Caving with the R6

[analoguefran]

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Hello fellow Leica enthusiasts, Caver and R6 user from Canada here. 

Below is my caving/spelunking camera of choice. Cleans off fine every time and has survived numerous falls, splashes, bumps, etc. without visible damage. More dent resistant than some of the other brass cameras I’ve seen out there. The prism housing is very rigid and well sealed. Everything else not so much but not much has gotten into the base plate of the camera and there is enough room to accommodate a custom seal.
 

The flash is a Metz 54mz4. For my first few trips I mainly just bounced off of different surfaces at various angles and EV compensations on TTL mode. This worked well for a good number of photos and situations. It also kept my camera compact when I’m bouldering or traversing through tight tunnels. However there are some inherent problems with that so nowadays I use a soft box and another wireless flash concurrently which works way better. As for lenses I only have the 50mm Summicron-r V2 and the 28mm Elmarit-r V1 which I use when I'm in the cave itself. Definitely a pain in the ass to swap lenses and it's the main reason why I want to get the Leica r 35-70 f4 when I have the money or if I find a good deal (I'm a broke student and labourer). 

Still many rolls left to develop and scan with that new set up though but link below if you want to take a look at some older photos.

https://analoguefran.com/work/uvcc
 

This quite snapshot of the camera was taken after a trip (some of the mud dried and fell off on the return trip):

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Edited August 15, 2022 by analoguefran

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[OR120]

Did quite a few caves myself - a few years back. Always brought several sets of clothes/shoes/boots - to change to afterwards. At the time I was using newspaper provided (other brand) cameras. I would usually take a 14mm w/ three flash units (remote trigger) to get a little depth in background. Very hard to light up total darkness. 

We would hear about caves located on farmers property/get approval to go down. It was always fun as you had approached a farmers field and the sign would say - IF THE BULL IS OUT - STAY OUT OF FIELD - 

[hansvons]

It's heartbreaking to see an R6 covered with mud (besides its successor, R 6.2, the best R camera Leica made; its value only goes up). The same applies to the lens. But that's what these machines were made for back in the day. But today?

However, if I were you, for these kinds of jobs, I'd get an early Pentax/Minolta/Olympus with a wide angle, and in working order, of course. In the end, in such an environment and with such a motif/light, the extra-sharpness and character of Leica glass don't pay off. But when the mud dries up, it will enter the camera and lens as Sahara sand does. It's granular like flour—bin there, done it. I almost killed a camera back then. It wasn't a Leica but an Arri. CLA was expensive but included in the job's cost estimate (an obvious no-brainer).

Regardless, great to see someone shooting on film such stuff!

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by hansvons

[dkCambridgeshire]

1 hour ago, hansvons said:

It's heartbreaking to see an R6 covered with mud (besides its successor, R 6.2, the best R camera Leica made; its value only goes up). The same applies to the lens. But that's what these machines were made for back in the day. But today?

However, if I were you, for these kinds of jobs, I'd get an early Pentax/Minolta/Olympus with a wide angle, and in working order, of course. In the end, in such an environment and with such a motif/light, the extra-sharpness and character of Leica glass don't pay off. But when the mud dries up, it will enter the camera and lens as Sahara sand does. It's granular like flour—bin there, done it. I almost killed a camera back then. It wasn't a Leica but an Arri. CLA was expensive but included in the job's cost estimate (an obvious no-brainer).

Regardless, great to see someone shooting on film such stuff!

 

Heartbreaking?? A camera is a camera and an R6 is good workhorse. Caving soiling and the R6's etc ability to survive is a good advert for a Leica R6's longevity. Why should the OP use a Pentax ... or an unreliable old Olympus with dodgy electronic switches?

Horses for courses! 

[hansvons]

1 hour ago, dkCambridgeshire said:

Horses for courses! 

Haha! Like it!

[analoguefran]

6 hours ago, hansvons said:

It's heartbreaking to see an R6 covered with mud (besides its successor, R 6.2, the best R camera Leica made; its value only goes up). The same applies to the lens. But that's what these machines were made for back in the day. But today?

However, if I were you, for these kinds of jobs, I'd get an early Pentax/Minolta/Olympus with a wide angle, and in working order, of course. In the end, in such an environment and with such a motif/light, the extra-sharpness and character of Leica glass don't pay off. But when the mud dries up, it will enter the camera and lens as Sahara sand does. It's granular like flour—bin there, done it. I almost killed a camera back then. It wasn't a Leica but an Arri. CLA was expensive but included in the job's cost estimate (an obvious no-brainer).

Regardless, great to see someone shooting on film such stuff!

 

There is actually a few reasons why I’ve chosen the R6 over a few other cameras:

• The viewfinder’s LEDs and flash exposure confirmation is very clear

• The prism housing is well sealed

• It’s completely mechanical 

• Cameras, especially electronic ones, routinely die from moisture in the air alone or from taking a fall head first into a pool of water

• I didn’t want a camera I had to constantly keep inside of a bulky pelican case 

• I have muscle memory with it so I’m comfortable using it in places where I might only have access to one hand or with no vision.

What the set up has proven so far:

• The shutter has survived accidental mud

• The viewfinder display works well in that environment

• It can handle bumps and splashes

• With a decent light source and a softbox the resolution and character of these Leica lenses are definitely maintained. Even the older lenses with some aberrations in bright sunlight has next to none down there even with a strong flash. If you would like I can send you a few high resolution files 

 

But overall the main reason why I use this system is that for me it’s been proven. But also because it’s really the only complete camera system that I currently have. It’s the only camera I use when I go out with my friends or family and various other projects. Since the start of my caving project it’s been through a war zone, dozens of landscaping and construction sites, and on various mountains tops and trails 

Edited August 17, 2022 by analoguefran

[hansvons]

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2 hours ago, analoguefran said:

Since the start of my caving project it’s been through a war zone, dozens of landscaping and construction sites, and on various mountains tops and trails 

Cool!!