Buying an M8 - shutter actuations

[Jubb Jubb]

Hi all,

I am currently looking at buying a used M8.2, and the only thing throwing me off is the shutter actuations of the camera.

I downloaded a file and it is around 20,000 shots.

Is this too much for a used M8?

thanks for your help!

 

[jsrockit]

No. Many here will tell you it is... but these shutters are built to last a long time. Sure, something could go wrong... but that could happen with any camera.

That said, there are many M8.2 cameras on the market with less shutter actuations... generally speaking.

 

[LCT]

...there are many M8.2 cameras on the market with less shutter actuations...

Sure mine had 1,400 clicks and was not difficult to find out 3 months ago. I would not purchase a digital M with 20,000 actuations w/o a solid warranty personally.

 

[jsrockit]

It's funny how many digital Ms go on sale with low shutter counts... makes me think people don't photograph often.

 

[huntjump]

It's funny how many digital Ms go on sale with low shutter counts... makes me think people don't photograph often.

Or they are using their M8's like they would a film camera, taking shots sparingly because they take their time...as opposed to the numerous DSLRs on the used market that have exponentially more shutter actuations from blasting shots at gigs (high FPS). But you might be right, people selling their 8s might be those who thought this would be a camera they'd use but found out they didnt enjoy the RF experience, hence the sale.

Just my theory. To the OPs question, most used M8s i see are under 10,000

 

[Beemermark]

Given shutter technology is a pretty mature technology and Canon and Nikon pro bodies are supposedly good for 150,000 actuations before service is required I sure wouldn't expect any trouble at 20,000.

 

[Beemermark]

Or they are using their M8's like they would a film camera, taking shots sparingly because they take their time...as opposed to the numerous DSLRs on the used market that have exponentially more shutter actuations from blasting shots at gigs (high FPS)

Being an old film guy I tend to agree with your assessment. For example, my daughter and I go to a baseball game. She has a digital Nikon and shoots maybe 500 or 600 shots. I shoot maybe a dozen with my M8. I still tend to think in terms of 24 and 36 rolls. BTW I hate 36x rolls of film because it takes too long to finish the roll.

 

[Olsen]

I would not be worried. I bought a 3 months old 2.hand M9 that had more shutter actuations than my, then almost 4 years old m8. To what I can see, the M8/M9 shutters are now the same you see in most Japanese cameras today. If they get over the first 1000 actuations, they last 'for ever'.

Well, they don't last for ever. With today's digital photography we tend to shoot about ten fold as much actuations than during the film days (according to a press release from Alpa). Some of us, even more.

Nor would I worry about a shutter break down. That don't mean the end of the camera. A shutter is renewed for less than 1,000 $. Then the camera is ready for another 150 -200.000 actuations.

 

[Cron]

how is it possible to see the shutter actuations?

 

[jaapv]

The image ID number in Exif. It is in hexadecimal.

 

[peterm1]

how is it possible to see the shutter actuations?

This post which I have copied from Leica Camera Forum tells you how

"If you use firefox as browser, this plugin will do the job nicely:

https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/3905

Then look for the unique ID which is at the end of the file and looks like this:

Image Unique ID = xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's a hex code, which you can convert to decimal here:

http://www.statman.info/conversions/hexadecimal.html "

The result of these two steps is the shutter count. Thank you Venkman

 

[Cron]

Peter and Jaap, many thanks for your help, I will try this!

 

[sper]

Don't worry about shutter count on any camera. If the camera has such a high count that it's dangerous you would know just because it'll look like it's been through hell.

 

[jsrockit]

Or they are using their M8's like they would a film camera, taking shots sparingly because they take their time...as opposed to the numerous DSLRs on the used market that have exponentially more shutter actuations from blasting shots at gigs (high FPS). But you might be right, people selling their 8s might be those who thought this would be a camera they'd use but found out they didnt enjoy the RF experience, hence the sale.

Just my theory. To the OPs question, most used M8s i see are under 10,000

Well, I think that is popular opinion that digital shooters just spray and pray, but I truly don't. However, I can go out and make 100-150 images in a day... that's like 3 rolls of film. If you struggle to finish a roll of film, I would say you need a new subject...or you have the wrong camera. 100 shots in a day is not much if you are serious about photographing and have subject matter that interests you. The M8 has been around for many years now... even if you took 10 shots a day for 3 years you are above the count of most M8s for sale.

 

[LCT]

I would grab the "m8info" program - much easier to use...

+1 but works only with original files seemingly.

 

[tlitody]

Who makes the Leica shutters? Most of the shutters these days seem to have an MTBF of 150000 actuations. That means it could fail after 1 or 300000 actuations but the average is around 150000. So in that sense all you know is it's only 13.3% into its average life. So what if you find another thats only 7% into its average life. You may be getting one that will last 300000, you just don't know but is that 5 or 7% difference really that important. Not really.

 

[LCT]

Yes, you need a DNG. Same with the M9info app.

Original jpegs work as well.

 

[ampguy]

Well on the M8, you can't really tell the actual # of shutter actuations from the EXIF metadata, but that's a long story.

I'd ask the seller to sell it to you on a pro-rated basis, like a die hard battery or 50K mile tire policy based on about a 4 year/100K [est] shutter actuation duration.

Also, be wary of buying from an old film geezer who previously used film RF's. They tend to like to prod and poke shutters. Check out old Canon RF shutters 😉

 

[tlitody]

Well on the M8, you can't really tell the actual # of shutter actuations from the EXIF metadata, but that's a long story.

I'd ask the seller to sell it to you on a pro-rated basis, like a die hard battery or 50K mile tire policy based on about a 4 year/100K [est] shutter actuation duration.

Also, be wary of buying from an old film geezer who previously used film RF's. They tend to like to prod and poke shutters. Check out old Canon RF shutters 😉

LOL, with cars you have tire kickers and cameras you have shutter prodders. That's a new one to me.

 

[tlitody]

Infact the nikon D3 has been tested to 300000 actuations but it does depend on who makes the shutter and what the spec was. Copal seem to making them for many camera manuafcturers including Nikon and threads elsewhere suggest Leica too so 20000 seems like very little. I would assume one without problems should be good for at least 150000 actuations as Leica aren't likely to have cut costs and used a cheap shutter.