Harsh environment and M8 backup

[fursan]

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exactly!

 

I doubt that it is a good idea to take film into an area that has temperatures up to 50 celsius or even more - that is over 120 fahrenheit! for any length of time - certainly not a month.

[fursan]

David,

 

Interesting experience have you related, sir. value all these inputs.

 

Regards

 

It cools down at night, and a sealed insulated box will keep beer cool all day in 45 celcius (in the shade) - so I'm guessing that it will do just fine for film at 50. If you want to get really outback style, you can wrap the box in a wet towel (keep it damp). I've backpacked with film at temperatures up to 45 for a week or so, and the film was fine - the inside of my pack never made it anywhere near 45 degrees.

 

The M8 would melt your hands off if you left it in the sunshine for more than an hour or so at that temperature, lord knows what would happen to the internals. Covering it with a white or reflective bag or cloth makes a huge difference to the amount it heats up.

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[dpattinson]

Since I'm in London right now - I can't perform the experiment. However I suggest getting hold of an insulated styrene box and putting a few film canisters full of water in it. Seal it up, wrap it in aluminium foil and leave it in the shade outside, see how hot the water gets by the end of the day.

I suspect that it will be nowhere near 50 celcius - but I'm interested to see how it pans out.

 

David.

[blakley]

Bob,

 

your suggestion/s are worthy of serious consideration. i am torn between the robustness of film ( medium ) to

survive the heat/dust versus the sensor/electronics to pack up.

 

If you want to shoot color in that kind of heat, I'd agree with you that digital is a better solution. But B&W - especially an older emulsion like Tri-X, should be able to stand the heat for a few weeks without much quality loss if you pack it carefully (you don't need ice; just an insulated bag that's kept closed in the daytime). I'm not sure digital has an advantage when it comes to dust.

[ho_co]

The M8 has been taken into the dusty deserts of Namibia several times now (see the thread here and the LFI article.) There were no dust problems. The camera is so well built that the point of weathersealing seems a bit overrated. The ones used in Iraq (also reported on the web) worked flawlessly as well, boating in a moist,salt, tropical environment gave me no problems.

Jaap--

I think that's a point that cannot be too highly stressed.

 

Somehow, since Canon announced they were weather-sealing their cameras and lenses, everyone seems to have forgotten that photographs have been made for years without the benefit of sealing. Yes, there are things you can do with weather-sealed cameras that you wouldn't want to do without it, and for those uses the sealing is a tautological benefit.

 

There were some warnings that the M8 might not be up to snuff for professional use because it is unsealed. That may yet prove true, but so far, the camera has been out for half a year, and we are not seeing reports of its going belly-up due to climate in Antarctica, Iraq, Namibia, or a lot of other harsh environments.

 

It's still too early to say finally that lack of sealing isn't an issue for the M8, but it hasn't proven to be a problem so far.

 

 

Fahim--

It sounds like a very interesting trip. Do post some images on your return; and let us know how both you and your equipment fared!

 

--HC

[Guest guy_mancuso]

In my part of the Desert were cooking a rough 120 degrees on some days, which BTW is hot as hell. I worry about me more than my gear. I would not think twice about using a M8 in any situation, reason to have 2 bodies.

[Guest stnami]

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........ you can always forget about the backup and enjoy the place if the camera packs it in...........................................

[tom0511]

Personally I ask myself often-do I, as an armateur, need a 4000 € body backup?

Specially since we all know digital cameras are old after 3 years.

 

What I have done before: Take M8+lenses AND a D200+18-200. In this case you do not onlöy have a backup, but also a long tele lense with VR, a built in flash and AF in case you want to shoot action. BUT-more heavy than just a backup body.

 

Another option would be to get a rd1, if the resolution is fine for you.

 

Third option, if you dont need longer than 70mm: bring a Ricoh GX100 as backup.

 

Another I can recommend additionally (not as backup, because IQ is not as good as the other cams mentioned): get yourself an Oly770SW.

 

If I went on the "once in a lifetime" vacation trip than I wouldget a second M8.

 

The idea to being a M6 with film I also like, because then you are not dependent on charger, sd cards, backuping files, etc etc.

 

Cheers, Tom

[Guest Olof]

Ask your dealer if he can make a reservation for over 4 weeks for a M8 and ship it by UPS Express if your ask him for it....