Leica Weather sealing of the M240 'system'

[Ricoh]

I understand the M240 camera body offers a degree of weather protection due to the design, ie rubber seals around switches etc, but I've not read any similar claims about M lenses, either in literature or on the Net. The way I look at it is this, anything with external moving parts should be vulnerable, and of course the lens has to interface with the camera Bobby, and this too could compromise the weather sealing. Ok tolerances are tight and lenses are lubricated, no doubt, but water is a 'slippery customer', and capillary action is at play too. I would be interested to read about the views from others, and more importantly real world experiences out in the wet, if you have the time.
Many thanks.

 

[dante]

Never been a big problem - but it's never good to press your luck. I just keep my hand over the top of the lens, though the fit of lenses and mounts are already very, very tight. You could conceivably lube the lens mount with vaseline to seal it up and defeat capillary action, but if you think about how the bayonet mount fits together, a tube projects into the camera. Water likely hits the top of the tube and rolls out the bottom. It doesn't really have a shot of actually getting into the lens.

Dante

 

[Ricoh]

Thanks for replying Dante.
What you say sounds quite logical and I'll exercise common sense, exposing the system (body and lens) to light rain - difficult to quantify without being technical, but the sort of rain that wouldn't make you want to dash for sudden cover - but avoid anything that would make me uncomfortable.
I can't understand how the the manufacturer can makes qualitative statements about the body, but remain silent about the lens. Maybe because they feel uncomfortable about making claims for 50 year old leica M lenses.