I'm going to be moving to Bombay soonish to work as a photographer. I've been there many times before (I've spent around 18 months over the last three years in India) and haven't had many problems with my equipment, but I wonder how well the Ms stand up to the heat and humidity of a tropical climate over the long term. Plus where do you go to get them fixed?!

I suspect that if you're actually working your equipment full time it won't get too fungussy etc, compared to sitting on the shelf.

Any answers from people working in the tropics with rangefinder equipment would be highly appreciated.

Rob.

-- Robert Appleby (laintal@tin.it), January 25, 2001

Answers

Hello Rob,

Duane Birkley is working in Ecuador and has posted some advice on the Leica-users about living in hot and humid conditions. I believe he recommended constructing a "dry box" (?) to dry out the cameras when you are not using them (sleeping in your case). I think it is just a small box with a low wattage bulb inside. Here is his email address:

Birkey

Here is a recent post on antifungal treatment for lenses:

_________________________________

There is a new fungus treatment available from Zeiss Oberkochen. I have no further ordering information. Fungus Cleaning Agent "Fungusreiniger NEU" Germicidal effect, not effective in cleaning. Dilute the agent with ethyl alchohol, apply with cotton swab, allow it to act for one hour or more, clean the surface using normal cleaning solution. Not poisonous but keep away from food & avoid contact with skin. Can be ordered from Carl Zeiss Oberkochen, dept. KuDi. 100ml bottle, INR 0117.362 500ml bottle, INR 0117.361 1000ml bottle, INR 0117.360 ___________________________________

Finally the Leica distributor is located in Bombay:

Photonics Enterprise 302-A, Manish Apartment S.V.P. Road, Borivli-West IND- Bombay 400 092

(Ph) +91 (22) 86 29 152 (F) +91 (22) 80 12 170    

solitare@bom3.vsnl.net.in  

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), January 25, 2001.

The email address for Duane is:

dbirkey@uio.telconet.net

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), January 25, 2001.

As a former resident of Micronesia I can attest to the effects of high humidity and salt. Keep your camera OUT of any cases. Leather ever-ready cases will turn into fungus farms. Otherwise you should have no problems with your M. My IIIF survived 5 years of this and is still none the worse for wear.

Best wishes Dan States

-- Dan States (dstate1@hotmail.com), January 25, 2001.

The late Raghubir Singh, the best known of Indian photographers used Leica M3s exclusively. I grew up with a Contax IIa and sundry equipment in India. You should be more concerned about dust.

Bombay is more humid than Northern India, but based on my experience in Singapore, a super humid (much more so than Bombay )equatorial country, the best strategy is not to use a case and leave the camera outside, such as on a bookshelf etc. and not locked up in an airless cupboard. Leave the airconditioning and fans on.

But theft may be an issue in Bombay.

You may be able to get plug in dehumidifying cabinets in India, as you do in all of Southeast and East Asia. About $150-300 for dry storage for an MF and 35mm SLR system (10 Lenses, 3 Bodies).

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), January 25, 2001.

Thanks for all the replies. The drying cabinet and not keeping them in a case are both good suggestions.

BTW, Mani, Raghubir Singh used Nikons or Canons, at least at the end of his career. In fact, in one of his Bombay pictures, I think in Chor Bazar, there is a reflection of himself shooting with an FM, as I recall. Whatever, but certainly not a Leica!

Rob.

-- Robert Appleby (laintal@tin.it), January 26, 2001.

I just went by what I heard him say about always having liked and used Leica, though I'm sure you are right...

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), January 26, 2001.

Mani,

In late 1998 or early 1999, Popular Photography Magazine did an story about him, just prior to his death. He was very clearly using Nikon cameras, according to the technical details for the many photo in the article. He was very enthusiastic about 35mm and 28mm lenses, and using a hint of fill flash in many of the shots.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), January 26, 2001.

Hi Robert; I´ve been living in the Mexican Tropic all my life and 15 years with leicas; Mazatlán is for certain one of the most humidity places on earth, fongus can bee your worst problem, I take my lenses once a month out to the midday sun for half hour and keep all the equipment not been used un ziplock bags with silicagel that I dry once in a wile in the microwave, you can get it at any quemicals supply, leicas are the best for humidity, ask photographers that work in cruisers, they end up using leicas.Good luck

-- Robert Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), January 26, 2001.

I lived in Thailand for six years and I found out lately that my cases were invaded by fungus. I think it had something to do with having the aircondition being turned on and off daily in my room. The frequent change in temperature causes humidity and condensation in the room and closets, which then allows fungus to breed. Just keep your camera out of any case and if possible keep it in a room where the temperature remains the same. If you still want to place your camera in a protective case, you may want to get a Ziploc bag or those transparent Tupperware-like cases and put a silica gel in them with your camera inside.

-- Ron Gregorio (rongregorio@hotmail.com), February 07, 2001.

I can confirm that last observation. I used to have a major problem with mold and dew inside my apartment in the tropics, until I realized that airing out the house in the morning after the airconditioner had been blasting away all night was the culprit. The humid air rushing in condensed like dew over everything in the house...

The answer was to lower the airconditioning, use the fan much more, and leave the house shut in the cool a.m. hours.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), February 08, 2001.