Roger Hicks
Veteran
Monsoons. And thousands of miles on motorcycles, mostly (BMW R100RS, R90S) but also Royal Enfield Bullets. Off road in a Land Rover.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
hepcat
Former PH, USN
My M4-2 did about 30,000 miles of the 60,000 I put on my BMW R100RT from '83-'86, went exploring all over the Anza-Borrego desert in my Jeep during the '80s, and visited Yosemite and other places several times (also on my BMW.) The M4-2 and lenses in an early Lowe-Pro bag went for a tumble off a Honda 3-wheeler in a desert sand wash at about 40mph and never skipped a beat after I retrieved the bag. That made me a believer in Lowe-Pro.
This was taken with my M4-2 by a friend in the badlands of the Anza-Borreo Desert.
My 1982 BMW R100RT by Roger H, on Flickr
And, of course, the most-over photographed place in the world:
Yosemite Valley, by Roger H, on Flickr
Before that, in about 1976, my M2 captured post-Supertyphoon Pamela photos of Guam, and worked for me there for about two years until the vf fungus got so bad it was hard to see through.
PICT0096 by Roger H, on Flickr
In 1974, my M2 survived rough-and-tumble San Francisco many times... here at the Palace of Fine arts...
PICT0024 by Roger H, on Flickr
My M8 and M9-P have done a fair amount of cold-weather shooting here in the midwest over the years... but nothing as demanding as what my M4-2 went through. Although in 2013, I covered RAGBRAI from a bicycle seat in 100* temps all the way across Iowa with my M9-P slung over my shoulder on a strap.
L1007285 by Roger H, on Flickr
And shooting in Iowa winters with the M8...
L1003917 by Roger H, on Flickr
I've never had one fail and leave me in the lurch.
This was taken with my M4-2 by a friend in the badlands of the Anza-Borreo Desert.
My 1982 BMW R100RT by Roger H, on FlickrAnd, of course, the most-over photographed place in the world:
Yosemite Valley, by Roger H, on FlickrBefore that, in about 1976, my M2 captured post-Supertyphoon Pamela photos of Guam, and worked for me there for about two years until the vf fungus got so bad it was hard to see through.
PICT0096 by Roger H, on FlickrIn 1974, my M2 survived rough-and-tumble San Francisco many times... here at the Palace of Fine arts...
PICT0024 by Roger H, on FlickrMy M8 and M9-P have done a fair amount of cold-weather shooting here in the midwest over the years... but nothing as demanding as what my M4-2 went through. Although in 2013, I covered RAGBRAI from a bicycle seat in 100* temps all the way across Iowa with my M9-P slung over my shoulder on a strap.
L1007285 by Roger H, on FlickrAnd shooting in Iowa winters with the M8...
L1003917 by Roger H, on FlickrI've never had one fail and leave me in the lurch.
hepcat
Former PH, USN
Brought my (now sold) M2 with TA rapidwinder and my M4 to Fallujah, Iraq from August, 2004 - January, 2005. Dragged them through a few weeks of intense urban combat.
Leicas never stopped clicking there but I had a hell of a time with my Navy issued Nikon D2h. It doesn't like hot temperatures and the lens sucked (24-120 AFS VR version 1.)
Phil Forrest
Well done, Shipmate!
_goodtimez
Well-known
Brought my (now sold) M2 with TA rapidwinder and my M4 to Fallujah, Iraq from August, 2004 - January, 2005. Dragged them through a few weeks of intense urban combat.
Leicas never stopped clicking there but I had a hell of a time with my Navy issued Nikon D2h. It doesn't like hot temperatures and the lens sucked (24-120 AFS VR version 1.)
Phil Forrest
Respects !
To a big party at the Dicksters... almost killed it with beer and smoke.
honozooloo
Established
Took my M9 up to the top of Mauna Kea mountain in Hawai`i...no there wasn't any rain or gunfire or ebola up there, BUT: Most of the Island of Hawai`i is at sea level or 1k feet in elevation max. Temps average high 80s and humidity is 89-90%. The top of Mauna Kea is 13,800 ft or so, averages 20-40* F, and less than 20% humidity.
Last time I took a camera up to the summit, it was my Canon 1D MK IV. The camera cooled to the ambient 30 degree temp at nearly 14k feet of elevation, and when I took it back down to sea level and 90 degree, 90% humidity in a matter of minutes (the drive down takes 10 minutes max), condensation filled the poor Canon's VF, fogged the sensor, and worked its way into a water-resistant L lens. A few rear control buttons started acting wonky afterwards as well, and I suspect condensation was to blame.
The M9 faired much better...the exterior was coated with a thick layer of condensation to the point where it left a big wet mark in my camera bag but at least internal moisture didn't show up. Even my decidedly non-splash resistant 35mm ASPH didn't skip a beat.
Last time I took a camera up to the summit, it was my Canon 1D MK IV. The camera cooled to the ambient 30 degree temp at nearly 14k feet of elevation, and when I took it back down to sea level and 90 degree, 90% humidity in a matter of minutes (the drive down takes 10 minutes max), condensation filled the poor Canon's VF, fogged the sensor, and worked its way into a water-resistant L lens. A few rear control buttons started acting wonky afterwards as well, and I suspect condensation was to blame.
The M9 faired much better...the exterior was coated with a thick layer of condensation to the point where it left a big wet mark in my camera bag but at least internal moisture didn't show up. Even my decidedly non-splash resistant 35mm ASPH didn't skip a beat.
ktmrider
Well-known
Think about mechanical cameras have been taken to the surface of the moon where humans need a space suit to survive. Why would an M be less reliable then a Hasselblad?
I used an M on an early winter mountaineering traverse of the White Mountains in NH back in the early 1970's. And I was not very good on snowshoes yet so I fell several times. The M became encrusted with ice and froze. I put it in my sleeping bag that night, melted the ice and it worked great for the rest of the trip.
I used an M on an early winter mountaineering traverse of the White Mountains in NH back in the early 1970's. And I was not very good on snowshoes yet so I fell several times. The M became encrusted with ice and froze. I put it in my sleeping bag that night, melted the ice and it worked great for the rest of the trip.
B-9
Devin Bro
Michigan Mud Jam with my M8,
Mud, Dust, Beer, and People.
Still some sort of sticky stuff on the LCD? Ill wash it later
Mud, Dust, Beer, and People.
Still some sort of sticky stuff on the LCD? Ill wash it later
Mr_Flibble
In Tabulas Argenteas Refero
Can't beat Phil's extreme environment. Thank you for your service.
Worst I've done to my cameras was to keep one uncovered for 4 hours in a down pour a couple of years back. My Epson R-D1 did keep working, but the viewfinder fogged up after some 3 hours.
When the sun finally came out I removed to accessory shoe so the inside of the top cover could air out. That cleared up the viewfinder.
The aperture ring on the 35mm f/1.7 Ultron would sometimes lock up afterwards (until I cleaned the oxidation out of the click-stop spring housing a few months back).
Worst I've done to my cameras was to keep one uncovered for 4 hours in a down pour a couple of years back. My Epson R-D1 did keep working, but the viewfinder fogged up after some 3 hours.
When the sun finally came out I removed to accessory shoe so the inside of the top cover could air out. That cleared up the viewfinder.
The aperture ring on the 35mm f/1.7 Ultron would sometimes lock up afterwards (until I cleaned the oxidation out of the click-stop spring housing a few months back).
btgc
Veteran
Do does RF keeps in a cabinet full of SLRs, is that extreme enough for it?
ruby.monkey
Veteran
Not really extreme, but I had my M3 round my neck as I dragged my boy to school:
School Run by Jean-Yves, on Flickr
The camera got cold enough by the time we arrived, that 1/60s ran more like 1/2s; but other than that it was fine.
School Run by Jean-Yves, on Flickr
The camera got cold enough by the time we arrived, that 1/60s ran more like 1/2s; but other than that it was fine.
Vobluda
Well-known
I took my Monochrom couple of times to the kindergarten, was tough but all fine at the end.