Very dusty environments

[bencoyote]

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I'm planning on taking my M240 and my current generation 28mm cron and 50mm out to Ye Ole Black rock desert for Burning Man. It can be pretty dusty out there. I plan to take the standard precautions:

• UV filters
• camera in case when possible especially when it is really bad
• minimize lens changes and do it in as much of a dust free env as possible
• use brushes to remove external dust frequently

The M240 is supposedly dust and water resistant but the lenses are not gasgetted. What I'm worrying about a little is the focusing mechanism of the lenses sucking dust into the interior of the lens. Mostly, I've seen this kind of thing being a problem with consumer DSLRs with zoom lenses or compact cameras that telescope their lenses when turned on. They turn it on or zoom in and the lens doubles in length and sucks in a ton of dust. There is a huge difference between the volume of the air exchanged by focusing vs zooming a kit lens but I was curious how much I need to worry about  dust getting into my lenses. Leica doesn't seem to make any claims about the lenses being dust and water resistant the way that they do for the body.

 

Any additional tips using the M and its lenses in a dusty environment?

 

PS I'm not one of those people who will walk around with their camera in a plastic bag with a hole for the front lens element. I'll rather send it to Leica for a CLA after the event than do that.

[jaapv]

Yep- don't worry. Blow off the dust from the sensor with a Rocket blower in the bathroom of your hotel/camping daily. That is about it.

[jdlaing]

I have had mine thru Death Valley. Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and some other places just as gritty and dirty with no adverse effects whatsoever. Standard care should suit you just fine. The heat was more worrisome to me than anything else but all was okay.

[250swb]

 

Any additional tips using the M and its lenses in a dusty environment?

.

 

Your best bet is to get a subscription to LFI magazine and see for yourself the environments in which photographers are using their cameras, and it would be a wake up call to an awful lot of people on LUF who go for the baby in a blanket approach for their camera. Apart from common sense, which you appear to have already, there is nothing to learn other than don't let anybody spook you, given that any good photo opportunity may be unique the only dust/cleaning problem is if it affects the actual images as you shoot, not the post trip CLA for the odd speck lodged somewhere inconspicuous. So take the normal precautions and take the normal cleaning kit.

 

Steve

[Mornnb]

I've had my M240 at a Colour Run, no issues what so ever.

[bencoyote]

Your best bet is to get a subscription to LFI magazine and see for yourself the environments in which photographers are using their cameras, and it would be a wake up call to an awful lot of people on LUF who go for the baby in a blanket approach for their camera. Apart from common sense, which you appear to have already, there is nothing to learn other than don't let anybody spook you, given that any good photo opportunity may be unique the only dust/cleaning problem is if it affects the actual images as you shoot, not the post trip CLA for the odd speck lodged somewhere inconspicuous. So take the normal precautions and take the normal cleaning kit.

 

Steve

Yeah I'm with you, I'm not a "baby blanket approach" kind of guy. :-) I recognized the value of "build quality" when my first serious camera of the digital era literally fell apart. My M is six months old and it already has a tinge of brassing. It is a tool, a beloved tool that I try to take care of but if things happen in the line of duty, well -- it's develops some character. 

 

As for cleaning and protection supplies I'm taking: kimwipes, several microfiber cloths, a sensor cleaning kit, liquid optics cleaner, canned air, a rocket hand squeeze bottle thing, several lens pens, one of those squeeze bulbs with a little brush on the end, electrical tape, a couple of big ziplocks, and a couple of domke wraps for when I stick my camera into things that aren't camera bags.

 

Basically the whole kitchen sink all the things that I've bought or tried over the years. Almost all of that stays back at camp and I probably won't use half of it but since I've got it, and because this isn't a backpacking trip where weight matters, I'll take it. It might come in handy if not for me for someone else. Mostly I use lens pens or a microfiber cloth.

[sls]

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The Pentax sensor cleaning stick is very handy and safe to use if the blower does not clean the sensor. I did a wet clean of my M9 in India a couple of years ago, was successful but a bit nerve wracking.

 

When I changed to an MM I chose 50mm as my main lens and over the last two weeks touring only had the need to change lens once - to 90mm - in a spotlessly clean and carpeted temple. 

 

Remember not to take apart and put together in heavy air con. 

 

There must be several reasons for treating a Leica (or any other camera) like a baby, including:

 

1.  Not wanting to damage it

2.  Being OCD

3.  Concerned that it looks good

4.  An eye on resale value

 

Fortunately only 1 applies to me, and even that is questionable given my recent treatment of my Q.

 

The paint on the MM can almost be blown off, so I stopped worrying about it brassing after about 20 minutes.

[bencoyote]

As a follow up, the M240 with the 50mm summilux seem to have survived a Burning Man during a fairly dusty year with minimal care. There were even a couple of times where I couldn't put it away into a bag during a dust storm. I didn't even seem to need to blow out sensor dust. I only changed lens a couple of times. The UV filter that I used took the brunt of the dust and the heaviest cleaning. There are now several minor chips in the coating.

 

I tried to keep the area where the lens expands and contracts to focus fairly clear by brushing it off several times a day. That was my biggest worry. Dust intrusion through the focus mechanism.

 

Now that I'm back in a relatively dust free environment any follow up procedures that I should follow. I've already wiped down the lens's exterior and cleaned the front and rear element. I probably need to take some additional time to get all the dust out of the aperture and focus ring grip grooves but I haven't figured out how to do that well. However that seems mostly cosmetic and I'm not worried about it.

 

The one area I need to figure out how to clean well is the grooved area on the inside of the built in hood. I have wiped it out several times but it just isn't as black as it once was. The cleaning cloths and brushes that I have don't seem to really get down into the bottom of the grooves perfectly. I think some sort of liquid cleaning may be in order. Suggestions?

[Peter Kilmister]

Have you tried a vacuum cleaner?

[jmahto]

As a follow up, the M240 with the 50mm summilux seem to have survived a Burning Man during a fairly dusty year with minimal care. There were even a couple of times where I couldn't put it away into a bag during a dust storm. I didn't even seem to need to blow out sensor dust. I only changed lens a couple of times. The UV filter that I used took the brunt of the dust and the heaviest cleaning. There are now several minor chips in the coating.

 

I tried to keep the area where the lens expands and contracts to focus fairly clear by brushing it off several times a day. That was my biggest worry. Dust intrusion through the focus mechanism.

 

Now that I'm back in a relatively dust free environment any follow up procedures that I should follow. I've already wiped down the lens's exterior and cleaned the front and rear element. I probably need to take some additional time to get all the dust out of the aperture and focus ring grip grooves but I haven't figured out how to do that well. However that seems mostly cosmetic and I'm not worried about it.

 

The one area I need to figure out how to clean well is the grooved area on the inside of the built in hood. I have wiped it out several times but it just isn't as black as it once was. The cleaning cloths and brushes that I have don't seem to really get down into the bottom of the grooves perfectly. I think some sort of liquid cleaning may be in order. Suggestions?

 

An after picture of the dusty camera would have been welcome if you managed to capture before cleaning.

[jaapv]

Take it to your friendly optician and run the hood through his ultrasonic cleaning bath.