Does it make sense to buy a used Leica M8?

[Olsen]

I think that a 2.hand M8 is a good investment. Most of the M8s out there has been serviced at Solms for this red line problem. That fixed, it is working flawlessly. To buy a M8 makes the most sense for anyone with a 'rangefinder backgound'. Who already have M-lenses and some working experience with M-cameras. Most M-glass (Leica. Voigtländer, Zeiss etc.) is superior to what is available to mount on DSLR's today. Well, both Nikon and Canon is busy developing and releasing better optics for their cameras, these days. Leica only needs a slightly better camera....

 

[sienarot]

Of course it makes sense to buy a used M8 (one with a spare battery, 2 filters and the shutter upgrade).... especially next week..... 😉

What's going on next week?

 

[Ben Z]

There is no doubt that I would love an M8 but when I look at most photos on Flickr etc I don't see a lot of photos that are truly inspiring. Maybe its because rangefinders attract a certain type of photographer. You know, the ones who love the camera (or the image that they think owning it gives to them) more than they love the image-making. Or who can only think in terms of "Street Photography" when the think "Leica" so they all end up trying to emulate Cartier Bresson and take much the same kind of photos as each other - black and white snatched shots of people walking down a street or chatting or drinking coffee or whatever. Maybe this is just me and I should not blame the camera. But its easier to justify the big outlay when one looks at images that are truly wonderous - and sadly, I am not seeing them.

I still want one though!

I see your point about the sometimes limited scope of subject matter, and also your point about some people being so in love with the brand that their photography is more about the camera than the subject. I remember one guy on another forum used to badmouth all the most respected name photographers who used Canon/Nikon, autofocus, etc., saying they were addicted to caffiene and needed Image Stabilization to keep steady, and even though his shots were decent they were hardly on a par with those well-known guys, yet on an internet forum dedicated to Leica he was adulated like some kind of demigod. But most people I think are more realistic about it, at least the ones who aren't high on the Leica Kool-Aid. When I listen to Itzhak Perlman I'm truly inspired, but I don't harbor the slightest notion that if I were to buy a Stradivarius I'd sound any better than I do on a $20 fiddle from a pawnshop.

 

[Olsen]

Chief Inspector Clousseau (Peter Sellers) on Stradivarious'es: 'If you have heard one, you have heard them all...'

 

[aniMal]

My second hand M8 has held up really good, no problems but having to clean the sensor and a few hickups that could happen to any camera. (moisture and bad memory card)

For every M8 that is reported having problems on the net, there are lots of others that are working just fine. I am not abusing mine, but I still do not hesitate in putting it to use! By now it is scratched nicely all around...

I bought it second hand as I would hate having to send it back for repair, even if it would have been under warranty. I bought it from someone that I know and trust to tell me the straight story about how it has been used, and with a few months warranty left if the worst should happen.

I guess I will start looking for a real beat up and well used one for my M8 nr. 2 soon, I had one that I could have bought for something like 1800 $.... When they hit 1500, I will definitely buy one more!