Barbados with an M?

[c.poulton]

At the end of March I shall be travelling to Barbados for a well earned 1 week break. Of course I shall be taking a camera with me - but, the question is should I take my M2 or stick with a P&S?

I have an idea to travel with a mix of B+W and colour chrome film, two or three lenses and a light meter.

However I have a few questions:

- With the very strong caribbean sunlight, should I worry about burning holes in the M's shutter curtains?
- Will the M appreciate the heat and possible humidity I might encounter?
- Do I need to worry about sand when I visit all those lovely beaches?

Thanks

 

[jsrockit]

1) you only have to worry if you leave your lens cap off your camera and the sunlight is shining directly into your lens for a long duration of time (i.e. not when actually shooting).

2) It should be ok.

3) Yes, you should worry about sand with any camera.

 

[Steve Ash]

Barbados

Barbados

Christian,

your Leica is decades old and seems to be in good working condition as you consider to take it with you. What else should convince you that it is very suitable for the job?
Steve

 

[MC JC86]

Always carry some zip lock baggies when going near the beach. If you are laying around or have your camera or camera bag anywhere other than on your shoulder/neck put your cameras/lenses in the baggies. This goes for any camera, obviously not just an M. I remember I didn't follow this advice at Assateague, VA and had my domke bag laying on the beach. When I got home I realized that a great deal of wet sand had migrated into my camera bag... sand moistened with salt water can do horrible things to cameras, including causing problems that do not manifest for quite some time. Luckily Leica's passport warranty kicked in.

But seriously, bring some baggies.

 

[dan_sutton]

Either bring the m2 or sell it. If you don't bring it you dint need it

 

[rpilottx]

Take It

Take It

I lived in Puerto Rico for four years and my M6 did just fine. It was used on the water, on the beaches and in the air (pilot). However, two years ago my daughter and I visited Belize in June. My 40 year old M4 did not like the humidity, the vulcanite came off in chunks. It gave me a chance to recover the camera.

That said, I would not hesitate to take an M along on vacation to the Caribbean. All cameras need protection from sand and salt, I suspect the mechanical Leica would be better then a new electronic wonder. And Pelican makes great waterproof cases in a variety of sizes which protect against EVERYTHING.

 

[c.poulton]

Thanks for all your advice guys...

jsrockit: I'll keep that in mind, however I do tend to walk around with the lens cap off when I am carrying the camera - lost too many shots in the past when I have forgotton to take it off.:bang:
Steve: The M2 is in very good shape having just come back from a CLA and rangefinder adjust.🙂
MC JC86: Hmm, very good idea... I am hoping to get some shots on the beach near to some beach side bars and when not shooting I'll pack the camera away in a zip lock bag.
Dan: Yes your absolutely right! I love using my M2, so why not take it?🙄
rpilottx: I must admit that loosing the vulcanite is my main worry - there is already a very small piece missing. Still, why should I worry too much over it - if it does go, then it just becomes the perfect excuse to re-cover...😀

 

[peter_n]

Take it and don't worry. I've had mine in Bermuda a number of times where the sun is very strong and no shutter curtain problems, in Fiji where the humidity was unreal (with M7s) and no issues, and I don't remember being particularly careful either. However it's probably best to be cognizant of where the sun is. You can get a hole in the curtain very quickly.

 

[rpilottx]

Opportunity for Uniqueness

Opportunity for Uniqueness

Exactly, I recovered the M4 with grey griptac from Cameraleather. It has a unique look. Again, take it.

 

[jsrockit]

Thanks for all your advice guys...

jsrockit: I'll keep that in mind, however I do tend to walk around with the lens cap off when I am carrying the camera - lost too many shots in the past when I have forgotton to take it off.:bang:

Just don't lay it down with sun shining directly into the lens... think sun through magnifier burning ants. 🙂

 

[rpilottx]

Pack Ektar

Pack Ektar

I think I would leave the black and white film at home. And perhaps pack some Ektar 100 instead. The colors in the Caribbean are pretty intense and the Ektar would really bring them to life.

And an old trick when shooting in high humidity is to pack some dessicant like silica gel with the camera in the Pelican case or ziploc bag to dry the camera out at night. The silica gel can be used over and over by drying it out in an oven. And honestly, the humidity probably won't have much effect in the short term. If you were moving there that would be totally different.

 

[wgerrard]

Why not take both cameras? The p&s can't take up much room. You're likely to find yourself in situations where you'd like to carry a camera but don't want to lug the Leica with you.

In a place like Barbados, I'd shoot all color. Save the b&w for strolls around London.

 

[David_Manning]

An M is a great vacation shooter. I used my M6 with Provia and brought some nice shots home from a beach vacation...and I wasn't shy about getting near "the action." 😉 Although a P&S with a flash is good for the evenings at dinner, etc.

 

[Ljós]

Not to hijack this thread, but I just took a look at the link in David Mannings signature... check it out, looks like a very promising undertaking. I'll see whether I can contribute something.
No affiliation with David, just a heads up.

Greetings, Ljós

 

[nightfly]

I brought my M4-P to Barbados last year, no problem. I shot black and white in the M and color in my Yashica t4.

This year I'm just bringing the Yashica and color film. Nothing I shot with my M really grabbed me and I find the M in a place like Barbados when I'm at the beach and walking around in shorts and flip flops more a burden then it's worth. If I were going to a city and wandering around with a bag, the M would definitely be coming.

Depends on how you think about your trip. For me it's surfing and relaxing and if I grab a few photos great.