M8 and the tropics

[geoffreyg]

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Hope this is in the right forum:

 

We're going to Ecuador and up into the rain forest for about 5 days in a month, and I'm wondering if the M8 would do OK with that. I've had few problems with it, an odd elec issue here and there, and it certainly doesn't do great in super cold weather, but its been pretty reliable. Its an early one that went back and had some major update after it failed once totally - and has been good since.

 

Is the humidity too much? Anyone got any experience? I've travelled with cameras for years in odd places, but this trip is a bit extreme, both in the electronics and the moisture.

 

Geoff

[jaapv]

I use a Pelican case in very humid tropical conditions, with Silicagel. In general all the time-honoured caveats apply. Keep the camera and lenses in a dry place if possible, keep them in circulating air, don't put them in leather cases. All this to avoid fungus and condensation.

[markgay]

Used to live in the tropics. After three years nothing worked, hi-fi was given away and the Nikons went off for a full service.

 

For five days you'll be ok. Five months and the Jumbies will get you.

 

Mark

[Printmaker]

I live and work in the tropics, in fact my home is on the side of a mountain that possibly gets the most rainfall of any place in the world - 450 inches. At my elevation, I get a few showers nearly every day. I've never had a problem.

 

Like Jaap, I use a Pelican 1200 case on the boat. It is a great case for protecting a Leica and a few lenses. I also use a Domke F5xb bag when wandering about. My M8 then gets wrapped in a soft cleaning cloth when its in the bag. This makes sure a rag is always handy to dry the camera after a light misting. However, the M8 stays in the bag or case whenever the rain is hard or there is excessive salt water spray.

 

So far, so good.

 

Tom

[jaapv]

The LowePro Omnitraveller fist exactly into a Pelican case, the 1450 iirc, and seems to be made for RF cameras. Ideal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[imported_reinierv]

condensation and moist are not good with an M8

 

keep it as dry as possible and if it gets wet for some reason, get the batteries out until it is dry again. That is btw a general rule for all electronics that gets wet: get the power off. Remember that even in the off position most hand-held electronics, including the M8, still have some life-circuits while device is switched off. When those circuits get wet electrolysis will occur and destroy everything beyond repair.

 

I agree with the above recommendations and probably you will be ok.

 

During my trip in greenland my M8 died of condensation while a 350D owner took a dive with it and it survived...I can still hear him laughing

 

btw note that the worst condensation will occur when you go from cold to warm. When I was in Russia a month ago, my D700 went dripping if I went inside, coming from -18c outside into a +25c room (they heat insanely there). So probably you will, in the tropics, not have to much troubles because your places will be warm most of the time and airconditioned rooms (like hotels) usually also control the humidity so you will not be troubled with condensation too much.

My mistake in greenland was probably that I put it in my backpack (actually to protect the camera against rain) where it was warmer then outside.

[geoffreyg]

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Thanks for all the good thoughts. A few things:

 

- the rooms are not A/C, but rather open air with mosquito netting. They do give "dry boxes" to help dehumidify the camera gear

 

- the overall sense is incredible moisture - rain and humidity. It will be interesting to see if the camera survives.

 

- supposedly fogging and mildew are the two biggest culprits, a typical M8 issue.

 

We shall see! Thanks for the pictures of the Lowepro and Pelican setup. There is the "isolated" version, like this, and then the "breathing" version where there is no humidity change. Hard to pick.

 

Geoff

[Nigel_Meaby]

Tried to find this bag and discovered it's been discontinued! That's a shame as it's the kind of bag I've been looking for.

[jaapv]

I saw a few of them on e-Bay recently,I think.

[Nigel_Meaby]

Search on The Bay drew a blank. I wonder what the replacement bag is called?

[imported_reinierv]

ah, a trip like that

 

you will not have any problems. I have done it too also in Ecuador

[volkerhopf]

I am just back to Noosa Queensland from a trip to Malaysia - 35 degree Celsius 96% humidity. I did not take any precautions and had not problems at all. My M8 is one of the very early models.

[Printmaker]

Search on The Bay drew a blank. I wonder what the replacement bag is called?

 

My Leica rides in the 1200. My Nikons ride in the Omni Pro/Pelican 1450. Jaap: are we copying each other?

 

I got the Omni Pro/Pelican 1450 sometime in the 90s. It is a great combo for lots of gear. I sometimes even use it to haul flash heads. And, if you keep the gear inside to a minimum, it will float. Mine did once in the bilge of a dive boat.

 

Meabster: you can put one of the 8 series Domke Satchels into a 1450 with a T-shirt spacer or just order it with foam and customize the case. The 1450 is considerably larger than a 1200. With the OmniPro case inside it holds 2 pro Nikon bodies, a 13 inch Macbook pro, several lenses and a flash. Of course with all of that gear in it, the 1450 weighs a ton. The 1200 with a Leica and 4 lenses weighs about 2 kilos. It fits into any old backpack and does not cause much fuss going through airport security. I once have had to insist on keeping the 1450 as a carry-on. Well, it was a small plane. Still, the last thing I want to check in is my cameras.

 

Tom

[vanhulsenbeek]

 

- the rooms are not A/C, but rather open air with mosquito netting. They do give "dry boxes" to help dehumidify the camera gear

 

- the overall sense is incredible moisture - rain and humidity. It will be interesting to see if the camera survives.

 

- supposedly fogging and mildew are the two biggest culprits, a typical M8 issue.

 

 

- the rooms are not A/C, but rather open air with mosquito netting. They do give "dry boxes" to help dehumidify the camera gear: ## be careful there. If a 'Dry Box"is a cupboard with a lamp, things may get hot. The idea, rather primitive, is that when you raise the temparature in a confined space the relative humidity drops, unless suppleted by added moisture.

 

- the overall sense is incredible moisture - rain and humidity. It will be interesting to see if the camera survives. ## try an Ortlieb bag for a rainy dag: ORTLIEB GmbH - welcome outdoors

My M9 survived in a closed Ortlieb bag during a very wet day in New Zealand:

Could not use the camera that day, kept the bag carefully and airtight closed. See myself in the stream with the bag. Used a Pany Waterproof P&S for the shots and video and got the M9 safely out of the bag in the evening.

 

- supposedly fogging and mildew are the two biggest culprits, a typical M8 issue.

## Fogging: happens anywhere with everything. A matter of warm and cold. See some good commentary by JaapV in this thread. Mildew and fungus: probably won't hit you in only a couple of days: they only come on longer term: weeks. On your lenses: fatal, and between your toes: painful

 

Five days in Equador: do not worry! My M8 was fine in the Indonesian jungle. In an Ortlieb:D