Is an M8 Upgraded as Safe as M8.2 Re: Known Issues?

[Flix Vicious]

Hi,

I am looking to buy a digital Leica and the M8 is going to have to do for now.

With all the known problems of the original M8, I see many people recommend getting the M8.2.

My question is, would an upgraded M8 be considered as 'reliable' or as safe of a purchase as an M8.2 in terms of the known issues?

Thanks.

 

[chrishayton]

I have an m8 upgrade which I bought used. I had to send it back to Leica for a sensor replacement after it had a vertical line issue at high ISO, so i wouldnt say its trouble free

Its perfect now however

 

[ampguy]

depends on what you're looking for

depends on what you're looking for

an upgraded M8 could just be the screen or the covering having been upgraded. The framelines and shutter don't affect IQ as far as I know, other than being slower if you get the 1/4000 max version.

Hi,

I am looking to buy a digital Leica and the M8 is going to have to do for now.

With all the known problems of the original M8, I see many people recommend getting the M8.2.

My question is, would an upgraded M8 be considered as 'reliable' or as safe of a purchase as an M8.2 in terms of the known issues?

Thanks.

 

[Doug]

Answer could be "yes", if the M8 was sent in for a sensor problem repair, and had upgrades applied at the same time. As an example, this was the case for my chrome M8, which had the bright vertical line problem, and while it was at Leica USA for repair anyway, I had them do the framelines and shutter upgrades.

But the various upgrades themselves had no relation to most reported problems... which as usual seem bigger and more common problems than they are in real life.

If you like the upgrades included in an M8 offered for sale, inquire if the sensor has been serviced too. But relax... problems crop up but not as much as it would seem from internet discussion. Once you receive the M8, run it through its paces right away, looking for indications of reported problems.

 

[sfokevin]

I seem to recall that others said that Leica was replacing any sensor that goes bad for free even out of warranty?... Is that still the case?

 

[jaapv]

I have the impression that the upgraded shutter is more troublesome than the original one.

 

[Olsen]

Fix the Red Line!

Fix the Red Line!

Regardless if it is a or a M8 or a M8.2 - ask if the camera has been fixed for the Red Line Problem. If it has not; don't buy. If it has, it's OK.

To what I know, it is not a matter of sensor replacement, but of - what they call; 'remapping' of the sensor. All the M8s I know of have been to Solms for fixing this problem, mine included. All of them have been fixed permanently. At least so it seems, so far.

 

[OurManInTangier]

I have a second hand M8 which I've had no problems with whatsoever, although this is possibly just good fortune on my part. It's had no upgrades beyond those available from the Leica site ( though I've yet to upgrade to the latest firmware, only because it's great as it is.)

The original M8 will always have a higher chance of issues as it was the frontrunner in terms of being Leica's first digital M. Whether to buy or not must surely be a case of your budget and the individual example you're interested in. If you can find a good example with some history of any work done on it you can end up with a superb camera that will very much impress.

 

[jaapv]

There is no reason to suppose that the original M8 is less reliable than the last m8.2 as the internals have not changed significantly during the production run,

 

[efix]

I seem to recall that others said that Leica was replacing any sensor that goes bad for free even out of warranty?... Is that still the case?

It doesn't seem so. I inquired with CS in Solms if they would fix the vertical lines problem of my sensor, and they said yes, for 140 €. (That includes mapping out the hot pixels that cause vertical lines at high ISOs, plus a free service of sensor cleaning.) I don't want to begin to imagine what replacing the sensor would cost ...

 

[Ben Z]

I have the impression that the upgraded shutter is more troublesome than the original one.

That would be unfortunate because isn't it (the upgraded 1/4000 shutter) the same one they use in the M9?

I wonder if it's a final-assembly problem (something too tight perhaps?) or maybe a communication glitch in the computer electronics like the kind of thing that causes train wrecks.

 

[jsrockit]

I have the impression that the upgraded shutter is more troublesome than the original one.

Why do you have this impression?

 

[elmer3.5]

Hi, i have an upgraded m8, new circuits, shutter and covering. No problems about it.
Great camera!
Why is this shutter troublesome????

Bye!

 

[jaapv]

Quite a number-mine included- seem to get "error - shutter drive blocked-" after a while. trip to Solms 🙁 It does not seem to happen to the original shutter, nor the M8.2 version.

 

[jaapv]

That would be unfortunate because isn't it (the upgraded 1/4000 shutter) the same one they use in the M9?

I wonder if it's a final-assembly problem (something too tight perhaps?) or maybe a communication glitch in the computer electronics like the kind of thing that causes train wrecks.

Apparently there is a difference to the M8.2 and M9. What I do not know. Maybe something in the changing-out of the shutters?

 

[jaapv]

Why do you have this impression?

Following LUF. There are a number of reports, nearly all involving the upgraded M8.

 

[Ben Z]

Apparently there is a difference to the M8.2 and M9. What I do not know. Maybe something in the changing-out of the shutters?

Weird. Anyhow, I sold my M8u recently...now I only have to keep my fingers crossed for the M9, but at least it is still under warranty.

 

[Olsen]

Regarding shutters

Regarding shutters

Leica uses the same shutters as the rest of the business. Any of these shutters could go on for 200.000 exposures, - or only 4.000 with a little bad luck. One should be aware of that we 'expose' far more with our digital cameras than we did with our analogue film ones. About ten times more. Thus, reliable shutters and cheap shutter replacement is more important to most of us today than before.

Alpa sent out a warning recently to their customers telling them that; no, their internal lens shutters; Compur mostly, of their lens range, from Carl Zeiss, Schneider and Rodenstock, had not become less reliable. But due to that customers tend to shoot ten times the exposures typical of the film days, far more customers get to see the end of their shutters. To their amazement and surprise.

Calculate cooly with a shutter replacement. Sooner or later. And let's hope for a shutter-less M10.