peterb Posted September 14, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) ...not one weather seal to protect its delicate electronics? Even a $900 Pentax has weather seals. What's the deal here? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 14, 2009 Posted September 14, 2009 Hi peterb, Take a look here Seven Kilobucks and.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
bill Posted September 14, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 14, 2009 If you don't get it, you don't have to get it. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 14, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 14, 2009 It means that it has no weatherseals - as it is a rather conservative body intended for a series of lenses that are not weathersealed either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted September 14, 2009 Don't get me wrong, the camera appears to be an awesome picture taking machine. Perhaps the finest EVER. I'm just surprised that the company that once wrote in their promotional literature how even if the camera would keep on clicking when the light meter stopped ticking (albeit when the battery died) would, in the moisture averse digital age, overlook this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 14, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 14, 2009 Well, although it is certainly a point to consider, in practice the M8 had proven to be pretty well able to keep out the elements, with less exceptions than can be counted on one hand. The M9 should prove as resistant, maybe even better, nobody has seen whether Leica have tightened up some soft spots or not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jquimby Posted September 14, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 14, 2009 Stephen Daniels the product manager for the M8 said it best it was a business decision. They could have done may things different with the M9 but all of that would have lead to longer development cycles. 1.The M8/8.2/9 electronic internals are the product of Jenoptik built to Leica's specification. 2. Other components are bought either from spec or off the shelf, much has been reused in the M9 because they were fully tested, they worked, and were on hand. 3. They wanted to get a full frame (36x24) M to market as soon as they could 4. Leica has a small staff and could not undergo two internal projects (M9 and S2) and meet the business timelines. Speculation on my part, the M10 will be an internal project for Leica and will finally see many of the S2 features and know how in it. Also we are dealing with Leica, when things are in their control they really don't do things half baked. Listen to the interview with Peter Karbe, when asked about designing lens that are weather proof, it almost pains him to answer the question as to how much work went into the S2 lenses. You still won't get the weather proofing on an M lens. So while additional seals would be nice that big hole in the front of the camera (the bayonet) is closest to the electronic internals is still not sealed. As such Leica probably weighed the additional development time of adding some seals versus the the limited gain from doing so and decided that the added expense and additional time to implement it wasn't worth it. I am sure it would have been a different story if Leica was getting back 10 bodies a week all shorted out from foul weather. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted September 14, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) What good is a weathersealed body when not even ONE single M lens is? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB23 Posted September 14, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 14, 2009 What good is a weathersealed body when not even ONE single M lens is? Because, believe it or not, if something goes wrong the M9 will still be working. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xand Posted September 14, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 14, 2009 What good is a weathersealed body when not even ONE single M lens is? Digital Nature Photography At least this one seems to have lasted 2 hours in the rain (the lenses he used were not sealed). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakley Posted September 14, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 14, 2009 Because, believe it or not, if something goes wrong the M9 will still be working. This reminds me of a great scene from Broadway Danny Rose: Woody Allen: Some guy shot him in the eyes Mia Farrow: So he's blind? Woody Allen: Dead. Mia Farrow: Dead. Of course, 'cause the bullets go right through.... A lens that's not weather-sealed will leak water into the camera. The bullets go right through... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 14, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 14, 2009 Digital Nature Photography At least this one seems to have lasted 2 hours in the rain (the lenses he used were not sealed). Yes- and? My M8 has lasted longer than that in the rain - which proves nothing, only that it may not be weathersealed, but is not totally open to the elements. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB23 Posted September 14, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 14, 2009 This reminds me of a great scene from Broadway Danny Rose: Woody Allen: Some guy shot him in the eyes Mia Farrow: So he's blind? Woody Allen: Dead. Mia Farrow: Dead. Of course, 'cause the bullets go right through.... A lens that's not weather-sealed will leak water into the camera. The bullets go right through... Thanks for the laugh of the day. Do you really expect a weathersealed body+Camera to be submersible? LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakley Posted September 14, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 14, 2009 Thanks for the laugh of the day. Do you really expect a weathersealed body+Camera to be submersible? LOL I've always wanted to take pictures of my catfish Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 14, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 14, 2009 You'll need an S2 for that - it appears to be indeed submersible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpstjp Posted September 14, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 14, 2009 Don't get me wrong, the camera appears to be an awesome picture taking machine. Perhaps the finest EVER. It's a Leica digital, not a Carlsberg. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Ash Posted September 14, 2009 Share #16 Posted September 14, 2009 What good is a weathersealed body when not even ONE single M lens is? It is a matter of likelihood. With less openings the probability will be strongly reduced that water soaks into the body. I would be happy with sealing for all knots and buttons at the upper part only. Regards Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 14, 2009 Share #17 Posted September 14, 2009 It's the shutter release, mode switch and (to a lesser extent) the shutter speed dial which are to blame... This slavish adherence to an archaic cable release design does them no favours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted September 14, 2009 Share #18 Posted September 14, 2009 Mark, seems like the shutter-speed dial would go a long way with a tight O ring. same thing two O rings could be sandwiched in the on-off and shutter combo, and finally a twist in filler for the cable-release tread might finish the job. I always thought it was the display and navigation options on the back which were the biggest issue and have been sticking a piece of black gaff tape over the entire backside when in rain. (must have worked my camera is still working) . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljclark Posted September 14, 2009 Share #19 Posted September 14, 2009 It's the shutter release, mode switch and (to a lesser extent) the shutter speed dial which are to blame... This slavish adherence to an archaic cable release design does them no favours. Mark...My guess is that you don't have an M9 scheduled for your autopsy (camopsy?) table, but do you have any clues as to the configuration of the M9 shutter release? I gather there are three release-related moisture entry paths on the M8: (1) directly through the tapered threaded cable release socket in the button itself, (2) the "cup" that makes up the body of the switch and which the release button is centered, and (3) the area of the top plate underneath the button/switch external assembly. I figure a dab of RTV could solve (1) and would be easy to remove. But that crater (2) seems like a funnel that actually catches water. If Tim Isaac could design a silicone "shower cap" that would snap over the switch, would that solve the (1) and (2) parts of the problem? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcusperkins Posted September 14, 2009 Share #20 Posted September 14, 2009 Leica's lenses may not officially be weatherproof, but mine have stood up to considerable abuse over the years, and have often been saviors when other equipment has ground to a halt in jungles and deserts alike. Not entirely sure how the M9 will cope, but for all the problems many of us had with the M8, for me it never stopped working because of heat, cold, dust or moisture - maybe I was just lucky. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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