ljclark Posted August 22, 2009 Share #1 Posted August 22, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) One of the ongoing themes regarding the M8 is the lack of weatherproofing. This wasn't that much of an issue with totally or primarily mechanical cameras, but digital has greater "needs", it appears. So...Once you "seal" the camera body, how do you deal with the M lens mount? I don't think you can reliably "O" ring the camera mount without blocking the lens ID sensor (Leica really should have used RFID for lens detection). The lens release mechanism would need a major redesign -- and that might not work anyway. Changing millions of existing Leica lens mounts is probably out of the question -- and now many decades would it take to introduce gasketed lens mounts into the current production stream. (Some DSLR lenses now have gaskets or "O" rings. My Nikon 17-55 & 70-200 have outside gaskets, but none of the others -- including the 300 f/2.8 -- do.) On the other hand, what are the pathways in the M8 that have allowed weather/environmentally-related damage? If, statistically, the lens mount hasn't been a significant pathway, maybe Leica should just seal the main camera body better, don't call it weather-proof, and know that there will be fewer returns of damaged bodies. (You can't advertise it as weatherproof, but there aren't as many ticked off customers.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 Hi ljclark, Take a look here Is Weatherproof M8/M9 Even Possible?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
marknorton Posted August 22, 2009 Share #2 Posted August 22, 2009 I think the main weak area is the shutter release and, to a lesser extent, the shutter speed dial. The shutter release leaks like a sieve because of the desire - obsession - to support legacy cable releases. Leica could so easily dump it for a 3 stage electronic switch with great feedback and weather resistant but that would require an electrical cable release. M lenses are not sealed against the weather but should at least be shower-proof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted August 22, 2009 Share #3 Posted August 22, 2009 I think the main weak area is the shutter release and, to a lesser extent, the shutter speed dial. The shutter release leaks like a sieve because of the desire - obsession - to support legacy cable releases. Leica could so easily dump it for a 3 stage electronic switch with great feedback and weather resistant but that would require an electrical cable release. M lenses are not sealed against the weather but should at least be shower-proof. I hope they go for an electrical release if what you say is true and I am sure it is. I would suspect that what is lost in terms of backward compatibility to the mechanical Leica IIIf cameras that require the old style release would actually be a gain for PC driven automated shooting of nature items.(eg flowers opening ...timed shots) My view is that there is no need to make the thing waterproof like a Nikonos type camera. What is required is "light rain drizzle proof "and even better "spray proof". Surely neoprene purpose enginnered seals everywhere around the lens mount and "O" rings everywhere else can really address most of the problem. A 5mm black rubber external sleeve at the lens mount area on the camera would surely also help......maybe with the lens release button moved 5mm away from immediately next to the mount. I also think that at some point Leica would do well to develop a new lens mount for future M lenses that has the contacts for AF etc and is waterproof. Hopefully such a new lens mount will allow the existing M lenses to be used. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljclark Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted August 22, 2009 The shutter release leaks like a sieve because of the desire - obsession - to support legacy cable releases. Is the leakage likely (1) through the cable release hole, (2) the "cup" in the release surround that the release button is centered in, or (3) the area where the top plate meets the the switch and release assembly? If the answer is (1) and/or (2), a silicone cap would provide protection and could still be removed. If (1) alone, then a little dab of RTV could be placed in the threaded hole and still be removed when using the cable release. As much as I appreciate Leica's effort to continue supporting legacy cable released, I must admit that the wired release I've used on a succession of 6 Nikon DSLRs and a pair of F100s works just fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted August 22, 2009 Share #5 Posted August 22, 2009 I prefer it if they keep the cable release, as I use mine. However, it should be simple to supply a sealed cap to screw in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted August 22, 2009 Share #6 Posted August 22, 2009 "Do what you will with the damn cameras, but don't touch my cable release!" Some strange priorities some people have. An electronic release could probably work through the USB port. And by the way, cable releases for the LTM cameras have never worked with the M cameras ... The old man from the Age of the Drahtauslöser Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted August 22, 2009 Share #7 Posted August 22, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) ljc, you've raised an important point. Mark is quite knowledgeable about the issue, since he completely disassembled his first M8 to see what makes it tick. But if you'll notice, there are almost no tales of M8s going down to rain or moisture. Instead, a lot of people have reported that their M8s stood up very well to water exposure. There are some people on the forum who SCREAM that they can't recommend the M8 because it doesn't claim weatherproofing. Personally, I think Leica does a pretty good job of building usable cameras. Remember also that Michael Reichmann mentioned some months back after his most recent Antarctic trip that 25% of the Canon 5D Mk IIs along had failed with symptoms that looked moisture related. (Sorry, I posted the link at the time, but didn't save it.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted August 22, 2009 Share #8 Posted August 22, 2009 I prefer it if they keep the cable release, as I use mine. However, it should be simple to supply a sealed cap to screw in. The Abrahamsson Soft Release isn't sealed but provides *some* protection by virtue of filling the void and its tiny umbrella. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanhulsenbeek Posted August 22, 2009 Share #9 Posted August 22, 2009 But if you'll notice, there are almost no tales of M8s going down to rain or moisture. Instead, a lot of people have reported that their M8s stood up very well to water exposure. To (some) rain: no tales indeed, to my recollection. To moisture: another story. No digital camera, with exchangeable lenses, can IMHO stand up to extreme moisture, and worse: changes in relative humidity. Only a Nikonos, or one of the new weatherproof P&S camera's, can. Humidity, at dew point, combined with electrical currents, can be lethal to a digital camera. Reinier's tales of his M8 in Greenland were quite vocal. See my green caveat under all my posts! Weather sealing of a new M camera will therefore IMHO only help to a point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertknappmd Posted August 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted August 23, 2009 waterproofing would be most difficult but maybe some of the S2 technology will trickle down to the M9. :D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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