Is now the time to get a M8?

Wow, that's rough. It's kind of like how I was waiting for a 35 1.4 to come, and then found out that I had an M8 with the vertical line issue. The M8 went back to KEH straightaway, and the 35 1.4 got lost in the mail and was refunded. Blech.
 
similar to used cars, get a good used one that doesn't have any issues. Would you rather get a lemon with a 10 year/100K powertrain warranty and be at the dealers all the time, or just have a solid working vehicle that doesn't need to go in for service?
 
I am actually hoping that it comes back better than it was but maybe ampguy is right. If it still sucks after it comes back I'll just demand my money back which I think will be well within my rights as RG Lewis are known as a reputable dealer.
 
Funnily enough the same thing happened to me - I very recently bought a second-hand M8 from a London dealer (not RG Lewis) which then died with Shutter Failure within a week. It got sent back to Solms and was repaired under warranty (it would have cost 310 euros) and returned to me in about three weeks. I was devastated when it went wrong but now, as I see it, I have a factory-refurbished M8 which has been re-calibrated and factory tested again - so to me it's effectively a brand-new M8.

I paid for it partially by selling my M7 (for a couple of hundred quid more than I paid for it over three years ago) plus about £400. Who said Leica's are expensive?

The only caveat is that I am missing my M7 dreadfully...
 
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Hey Austerby how long did it take to get it back from Solms? Mine is in Milton Keynes at the moment but may be sent there if they can't solve it.
 
It all happened quite quickly - I bought it on 9th Jan, it went wrong on 14th Jan, returned to dealer on 15th Jan and I got it back on 6th Feb, so three weeks from giving it back to the dealer to picking it up from them. I assume they'd have sent it quite promptly and got it back a day or so before I picked it up, so the turn-around isn't at all bad.
 
In the UK at least there are currently a few dealers selling 'ex-demo' bodies that are actually brand new. I picked up a good condition used M8 from a London dealer, which then had the shutter go into a crazy loop on the second day of ownership - as a result I decided to opt for one of the 'ex-demo' models instead. So, I spent a little more and got one of the last M8's which hopefully will be free of issues - and if not I have 2 years warranty and a year's passport - worth the extra to me at least, especially as I need the camera to make money for me. YMMV of course.

Of course many owners will sell their M8 to fund an M9, but if differential stays high then many may opt to keep the M8 as a spare.
 
The M8 must have been the most "demo'ed" camera in history! If reading these threads is any indication, dealers must now have sold more demo cameras than they sold new! Where are these cameras coming from?

Seriously, I've never seen anything like it.
 
My understanding is that it's the last of the new stock being sold as 'ex-demo' by agreement with Leica - mine was from a still-sealed box.
 
I guess it makes sense, if that is the case, from a manufacturers position. If you have a lot of leftover new cameras, calling them ex-demos at least attempts to hide the fact that they didn't sell as you expected.
 
Yes quite - the dealer I got mine from told me he only got the deal he did on buying up the stock on the basis that he wouldn't advertise them as new.

I guess a lot of it is to do with protecting the perception of the Leica brand - like Porsche who, so I'm told, will not haggle on the price of a new car. Leica depends heavily on a certain brand image, which 'Bargain! Sale! Discontinued surplus stock!' doesn't sit happily with I guess.
 
Megadust said:
I recently purchased my M8 from RG Lewis in London.

£2250 for a brand new ex demo version. 2 years cover and 1 year passport. Quite amazing price really.

They have used M8s from £1200.
Click to expand...

Do they sell on line ? I can't reach any information about that on thier site.

Thanks

Regards
 
I just picked up a brand new ex demo M8 from RG Lewis in London. £2250.

I dont have a lens as yet! but I have done some interesting pinhole shots and have taken some shots with a Summicron 35 I borrowed from a friend.

I have a feeling my decision to go down the M8 route will turn out to be a great choice.

Do it.
 
Lord Fluff, My £1100 one from them was one that had a few scratches on the screen (but not visible when switched on) and the body a little banged up but with 2 years of warranty. It's in for repair right now so the warranty turned out to be crucial! i wanted to use it and not admire it so am happy to save a grand or so.
 
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