Horrifying prospect for any digital M8 8.2 owner!!!

[__hh]

My biggest mistake in photography - getting caught up down the Leica digital path.

Well, we all learn. Never again for me. Regardless of how hard the Leica PR machine works.

 

[jaapv]

Sure - just as other people dislike other brands. I was happy getting out of Canon in 2006. Diversity is the word. Our society runs on it. It was one of the biggest mistakes Communism ever made economically. One brand for everything.

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Some folks here claim the M8 is only a 2nd generation M digital, but in fact, it is already 5th generation, after the M8.2, M9, M9-P, and MM. A camera of this age should have shot thousands of shots and easily paid for itself in terms of film and processing equivalents. Sometimes, I feel some Leica guys have unreasonable expectations.

 

[I Love Film]

You are correct and I am wrong.

Also, the SLR/n sensor foundry was XFAB, in the UK.

The sensor was designed by FillFactory, an independent Begian company at the time. The chip foundry was Israeli (Tower Semiconductor).

 

[semordnilap]

Wow... Been traveling and missed this whole thing.

It's too bad, really. Though I don't know what else Leica could've done. My M8 has been going strong without major problems for what, 5 years now?

They could open source the firmware so we can keep our cameras running with aftermarket products. Really, it should be required that after a certain period out of production the firmware of electronics must be open sourced.

Anyway, I'll surely be glad when someone else comes out with a true DRF. It's frustrating that Leica is still the only game in town.

 

[Sparrow]

i wonder how one might distil the essence of this thread?

Some people hold extreme views about leica, and on the face of it Leica seem to have broken the covenant it had with some of it's customers?

 

[Dralowid]

i wonder how one might distil the essence of this thread?

That the long term values we used to attach to gear no longer apply.

Michael

 

[Michael Markey]

That Leica isn`t the Leica we all thought or hoped it still was.

 

[daveleo]

i wonder how one might distil the essence of this thread?

Digital products have a very finite life. Leica needs to re-manage its customers' expectations of that, and restructure the pricing for its camera bodies.

 

[Keith]

Inevitably in twenty years time a few people will still have M8s that work ... though where digital imaging will be at that stage who knows? And will Leica have eventually moved away from the rangefinder by then?

Will RFF still exist? 😀

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Will Leica still exist in 20 years? 😀

 

[cosmonaut]

It is unrealistic to think Leica could service a digital camera for decades. But if they offered a lifetime warranty they would have to offer the customer something of equal value to the service. A nice discount on a M10 or something.
I also can't imagine anybody wanting a 40 year old digital camera.

 

[Keith]

Will Leica still exist in 20 years? 😀

Possibly ... more likely as【摄影】莱卡照相机(商标名) though! 😛

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Possibly ... more likely as【摄影】莱卡照相机(商标名) though! 😛

That sounds about right, especially with google translate and the sexy female voice saying it in Chinese lol

 

[IEDEI]

lol @ the doom and gloom still going on here...I think we should all be reassured that Leica is faithful enough to at least even officially address the issues....and they are well aware of the matter.

there are far more sophisticated devices than digital cameras which will be running in 20+ years....as will plenty of digital cameras.

I, for one, think the aftermarket serviceability should start somewhere....and that Leica should start authorizing independent repair shops to work on Leica digital cameras. where there is aftermarket service----the products of today will always survive. all electronic devices are tunable, serviceable, and have te ability to be worked on-----there just needs to be better and more options to do so.

 

[jsrockit]

It is unrealistic to think Leica could service a digital camera for decades.

But since the M8 is still "relevant," you'd expect them to be able to service it after 6 years.

 

[Lss]

But since the M8 is still "relevant," you'd expect them to be able to service it after 6 years.

And apparently they are able, except for replacing one part which according to them is not available.

 

[jsrockit]

And apparently they are able, except for replacing one part which according to them is not available.

But is it just the first part of many that they will run out of?

 

[Lss]

But is it just the first part of many that they will run out of?

It's the first, and while we don't know whether they will in practice run out of other parts there is little point in worrying about that.

 

[jsrockit]

It's the first, and while we don't know whether they will in practice run out of other parts there is little point in worrying about that.

I'm sorry sir. I'll stop worrying now. 😛