[Leica] Water resistant Leica

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> Mark,
> 
> I'm not expecting Leicas to be fully waterproof. I don't intend to take
> showers or swim underwater with my camera. But I do a fair amount of 
> sailing
> and like to take pictures when on the water. Spray is unavoidable if the
> wind blows. I can only use Leicas in a dead calm but, of course, you can't
> sail in a dead calm. I used my film Leicas on the water but they became
> harder and harder to operate. Instead of a silky smooth winding action, it
> felt like I was crushing walnuts. I took the cameras to Sherry K. for a CLR
> and general overhaul. The were returned $500 later with the stern 
> admonition
> "Stop pissing on your cameras."
> 
> I own a few real waterproof cameras, a Nikonos and a couple of Olympus P&S
> film cameras. I've also used a water sealed Olympus E-3 DSLR. The Nikonos 
> is
> waterproof by design and a few silicone O rings, the Olympus cameras by
> close fitting parts and foam sealing around all openings. The internal
> mechanism of the Nikonos was accessible with far less difficulty than
> getting at the innards of a screw mount Leica. Because a digital Leica
> doesn't need a winding lever, a rewind knob, an inspection door and a
> frequently removable film loading base plate it should be easier to make
> water resistant than an older M camera.
> 
> We have discussed this before with the digital Leicas. To my mind there is
> simply no excuse for taking the simple precaution of sealing a very
> expensive camera against environmental hazards. This is not a question of
> new technology or state of the art engineering. Water resistant cameras 
> have
> been available for at least three decades. It is simple common sense for a
> camera intended to be used in the field to be protected against
> environmental hazards. Or perhaps Leica engineers imagine the cameras will
> only be used in air conditioned studios. I don't class Nathan as a high 
> risk
> combat photographer but if his Leica dies because of a drop of sweat 
> imagine
> the perils of using  a similar camera in Indonesia, Somalia, Iran or
> Columbia.
> 
> Let's see now - magenta cast, banding, cracked IR filters, bad battery
> chargers, corner fall off, high ISO noise, no environmental sealing - have 
> I
> forgotten anything? I love my film M3s (except in a marine environment) but
> I think the digital Ms need a lot of work.
> 
> Larry Z
> 


Larry I don't know what percentage of cameras today are sealed
As I stated it used to be  rare not that long ago.
Now it seems with amateur cameras at least to be medium rare to medium at
least the term "weather sealing" is being used by the companies.
If that means ocean spray I don't know.
In a waterfall? Don't know. Rain?
Those cameras all seem cheap enough anyway.
Leica rangefinder cameras have obviously never been "sealed".
Water will go right in. as most cameras, SLR's or rangefinders from the past
film eras.
Sealing them would introduced a whole different ballgame to the body
construction which they don't feel comfortable with at this point and I can
see why as I last posted.
Take a seven thousand dollar body out into the open seas to get it inundated
with salt spray?
Not if I didn't have a backup or two and not if I wasn't a billionaire.
Pouring hydrochloric acid on them they could be better off.
They'll make a Plexiglas housing for it someday I'm sure.
In pinch try a large zip lock baggy.
Perhaps send a query to Jonathan Eastland on such a thing he's both THE
expert in Leica M's  and photography on the open seas.
http://www.ajaxnetphoto.com/about.html
And he just reviewed the M9.

If it was me in those boats on the open seas on a regular basis I'd use a
full frame DSLR in a Plexiglas housing.
Save the m9 for when I was in less precarious circumstances.

I have a huge respect for the open ocean.
I am deeply aware that I am not a fish; and rightfully belong on dry land.
Though I hear the worst thing for a camera to be exposed to is sand.  Varied
as sand my be. Combined with wind you can forgetaboutit.

Mark William Rabiner