[Leica] Owning a Leica camera & Leica lenses in the tropics

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

> Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:39:33 +0000 (UTC)
> From: bruceslomovitz at comcast.net
> Subject: [Leica] Owning a Leica camera & Leica lenses in the tropics
> To: lug at leica-users.org
>
> I'm wondering if any of you have any experience owing/using Leica  
> camera(s) and lenses in the tropcs.? I'm concerned with long term  
> ownership and use.? I'm concerned about the toll of constant  
> humidity, dust, dirt, etc.? I was once told by Peter Grisafi of CRR  
> Luton that Leicas sent to him from this part of the world had  
> pronounced problems caused by the peculiar conditions which I have  
> mentioned.? I am wondering if any of you have had personal  
> experience with Leica gear in the tropics.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Bruce S.

Hi Bruce,
I have been using Leicas in the tropics since 1970 - first in  
Malaysia, then Singapore and later Hong Kong (which is more temperate  
but still has bouts of high humidity).
Get a dry box and store your equipment in it when you are not using it  
and you should have no problems. The only time I had a problem was one  
summer when we went away for 6 weeks from Singapore and to save  
electricity the local help turned off the power to the closet where  
the dry box was plugged in. When I came back a 90mm skinny elmarit had  
developed fungus bloom inside one of the lens groups - there was no  
way to clean it. The lens still worked and produced glowing images  
when shooting contra jour lighting.
The cameras were okay. So, my advice is get a dry box - and keep it  
plugged in. You will be fine.
BTW Peter Grisafi reconditioned a Leica M4 from Singapore for me, via  
Joseph Yao, to tip top condition. Great work.
Howard