Is the MP sealed from dust and moisture?

[marke]

I just read at the KBCamera website, that the MP is sealed. A direct quote from here:

http://http://www.kbcamera.com/mpprofile.htm

"The camera is meant to be used in environments where no other camera will function. It is sealed from dust and moisture and constructed to fully function without batteries (meter will not work of course) and in extremely Hot/Cold/Humid/Dry-Dusty Environments."

Is this true? I've never heard about these seals before now. Of course, the review even said I could "hammer nails with it and keep on shooting". 🙄 Anyone here ever test that feature?

 

[varjag]

I think there is a bit of exaggeration there. The only known Leica that is weather sealed is a military version (KE-14?).

Leica Ms are tightly built though, I use my M4 regularly in rainstorms, but try to cover it with my palm at least. Also drying it up in paper towels once home.

 

[Philippe D.]

I think there is a bit of exaggeration there.

Me too.
The only thing i know to be sealed against dust is the eye viewer piece on late MP production.
Don't go swimming, or even diving, with an MP. 😀

 

[sepiareverb]

When the MP arrives from the shop it is sealed from dust and moisture in a plastic bag. After that original seal is broken though...

 

[cory Lum]

interesting topic.

i saw this interesting article in a japanese mag about the KE-7 and how it differed compared to a stock M4 body. wild. they took the KE-7 apart and showed the internals, sealing comparison. actually side by side.

Leica should create a layman's KE-7. i bet they would get buyers.
if anyone's handled the new MP / MP3 it lacks the buttery Wetzlar-like movements and the crinkle finished back areas like the M2/M4 bodies. leica is sure skimping on production costs now.

u can get second hand KE-7 bodies in japan. you'll see 3-4 bodies sometimes at shops. cool ! i saw some for $6000 US. $10,000 u can get the matching Elcan 50mm lens. wild !

aloha,c

 

[marke]

Thanks, all. I kind of figured this was an exaggeration.

Eugene: I do recall hearing about the military model.

NWM: I understand what you mean about the basic rangefinder camera being a simple machine and that it could possibly even expose a few frames under water. It's comepletely misleading though, to actually call it "sealed". Of course, it's not an official Leica statement.

Phillippe D: I think I heard something about a change in the production run, where some MP viewfinders weren't sealed and some were, as a result of a design change. If this is true, how can I tell if mine is sealed?

sepiareverb: I KNEW there was a reason for that plastic bag. :bang:

Cory: Can you direct me to that article? Sounds pretty interesting.

 

[rlouzan]

sealed from dust and moisture?

sealed from dust and moisture?

Sherry Krauter, will seal your camera as part of a CLA.😎

interesting topic.

i saw this interesting article in a japanese mag about the KE-7 and how it differed compared to a stock M4 body. wild. they took the KE-7 apart and showed the internals, sealing comparison. actually side by side.

Leica should create a layman's KE-7. i bet they would get buyers.

u can get second hand KE-7 bodies in japan. you'll see 3-4 bodies sometimes at shops. cool ! i saw some for $6000 US. $10,000 u can get the matching Elcan 50mm lens. wild !

aloha,c

 

[Philippe D.]

how can I tell if mine is sealed?

Difficult to say at first sight.
If you have a screwed type of eye piece (like on M6), no problem.
The first one had 3 screws and a rubber ring.
If modified, you would see some black paint around the eye piece.
3 screws, rubber rind and no paint = not sealed against dust.

 

[Jbig]

There's a dust spec in my MP finder that got in somehow. This is an earlier version that I dropped five feet to the pavement and got sent back to Solms under warranty, and I don't know if anything special was done as they checked it all out at that time. But the dust spec is there. Reminds me of mice that get into my Jeep's glove compartment--they have all day to figure out how.

 

[marke]

Difficult to say at first sight.
If you have a screwed type of eye piece (like on M6), no problem.
The first one had 3 screws and a rubber ring.
If modified, you would see some black paint around the eye piece.
3 screws, rubber rind and no paint = not sealed against dust.

Does the rubber ring have to be removed to see the 3 screws? Otherwise, does it have to be removed to unscrew the eye piece? If so, how is this done without ruining it?

Thank you!

 

[sepiareverb]

Early M7's have this problem as well. My .58 is about to get cleaned, there are no screws visible on the eyepiece ring.

 

[maddoc]

interesting topic.

i saw this interesting article in a japanese mag about the KE-7 and how it differed compared to a stock M4 body. wild. they took the KE-7 apart and showed the internals, sealing comparison. actually side by side.

Leica should create a layman's KE-7. i bet they would get buyers.
if anyone's handled the new MP / MP3 it lacks the buttery Wetzlar-like movements and the crinkle finished back areas like the M2/M4 bodies. leica is sure skimping on production costs now.

u can get second hand KE-7 bodies in japan. you'll see 3-4 bodies sometimes at shops. cool ! i saw some for $6000 US. $10,000 u can get the matching Elcan 50mm lens. wild !

aloha,c

There are 2 or 3 KE-7 for sale at MAP camera in Tokyo now, a little bit expensive for weather-sealing though ...🙄

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... The camera is meant to be used in environments where no other camera will function. It is sealed from dust and moisture and constructed to fully function without batteries (meter will not work of course) and in extremely Hot/Cold/Humid/Dry-Dusty Environments."[/I][/COLOR]

Is this true? I've never heard about these seals before now. Of course, the review even said I could "hammer nails with it and keep on shooting". 🙄 Anyone here ever test that feature?

If anything, the MP is more dust prone than any M camera that preceded it. Prior to the MP, M camera topcovers had a molded/threaded eyepiece with a diopter screwed directly onto the body. The MP (and M7 from the MPs introduction) eyepiece is an inferior design with three set-screws underneath a rubber covering. Although Leica has made an effort to seal these eyepieces at the factory, it is an inferior design - make no mistake about it.

 

[cory Lum]

the magazine is about military leicas. KS15, KE7, KE7a, and earlier screw . i saw it in Lemonsha Camera in ginza. that mag is always there, its like reference 'reading material' near where the chairs/vending machines and all in japanese. Lemon Camera is in Ginza.
in this building ... 8th floor.