Jamie Roberts Posted December 9, 2006 Share #21  Posted December 9, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) That's good news. How much exposure to rain did it get?  Sean--it got way more rain than I'd like, especially after reading the manual warning... just like you said in your review  It got about three minutes of solid rain, in about three sessions of one minute each. It just started pouring and we needed to finish up, so we did.  For weddings, I will shoot this in the rain with some kind of lightweight coverage over the body, but it will get wet. One thing I've noticed is that the shorter M lenses aren't quite so well protected as the SLR lens equivalents (funny what you forget over the years!). The CV 15, in particular, definitely needs more shielding (though that's hard to do with the wide angle). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 9, 2006 Posted December 9, 2006 Hi Jamie Roberts, Take a look here M8 Under the weather.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
rvaubel Posted December 9, 2006 Share #22  Posted December 9, 2006 What exactly is "3M protective tape" and where would one find it?  I don't have the part # offhand, but I researched this stuff 15 years ago to solve a particular problem I had with protecting large machined surfaces from rust and other damage while in transit to sites around the world. The stuff was originally developed by 3M to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades from small debris impact, rust, etc. It isn't available at a retail level, in fact it must be ordered from 3M with a minumim of about $3000 worth and about a 6 week lead time. It is far superior to any protective film that Hoodman or anyone else sells. I've thought about selling it but I'm not a retailer. At about $3.00/ft its very expensive for protective tape but very cheap for camera LCD protectors. I have often wondered if one of the LCD protector guys is selling this stuff.  I try and remember to bring a piece home and take some pictures of an application to my RD1. Of course the swivel screen is the weak spot there.  Rex  Rex  Rex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted December 9, 2006 Share #23 Â Posted December 9, 2006 This is an amusing thread. When is the penny going to drop? Look at the R9, Leica design cameras to cannel and drain water into the camera body. It is what they do. They are good at it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted December 10, 2006 Share #24 Â Posted December 10, 2006 This is an amusing thread. When is the penny going to drop? Look at the R9, Leica design cameras to cannel and drain water into the camera body. It is what they do. They are good at it. Â In all fairness, though, there are a lot of digital cameras that are vulnerable to water, dust, etc. The M8 just shouldn't be one of them. Â Cheers, Â Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted December 10, 2006 Share #25  Posted December 10, 2006 In all fairness, though, there are a lot of digital cameras that are vulnerable to water, dust, etc. The M8 just shouldn't be one of them. Cheers,  Sean   True, but name one other camera, in that price range that isn't weather sealed? The 1D series and Dx cameras are all sealed.  It's bad enough to fry a $1200 camera in the rain or high humidity, but a $5000 camera is a whole different story. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted December 10, 2006 Share #26 Â Posted December 10, 2006 OK, tongue in cheek Sean, maybe. But I dont care what the others are doing, that shouldnt be an issue. Leica per se, should be rough and tumble enough to go where you can. What did Salgado say about his 6.2? What was the old Magnum M philosophy? A Leica, a fifty, one roll, and... what? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted December 10, 2006 Share #27  Posted December 10, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) This is a picture of the M8 body casting published by Leica which shows that the rear panel is an integral part of the housing. It looks like the LCD screen has an adhesive border and presses into position. Fine as long as the adhesive holds but if it weakens in damp conditions, this part of the camera could leak.  What's also interesting is that the casting is in two halves - front and back - which you can confirm by looking for the seam with the bottom cover removed. This isn't a camera which slides out of the housing like a film M does and for at least some repairs, they would need to remove the self-adhesive grip material to separate the two halves. That also has the welcome benefit of keeping meddlers like me at bay...  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! 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/10983-m8-under-the-weather/?do=findComment&comment=114966'>More sharing options...
Guest smep_reloaded Posted December 10, 2006 Share #28  Posted December 10, 2006 I agree for any pro camera that may be used in weather (ie: not studio cameras, etc.) The D70 is vulnerable too though but then it isn't sold as Nikon's pro camera. Cheers,  Sean  I know that the D70 is just a cheap prosumer dslr. The more I was surprised that rain was no problem for it... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Campbell Posted December 10, 2006 Share #29  Posted December 10, 2006 I routinely shower with my Canon 1DsII after salt water exposure with no problem. If you’re going to get wet with Canon gear it’s important to have one of the sealed lenses on the body.  A few years back I found myself in heavy rain in Brazil with a 24mm TS (not a sealed lens) on the camera. Some condensate formed on the inside of the small lcd on the back of the camera. I sent it to Canon for repair. Canon declared that the camera was a total loss as a result of corroded electronics . This adds real emphasis to Sean’s point that the M8 needs better environmental sealing than its film predecessors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySwan Posted December 10, 2006 Share #30 Â Posted December 10, 2006 I'm hopefull this issue won't be a deal breaker for me. While I have no intention of abusing any camera I don't want to have to walk around with it in a plastic bag. I want this camera becaue of it's diminutive size and the ability to "wear" it almost like gloves or a hat. I want something that is ready at a moments notice. If I can't have it with me all the time because of fears of bad weather then I'll have to wait till Leica comes to their senses and seals it better against weather. I'm not some rich boy collecting expensive toys, I want to shoot with it in all kinds of weather that people walk to work in. I think it's great that those who can afford it are able to collect this calibre of equipment but that ain't me. I find weather conditions other than bright and sunny can help create some of the best images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvaubel Posted December 10, 2006 Share #31  Posted December 10, 2006 This is a picture of the M8 body casting published by Leica which shows that the rear panel is an integral part of the housing. It looks like the LCD screen has an adhesive border and presses into position. Fine as long as the adhesive holds but if it weakens in damp conditions, this part of the camera could leak. What's also interesting is that the casting is in two halves - front and back - which you can confirm by looking for the seam with the bottom cover removed. This isn't a camera which slides out of the housing like a film M does and for at least some repairs, they would need to remove the self-adhesive grip material to separate the two halves. That also has the welcome benefit of keeping meddlers like me at bay...  [ATTACH]17884[/ATTACH]  That chassis looks like a seive  Rex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted December 10, 2006 Share #32  Posted December 10, 2006 That chassis looks like a seive Rex  In that case, it will probably leak like one.  Truth is, we do not know how weather resistant it is, Sean was the first to raise the issue but, as yet, no one has come back to my knowledge and said that being caught in a rain-storm finished their camera off. Leica are bound to take the position of "keep the camera away from water" because to even hint at it being weather resistant will have people exploring just how weather resistant and endlessly debating whether it is weather resistant enough.  I expect that if you take reasonable precautions to shield it from the rain and snow, it will be fine. Leave it outside overnight in a torrential rainstorm and you may not be so lucky. If you drop it in the sea, all bets are off unlike my Duovids which are fully immersible and can be washed under a running tap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted December 10, 2006 Share #33  Posted December 10, 2006 I routinely shower with my Canon 1DsII after salt water exposure with no problem.If you’re going to get wet with Canon gear it’s important to have one of the sealed lenses on the body.  A few years back I found myself in heavy rain in Brazil with a 24mm TS (not a sealed lens) on the camera. Some condensate formed on the inside of the small lcd on the back of the camera. I sent it to Canon for repair. Canon declared that the camera was a total loss as a result of corroded electronics . This adds real emphasis to Sean’s point that the M8 needs better environmental sealing than its film predecessors.  Don't forget that even the sealed lenses are not sealed unless there is a filter on them. This removes a weapon from the no-filter-on-my-leica-lens brigade, at least those who want to shower with their M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest V64 Posted January 2, 2007 Share #34 Â Posted January 2, 2007 In the thread on lens encoding it was pointed out that the M-mount adapters (excluding the early leica adaptors) usually have a cut-a-way which prevents the adaptor from being encoded. Â This is because the cut-a-way does not 'cover' the window in the Mount which contains the strip of LED+Sensors which read the code. So that it is open to the elements when using adaptor mounted lenses. Â Does anyone know if this window is moisture/weather proof? Â Thank-you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell Posted January 2, 2007 Share #35 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Wouldn't a sealed digital M require new design sealed M lenses to be truly sealed? Â What! I'll have to buy all new lenses for my sealed M 9?!!!! Â Partial water resistence is fine with a film M. But, with digital it's kind of an all or nothing thing. Â Â Best, Â Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 2, 2007 Share #36 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Hi Mitchell, Â Yes, a sealed M8 would require sealed lenses to be truly protected. But using the camera in the rain, snow, etc. would be a personal choice and only those of us (myself included) who work in those conditions would need the sealed lenses. I had suggested to Leica in 2004 that newly-introduced M lenses be sealed. Â It's the same with Canon bodies, etc.. Those who need the weather sealing need to own the appropriate lenses. Â Cheers, Â Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericperlberg Posted January 2, 2007 Share #37 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Even the Canon 1d series cameras are only weathersealed with a few lenses which have a special rubber gasket on the mount end. As far as I can remember there are no primes which are weatherresistent, only the "L" zooms and not all of those. And then there's the need to put a filter on the front end of those lenses. If Leica had done something similar (no primes, necessary filter) there would have been outrage and hell to pay. Â It's a shame that Leica didn't take Sean's advice but its possible that they tried and ran up against engineering tradeoffs that they weren't keen to make (eg, weight, cost). Â (edit) oops, it appears I've duplicated what Sean said... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flatfour Posted January 2, 2007 Share #38 Â Posted January 2, 2007 A relation was using his Nikon digital slr in a swimming pool and he was knocked over by his son - in the shallow end. He tried to keep the camera out of the water but it got at least half submerged for a fraction of a second. It stopped completely and never worked again till after a major repair. Fortunately it was insured. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frc Posted January 2, 2007 Share #39 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Ha ha, Carsten, Â Â Here's one of these no-filter diehards, I got completely soaked in heavy showers just after midnight trying to get some pictures of the fireworks. My MP fitted with the lux 35 asph took alot of water, I even changed film under these severe conditions. This isn't the first time I use the cam in a hostile environment, With NO filter on the lens. Leica may not make a clame for for the gear to be moist-proof, but it lasts, even if you abuse it like I do. Besides, this is one of the reasons why I bought a D 200 instead of the M8. ( still disappointed / 6 M-lenses and no digi-body / how do I explain this not wanting it to all the happy users? ) Â BTW, Sean, the N...n suits me better than I expected;-) Â Â Happy newyear to everybody, Â Â Fr. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike prevette Posted January 3, 2007 Share #40 Â Posted January 3, 2007 I am probally the one referenced about the tape on the LCD (self coding pictures). I looked at the camera body and imagined myself to be an evil little water drop. I looked at all the places It was mostlikely to go, and the bezil around the LCD seemed the most vulnerable. Those little ridges and cracks seemed like they would hold water and even use to capilary action to pull water deeper. I also spoted a few stray dust particles under my screen. So I taped her up. It has the added bonus of being a protector against chipping and denting of the ridge around the LCD, as well as some added grip. Â _mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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