet it may break" thing is a LUG exclusive. In the outer world it is a controversy your just not going to run into. One notable camera system used extensively for the most serious of jobs was/is the Hasselblad system. It was modular. And because it was modular with attachments from all directions it was even less sealed even than a Canon F1 or Nikon F3 or Leica M4 - by a long shot. Nobody had ever been known to have a problem with that or complain. They just used the camera day in and day out. If it rained somebody got out an umbrella. I put mine under the lapel of my jacket. I used to bring mine to Canon Beach Oregon replacing the crank with the meter winder thing I got for 40 bucks in a swap meet. Once it flew out of my hands and bounced down the sandy sidewalk. The lens hood had to be replaced other than that it continues to work perfectly. Has never been to the shop. I never had a camera I didn't bring to the beach. But I never had to spend seven grand on a camera either. Nor half that. Nor half that that. A camera with a backup I'll bring anywhere. No backup I walk down lit streets with trepidation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_LX -------------------- Mark William Rabiner > From: Marty Deveney <benedenia at gmail.com> > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:37:43 +1030 > To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 & 8.2 opinions > > All Leica M cameras are sieves. None of them have anything > approaching weather sealing. I've had water get into a film M that > formed a sufficient contact layer between the film and pressure plate > that it seized up, and I am careful with my M8 around water, although > I have put it into an Ewa marine bag and taken it under water. Dust > is worse, and I needed to get all the Ms I took with me serviced after > being in Namibia for a couple of weeks. Design wise it's their chief > weakness; otherwise they're about as tough as any camera. > > Marty > > > On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 5:10 PM, Nathan Wajsman <photo at frozenlight.eu> > wrote: >> Right Goeff, but none of those other hazards were relevant, and indeed we >> were cycling on a wide paved promenade, not in the sand. When I have >> posted >> pictures from the beach itself, they have been taken with the Panasonic >> LX3--that's my beach camera. >> >> Cheers, >> Nathan >> >> Nathan Wajsman >> Alicante, Spain >> http://www.frozenlight.eu >> http://www.greatpix.eu >> http://www.nathanfoto.com >> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws >> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog >> >> YNWA >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Feb 20, 2011, at 3:21 AM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote: >> >>> Fair to add that cycling along the beach (although I'm sure that Nathan >>> meant on the beachside roads, not in the sand at the water's edge!) can >>> expose any camera to other significant hazards apart from that healthful >>> sweat!. ?Salt atmosphere, blown fine sand and possibly droplets of >>> coconut >>> oil from bikini clad beach goers, if not foam from Estrella beer and not >>> to >>> mention air-borne beach umbrellas and annoyed boyfriends. >>> >>> Cheers >>> Geoff >>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>> >>> >>> On 20 February 2011 09:48, <grduprey at mchsi.com> wrote: >>> >>>> In spite of Nathans problems with moisture, my M8 has had no problems in >>>> rain, and even a trip on the Maid of the Mists at Niagra Falls with out >>>> even >>>> a hiccup. >>>> >>>> Gene >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Nathan Wajsman" <photo at frozenlight.eu> >>>> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> >>>> Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2011 12:40:46 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada >>>> Central >>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 & 8.2 ?opinions >>>> >>>> Actually, I find the IR sensitivity a useful feature, not a problem: >>>> >>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/belgiangator/IR/20110215-L1004651.jpg.html >>>> >>>> As for bad weather, despite the assurances you get here, my experience >>>> is >>>> that the M8 is not a camera for bad weather. In fact, I managed to screw >>>> mine up just by wearing it around my neck while cycling at a leisurely >>>> pace >>>> along the beach. The occasional drop of sweat that fell on the camera in >>>> the >>>> process was enough to leak into the M8 and corrode stuff in the area of >>>> the >>>> shutter release. Fortunately, I still had my Passport warranty so it was >>>> fixed free of charge, but when there is a chance of rain, I now take >>>> other >>>> cameras, or even a film body. >>>> >>>> Having said that, the M8 is an excellent choice, particularly if have M >>>> lenses already. And if you don't, then I can recommend the "budget" >>>> line of >>>> Summarit lenses. I have the 35mm and 75mm, and both are excellent. >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> Nathan >>>> >>>> Nathan Wajsman >>>> Alicante, Spain >>>> http://www.frozenlight.eu >>>> http://www.greatpix.eu >>>> http://www.nathanfoto.com >>>> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws >>>> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog >>>> >>>> YNWA >>>> >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information