Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/08/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Larry Z said: >Without belaboring the issue of Leicas at sea for too long, we must >remember that Leica cameras are not now and never were intended to be >water tolerant. <<<< Larry old buddy, You know what with all the quoted regulations? It's just another number thing by over educated guys using numbers and not by those of us who've used them in the real world. Actually under precisely all the "wet conditions" they weren't supposed to be used under. So gee I got a problem with some of what yer saying. Well OK you are telling us what someone else said. Quite frankly from absolute truthful experience at sea on deep sea fishing trawlers in mid winter for a month, police chase boats on the lake, photo boats during regattas and with some absolute monsoon rain in Malaysia. I've never had a problem with a "not properly sealed/unsealed/ Leica!" And that doesn't include in the high Arctic under sub zero conditions while on a dog sled living night after night for ten days in pitched tents hunting seals! Not to forget the humid conditions of Vietnam, the Congo and Malaysia. Not once did, nor have I ever had a Leica crash and burn from water nor humidity, freezing or over heating! Bloody numbers are always a pain in the ass as they can be quoted a thousand times over and be completely meaningless! Certainly when the cameras are used by competent professionals who know how to work under the most adverse weather conditions on this planet! >An object (marine radio, camera, binocular, etc.) rated >JIS-4/IPX-4 is considered splash resistant but not suitable for >immersion. <<<<<< But who cares if it's immersed? That really isn't in the plan 100% of the time when it comes to picture taking! If it happens it fits in the category of "sh---t happens!" Too bad. The above is completely meaningless simply because we, all of us, have no idea about dunking our Leica's into any kind of liquid. Although I've had one of mine peed on in the dark on night manoeuvres ... not me.... ;-) Beer spilled over a couple of them, again not me, a photographer of a greater degree of inebriation! And finally in the "heat of the barn" while a vet was doing his thing with a herd of cows... one of them gave me and an M6 with Noctilux the spraying of our life! "the story is in the archives!" Both camera and lens work to this day with nothing more than a good wipe off! A hint of the bouquet can be sensed on an extremely hot sunny day! ;-) Actually the last time I looked in the great book on how to take pictures it specifically details ... "Do not dunk or immerse your camera underwater!" :-) Now we all know that, so we know if we do something stupid through immersing conditions the chances are the camera will crap out.... sooner or later. Particularly if it's salt water! Fresh water? Just dry it off and out as much as possible then put it in the oven at the lowest heat possible with the oven door open and let it gently dry out. As this process is going on take it out and trip the shutter at various shutter speeds and return to dry some more. The camera should never feel "HOT!" And away you go shooting a quick test roll and yer back in business! No oven available? Just put it out in the sun and do the same shutter tripping and it'll probably be fine after a couple hours or less. >Trivia: In bygone years, Nikonos cameras were permitted in surgical >operating rooms because they could be sterilized by dunking in a >bucket of bleach.<<< I may say, "the times they have changed!" :-) Said I to the head surgeon as we were about to enter the OR. "I'll leave my bag out in the hall and just bring my cameras in." His response as he grabbed the bag and carried it into the OR... "Jeeeeesh ted don't do that it'll get stolen!" True story. And I've never had anyone ask to wipe down my cameras at anytime in over 40 years of shooting in OR's in different countries. Nor working on my medical books anywhere in North America. You've given many of us sound advice to be aware of when in wet conditions, so thank you for that. I might say the information must have scared the hell out of a few of the weekend warrior members. As I said above, those of us who earn our keep shooting have really no choice but to work under the wet conditions you've explained, so we just do it and use common sense when doing so. Generally a little CS stuff works fine. :-) ted