Leica M8 shutter longevity

[Rayt]

I bought a used M8.2 from a well respected secondhand dealer the one famously for not disclosing shutter actuations. So I am not blaming anyone and just surprised at how high it was. The camera was rated at 70 to 79% original condition and when I got it I would say it’s barely 70% cosmetic condition but when I checked the shutter actuation it’s at 307014! Holy crap that’s practically end of life isn’t it? Kudos to the previous owner who actually used the camera. I wouldn’t have bought it if the actuation was disclosed. I am no actuation snob but 307014 is a bit on the high side.

*I email their sales department to request a return authorisation, and very nicely asked if someone had made a mistake because 307014 is practically end of life. I added if your company had published this info I wouldn’t have bought it and doubt many people would be interested.

Their reply: “we don’t consider shutter actuation to be accurate representation of of how much the item has been used since the number cannot be reset if the shutter is replaced”.

So I said:” If you have any documentation showing the shutter was serviced or replaced then there might be some consideration.” In which he replied:” We do not have or provide that documentation. It’s not part of our grading scale. Again sorry for your inconvenience.”

So shutter use data doesn’t matter because such data is not an accurate representation of use because shutter could have been replaced at some point though we don’t know and it doesn’t matter to us. Doh!

 

[Rob-F]

Sounds like maybe KEH?

 

[Rayt]

Yeah I have watched this YouTuber ranting over this policy so I had some expectations going in but 300k is a bit high. I was expecting 50 to 80k actuations to be high-ish. The sales guy could have left it at sorry for your inconvenience but had to put in the bull about actuations don’t reflect actual use because shutter could have been replaced though we don’t know.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Minty...almost mint!

 

[jarski]

one anecdote

a colleague's M8 had taken 350,000+ shots with the same shutter

I would gladly accept M8 with this shutter count, but it should be reflected in price.

 

[Rayt]

one anecdote


I would gladly accept M8 with this shutter count, but it should be reflected in price.

$1469.39 was the price.

 

[Out to Lunch]

I had a look at the current prices for Epson R-D1x cameras...Oops...they list for a lot more.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Did you tried to request return based on not corect condition description?
Not a shutter.

I have seen picture of failed M8 shutter at around one million.

But statistics aren't too promising:
https://olegkikin.com/shutterlife/leica_m8.htm

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I had a look at the current prices for Epson R-D1x cameras...Oops...they list for a lot more.

True cult camera. So nicely designed, it is good as even shelf queen.
People paying even more to have something nice on display.

 

[Rayt]

Did you tried to request return based on not corect condition description?
Not a shutter.

I have seen picture of failed M8 shutter at around one million.

But statistics aren't too promising:
https://olegkikin.com/shutterlife/leica_m8.htm

They’ll take returns with no reasons necessary. So buyers take their chances with minimum description of the item, hope for the best and return it if product doesn’t meet expectations. It’s their business model.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

They’ll take returns with no reasons necessary....

If so why even bother to have correspondence?

KEH is stuck at film sales, get it dirt cheap from clueless grandma, sell for more. They have none willing to learn about digital gear they sell.

 

[Rayt]

If so why even bother to have correspondence?

KEH is stuck at film sales, get it dirt cheap from clueless grandma, sell for more. They have none willing to learn about digital gear they sell.

Yeah. I emailed them to get a return authorisation. “Sorry for the inconvenience” would have been good enough. Adding the part about actuations not reflecting true history of use because shutter might have have been replaced at some point but then not having any evidence of such was comical or plain dishonest. I have been a customer for 20 years and this is a low point. Otherwise I have had no problems with KEH.

 

[jarski]

Leica might be partly to blame for the attitudes of KEH to withheld shutter information for items on sale. Leica removed this information completely on later models, M240 and onwards. They had good reason since any liveview session or video recording should be then counted as shutter count, so lines were blurred.

 

[Malcolm M]

Is 300000 actuations a lot? I believe in the good old days Leica tested their shutters to 400000 actuations. You wouldn't query the count on an M3, because it's not recorded, but that's only 3 rolls of film a week for 60 years.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Is 300000 actuations a lot? I believe in the good old days Leica tested their shutters to 400000 actuations. You wouldn't query the count on an M3, because it's not recorded, but that's only 3 rolls of film a week for 60 years.

Digital M shutters are totally different from M3 like cameras.
It is like comparing horse buggy and Mini.

 

[Rotarysmp]

My M8 shutter died before 30K. Given a Gaussian distribution curve, the one you got sold might bethe perfect one which lasts for a million actuations.
Mark