Will lack of weather sealing be a problem?

[malland]

As I find out more about this camera — and having read Sean Reid's excellent initial review — I'm becoming increasingly interested in getting one; and there are enough hints on this forum about the image quality being better than the DMR...

However, as I live in Bangkok, which is obviously a humid place, I'm concerned about the lack of weather sealing on the M8. This is not an issue for the M6 because its a mechanical cameras, but an electronic camera is much more vulnerable to moisture. But is this something that can be tested, or must one wait to see longer-term reports of user experience? Any thoughts as to whether this is likely to be a problem in a humid environment.

—Mitch/Paris

[Matthew]

I don't know for sure, but how do other non-weather-sealed digital cameras hold up in the humidity? I used a D70 while in Singapore--granted it wasn't for a long period of time--and experienced no problems whatsoever.

[Ben Z]

I've been using my 20D in rainy windy Chicagoland without a problem, and I know it doesn't have the weather sealing of the 1D bodies. The meters in the M6 and MP are electronics and I've heard of them failing with age but not from humidity. As long as the M8 doesn't have huge gaps like the MP has under the eyepiece, or if all the gaps have been caulked at the factory, I don't think it should be a huge problem. I'm sure Leica didn't intend it to be dunked (thank heaven for Passport, eh :D ) but likewise I'm sure they wouldn't make it so it'd go bzzzzzt! in a humid or drizzly atmosphere.

[Mark Norton]

Humidity will not of itself cause electronics to fail, but you will want to avoid condensation which occurs when air is cooled to its dew point. No amount of weather sealing wll prevent humid air getting into the camera - the camera is water resistant, not air tight.

My guess is that if you avoid water falling directly on to the camera, you'll be fine and if it does get wet, remove the lens and let it dry overnight in a warm environment. Avoid salt water like the plague and avoid powering on the camera if you know the inside is damp.

It's not a problem IMHO, but worth taking sensible basic precautions.