Weather sealing - my new favourite thing about my M

[TigrisJK]

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First off. I know the lenses aren't weather sealed. I take great care to keep my camera dry as much as possible.

 

But I live in Toronto. We've had an ice storm. And I've been shooting non-stop. And falling. A LOT. Shoulder rolling into them so the camera stays (mostly) dry, but snow sprays have caked the thing in white before I brush it off with my gloves and a dry cloth.

 

It just keeps on truckin'. To the point where I haven't glanced at my DSLR gear (which I would usually think to bring out in rough conditions)

 

I love this thing.

 

And yes, I do use a B+W clear filter (as well as NDs). In these conditions where snow's blowing sideways and I'm constantly having to wipe the front element, can't really not use a filter.

[jdsheepdog]

And the weather sealing is one of the, maybe the, major thing that is going to convince me to part with more money than my retirement, when and if it ever returns, should allow.

 

Our life, when I am not working, involves living on a sailing yacht. Rain and spray and salt air will be a part of the cameras life, no matter how much I try to protect it.

 

I would be interested in others comments as to just how effective it is. I take these claims with somewhat a grain of salt, having owned two "Waterproof" Pentax digitals that I use as work notebooks, both of which leaked and were replaced under warranty.

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[jcraf]

I was at the Leica Akademie in London last week for a MM course.

 

Chatting, off topic, about the M240 camera at coffee, the instructor mentioned that when he was over at Solms on an M240 course, one of the stunts they pulled was to dunk an M into a tank of water, minus lens but with normal body cap.

 

The thing still worked when they pulled it out again, apparently.

 

I find that pretty hard to believe, but maybe someone could corroborate the veracity of this as an M240 'training point' on staff courses at Solms.

 

If true, then I won't worry about a few raindrops on my M240!

[jaapv]

Well, we even have a dunked M8/9 club…

[openuser]

First off. I know the lenses aren't weather sealed. I take great care to keep my camera dry as much as possible.

 

But I live in Toronto. We've had an ice storm. And I've been shooting non-stop. And falling. A LOT. Shoulder rolling into them so the camera stays (mostly) dry' date=' but snow sprays have caked the thing in white before I brush it off with my gloves and a dry cloth.

 

It just keeps on truckin'. To the point where I haven't glanced at my DSLR gear (which I would usually think to bring out in rough conditions)

 

I love this thing.

 

And yes, I do use a B+W clear filter (as well as NDs). In these conditions where snow's blowing sideways and I'm constantly having to wipe the front element, can't really not use a filter.[/quote']

 

Haha good to hear fellow Torontonian enjoying the ice storm. Since it's the worst ice storm in recorded history, it certainly was once in a lifetime opportunity!

 

I also took countless tumbles and wipe outs photographing this magnificent times!

 

On the side note: have you had issues where the camera exposes only black images after the body is exposed to subzero temperatures for longer than an hour and **subsequently powered off then turned back on**? I have this issue and is reproducible consistently.

Edited December 27, 2013 by openuser

[250swb]

Other than being dunked into a tank of water I can't see that the M240 is being subjected to anything worse than my old M9 could cope with. It got wet, it had snow on it, it suffered, and it also suffered from the common weak link, how long do I let it go on for before I worry about the lens letting water in.

 

And I'm not surprised the Leica staff used possibly a tighter sealing body cap and not a lens in their quick dunk test, it is now well documented the M240 lets light in around the lens mount never mind water and dirt! If anybody wants to get more extreme weather pictures they need an Olympus EM1. Get muddy and filthy, covered in volcanic ash, icicles hanging from your nose and camera, and you can take it into a hot shower with you to warm up and clean off. That is weather sealing, not an extra gasket or two around the few buttons and switches on the Leica.

 

Steve

[jaapv]

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Well, in actual reality Leica does not claim weather sealing for the M. That is reserved for the S. The M is not more than “splash water resistant”.

[jcraf]

Other than being dunked into a tank of water

 

Steve

 

I suppose that was my original point; I'd suggest that particular insult is a whole order different even from heavy weather exposure. So I was wondering myself about the veracity of the claim.

 

If only Nobby Clarke was still about.......

[krötenblender]

Other than being dunked into a tank of water I can't see that the M240 is being subjected to anything worse than my old M9 could cope with. It got wet, it had snow on it, it suffered, and it also suffered from the common weak link, how long do I let it go on for before I worry about the lens letting water in.

 

And I'm not surprised the Leica staff used possibly a tighter sealing body cap and not a lens in their quick dunk test, it is now well documented the M240 lets light in around the lens mount never mind water and dirt! If anybody wants to get more extreme weather pictures they need an Olympus EM1.

 

Will it blend?

 

Btw: I have both, the M and the E-M1. I take the M in rain and slightly bad weather (where I live, rain is not bad weather, it's normal...), but if it really gets bad or cold or both and stormy together, the Olympus is the camera to go with. Besides that, the M is pretty robust and tolerant to rain.

[Surge]

Well, in actual reality Leica does not claim weather sealing for the M. That is reserved for the S. The M is not more than “splash water resistant”.

 

Not true. Read the literature.

[Surge]

it is now well documented the M240 lets light in around the lens mount never mind water and dirt!

 

Steve

 

Wouldn't call one person thinking his M leaks light "well documented"!

[jaapv]

Not true. Read the literature.

 

From the Leica product brochure:

 

7 SPLASH-PROOF CAMERA BODY.

 

[….]

Specially designed rubber seals protect its body against splashes,moisture and dust,making the Leica M a pleasure to use in any weather conditions.

[Surge]

From the Leica product brochure:

 

The S brochure says the same thing:

This is why all components of the S-System are protected against dust and water spray, to keep them working perfectly even in rainy weather or tough shooting conditions.

 

Not sure where you got that the S weather sealing is somehow better than the M's?

The difference is the S lenses are also weather sealed.

 

I have not seen any camera body sealed against more than rain or splashes.

[250swb]

Wouldn't call one person thinking his M leaks light "well documented"!

 

You should read the thread, everybody can replicate the leak with a long enough exposure and daylight.

 

Steve

[250swb]

 

I have not seen any camera body sealed against more than rain or splashes.

 

You should get out more, here is a link to the Olympus EM-1 in a hot shower for 10 minutes

 

The 2013 Olympus OM-D E-M1 review, part one: the camera – Ming Thein | Photographer

 

You don't even have to believe me, you can disbelieve a respected blogger instead

 

Steve

[jaapv]

The S brochure says the same thing:

This is why all components of the S-System are protected against dust and water spray, to keep them working perfectly even in rainy weather or tough shooting conditions.

 

Not sure where you got that the S weather sealing is somehow better than the M's?

The difference is the S lenses are also weather sealed.

 

I have not seen any camera body sealed against more than rain or splashes.

LFI 4/2008 iirc. They describe the whole weather sealing process of the S. It can be dunked for a period of time.

[Leonil]

I dropped my 7D and 70-200 f4 into an ice lake and caught it in time with the strap. It was underwater for 3 whole seconds as I didn't want to fall out of the boat and into the thin ice. luckily I walked away with the lake cleaning up my camera body. No condensation in the lens, and when I was opening up the camera to check for leaks, absolutely none.

 

Camera was still on while underwater too and never shut off until I thought it would be safe to do so.

[Surge]

You should get out more, here is a link to the Olympus EM-1 in a hot shower for 10 minutes

 

The 2013 Olympus OM-D E-M1 review, part one: the camera – Ming Thein | Photographer

 

You don't even have to believe me, you can disbelieve a respected blogger instead

 

Steve

 

I should get out more?! You're the one watching videos of an Olympus in a hot shower. :-)

[TigrisJK]

Haha good to hear fellow Torontonian enjoying the ice storm. Since it's the worst ice storm in recorded history, it certainly was once in a lifetime opportunity!

 

I also took countless tumbles and wipe outs photographing this magnificent times!

 

On the side note: have you had issues where the camera exposes only black images after the body is exposed to subzero temperatures for longer than an hour and **subsequently powered off then turned back on**? I have this issue and is reproducible consistently.

 

Sounds like a battery issue... But no, I haven't. Wouldn't surprise me though... Subzero temperatures do silly things to electronics.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[TigrisJK]

Thus far I wouldn't say I've done enough testing to give you a definite answer but the weather I have experienced has been fine with the M. This ice storm, and light/medium rainfall. It isn't the right time of year for rainstorms... And while I was in Hong Kong recently it was a dry part of the year.

 

I would be hesitant to bring it sailing regularly though. The lenses are not sealed, so there isn't a gasket around the metal mount. As people have mentioned here there's a possibility of light leakage... Which I have not been able to reproduce with stock lens cap and a hat over the front element in direct sunlight, longest exposure possible in B... But would not surprise me on a metal on metal mount depending on lens used.