Refurbished M8? Worth extra $$$?

[Nicolás Raddatz]

Hi all,

I'm considering buying a used M8 to "test waters" of the Leica M system. I've read all there's to read regarding the shortcomings of the camera regarding high iso, idiosyncracies and all (i used to own a Voigtlander Bessa R3A, so i'm not new to rangefinders either).

I'm set on buying from reputable sellers instead of ebay (Tamarkin, Dale's, B&H, Adorama, etc). I've noticed that the average price for a good condition M8 is around $1900-$2000. I came across a "refurbished" camera that was recently CLA'd by Leica USA, but it costs $2300.

Question: Do you think that buying a "Refurbished" M8 is a safer buy? Do you think the price difference is justified, or should I save my pennies, and spend the difference in getting a better lens, for instance?

I've also noticed that some cameras are sold with a 6 month warranty while others have a 1 year one. Why is that?

Also, is a safer buy getting a camera with a higher serial number? I'm thinking 107xxx instead of 101xxx.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Eric T]

I would get refurbished. Repairs on an M8 can take time and are expensive.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

$2300 goes a long way towards the new M240. There appear to be a host of updates from the M8 to the new M240. If you are going from Film to Digital then any digital could provide you with testing the waters. Consider: A Digital Camera is a lens attached to a computer. Would you buy a refurbished computer? Just my opinion.

 

[L Collins]

I'd determine precisely what "refurbished" means before I spent the extra. You can pick up nice M8s on EBay for 1600-1800 $. 600$ more is a significant amount of cash. No 6 year old camera should need a CLA.

If you buy one on EBay you can always send it back and get a refund if it's no operational, even if the seller is selling "as is." as has been noted here in other discussions, EBay is heavily weighted towards the buyer, perhaps unfairly so. Don't like, send it back and get a full refund. You should be able to assess the condition of a used M8 within a day.

Things to check: the LCD, dead pixels on the sensor, viewfinder clean and bright, no problems with read/write functions.

As an aside, I loved my M8. Much underrated camera. Feels like a digital M should feel. B&W results are stunningly good, even by today's standards. Don't expect high ISO though.

 

[swoop]

$2300 goes a long way towards the new M240. There appear to be a host of updates from the M8 to the new M240. If you are going from Film to Digital then any digital could provide you with testing the waters. Consider: A Digital Camera is a lens attached to a computer. Would you buy a refurbished computer? Just my opinion.

He'd still have to come up with another $4700. Not all Leica users really are Doctors or Lawyers.

 

[Nicolás Raddatz]

$2300 goes a long way towards the new M240. There appear to be a host of updates from the M8 to the new M240. If you are going from Film to Digital then any digital could provide you with testing the waters.

Unfortunately, I don't have the $$$ difference to jump to an M9 or M240. So, a used M8 will have to do it. At this point, i'd rather be cautious and test the M system without spending a fortune (which i don't have, lol) on it. If I get "hooked", there's always time to save money and upgrade - and that's one of the greatest things about leica, the equipment barely depreciates, so the M8 could be almost considered an "investment".

 

[Nicolás Raddatz]

I'd determine precisely what "refurbished" means before I spent the extra. You can pick up nice M8s on EBay for 1600-1800 $. 600$ more is a significant amount of cash. No 6 year old camera should need a CLA.

Things to check: the LCD, dead pixels on the sensor, viewfinder clean and bright, no problems with read/write functions.

Thanks for your feedback. I agree, $600 is a lot of cash - I've been checking on ebay, and for what i can see, most M8 are in the $1900-$2000 price range (i've yet to see a cheaper one that is in good condition), so i don't see much of a money difference. So, all thing being equal I'd go for a reputable seller.

Thanks for the tips on what to check, i'll keep those in mind.

 

[Nicolás Raddatz]

A genuine Leica refurb camera in the USA carries a one year warranty. Even if only a 6 month warranty, I would have to strongly consider such an option / opportunity.

That's exactly what I have in mind. Its more money, but, it might help me preserve my investment for a longer time. Not to mention peace of mind.

 

[Lss]

Do you think that buying a "Refurbished" M8 is a safer buy? Do you think the price difference is justified, or should I save my pennies, and spend the difference in getting a better lens, for instance?

It should be safer to some degree, because Leica have had a chance to see that the unit is up to their spec. But if you have a chance to try before buying, I would just go with the cheapest that works. My M8 (M8.2 upgrade) has been smashed to pavement (all it suffered was a broken baseplate, and yes a replacement is bloody expensive) and been through all kinds of weather without any trouble, so I probably have a little bit more trust in these tough little digitals than most people.