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Fireproof Leica?


Terry Kelly

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Last week my house caught fire whichcompletely destroyed the first floor and took out the some of the ceilings on the ground floor as well (total loss housewise). My Leica was in it's Billingham bag under the desk, and as soon as the fire brigade allowed I went upstairs to the remains of my office to retreive it. Everything on the desk was toast, the desktop had burned and the PC and printer etc. had fallen to the floor where they had merrily joined the conflagration.

 

The bag was sopping wet, singed, and the flap burned through in one place to the pocket beneath, but miraculously my M8 was completely intact (in the foam insert) as were my spare battery and flash etc. Even the spare memory cards survived.

 

I have since used the camera to record the damage and some attempted salvage operations, all the images are perfect. Whether it's the Billingham bag, or the 'battleship' Leica construction I don't know, but mine survived ordeal by fire and water with nary a scratch.

 

Much is said (by the great unwashed) on this forum about how bad the M8 is, but I doubt if the modern plasticky DSLRs would have fared as well in similar circumstances.

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The bag was sopping wet, singed, and the flap burned through in one place to the pocket beneath, but miraculously my M8 was completely intact (in the foam insert) as were my spare battery and flash etc. Even the spare memory cards survived....

 

Much is said (by the great unwashed) on this forum about how bad the M8 is, but I doubt if the modern plasticky DSLRs would have fared as well in similar circumstances.

 

Yeah but washed or unwashed, anyone with a lick of intelligence can see that what saved your M8 was the combination of water to arrest the flames, and the waterproofing of the Billingham bag to save the contents from the water. That spare battery and memory cards are all "plasticky" in case that fact escaped you, not to mention the buttons and wheels around the LCD on the back of the M8. I'll chalk off your momentary lapse of reason to the shock of having your house catch fire, that has to suck majorly. Glad nobody was hurt.

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Guest Luis D

Also I am happy that the outcome was not worse, but likewise I agree the survival of the M8 has little or nothing to do with the quality of the camera.

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Terry... Sorry for your lost. I hope you are able to salvage some other important things. A house is easy to replace, a Home... is in your heart.

 

Leica is tough... there are a bunch of factors, including the build, that saved it. It is just your luck. Again... I do hope you have better luck with the rest of your things.

 

Enfield? Leeds United?

 

Good luck...

Robert.

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Yeah but washed or unwashed, anyone with a lick of intelligence can see that what saved your M8 was the combination of water to arrest the flames, and the waterproofing of the Billingham bag to save the contents from the water. That spare battery and memory cards are all "plasticky" in case that fact escaped you, not to mention the buttons and wheels around the LCD on the back of the M8. I'll chalk off your momentary lapse of reason to the shock of having your house catch fire, that has to suck majorly. Glad nobody was hurt.

Why spoil a good yarn?:rolleyes:

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