wow... i'm kind of pissed

Leica is reliable like a Land Rover is reliable. You want it to be as reliable as a Buick? Well, it's not gonna happen and I don't think they care anymore.

Do people buy new land rovers for its reliability? Hardly.
 
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" Blundering in with demands and ultimatums will just get everyone's backs up."
of course dave... i am mighty fond of manners.
all i require is that soemone along the line takes care of it without me incurring MORE cost. in all fairness, i have yet to speak with the dealer so who knows, they ay just take care of it all lickety split. fingers crossed
 
nikon_sam said:
Just a bit curious here...but has anyone with a M8 NOT had absolutely any problems with their camera...???
Is this a problem with other digital cameras or is Leica the only one experiencing this...???
What I've read in RFF about the M8, I would not buy one or would wait until they sort all their problems out...
I have seen some shots taken with this camera and I am very impressed with what it can do...but at what cost do you finally get to that point...???
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I got mine a few months ago. It works nicely and I am impressed what I get out of it.
-a
 
emraphoto said:
" Blundering in with demands and ultimatums will just get everyone's backs up."
of course dave... i am mighty fond of manners.
all i require is that soemone along the line takes care of it without me incurring MORE cost. in all fairness, i have yet to speak with the dealer so who knows, they ay just take care of it all lickety split. fingers crossed
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I figured you would be well-mannered. It's just that some of the replies seemed to suggest you should march in with a list of demands. (But I could be reading too much into it so I hope I haven't offended anyone.) That attitude always annoys me because it's just so unnecessary!
Good luck again and I'm sure everything will work out in your favour!
 
I'd be pissed too. Be polite and assertive and slightly forceful to a) the people you bought it from and b) leica and something wil be done.

It looks to be a good camera once you've ironed out the kinks, but I have to say (to be honest) I wouldn't like to rely on one in a professional situation
 
nikon_sam said:
Just a bit curious here...but has anyone with a M8 NOT had absolutely any problems with their camera...???
Is this a problem with other digital cameras or is Leica the only one experiencing this...???
What I've read in RFF about the M8, I would not buy one or would wait until they sort all their problems out...
I have seen some shots taken with this camera and I am very impressed with what it can do...but at what cost do you finally get to that point...???
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There is a thread over at LUF adressing just this questions - many posts and about 95% of the posters did not have problems. Don't forget people with problems are 10 times more likely to report that people without, especially on Internetforums. I have personal knowledge of 11 M8 owners, and none have had any trouble.
And yes, move over to the dedicated Canon and Nikon forums and be amazed at the issues and breakdowns of these -excellent and reliable- cameras reported over there....
 
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Just cool down, and consider: This is an electronic camera, not an M3. It might get problems, as every highly constructed item might get. That is normal. My CM - which is not a cheap camera - made up half of a year. Then having put in a new battery (the second!) the electronic emptied it after only one film. Spoken clearly: it was gone. Sh ... happens. Yes, I got a new one from Leica - but: no CM which was sold out, but a CM Zoom...
My friend's M8 works fine. (It is not put behind glass, but out on street, almost every day!)

Just give your M8 to the Leica service, take your Epson and some DSLR (my Canon works extremely fine with Leica-R-lenses!), and go out.

Cheers,
dacaccia
 
dacaccia said:
Just cool down, and consider: This is an electronic camera, not an M3.
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M3's broke down when new, even out of the box. Not often but still....
Why do you think these guys in Vietnam had two or three MP's hanging around their neck? Not just as extra bullet-proofing.😉
 
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emraphoto said:
so... i've had the m8 for less than two weeks and it's on it's way somewhere? tomorrow. let me first state that i have been absolutely pleased with all leica products up until this experience BUT my m8 is producing the ole bright vertical line in the bottom right of the frames at pretty much iso 640 and up.
so on to my point... this particulair m8 was going to be A/ my primary shooter and B/ a working camera. i am a little concerned... actually a LOT concerned.

sorry for m8 bashing but i am TOTALLY dissapointed.
john
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"Scotty" said it best. What applies to ficticious warp drives, applies to digital cameras:

"But Scotty smiles and puts a handful of tiny parts in McCoy's hand, saying, "A gift from one surgeon to another. The more they overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." In short, by removing tiny key parts from the USS Excelsior's trans-warp drive, Scotty had rendered the mighty ship's engines useless."

http://magazine.14850.com/0202/mp3plumbing.html
 
jaapv said:
M3's broke down when new, even out of the box. Not often but still....
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yes, I know ... my husband had one and had to repair it soon after buying. But compared to recorded problems with M8 these were nuts. 😉

jaapv said:
Why do you think these guys in Vietnam had two or three MP's hanging around their neck? Not just as extra bullet-proofing.😉
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but this is the main reason, I'm sure. 😎 My husband did as well when going to a shooting. Not because he was afraid one of his cams would be broken ...

Cheers,
dacaccia
 
Harry Lime said:
True, but at $5500 a pop not possible for everyone. Most photographers aren't rolling in cash.

The problem with the M8 is that there is no reasonably priced alternative. It's another M8 or nothing.
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This is the killer that put me right off the digital M system. At least with Nikon or Canon you can have a 5d with your DS MkII or buy a sigma 2.8 zoom so that if the worst comes to the worst you can at least keep on shooting without having to sell your children to pay for back ups. I'm not even sure you could rent an M8 very easily. It's a shame because it means business logistics stop many good cameras being taken up by pros - the next probably being Sony's pro model.
 
Rumour has it that there is a "small" M digital in the pipeline. And what is wrong with the RD1? Those are perfecty good second string cameras as well.
And for lenses - well, the CV lineup won't break the bank and are amazingly good quality.
 
jaapv said:
Rumour has it that there is a "small" M digital in the pipeline. And what is wrong with the RD1? Those are perfecty good second string cameras as well.
And for lenses - well, the CV lineup won't break the bank and are amazingly good quality.
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Well
The RD1 isn't on sale new any longer and has just as many QC issues as the M8. I agree though that a couple of well chosen CV lenses would be an excellent back up. Still have the whole rental issue though.
 
Pitxu said:
I can't quote Canadian law but uk and french law states that the "object" must be fit for the purpose for which it is intended, the M8 is intended to take great photos, and it clearly does not. Also, here, the responsability is with the person who sold you the "object" and not the manufacturer, so in this case it would be the dealer who has to sort it out without "permission" from leica.
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I'm sorry but you are wrong. The dealer has no responsibility for the condition of the camera. It says so right on the M8 warranty card.
The warranty is between the owner and the distributer (Leica NJ). IF a dealer takes a faulty camera back and replaces with another without an RA they are taking the risk that it is covered under warranty. If Leica, for whatever reason, decides it's not, then the dealer will be out of pocket for the return shipping and repair.
IF said camera was already registered by the owner and Leica repairs it rather than replace it, the dealer may have to resell it as a used or refurbished camera at a lower cost. The dealer has just lost a lot of money on that one M8 sale.
A large outfit like B&H may be able to absorb a few of these losses but a small local dealer can't afford to.
All this is academic anyway because I'm confident John's dealer will sort out the problem. No one, not even Leica and its dealers, wants an unhappy customer. But all you people telling him to insist on a refund and put a reverse charge on his credit card etc. are WAY out of line. Give the dealer and Leica a chance to fix the problem first for crying out loud!
 
jaapv said:
M3's broke down when new, even out of the box. Not often but still....
Why do you think these guys in Vietnam had two or three MP's hanging around their neck? Not just as extra bullet-proofing.😉
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Think about it for a moment. Backup, yes. But there are at least two other very good reasons.

Multiple bodies for different focal lengths and because a roll of film only holds 36 shots.

I've never been under fire, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to have to change lenses and reload your camera in the middle of a firefight...
 
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That's correct, Harry. But I noticed on a few shots of the time that sometimes the bodies had the same lens on. Usually a Summarit 50. Maybe B&W and Kodachrome?
Of course there were multiple reasons, there always are, it is the way I use two bodies when bush bashing in Africa,less dangerous though, I don't have to stop bullets.🙄
 
jaapv said:
That's correct, Harry. But I noticed on a few shots of the time that sometimes the bodies had the same lens on. Usually a Summarit 50. Maybe B&W and Kodachrome?
Of course there were multiple reasons, there always are, it is the way I use two bodies when bush bashing in Africa,less dangerous though, I don't have to stop bullets.🙄
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I think you are right about the color/black and white mix. When Capa was killed he had a Contax with b/w and color in his Nikon. The last picture he took, before stepping on a land mine was in color.

I shoot documentary work and sometimes carry three or four bodies, often doubling up on a focal length, because I don't want to miss a shot, when I run out of film.

Cheers.

HL
 
I'm waiting to hear from John.
I'd also like to know the dealer that John purchased from - I mean, sooner or later, I'll get a digital RF (be it an M8 or whatever Leica comes out with next... that is.. as long as I'm still alive at that point 😛) and while I know my local dealers are good and can get the camera in no worries I was afraid of just such a thing as John is now going through..

I really hope things turn out well for him.

Dave
 
If the warranty card is still blank, the dealer might be able to switch cameras, especially if they sell lots of Leica bodies. If the card is not blank or has been mailed, then you must deal with the distributor (Leica).

I would walk into the shop and tell them (gently, with kind thoughts) what the problem is and they can tell you what your options are.

I would suggest too that most M8s, Rd1s, etc are problem free (except for product deficiencies like the IR cut filter on the M8)) but when you get a problem model we tend to think the worse. Most M8s, 1rd1s work fine and will for a long time.

O.C.
 
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