How durable is the Leica?

[MarkoKovacevic]

Besides the RF being knocked out of alighment, how durable are Leicas in regards to drops, bumps, and dents? Say, I'm using a ultrawide on mine, which takes the VF/RF out of the equation. So that pretty much leaves only the shutter in a position to break, and I assume it's pretty durable.

In addition to that, is there a difference between the durability of Screwmount Leicas and M leicas?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

They're said to be near indestructible, as are F-series Nikon SLRs. I've seen photos of Leica M's that have been run over by cars and worked. I wouldn't try that with mine though 🙂

Screwmount, I don't know if they're more or less durable but remember that they are a lot older than most of the M's you see. If you want durability, I'd buy a New or very recent M model, like the MP or M6

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

I think the largest problem with Leicas is often the lubricant. I know, shooting mine at around 0C or a bit lower, the shutter still exposed well, but the advance was stiffer.

 

[sepiareverb]

I was out today with a G2/21 and an MP/24 in -15°C. The G2 was struggling after about a half an hour, but the MP kept on chugging right along. Winding the MP was fine, and I've not noticed my cameras winding more stiffly when cold.

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

Hmm, if I take my leica out in the real cold and use it, and keep it cold, ie not under a jacket - will it damage the shutter if the lubricant is old? I'd like to test it out but I'm worried.

 

[mrisney]

I was out today with a G2/21 and an MP/24 in -15°C. The G2 was struggling after about a half an hour, but the MP kept on chugging right along. Winding the MP was fine, and I've not noticed my cameras winding more stiffly when cold.

Thanks for that, as I was actually considering trading my M4-P in for a G setup, the lenses are cheaper than M lenses. But something about the M4-P being all mechanical, makes me thinks I should hold back on swapping out my 35mm system. A story like this reaffirms my reticence.

 

[Calzone]

I don't know if this is legend, but there was a report of a screw mount camera that stoped a bullet and probably saved the photographer's life. Unfortunately the camera was not repairable, as I remember.

Calzone

 

[wgerrard]

How durable do you need it to be?

I doubt the electronics in moden Leicas are any more or less durable than those in any other camera.

Vintage non-electronic Leicas certainly seem to be very reliable, especially if they get some competent service as they age.

 

[payasam]

All mechanical devices fail at some time. Well made ones can last a very long time if they are well used and well maintained. The Leica is among the best ever made. That is true of both screw mount and M mount.

There can be no absolute answer to the OP's question.

 

[35mmdelux]

Many Leicas traded on this site were probably manufactured before you were born.

 

[BillBingham2]

There is a UTUBE video out there of a sales rep standing on top of his M9!

They very very very well built.

Not sure there are any stories of them stopping a bullet and saving a life but just about anywhere but through the lens I'm guessing they would.

B2 (;->

 

[Artorius]

There is a UTUBE video out there of a sales rep standing on top of his M9!

They very very very well built.

Not sure there are any stories of them stopping a bullet and saving a life but just about anywhere but through the lens I'm guessing they would.

B2 (;->

Bill,
There are a few stories in the Military about such things, I have one personal incident I can speak to. I was in Viet Nam in '71 where we were in a firefight and I had two cameras with me. I was shooting a M2 with a Nikon F around my neck. I caught a round in the F and got knocked on my ass. It stopped the round, was found in the film chamber, hurt like hell but I am alive.
There was another member of Combat Camera in my MOPIC group who took a round in his Bell & Howell 16mm while filming. He got one hell of a headache and a huge black eye, but he was still alive when I left VN in '72.
I know there is a lot of hype about tough cameras, but these two incidents support a good history of well made "durable" cameras.

 

[hlockwood]

I was out today with a G2/21 and an MP/24 in -15°C. The G2 was struggling after about a half an hour, but the MP kept on chugging right along. Winding the MP was fine, and I've not noticed my cameras winding more stiffly when cold.

Pay attention to sepiareverb. He lives in the very cold Northeast Kingdom.

Harry

 

[Rob-F]

In Jonathan Eastland's Leica M Compendium, ther eare pictures of Larry Burrows, Sowada San, and Horst Fass all carrying M3's while photographing the Vietnam war.

I have had my M2 since 1960. It's been to Thailand, Viet Nam, France, Italy, Germany, England, and Scotland, as well as all over the US, especially the Southwestern desert area. It's never screwed up. That's it in my avatar, in the Luigi case. Most of its life I used it without a case.

 

[peter_n]

I was out today with a G2/21 and an MP/24 in -15°C. The G2 was struggling after about a half an hour, but the MP kept on chugging right along. Winding the MP was fine, and I've not noticed my cameras winding more stiffly when cold.

Same here, it wasn't -15 here but it was bloody cold, I was out at lunch with my MP & Noct and everything worked just fine, no problems at all.

 

[abenner]

Besides the RF being knocked out of alighment, how durable are Leicas in regards to drops, bumps, and dents? Say, I'm using a ultrawide on mine, which takes the VF/RF out of the equation. So that pretty much leaves only the shutter in a position to break, and I assume it's pretty durable.

In addition to that, is there a difference between the durability of Screwmount Leicas and M leicas?

If you drop the camera it can surely suffer a dent, but there are a lot of dented Leicas out there taking photographs just the same. Some functions are more likely to be damaged with a drop than others. As stated the RF can become misaligned. The newer angled rewind cranks (M4 through M7) are probably more prone to being taken out of commission from a drop than the classic post rewind mechanism (M3/2/P).

The shutter mechanism is very durable, but can fail in a number of ways acutely or chronically. The Nikon RF shutters are probably a bit more reliable, but both systems are very good.

I'm not sure if the screwmount or M mount cameras differ much in terms of reliability. I doubt there's a significant difference in terms of surviving trauma.

 

[GoneSavage]

As long as we're talking durable cameras, I feel the pentax LX must be mentioned. I had mine out in minus -26 C a few days ago, and after an hour it was entirely frozen. Still functioned perfectly though, and I managed to finish my roll with ease! When I took the camera inside, it frosted over instantly. I wasn't worried for a second 🙂

 

[sepiareverb]

Pay attention to sepiareverb. He lives in the very cold Northeast Kingdom.

Harry

Yes it does get cold here. Today wasn't nearly as cold as it will get this winter. I do have batteries stop working in my M's, they seem to tire quickly when it gets down below 0°F (-18°C) and have had any previous use. I see the battery icon in the MP a lot more often in the winter- I consider it a reminder to pay attention to those exposures so I can estimate more reliably.

I once was out shooting stock images with an F100 and two F4's, in well below zero conditions- no thermometer with me but I'd estimate it was at least -25°F/-30°C. I was hoping to see a waterfall very frozen. I had a 1L waterbottle freeze solid after about twenty minutes snowshoeing, my F100 was useless but the F4's were fine, if slow winding. I'd expect an MP to need batteries changed often but work fine. But then, I've been frostbitten too many times so these fingers tend to get rather useless fast outside a glove so a battery change would be about impossible. In fact today just holding the camera got pretty difficult after an hour outside.

A Sekonic 398 is a fine thing to have in the pocket this time of year.

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

As long as we're talking durable cameras, I feel the pentax LX must be mentioned. I had mine out in minus -26 C a few days ago, and after an hour it was entirely frozen. Still functioned perfectly though, and I managed to finish my roll with ease! When I took the camera inside, it frosted over instantly. I wasn't worried for a second 🙂

I must say my former Nikon F5 worked perfectly in extreme cold, besides the fact that the batteries ran out far too quickly.

 

[arseniii]

I heard a story of a photographer who took pictures from the plane(open roof one) and one of his Ms fell off. It was found a month later by the farmer. The film was safe, and the camera worked!