M8 Serial Numbers

Just in case this is not known...
At least how can I be sure that the camera is one of the corrected models, to avoid buying a bad one by mistake.

Ernesto
 
Thanks Dave,

Now I have an idea arround which numbers to look for.
Anyway I have asked Leica and here you have the answer I have just received from them. Unfortunately they didn´t gave me accurate serial numbers info. They just propose me to ask for serial numbers to the dealers, and ask them case by case which is very unpractical.
On the other side "near impossible" means possible, so it will be necesary to check numbers one by one in order to make sure it is not one of the bad units unless they are over 3300000.
What is very clear is that the upgrade is jut that: an upgrade, but it will never be a standard for production models, as I thought previously.

Question:

There is no way to know if the model I am going to buy, was fixed, or was updated, or was made after the issues or if it is one of the earlier models with their issues. Please tell me how to be sure I am buying the most updated model, that includes all the improvements detailed in the Fixes as well as in the Upgrades. Perhaps knowing the serial numbers it would be an option.

Answer:

Dear Mr. Lacalle,

It would be near impossible for one of the original units that came out about a year and a half ago to be still on a dealer’s shelf. For your peace of mind you could ask the dealer you intend to make a purchase from if they can provide the serial number first so that you can run it by us. The optional upgrades that were recently announced such as the shutter modification and new LCD glass are not being added to new production models, so that is not something to look for. The firmware is the only aspect that has been upgraded periodically. The current version is 1.201 and if a camera on a dealer’s shelf has not been brought up to date yet you can ask if they can do that for you before delivery, or do the upgrade yourself.


Best regards,

Mark Brady
Leica Camera Inc. / Technical Info
1 Pearl Court/Unit A
Allendale, NJ 07401
http://www.leica-camera.us/home/
mark.brady@leicacamerausa.com
Tel 800-222-0118 Ext 243 / Fax 201-995-1684
 
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ernesto said:
I wonder which are the serial numbers for brand new M8 without earlier models problems.

Ernesto
Click to expand...

I wonder what you mean. The SDS problem ws a faulty transistor in a limited run of cameras in March last year; we are hearing none of that any more, so it may be that all out-of-spec transistors have been caught by now. and the first run of about 1500 cameras from November 2006 that needed an extra earth connetion on the motherboard have been factory-recalled over a year ago. No other upgrades or fault-correcting has been going on, but it may be a gradual development of components is being done. That, however, has nothing to do with "problems" , but is rather normal.
 
SDS has still been happening but far less frequently. However, one can still see recent threads on it happening on the Leica Forum. Yes they have been making minor upgrades to components and may even have quietly changed the circuit board (said a component was no longer available). I don't think I would go so far as to say the problems have been resolved but rather that the newer cameras are improved in some unspecified ways.
 
The recent threads on l-cam forum were about dying batteries and such as I recall, not the "classic" SDS we saw half a year ago - and which has been recognized by Leica. Did you not notice an improvement in the shutter on your recent camera?
 
Yes, I noticed an improvement on my newer camera shutter. However, not knowing which changes were made when makes it difficult to say what one is buying in terms of problems. A few recent threads on LUF about problems:

4/21 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/51749-m8-problem-suggestions.html

4/14 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/51096-m8-more-problems-shutter-lag.html

4/12 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/51009-missing-m8-but-hope-good-hands.html

4/11 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/50983-shutter-went-mental.html

4/10 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/50752-adieu.html

4/8 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/50801-weird-things.html

While technically not SDS most of these required a trip to Solms or NJ and this is just in the last month!
 
True, John. It probably relates to the number of M8's sold as well. No conclusions possible I would say, except that the marriage of 1950íes mechanics to 2005's electronics can be temperamental....
Dead pixels seem to happen from time to time -we'll have to blame Kodak, one was somebody draining his battery by leaving the camera switched on all the time, one the documented green streak, which is a quirk/ avoidable fault of the camera and not a repair,one a broken shutter, one eletronics fault and one a "stuck"shutter button as far as I can make out. Business as usual, and no SDS 🙂
 
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