strange m8 turn on sequence

[shipatsea]

Originally Posted by Shootist

Ok there are around 5000 M8's in the hands of users, maybe more like 8000. This is not a feature of your particular model/version. My M8 is serial # 3100977, under 1000, and does not do this and there are only a handful of users on this forum that have reported this fault. Your camera is faulty. You should not have to hit the shutter release after turning the switch to on to turn the camera fully on.
No need for Leica to respond.

for what it's worth, the first symptom that my m8 suffered before eventually dying was having to hit the shutter release after tuning the switch on to turn the camera fully on.

louis

[DaveEP]

Originally Posted by shipatsea

for what it's worth, the first symptom that my m8 suffered before eventually dying was having to hit the shutter release after tuning the switch on to turn the camera fully on.
louis

Mine has been like this from 1.092. I am pretty sure this is a firmware sleep/wakeup issue, but am waiting to hear back from Leica.

[ken_tanaka]

Originally Posted by shipatsea

for what it's worth, the first symptom that my m8 suffered before eventually dying was having to hit the shutter release after tuning the switch on to turn the camera fully on.

louis

Mine has exhibited EXACTLY the same perversion (i.e. strange turn-on sequence) since it was out of the box, two firmware versions ago. I suspect that you also don't think it's a major issue. In fact, it might be a nice feature since that damn power switch is so easy to accidentally turn. But it does seem like an unexplained, and probably undesigned, quirk.

If anyone hears back from the German gnomes please share here.

[etienne_werner]

Same problem here. Not after a FW update but rather after the first week of usage. Some people might find it No problem but I sometimes need to have a camera ready to shoot at an instant. Like this it seems to take forever.
kind regards,
Etienne

[herbkell]

My M8 (December vintage) started out not requiring a push of the shutter button to turn it on but one day it simply froze and had to be reset by removing the battery and replacing and ever since then it has required a firm press of the shutter after being turned on to bring it to life.

I feel that it's a bit of a ticking time bomb as others have reported that this was there first step towards a total camera failure.

I am vacation in SE Asia currently in Saigon and it's working very well despite some inane WB results eg two shots taken on a tripod within a couple of seconds of each other have markedly different WB. It will make batch correcting of WB in post impossible - what a pain!

[querstrommotor]

Dear M8 Fans...

I had the same problem with my M8, and i thought, that it was also after the last firmwareupdate - but my shop here in Berlin told me, that the on/off switch has a defect.
So we send the camera to solms and after 14 days they sent it back and everything was as usual.
So you do not have to push the trigger after turning the camera on - that is not normal and as Leica tols me it has nothing to do with the firmware.

Within that repairment they adjusted also the Bajonett, because it was so hard to change lenses, much harder than with my m6 - now it works equal to the m6.

To check if you have a defect on/off switch, do the following:

Turn the camera on in absolutely slow motion, with a little bit of pressure to the switch, try it several times...
If the camera turns on now, with this solw-mo procedure, you have a defect switch.
You have to try it, it does not work all the time, you have to figure ot the right speed for this procedere.
By the way, the strange thing with the switch is, that only the on/off procedere behaves like i explained, the other switch positions worked normal with my m8...

Good luck,
yours Ekki

[DaveEP]

Originally Posted by querstrommotor

Dear M8 Fans...

I had the same problem with my M8, and i thought, that it was also after the last firmwareupdate - but my shop here in Berlin told me, that the on/off switch has a defect.
So we send the camera to solms and after 14 days they sent it back and everything was as usual.
So you do not have to push the trigger after turning the camera on - that is not normal and as Leica tols me it has nothing to do with the firmware.

Within that repairment they adjusted also the Bajonett, because it was so hard to change lenses, much harder than with my m6 - now it works equal to the m6.

To check if you have a defect on/off switch, do the following:

Turn the camera on in absolutely slow motion, with a little bit of pressure to the switch, try it several times...
If the camera turns on now, with this solw-mo procedure, you have a defect switch.
You have to try it, it does not work all the time, you have to figure ot the right speed for this procedere.
By the way, the strange thing with the switch is, that only the on/off procedere behaves like i explained, the other switch positions worked normal with my m8...

Good luck,
yours Ekki

You are correct. A little pressue and slow turn on means no shutter press. Oh well. I guess I will live with it until after my vacation, then send it in

[querstrommotor]

Thanks, for trying that - i could also not beleeve that behaviour of the m8...

Maybe it is also the reasen for some sudden death problems, because if the switch does strange things it might be also a reason for the sudden death problems, i red abot here.

Greetings
Ekki

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by querstrommotor

Thanks, for trying that - i could also not beleeve that behaviour of the m8...

Maybe it is also the reasen for some sudden death problems, because if the switch does strange things it might be also a reason for the sudden death problems, i red abot here.

Greetings
Ekki

Thank you for this post and the previous one.
I really don't know why some think this is some type of feature of there particular model/version when it is CLEARLY a problem with the camera and needs to be fixed.

[DaveEP]

Originally Posted by Shootist

Thank you for this post and the previous one.
I really don't know why some think this is some type of feature of there particular model/version when it is CLEARLY a problem with the camera and needs to be fixed.

Well, it sounds like it is a problem, but the fact is the camera does "turn on" but in to "sleep mode", otherwise pressing the shutter would not wake it. So, while there is a fault, it is at least not fatal at this point, so I will have to wait to send it in until I have some time when i don't need it. Maybe that's a good time to get lenses coded to....

[chetccox]

I have a perfectly working camera, but if I play this game with the turn-on switch I can eventually get my camera to the on position, but the menu buttons do not work until I press the shutter release down. Normally this does not happen, but I would bet most people with normal working cameras can simulate this problem. I believe this definitely shows that this is a camera defect, and it is in the switch itself and how it sequences the turn on functions.

[querstrommotor]

Leica repaired my Switch, and everything is now normal, so it was the switch....
Greetings Ekki

[DaveEP]

Leica just confirmed to me that my M8 will need t go to Solms for them to fix this

[ken_tanaka]

Originally Posted by querstrommotor

Dear M8 Fans...

To check if you have a defect on/off switch, do the following:

Turn the camera on in absolutely slow motion, with a little bit of pressure to the switch, try it several times...
If the camera turns on now, with this solw-mo procedure, you have a defect switch.
You have to try it, it does not work all the time, you have to figure ot the right speed for this procedere.
By the way, the strange thing with the switch is, that only the on/off procedere behaves like i explained, the other switch positions worked normal with my m8...

Good luck,
yours Ekki

Thank you, Ekki. That seems to also be my camera's situation. Rather than send the camera to Germany for a significant slice of its warranty period I think I'll just live with the problem unless the switch fails entirely.

It's disappointing that the M8 was released with so many craftsmanship issues. So much for the Leica reputation in the age of Asian electronics.