Leicauser7 Posted February 21, 2017 Share #1 Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Topic says it all. Could Leica offer the current lens lineup in weather tight housings (of course, phased in over time)? Would it make any sense commercially for them to do so? I they were able to do this and also offer a truly sealed version of the M camera, wouldn't this lead to, potentially, a massive wave of upgrading? Just a thought after the spending the day walking around in the rain with my shiny new M10 in a plastic bag, not really using it Edited February 21, 2017 by Leicauser7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 21, 2017 Posted February 21, 2017 Hi Leicauser7, Take a look here Weather Tight M Lenses -- Is It Possible?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
FrozenInTime Posted February 21, 2017 Share #2 Posted February 21, 2017 A 35mm lens with build similar to the Nikonos 35/2.5 would be nice. They could base it on the Summarit 35/2.4 so the combo would still be small enough to slip under a jacket. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted February 21, 2017 Share #3 Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) It rather depends on what "weather-tight" means. A basic rubber "skirt" around the lens mount, that seals the gap between lens and camera, is likely not hard to incorporate, and is something that could easily be available as an upgrade. But since rubber does eventually either wear out or degrade, it would run against the ideal of lenses that last for 50+ years.You'd have to plan on getting a new seal installed every decade or so. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PYyScLHE4Io/TeEpnQe5SLI/AAAAAAAABGQ/jivjVFQcNZU/s1600/weather+seal.jpg As to sealing the lens barrel and moving focus or aperture rings - most manufacturers have addressed that by removing the rings entirely. Or at least removing the mechanical connections and going to "focus by wire" by way of the autofocus motors (ring moves rheostat, which signals lens to move), with aperture controlled from the body via a control wheel. I supremely doubt Leica will go that route. There's another issue with "sealing" anything that changes in volume - how to handle the changes in air volume inside the lens, or lens/camera-chamber combo. If you add 1 cm to the length of a lens by focusing from infinity down to 2 feet, either air has to be able to leak in and out to fill that space as the volume changes, or you may get a partial vacuum inside the lens. That will fight you when you try to focus. Internal focusing (where the whole lens stays one size, while the glass moves around inside) addesses that. In the Nikonos lenses, as well as AF lenses. Even so, some of Canon and Nikon lenses are notorious "dust pumps" that suck in dust with the air as they are zoomed in and out. After a couple of years, they get a lot of internal dust on the glass, which requires a major strip-down for cleaning. Conversely, when Fuji introduced the weather-sealed 18-135 for the X cameras, they intentionally put 3 little pinholes in the botton of the lens barrel, to allow air to suck in and blow out as the lens was focused and zoomed (since updated as a slotted vent, that also dumps overboard water that collects on the extended zoom barrel). https://photographylife.com/what-to-do-with-dust-inside-lens http://onthreelegs.com/2014/11/23/fuji-18-135mm-review/ Leica has always depended upon the kindness of strangers - no, wrong play - their tight mechanical tolerences and "fit" to keep environmental water out, at least from the deepest parts of a lens. Combined with grease (oil and water don't mix). https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2011/05/cutaway3.jpg Generally, it works pretty well. My M8 and decades-old 21mm lens were "sloshed" with a large dose of whitewash during a college event. No problems, except for external cleaning. A couple of years ago, I was shooting in a serious Ouray snowstorm with M9s, and a Canon w/300mm IS - the Canon AF started acting up, the M9s and their lenses were unaffected. (Video frame grab) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited February 21, 2017 by adan 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/269639-weather-tight-m-lenses-is-it-possible/?do=findComment&comment=3217922'>More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted February 21, 2017 Share #4 Posted February 21, 2017 Good summary. Also brought back fond memories of my motorcycle trip from Durango to Silverton, Ouray Telluride, Mesa Verde and back.....cold and snow packed on the shoulders at higher altitudes.....but my film M didn't seem to mind. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted February 21, 2017 Share #5 Posted February 21, 2017 Third part alternative: https://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/subal-housing-for-leica-m.html I used to use Subal (not with Leicas of course) and they are watertight, very watertight indeed, in any normal sense. Total overkill for use on land but since the question was asked there is a solution to ensuring watertightness, no dust and so on. Increases bulk a bit though . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicauser7 Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share #6 Posted February 21, 2017 Thanks all for very informative replies! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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