Would you take yours to Afghanistan for 6 months?

[mtsusean]

I would not take it unless you're planning on throwing it away. I just came back from a year in Aghanistan. Five months in the southwest, a month in the west, three months in Kabul and three months in the north. The dust is brutal, throughout the country, with no relief. Temps outside Kabul can reach into the 140's although I did have Velvia successfully survive that heat. I don't think another CLA after your trip would ever get all the dust, dirt and grit out.

Just my opinion.

 

[Pherdinand]

If you are worried like this, you should not take it.
You should sell it to a collector instead. Or to someone who is not so worried using it for possibly interesting and once-in-a-lifetime shots.
Why did you buy+cla it if you doubt using it?
Sorry, i don't try to sound aggressive. I'm just honestly saying what I think.

 

[spicoli]

For the last 2 posters

For the last 2 posters

MTSUSEAN: What kind of living conditions did you have? Like I mentioned earlier, Ill be living well (hard building, A/C, showers..). Ive been to Kabul several times, and as you know its not as dusty as the rest of the country, particularly in the winter.

PHERDINAND: The CLA was free, to me anyway. I bought it used and it came with a three month warranty. On the 2nd roll of film the rangefinder went out, so the shop sent it to Leica for a full CLA, free of charge to me and doubled my warranty to six months for the trouble.

 

[Turtle]

I am in Afghanistan now and have just bought a leica M. Just keep an eye on the levels of atmospheric dust to determine how you need to carry it from day to day. As the weather cools off dust is less of an issue, esp when rains come. I used canon gear here for a whie and no probs so far. You just have to keep an eye out for teh wind picking up and chucking dust and sand about. Just wear an item of loose clothing that you can whip the camera under if a gust comes along. In the really dire dusty weather I would not take any camera out.

 

[spicoli]

Good points, ...

Good points, ...

...where are you now? (n/t)

 

[Ben Z]

Ive got a freshly CLA'd M6, decent glass (50 F2 summi, 28 F2 Voit, 135 tele) and will be spending Nov-May in Kabul. Id like to take the Leica, but am worried about all the dust. Your thoughts?

The dust wouldn't be my first worry. From personal experience the most unnerving and potentially disastrous thing is watching an airport security screener who has no idea or care about the fragility or cost of camera equipment, paw through my cameras and then carry the bag back for another pass through the x-ray, poorly closed (and I can't believe they don't know how to close a snap or zipper, they must do it purposely to antagonize the traveller). I'm truly on the brink of selling off my expensive cameras and travelling with a 10MP point-and-shoot digital like 99% of everyone else I see.

 

[kbg32]

I carried 2 M4s through a 3 month long trip in Morocco, including a bit of the Sahara. That's what they're made for. Use'em and stop worrying about it. The M6 will hold up fine.

 

[fgianni]

If you are worried sell it and get an EOS 1V and a couple of L lenses, then you can play footie with the camera during a sandstorm.

 

[mtsusean]

Here's some pics. One shows a "normal" day, the other two, a major duststorm. It's not the duststomrs that are problematic, because they are infrequent to that extreme, but there is non-stop wind in the summer months and fine dust/dirt everywhere. I'm assuming you are going to use the camera outside? That's fine, and I think Kabul would be a great place for a Leica, my offering only is that once you leave there, I find it unlikely you will ever get all the dust and grit out of it. The dirt in the air over there is not just dirt but feces, dust, etc. and it is "everywhere." No relief from it, ever, except when it rains.

 

[varjag]

My father apparently used Smena-8 for 3 years there in early 80s. He was operating in Herat area, but mostly outside of the town. I am sure a Leica will match the standard set by a Soviet plasticky entry-level scale camera.

 

[Rhodie]

Leicas are the Ideal camera

Leicas are the Ideal camera

Having carried Leicas in Afghanistan since 1983, in their variouses guises of M6s, M7s, MP & IIIG as well as an X-Pan I cannot think of a better system, if you do not need the immediacy of digital.

As previously stated dust is going to be your biggest issue. The best thing to combat this is a good bag. I have relegated my Domke friends to the odd outing now, in favour of Lowpro’s Stealth Reporter bags – 200 AW + optional filmbag end attachments for my Leicas & 400AW for my Canon 1Ds. I still wrap my camera bodies & lenses in chamois leathers, which also make good lense cleaners. For the outside of the bodies & lenses I use a shaving brush.
Cold can be an issue if you travel to the upper reaches of the Hindu Kush – Panjshir, Badakshan, Wakhan etc. [Take spare batteries & don’t go straight out of a warm chaikhana into the cold without acclimatising your cameras & film]


Leicas are wonderfully unobtrusive and allow photographs to be taken in situations when the big Digi Press cameras may be removed.
The obverse side to this is that they do not look like "serious" pro cameras to the uninitiated, and this can preclude you from some events if you are unknown.
But all “snappers” take second place to those toting video cameras.
Afghan is status driven society where obvious wealth – fancy cameras like canons and betacams - supposedly determine the owners importance.
A Leica can appear to be a poorman’s camera. This can work very much in your favour should you have the misfortune to encounter a checkpoint manned by venal warlords’ thugs who may think that it is not worth their while relieving you of such an antiquated piece of machinery
Don't be discouraged, as Afghans are one of the most hospitable races in the world and they also have an innate proclivity in enjoying having their picture taken. Though this is in benign situations when you are known and the purpose of your presence has been accepted.
Please don’t allow natural caution to be overcome by short-term valour. In all my time with the mujahideen and their successors, I have never had a “Capa Spanish” moment – so please don’t seek something that is a chimera, and certainly not worth risking your life for.

Afghanistan is incredibly polarised at the moment especially in outlying areas [particularly in the southern pushtun provinces the US & Coalition have taken on the guise, in the eyes of the pushtun people, of that that the Soviets enjoyed in the 80s]. ie infidel invaders.

Military style gear is not advised, although flackvests should be considered when travelling south of Kabul or when travelling to J’bad and its environs.

You will get better info from those journos staying at Gandamack Lodge when you reach Kabul
http://www.gandamacklodge.co.uk/

Also you should download the pdf file from AREU of the Kabul contact,s which is an invaluable help when trying to set up meets in spite of the Kabul fumed-filled gridlock, with those who can help.
http://www.areu.org.af/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=17

Finally, this time of year you may want to take some 200 & 400 asa film as things can be rather gloomy – especially in the mountains. Hope this is of some help and I wish you every success. The Afghans are one of the most marvellous if not the most infuriating people. But do enjoy your time there.

ATB

Rhodie

 

[Cooki]

Dust? That would be my last concern.

The camera shop I work in supplies the cameras for a couple of the combat photo guys for the Canadian armed forces. The micro fine tan coloured dust of Afganistan gets into everything, and they have to repace all their gear every 4 to 6 months. It even trashes Lowepro bags, and that is a feat in and of itself.
http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.c...emid&op=matches&value=12680&site=combatcamera
I'm told that this level of dust is common everywheres in Afganistan.

 

[sgy1962]

Ive got a freshly CLA'd M6, decent glass (50 F2 summi, 28 F2 Voit, 135 tele) and will be spending Nov-May in Kabul. Id like to take the Leica, but am worried about all the dust. Your thoughts?

That's what this equipment was made to do. It's a tool; not a piece of jewelry. So my thoughts are emphatically yes, yes, yes.

 

[spicoli]

Rhodie...

Rhodie...

Thank you for your post. It was articulate and well written, and obviously from someone who knew the area. Thanks again..

 

[Rhodie]

Beware of the South

Beware of the South

Not to labour a point too emphatically, as the recent shootings north of Kabul show that ferengies -even aid workers- are fair game in the T-men's eyes and that there are few areas that can now be considered relatively safe.
Even the Tajik areas where the T have no constituency there is an antipathy to those who might expose the biz that has made Afghanistan the world's most prolific narco state - surpasing even Colombia.
But travelling on local buses in the south is not the most astute choice for travel at present.
See AP report:
http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/10/15/ap3091845.html
Do please take real care and sound out wise counsel of those with experience in country.
Rhodie

 

[FrankS]

I'd take my M6 with a 50mm lens and my Nikonos III with 35mm lens.

 

[Xmas]

I'd budget for a rebuild when you get back because the fine dust will get every where. I'd think about two bodies and two lens to avoid changing lenses, a smear of PTFE grease around the lens mount, rewind, winder, shutter speed selector, viewfinder seletor & back plate etc may reduce the dust ingress a bit.

Changing film indoors may help, i.e. remove the grease air blow the back plate and base then change the film, then regrease. Two bodies would leave you with 72 shots per day/am or pm. If a shutter jams getting a repair may be difficult.

Leitz may have better advice, e.g. they may have addresses of good repair people, in country, if some one is buying parts from them then they are repairing etc...

Carry the camera under a jacket gives it some protection from the elements

Isreal or the UK are not all that safe today.

The Federal government has a quaint idea on winning peoples minds, like prohibition/speak easy was a practical idea?

Look at Capas last photo, is a suggestion you did not request, he broke his own rule of staying close to action... Good luck as well.

Noel

 

[kgeter]

I lived in Afghanistan when I was a kid in the 70s, pre-Taliban, pre-Communist even. I had a K-mart 110 camera then, ah, those were the days. As was said before, the sand/dust issue isn't a big deal in Kabul. Kabul is about the same altitude as Denver, CO. It can be wicked cold in the winter, so be prepared. Also be prepared to meet some of the kindest, most hospitable people in the world. I'd love to go back. Hopefully things will settle down one of these days.

 

[Marc-A.]

I would rather not travel to Afghanistan or Iraq at all. If you must travel there, then I would pay attention on staying alive. Here, it is best to take the cameras you can use the best without getting killed. Good luck.
Raid

What Raid said!

 

[Turtle]

Spicoli,

May I ask what your planned movements and activities are? I am currently in Afghanistan and have good awareness of the threat in different parts (my job). Afghanistan is not remotely homogenous in terms of the threat, so no general advice can be given unless the details are known. I assure you, you will have no problems with dust, esp with winter approaching, if you take basic precautions such as using good bags and having clean ziplocs available. As another poster mentioned, teh Afghans love gizmos more than we do. A non digital camera is viewed with utter shock, because a lot of Afghans see westerners about with either pimped up DSLRs or with tiny little posh pocket digi-compacts. Posh Afghans want digi cameras (or own them) themselves. Criminal Afghans want digi cameras to steal and sell. A Leica M in a leather half case looks like something the Russians forgot to take with them and I can confirm from minimal use of my new MP here that it attracts far less attention than my SLR did.

I do not know what you plans are but assume you either have work committments here or have another agenda. Media reports tell you little about the real threats present (I should add that the German journalists killed took silly risks based upon 'having gotten away with it for years (when the threat was lesser) which confirmed that their decisions were sound.' Their decisions were downright stupid and the consequences, whilst utterly tragic, were largely predictable. They gambled with their lives and lost. Insurgents aside, criminality is something you need to guard against as well as steering clear of insurgent hotbeds. A trip here, unless you are staying with people who really know what they are talking about requires extensive planning and in country support. I assume you have done this. If you avoid the bad bits, you can travel here fairly extensively with little trouble. The W, N, NE, Central highlands and (mostly) the Central region are not too bad as long as you know what you are doing. Trundling about in teh wrong areas at the wrong time will have you in major trouble or very dead very quickly.

PM me if you want to chat further.

Tom