Creative language used to sell plastic bodied cameras

"RichA" wrote in message
...
"Heavy duty plastic." What does that mean? How does the author know
it's "heavy duty?"

Er like Lexan or other polycarbonates in this group.

I remember firing projectiles into samples 35 years ago, and it is certainly
tough.

Snip

Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have the
weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30 feels
solidly built.

Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well, water won't
put Mg out, but make things worse.

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:50 +0100, "R. Mark Clayton"
wrote:
:
: "RichA" wrote in message
: ...
: "Heavy duty plastic." What does that mean? How does the author know
: it's "heavy duty?"
:
: Er like Lexan or other polycarbonates in this group.
:
: I remember firing projectiles into samples 35 years ago, and it is
: certainly tough.
:
: Snip
:
: Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have the
: weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30 feels
: solidly built.
:
: Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well, water
: won't put Mg out, but make things worse.

Who told you that? Pure magnesium is certainly flammable, but I don't think
the magnesium alloys used in cameras are.

Bob

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:43:34 -0400, Robert Coe wrote:

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:50 +0100, "R. Mark Clayton"
wrote:
:
: "RichA" wrote in message
: ...
: "Heavy duty plastic." What does that mean? How does the author know
: it's "heavy duty?"
:
: Er like Lexan or other polycarbonates in this group.
:
: I remember firing projectiles into samples 35 years ago, and it is
: certainly tough.
:
: Snip
:
: Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have the
: weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30 feels
: solidly built.
:
: Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well, water
: won't put Mg out, but make things worse.

Who told you that? Pure magnesium is certainly flammable, but I don't think
the magnesium alloys used in cameras are.

Oh, they are. Even aluminium alloys will burn in the right
circumstances.



Eric Stevens

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:37:43 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:
: On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:43:34 -0400, Robert Coe wrote:
:
: On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:50 +0100, "R. Mark Clayton"
: wrote:
: :
: : "RichA" wrote in message
: : ...
: : "Heavy duty plastic." What does that mean? How does the author know
: : it's "heavy duty?"
: :
: : Er like Lexan or other polycarbonates in this group.
: :
: : I remember firing projectiles into samples 35 years ago, and it
: : is certainly tough.
: :
: : Snip
: :
: : Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have
: : the weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30
: : feels solidly built.
: :
: : Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well,
: : water won't put Mg out, but make things worse.
:
: Who told you that? Pure magnesium is certainly flammable, but I
: don't think the magnesium alloys used in cameras are.
:
: Oh, they are. Even aluminium alloys will burn in the right
: circumstances.

You don't say. And what are the "right circumstances" to ignite a
magnesium-alloy camera body?

Bob

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:46:11 -0400, Robert Coe wrote:

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:37:43 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:
: On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:43:34 -0400, Robert Coe wrote:
:
: On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:50 +0100, "R. Mark Clayton"
: wrote:
: :
: : "RichA" wrote in message
: : ...
: : "Heavy duty plastic." What does that mean? How does the author know
: : it's "heavy duty?"
: :
: : Er like Lexan or other polycarbonates in this group.
: :
: : I remember firing projectiles into samples 35 years ago, and it
: : is certainly tough.
: :
: : Snip
: :
: : Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have
: : the weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30
: : feels solidly built.
: :
: : Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well,
: : water won't put Mg out, but make things worse.
:
: Who told you that? Pure magnesium is certainly flammable, but I
: don't think the magnesium alloys used in cameras are.
:
: Oh, they are. Even aluminium alloys will burn in the right
: circumstances.

You don't say. And what are the "right circumstances" to ignite a
magnesium-alloy camera body?

Just get it involved in a good fire and then it will light up like a
flare.



Eric Stevens

Robert Coe wrote:
Eric Stevens
: Robert Coe wrote:
: On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:50 +0100, "R. Mark Clayton"

: : Although it’s constructed of heavy duty plastic and doesn’t have
: : the weatherproofing of the E-3’s magnesium alloy body, the E-30
: : feels solidly built.
: :
: : Not as flammable as magnesium alloy either. Once burning well,
: : water won't put Mg out, but make things worse.
:
: Who told you that? Pure magnesium is certainly flammable, but I
: don't think the magnesium alloys used in cameras are.
:
: Oh, they are. Even aluminium alloys will burn in the right
: circumstances.

You don't say. And what are the "right circumstances" to ignite a
magnesium-alloy camera body?

You have to get the metal hot enough. Usually that requires lighting
a thin sliver of the metal and using that to ignite a larger piece.

Adding water causes the magnesium to break down the water and combine
with the oxygen and gives off hydrogen. It also combines with CO2 and
gives off carbon. It also gives off UV that can damage your eyes.

Of course, that can't happen to a camera in any normal circumstances.

--
Ray Fischer