Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Canoe trips...
From: Henry Ambrose <digphoto@nashville.net>
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 11:41:36 -0600

>At 09:27 AM 3/29/00 -0500, you wrote:
>>I've been on a number of "canoe" trips in Latin America... The dugout canoes
>>I've been on can hold 15 to 30 people with outboard motors so it is not the
>>two or three man ones people are used to in the U.S.
>>
>>The chances of one of these canoes tipping over is generally pretty slim,
>>but not impossible...
>>
>>
>>Duane (I hate shooting in rain) Birkey
>
>Hi Duane -
>
>  All of my cameras equipment and clothes will 
>definitely be sitting in the water!  The "watershed" bags that Dennis wrote 
>about look promising. I always carry my film in Tupperware containers so 
>that's no problem.  My clothes and I will always dry so it's just the 
>Leica's I have to worry about.  I hate shooting in the rain, too!
>
>Thanks -
>
>Tina

Tina,
I suggest that you go the Pelican route. Your stuff will get there dry. 

Dry bags are dependable for splashes and maybe a short dunking. For 
sitting in water all day I would not trust them.

For that matter, they may not even be sure protection for short periods. 
I use dry bags often on river trips (for lunch or something not too 
valuable) and often after a days use some of the stuff will be damp. The 
Pelicans on the other hand are air tight and can be depended on to stay 
DRY. The cases are faster to get in and out of than a bag. Plus you can 
sit on it in the bottom of the boat! Then you might stay dryer. Get a 
silver one. It won't get so hot in the sun.

I'd take my good stuff in the Pelican and a waterproof Point & Shoot. Or, 
assuming you're insured just keep one M camera out for use with the 
balance of your stuff protected in the case. 

I use the Nikon Action Touch a lot (no longer made, they were too good I 
guess) and if you can find one I suggest it. Its autofocus and the AF 
patch is right in the middle of the finder just like our favorite M6s! So 
you can work in a similar fashion to Ms. I'm on my second one in about 15 
years - they are really good. 

The other cameras I've seen suggested are the similar Canon (Sure Shot 
AE1?) which my wife owns and is good but the lens is not up to the Nikon 
(both 35). The Pentax water resistant camera is a good one too, several 
boating friends have them and they make good pictures. The Pentax is a 
zoom.

The Nikon and the Canon are waterproof. I've used them snorkeling a lot 
with no mishaps. Made quite a few "underwater fish with fly in the mouth" 
shots in the Caribbean with the Nikon. Pretty much everything else 
available is water resistant or splashproof which is probably OK,  just 
don't go diving with them.

Henry Ambrose