Leica M and Nautical Photography, i.e., NaCl

[Denton]

Thinking about a proposal for photographing a particular sailing vessel underway. I'm worried about the Leica M, lens changes and salt on the open ocean. I've always been careful of lens changes along the coast near open beach. Most of my previous nautical stuff has been shot aboard ship with 24-105 Canon zoom on 5D so lens changes were not an issue. Recently sold all Canon stuff, but now wondering whether I need to pick up an X-pro 1 for my rangefinder lenses. Usually find the shorter stuff really useful

Any experiences out there with the M and salt water?
Denton

 

[FrozenInTime]

Try asking on the dpreview leica forum:
Dr Ulrich Rohde hangs out there and has posted several M.240 yachting image threads.
He would seem to be on best buddy terms with Leica and gets pre-production cameras.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3649718

 

[xxloverxx]

The very safest bet would be to get a Nikonos.

 

[Rob-F]

The very safest bet would be to get a Nikonos.

But aren't most of the Nikonos lenses underwater corrected, and don't perform right in air? I seem to recall that only the 35mm lens was right for regular photography. (I could be wrong.)

 

[markwatts]

and the 80 mm

 

[zerobuttons]

.....
Any experiences out there with the M and salt water?
.....

Not much personally, but as far as I know Jonathan Eastland has done much of his maritime photography with Leica M gear. Perhaps you should try reaching him and ask.

 

[xxloverxx]

But aren't most of the Nikonos lenses underwater corrected, and don't perform right in air? I seem to recall that only the 35mm lens was right for regular photography. (I could be wrong.)

You'll only have the 35 and 80 for land use.

Limited system, but about as safe as you can get with all that seawater around.

 

[eckhardf]

You'll only have the 35 and 80 for land use.

There is also a 28mm 2.8 that was only for air use (splash proof only) - I used to own one..