Up to 99% of all M8 users were/are well happy.
The remaining 1+% bitch like hell on the internerd, and their voices are multiplied by an order of magnitude (or two) by those who've never used one...
Cheers,
R. (M8 user since 2006)
Roger,
A lot of people have very high expectations when buying very much a high priced niche camera from a company with the Leica heritage, as well they should.
I bought mine a little more than a year ago, and was genuinely put off a bit with some of the things that I thought should have been taken care of before I got it. Not big things, but the grease on the sensor out of the box, and a huge blue cast when I was shooting any dark subject with correct exposure compensation, uncertainty with lens compatibility.
I had read your review in Shutterbug before I decided to buy, had handled a demo at the local shop with the Leica Rep present, who refused to let me mount any non Leica glass, and soon after took the plunge. I found the 12mm CV worked, the DR Summicron did not, and the 1.2 35mm CV needed a trip to the technician with a $100 part swap.
It cost me time to get my shop to wet clean the sensor several times to acceptably remove what ever grease was on it, and time + significant cash to send it back for cleaning, adjustment, upgrades, and whatever they did to it. (I think the invoice basically said they fixed the camera.)
I now know that these were common problems, but my expectation with a company like Leica was that these bugs should have been worked out in the first year or so of production, they are Leica.
I have also struggled a bit with the frame lines.
I did not scream to high heaven, but it did take some work, time, and getting used to the camera, perhaps a small amount of quiet despair and low level screaming is to be expected, especially in an environment in which everything seems to be more important than it actually is, and too much is just enough everywhere or is it just here?
Bumps in the road, I just expected a more finely tuned suspension with Leica.
I am sure you had your suggestions when they asked your opinion of the Demo models when they first put them in your hands. ;-)
Am not sure what percentage this puts me in, well it is not all caps, but I hope you allow me a bit of disappointment with an otherwise pretty good camera. ;-)
And I am going to the local dog and pony show tomorrow at the Dealer to see what is new?
Regards, John