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Thinking about getting a M9 for this winter but....

kuau

Workshop Member
Hi everyone,
I am thinking about getting a M9 for this winter. I am moving to Park City Utah and would love to be able to use an M9 in the snow but I am really worried that the M9 has no weather protection/sealng or does it?
Is it a good camera out in the cold, lets say below 20 degrees? What happens if it gets a few snow flakes on it will that kill the M9?
I am totally sold on the M9 and even though I think it's a "little" over priced I think it's worth it and would complement my H3D I think perfectly but I want to be able to use it when I go out in the snow or am I crazy??

Thanks
Steven
 

BeeWee

New member
A little snow and cold never hurt the M8... and yes I did get snow on it while shooting a few weeks ago. In general, snow is not as big of a problem as rain since the camera is usually at ambient temperature after a half hour and snow is not likely to melt (especially when its -20 and you've got your gloves on). You can simply brush the snow right off the camera. Rain and sleet is a different story, YMMV.

The biggest problem with the cold is actually lower battery life.



Taken with the M8.
 

kuau

Workshop Member
Thanks Billy,
I sent an email to Steve Huff, who is a big Leica guy and he said not to worry either about the snow and the cold. Looks like I am getting a M9. Now I just have to decide on wether to buy a new one and wait for delivery or buy a used one which there seems to be 3 or 4 for sell right now. I was told by my leica dealer in Hawaii the problem of getting one right now is they are stuck in europe because of the Volcano and should start shipping any day now.

Steven
 

Gary P

Member
Hi Steven,

I went into the cold (early March in Maine) climbed our highest peak and took my 8.2. My biggest frustration was the battery, Don't get me wrong, the camera worked GREAT! It was the battery, it seemed to go quirky below 20 degrees F. Two or three shots then........wait awhile and try again. Very frustrating! Especially when it was when we summited that it decided to get quirky.

GaryP
 

Gary P

Member
The very same. I had three batteries with me and they all had the same issue. I was in the cold for days so they never had a chance to heat up, I assume a day trip might have different results other than days of winter hiking with no relief from the cold. I've read somewhere on the net that my battery performance may have been better if they had heated up at night in my sleeping bag. Absent of that they were completely cold soaked. They were fully charged when I left, and the same batteries were fine once the lower elevation temperatures warmed above 25 to 30F.

Gary P
 

kuau

Workshop Member
Thans for the info Gary,
I don't plan to do any hiking overnight, so my battery would be warm before I go out into the cold.
 
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