Losing faith

[sper]

Leica's target market are people who buy status symbols, not people who particularly care about photography. That's why they do stuff like put a saphire glass screen on the M8.2 and then take it off the M9, while still raising the price. That's also why their product "ambassador" is Seal, instead of someone like...idk...a photographer.

We're going to have a long time to wait until there is an M digital for working photographers available.

 

[tbarker13]

This is a difficult one for me. In the OP's case, I can't really fault the company for not considering that a warranty repair. At the same time, considering the cost of these cameras - I do think Leica should go above and beyond for its customers.
I used to be a die-hard Leica fan. But the M8 and now M8.2 cured me of that. (Just too many glitches that are well documented elsehwere) I still like the company and a lot of its products. And I use my M8.2 a lot.
But it's more that I love the rangefinder format. And if a quality rival ever enters the market (I know a lot of people think this will never happen), I'll be much more open to switching brands than I would have been five years ago.

 

[willie_901]

Hmm... where is that member to whom M8 cannot do no wrong, and *all* ailments are caused by you, the user.

😀

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[MCTuomey]

Leica's target market are people who buy status symbols, not people who particularly care about photography.

Hoping I don't resemble that remark ... I like to think I care about my photography in spite of the gear I use.

 

[tbarker13]

Leica's target market are people who buy status symbols, not people who particularly care about photography. That's why they do stuff like put a saphire glass screen on the M8.2 and then take it off the M9, while still raising the price. That's also why their product "ambassador" is Seal, instead of someone like...idk...a photographer.

It's an excellent point.
I don't see it quite that extreme. But clearly, this isn't a company that targets professional photographers, photojournalists, etc. Oh sure, there are some out there using M8s and M9s professionally. But I would bet they are a very small minority of Leica owners.

 

[Steve M.]

Maybe the op has a good point, but a bad example since his camera was dropped. Hard to compare a complex electronic camera to a mechanical one.

But using a similar example, I once had a Canon A-1, which was also a very complex electronic camera in it's day, fall from the top shelf of my closet onto our hardwood floor. I was horrified as it seemed to be falling in slow motion, right on the top of it's prism (which is plastic by the way). It bounced a few times and I picked it up fearing the worst. There wasn't a scratch on it, no cracks, no nothing. I fired off a shot and the little metering lights lit up just like always and the shutter fired with it's faint "squeeek".

I don't think anything is made as good as it was. This is a disposable age, especially w/ digital cameras. They have constant "upgrades". People don't own them very long these days. But there isn't any reason that the Leicas can't be made as reliable as the other digital cameras. If they can't do it in-house, I agree, sub it out. Assemble it in Germany (or Portugal or wherever they make the digital cameras), brand it Leica and be done w/ it. It would still be their design and final quality control specs. Anyone remember the Leica/Minolta CL's.

 

[jky]

Some time ago I droppd my M8 from 3 feet, but it had quite the momentum as it swung down onto the concrete with quite the force due to the neckstrap being caught on a bench.... Result was busted shutter, screwed viewfinder. Repair = $500.00...

Dropped my Nikon D300 from 4ft due to the same thing above - strap was caught as I lifted the camera....
Result was a little dent in the body... that's it.

Moral of the story is to not have have a neckstrap 😉 (and stay away from park benches).

Seriously though... There are things I wouldn't subject a digital RF to that I wouldn't otherwise have second thoughts when it comes my Nikon.

 

[rdeleskie]

I don't quite understand the OP's lament (with all due respect). The accidental damage was repaired, and the camera has functioned fine since, going on five years. How does this make it an unreliable camera? True it may stop working in the "near future," but the same can be said of any digital camera - or even mechanical camera - for that matter. Are there reports of M8/8.2s completely shutting down after a certain amount of time? (I'm not being facetious - I really want to know!).

As for the M9, I've mostly heard/read positive things from users. All cameras have their share of issues - be they pricing or performance. Check out the widespread complaints from Nikon users about the D7000 "overexposing," or recall the outrage regarding the D3x's price.

I wish we could expect the same longevity and robustness of modern electronic/computerized products as we do of 100% handmade mechanical items from years past, but unfortunately I see little evidence that we can. However, this applies to ever brand of digital camera and not just Leica.

Frankly, what amazes me is that the quality of the M8's photographs are still technically "competitive" with cameras made in 2011.

 

[Paul Luscher]

I'd be careful. It's like the news--only bad things happening make the news, good news rarely does. After all, "No news is good news."And it does seem that a large number of people jump on the Internet to complain LOUDLY that there's a problem with their camera. You don't hear about all the digital M users whose camera work just fine and have no reason to complain.

No product is perfect, and there will always be some defective ones that get out there. But you can't assume that it means that most, if not ALL, Leica digital Ms are fraught with defects.

Think you need to go with your own personal experience. Had the M8, and have the M9, and my experience with them has been pretty good, all the complaining on the Internet to the contrary.

Same with the ZI. Judging by what one read on the Internet when it first came out, one would have thought it was a cheap piece of tin, which suffered shutter failure on the very first shot, and whose rangefinder would go out of adjustment if merely breathed upon. But again, my experience with the camera has been pretty good--think it 's the kind of film rangefinder Leica SHOULD'VE built years ago...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

This is the reported problems forum for the M8/M8.2/M9.

Dropping cameras can cause problems. This is not the first time that it has been reported. Try not to drop them.