My M8 died

[Sailor Ted]

I imagine that Leica would have some sort of plan to at least share the cost of upgrading early M8s in the event that an M8.2 was released. If not, they'd be looking at three words: "class action lawsuit."

I like you but please- when Leica comes up with the next best thing since last year’s next best thing, you'll have to pay for it. You'll have no better chance of getting your M8 upgraded to an M9 then you do of having last year's car upgraded to next years car.

What in the wide world of sports are people thinking around here? Perhaps Athena could enlighten us.

 

[Xmas]

Hey

Your M8 can accept any standardised lens from 1930 or so, with a metal ring. What other camera can do this, Zeiss killed the contax in '61.

Early adopters expect problems, they need good put down lines for people who go back to their caves before sunup?

Noel

 

[Davor]

Could you tell us about the temperature and humidity around you when this happened?

I suspect this is a static electricity problem. Those are not possible to correct with any firmware up dates. It needs a hardware fix. This 'turning-dead-problem' is the most serious of all the M8 issues. I could live with all the others.

Static electricity develops easier when there is very little humidity in the air, so if it was so; it would be the other way around.

BUT! It could still be a humidity problem, altough I doubt that it has to do with stat.elec.

 

[herbkell@shaw.c]

Static electricity develops easier when there is very little humidity in the air, so if it was so; it would be the other way around.

BUT! It could still be a humidity problem, altough I doubt that it has to do with stat.elec.

Man, has this thread got off topic! - I originally posted a tale of woe about my M8 and it turned in to a soap opera. I would respectfully suggest everybody should spend more time taking photographs and less time spewing venom on this board.

BTW my M8 has recoverd (sort of) After two days it came back to life although it still takes some jiggling and battery removal together with a half shutter press to get things going. The half shutter press seems new and is now required to get the M8 to show battery life and images left and turn the LCD on.

I don't feel this camera is very reliabe but before sending it back and waiting several weeks I have decided to wait for firmware 1.10 and see if things stablise

I live in Vancouver BC which is certainly not known for it's static electricity particlularly in the wet winters

 

[Way]

I had the same problems with my M8 and was lucky enough to get an exchange. So far so good, except for some back focusing with my new 50 lux asph, but no power problems. I hope you can resolve your problems quickly - the M8 really takes some beautiful pictures!

 

[dcsang]

Hi Peter,

Sorry to hear about the problems 🙁
I've still got your (and don't plan on letting it go) M7 so, if that's any consolation to you, know that it gets used very often.

I would really attempt to send the M8 back and, unfortunately, suffer for a month or two till they can fix it (or have your money refunded).

I'd like to hear how this turns out though.

Sincerely,
Dave

 

[herbkell@shaw.c]

Hi Dave glad to hear my (ex) M7 is enjoying it's new home.

I bought the M8 from Tony Rose so I know he will do right by me. I am unaable to shoot for various reasons for the next couple of weeks so I will wait and see if firmware 1.10 makes the camera more reliable

If it doesn't then it's decision time as to whether I dump and run or persevere

all the best

 

[gb hill]

Peter, I don't think I would wait to see if a firmware problem will take care or your problem. I certainly am no expert, but it deffently sounds like a circuit board problem. When you have to jiggle the camera or any part of it to get the thing to work it's usually a cold solder joint somewhere, or the board is bad.

And about people exchanging their cameras and receiving new ones with lower serial #s...SO WHAT! As long as it works and the customer is pleased and the new/refirb or whatever you wan't to call it looks new, no scuffs, etc. does it really matter.

Peter, I'm sure Leica will do you right. They have satisified everyone else iv'e read of.

 

[Athena]

how are you with diets?

🙂

Not so good. But I did conquer tobacco two and a half decades ago!

So there is hope....😉

 

[Gman]

I would respectfully suggest everybody should spend more time taking photographs and less time spewing venom on this board.

These are some of the wisest words spoken here since the M8 was released!



jeff

 

[Athena]

P

And about people exchanging their cameras and receiving new ones with lower serial #s...SO WHAT! As long as it works and the customer is pleased and the new/refirb or whatever you wan't to call it looks new, no scuffs, etc. does it really matter.

Sorry, Joe, cannot resist:

The M8 is a top of the line (according to its price and manufacturer) item.

If I get a defective one and return it - I darned well would expect a NIB replacement!

Truth be told, the "stuff" that makes up an M8 is not very valuable and costs Leica very little.

The price reflects their design and development and the added value of the compatibility with its lens system (albeit at a compromise due to lens factor).

R&D costs are now "sunk" so to give me a "used and repaired" replacement for a defective new one would be an insult!

Quite frankly, sir, the components that make up a M8 are probably worth a few hundred dollars at most. This is a piece of electronic equipment, not a hand-crafeted mechanical camera like they once made!

Sorry Joe....

 

[ferider]

Quite frankly, sir, the components that make up a M8 are probably worth a few hundred dollars at most. This is a piece of electronic equipment, not a hand-crafeted mechanical camera like they once made!

Depending on how many KAF-10500 were manufactured (not many since it was custom made for the M8) the KAF-10500 by itself will likely have a value of 500-1000 US$ or more, i.e. just the raw chip by itself.

Mechanically the M8 is not so different from the M7. There is (probably an identical) RF, and a shutter (however different).

Roland.

 

[gb hill]

I would call the M8 to be a high quality handcrafted piece of electronic craftmanship. 🙂

 

[jaapv]

Sounds like a battery-camera interface problem. Two things to do: clean the battery contacts and when that doesn't help,leave out the battery for at least four days to get the camera working again, insert the battery, turn off the automatic switch-off in the camera menu and leave on overnight. That will result in a full reset. But send it back to Solms after that, because without a factory recalibration it will do it again. Good luck with your camera, though. My two bodies perform flawlessly, ad there are dozens of happy owners reporting on LUF, so don't be put off by the negativism this forum is showing regarding the M8. The percentage of faulty camera's seems to be about 3 to 5 %, which is on par with most elecronic/mechanical products, especially those that are on the limit of what is possible in the field. One is far more likely to buy a Ferrari that is faulty "out of the box" than a Toyota... It would be nice though, if every M8 would be perfect....

 

[Didier]

Mechanically the M8 is not so different from the M7. There is (probably an identical) RF, and a shutter (however different).

The shutter is derived from the R9 if I recall well. The rangefinder is certainly very similar but not 100% identical as it has another magnification (.68) instead of the usual .58, .72 and .85; and other framelines because of the crop factor. That's all traditional Leica finemechanics and optics - together with a special sensor (anti-vignet microlenses) this makes the M8 not a cheap body.

Didier