MP in a humid, tropical environment

amoz

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I am aware that most RFF'ers live in the temperate regions of our planet, but I want to take my MP to the D.R. of Congo for a few months next year. My question bears down to how I should protect it against the hot, humid climate it is going to be in. I'll be working in a sort of mosaic landscape containing patches of rain forest and savanna (yep, the ones you see on national geographic, just with all the tiny little animals included).

I figured a (half)case would be a good idea, for it will definitely take some bumps now and then, but does anyone have any experience in conquering the humidity?

Much thanks beforehand.
 
And another important question: would you recommend using filters to get a bit more "bite" out of the often overcast-sky-dyed colours? For BW I'll use my green-yellow one, but for colour-slides I am looking for something different of course...
 
I live in a very hot and humid area of china, summers of about 43 C and 70-90% humidity. For protection all I use is a plug in dry box which keeps the humidity inside down around 40% for when im not using the camera, for when I am using it there really isnt much I can do. In the congo though I imagine it much worse.
 
To the first question, I've read about putting silica gel cannisters in your bag but my experience (in the humid S.E. USA) is that they become saturated quickly and lose their effectiveness. Unless you have almost daily access to an oven where you can dry them out for a couple hours, they don't seem practical. Leica M2's and 3's were carried by news photographers through the jungles of Indochina in the 60's and I doubt that they had sophisticated ways of combatting humidity. The lubricants (and probably some of the materials themselves) used in the MP are probably less apt to break down from humidity than those of 40 years ago. I think there isn't really much you can do other than if you find someplace with A/C every once in a while. Probably just having the camera out in the air moving around will be plenty. Mainly it's lenses that suffer from humidity (fungus) and mainly that happens when they are stored closed-up in the dark for a while. Worst-case, plan to get your camera and lenses CLA'd when you return, for peace of mind.

To the second question, it mostly depends on the film you use, because they vary in terms of contrast and color saturation. A 1A (aka Skylight) filter or an 81A (stronger warming) filter can kill some of the "blues" in shade or overcast with little or no loss in speed. A polarizer can help up the saturation of vegetation etc but it can cost 2 stops. Honestly I haven't used filters on color film for a long time. I used Elitechrome for most everything, and some Velvia under overcast skies...but it's slow. With color print film I never saw that filters did anything worthwhile, as the color is mainly dependent on the printing.
 
I have a BP MP and live in Houston, TX. The Congo ain't got nuthin' on our humidity ;)

Seriously though, I've shot mine in the rain, humidity, dust, etc. without any problems. They seem to hold up fine but of course YMMV.

Todd
 
Your MP will be fine. Silica gel cannisters in your bag might help.
Dry the camera in the open when it gets moist.

For the colours (that I know from Tanzania), nothing beats a polarizer.
In its absence, use the golden hours, avoid lunch time - great sun rises
and sun sets.

Roland.
 
Ben Z makes a good point about the M2 & M3, so I would worry, if @ all, mostly about the meter electronics. I suppose a small handheld meter could serve as a backup, though its electronics would likely be as vulnerable to humidity as those in the camera.
 
Hopefully member Simon Larby will chip in here. He spends a large part of his time in Thailand I think.
 
Your real enemy is being caught in a tropical rain shower. Bring big ziplocks. For humidity nothing beats sunshine, it will keep your rig dry. A/c when you can is helpful. When my rig gets wet (often) indoors a/c near a sunlit window is best. Don't worry MP's are built to take it. Now sea breeze and sea water thats when the problems really begin. Oh BTW speaking of salt (the big enemy), the tropics make hands sweaty. All the pros down here in Miami keep a towel handy.
 
For long term storage I keep all my cameras in a large humidity controlled cabinet - I've seen first hand what the climate here in Bangkok can do to camera lenses... When I'm shooting it's usually in a block period often around a month and apart from making sure the camera and lenses are clean and dry at the end of each day there's little I can do when one has limited access to power and don't want to lug around a dry box. From my experience I find the silca gel packets next to useless. You can buy good roll-top light weight waterproof bags and pouches which protect gear in heavy rains this link has some good examples http://lonelyplanet.altrec.com/outdoors/drybags/
 
This may sound strange or dumb but what exactly is a dry box (besides obviously keeping your camera dry) and how can i create or buy one? (preferably create)

I have quite a few cameras and lenses that I want to protect from fungus, etc. I live in a quite humid environment.
 
Bit of a strange website design but these are the ones that are reasonably portable

http://www.drycabinet.com.au/main.html

once you go into the site click on the image of the Dry Box (second shelf down on the left hand side)


it comes with a plug-in rechargeable "brick" i found i needed two or three to keep the humidity at a decent level. Fine for use in the short term.
 
Keep camera out of direct sunlight where possible. I shoot in the California desert with temps up to 120F. The camera body gets hot fast. I’ve learned to take a small white towel to cover M7 as necessary. Also taken M4P and MP to Costa Rica’s hot humid coast. Try to keep camera away from your body to avoid having eyepiece fog up, otherwise never a problem. In other words, don’t keep camera under your arm or fieldcoat

At least for me, I’ve experienced more issues with monsoon rainfall. Make sure you have something to cover camera quickly when it rains.

Filters: forget them unless they’re for B&W (yellow). Adding filters to color not advisable (ND okay). Get some Reala, K200, Velvia 50, Ektachrome – you’ll NEVER need filters with these.

All other protective measures apply, such as keep away from dust, keep in airy place. The issue will be more about your film than the camera. Of course keep your film in coolest place possible.

Enjoy and keep distance from Water Buflo - Paul
 
35mmdelux said:
Keep camera out of direct sunlight where possible. I shoot in the California desert with temps up to 120F... Try to keep camera away from your body to avoid having eyepiece fog up, otherwise never a problem. In other words, don’t keep camera under your arm or fieldcoat...
I second what Paul says here. I was in Fiji for a while this summer and also had issues with fogged-up VFs, my problems caused by the camera on a strap round my neck and body heat from my chest in the heat/humidity. I also sweated like a pig and often had to wear a hat in the blazing sun so I had to dry off my face constantly before bringing the camera to my eye. My two M7 bodies sailed through the trip no problemo though, but 3 of my 4 Leica lenses shed their red dots! :eek: Must have been the heat/humidity.
 
My IIIf, M1, and M8 all function well in hot, humid Florida. I live in Gainesville, FL which is among the five most humid cities in the USA.
However, my Leicas are kept in an air conditioned house or office about 95% of the time. I don't know what would happen without air conditioning for long periods.
 
Thank you all for the many comments!

I have had bad experience with silica gel, as it gets saturated pretty quickly so you get stuck in the rainforest with a useless bag of harmful chemicals.

A plug-in dry box is not an option. There will simply not be an A/C to plug in the plug-in!

A waterproof bag like the one Simon Larbalestier recommended will definitely be a welcome thing to cover the camera during heavy showers. It won't stop me from shooting, though! I want to try some slow speed (tripod supported) exposures in the pouring rain as well.

Todd's comment is very reassuring :), but I will anyhow use the driest hours during daytime to make sure the MP gets some air.

[About the slide film, I will just go with unfiltered Fuji and avoid midday hours.]
 
I highly doubt a bit of humidity will hurt any of the leicas. In my part of australia we get pretty bad humifity. If my 30d can survive so can a mechanical leica.
 
fdigital said:
I highly doubt a bit of humidity will hurt any of the leicas. In my part of australia we get pretty bad humifity. If my 30d can survive so can a mechanical leica.

The high humidity promotes the growth of fungus on the glass of lenses - once this happens it can etch into the surface of the glass itself - it is this i fear more than the rusting of metal surfaces or decay of electrical circuits.
 
amoz said:
A waterproof bag like the one Simon Larbalestier recommended will definitely be a welcome thing to cover the camera during heavy showers. It won't stop me from shooting, though! I want to try some slow speed (tripod supported) exposures in the pouring rain as well. ]

You can buy rain covers for cameras or entire waterproof kits with an optical glass to attached to the front element of your lens - i have one somewhere for one of my Plaubels - i forget the name it was purchased many years ago.

you might try looking at these:
http://www.kata-bags.com/category.asp?id=61&perentId=4&ProdLine=4

or here: http://www.adorama.com/Cases_Cases_for_Still_Cameras_and_Gear_Camera_Rain___Snow_Covers.html

or here:
http://abetterphotoguide.bizhosting.com/raincoat_16.html
 
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