Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/12/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]All true enough Geoff. However, many of us come from using M2's, 3's and 6's under the most adverse conditions with very little maintenance; beyond the occasional wiping down, and dusting off. So the mechanical M's have a reputation which the digital M's may not live up to without reevaluating the "sealing" issue. Most of us who chose buy and now love our M8's knew we would walk this bleeding edge. Fine. However, now in the third generation of digital M's I'm feeling that this particular issue requires immediate and serious attention (way beyond IR filters, magenta casts, corner issues - the camera has to WORK); unless Leica wants only dilettante users in air conditioned clean rooms; instead of hard working professionals who sweat, and regularly shoot near oceans, deserts, swimming pools, storms, factories, foundries, ball fields, etc. Nathan did not abuse his camera. 5,000 - 10,000 exposures in a year with a little sweat and sea air (he didn't sail every weekend and I doubt he set the camera in the sand at the beach) should not require a $500 + repair. Nor should he have to choose a different camera, other than the $4-5K Leica, for a daily hour bike ride. I appreciate your dedicated love of Leica. I share it; until the third generation gear self destructs under normal advanced amateur or professional use. Regards, George Lottermoser george at imagist.com http://www.imagist.com http://www.imagist.com/blog http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist On Dec 22, 2009, at 3:57 PM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote: > George it is not common but clearly it can happen. It has been > vigorously > discussed in the L Camera Forum when another person had an > expensive repair > quote after saying that their camera was only briefly exposed to a > rain > shower. Others including our Tina reported very different experiences. > There was a clamour there regarding the need for weather sealing. I > don't > remember it coming up before despite every previous M not having that > sealing either. > That's the nature of internet groups for you. The discussions are > by no > means limited to people with actual experiences to report. > > Whatever the circumstance, of course we know that Nathan is honest > in his > recollection. I believe that Solms certainly have been truthful as > well. The > specific agent that has damaged Nathan's camera is NOT proven but > it does > seem most likely that it has been a product of the operating > environment. > Specifically humid salty air (sea breeze carrying fine blown sand/ > salt too?) > and possibly sweat from handling and using the camera during honest > exercise > cycling around in that environment. Very important to acknowledge that > Nathan is NOT ranting nor complaining of course. > By the way, from my technical maintenance back ground, YES > corrosion is very > bad news and can develop quickly. In this case it has apparently been > limited to a small switch area, luckily (and due to Nathan getting > it dealt > with promptly). > 2009/12/23 George Lottermoser <imagist3 at mac.com> > >> So, then, aside from your frustration re: being without the camera, >> what DO you make of their analysis of the issue? >> >> Do you think >> the weather conditions >> salt water proximity >> sweat >> what in the world >> could have caused corrosion >> in such a brief period of time? >> >> Is it possible that something at the factory >> actually was not cleaned off during mfg? >> >> It just seems such a weird break down. >> (and one I've not heard of previously) >> >> Do you read the l-camera forum? >> Have you checked with that list about this fault? >> >> >> Regards, >> George Lottermoser >> george at imagist.com >> http://www.imagist.com >> http://www.imagist.com/blog >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist >> >> On Dec 22, 2009, at 2:53 PM, Nathan Wajsman wrote: >> >> No, I will not treat it any differently. I exercise reasonable >> care, do not >>> walk around with it in rainy weather etc., but at the end of the >>> day I have >>> it in order to take pictures. >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > > -- > Cheers > Geoff > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information