gloec Posted December 5, 2007 Share #1 Posted December 5, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) After 17 days I received my camera back from Solms where I sent it because it died after I updated it with the latest firmware. According to them, they repaired and replaced electronics everything under warranty, I did not have to pay anything. This was the one and only good thing. When the camera arrived, I placed a lens in order to try it. I switched it on and I looked through the viewfinder. A "5d" indication appeared on the viewfinder and then every led went like crazy. In the apperture priority mode the numbers which indicate the speed, changed randomly. In the manual mode the warning arrows flash even when the shutter release button is pressed. I removed the battery and placed it again with no luck. I sent an email to Solms but I have not received any reply yet. I cannot tell you how frustrated I am. They said that they made all the necessary checks in order to ensure that the camera worked OK. Has anyone faced the same problem with the viewfinder? Could it be a firmware problem? Any advice will be more than welcomed... Nikos Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 5, 2007 Posted December 5, 2007 Hi gloec, Take a look here Problems with M8, again... It becomes boring.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
yeungkeefu Posted December 5, 2007 Share #2 Posted December 5, 2007 Nikos, It is sad to hear this and I had the poor service happened to my previous M8 and below is my story: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/34580-poor-leica-customer-service.html Finally, the Hong Kong distributor swap the new M8 for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laki Posted December 5, 2007 Share #3 Posted December 5, 2007 After 17 days I received my camera back from Solms where I sent it because it died after I updated it with the latest firmware. Nikos as far as i recall, it died because you tried to update the firmware with some firmware file. (see also http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/37991-firmware-1-110-available-www-leica-6.html#post398483) that you have now problems isn't good anyway, i hope leica will sort it out quickly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloec Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted December 5, 2007 as far as i recall, it died because you tried to update the firmware with some firmware file. (see also http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/37991-firmware-1-110-available-www-leica-6.html#post398483) that you have now problems isn't good anyway, i hope leica will sort it out quickly. Yeap, I tried to update the firmware with the file I downloaded from Leica's site... I am not saying that it was their fault but the report I received from Leica's service says that they changed a printed circuit. I believe that something was wrong with the hardware. I upgraded more firmwares than I can remember (cameras, servers, large storages etc etc) and never had any problems that made me to replace the hardware. Anyway I believe that Leica's dealer in Greece who is a very reputable one, will sort it out shortly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mauribix Posted December 5, 2007 Share #5 Posted December 5, 2007 ... I looked through the viewfinder. A "5d" indication appeared on the viewfinder and then every led went like crazy...Nikos Maybe it's the famous Canon virus, it hits all the non canon cameras, something like a Big Brother reminding you to buy an Eos5D:rolleyes: to be serious, a friend of mine had a similar probelm with a Nikon camera, they repaired the camera 3 times before changing the EPROM. The problem was due to the memory in which the firmware was recorded, as soon as it became heat, it suddenly didn't work. I think you can ask the swap for your camera. Just a question: is it Black or Chrome? Cheers Maurizio Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloec Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share #6 Posted December 5, 2007 Maybe it's the famous Canon virus, it hits all the non canon cameras, something like a Big Brother reminding you to buy an Eos5D:rolleyes: to be serious, a friend of mine had a similar probelm with a Nikon camera, they repaired the camera 3 times before changing the EPROM. The problem was due to the memory in which the firmware was recorded, as soon as it became heat, it suddenly didn't work. I think you can ask the swap for your camera. Just a question: is it Black or Chrome? Cheers Maurizio I sold the 5D because I wanted to finance my M8. Probably this is the revenge of the 5D. It is a Black camera and if I am asked to send the camera back to Solms then I will ask a replacement. What worries me is that they said that they checked it thoroughly before they sent it back. Unfortunately, this is not the case... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
badpets Posted December 8, 2007 Share #7 Posted December 8, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm still debating whether to send mine for repair. Any advice would appreciated. Below is description of my issue - http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/40133-shoot-while-power-if-off.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay101 Posted December 8, 2007 Share #8 Posted December 8, 2007 Sigh... and this kind of thing is why my M8 may soon be for sale - a D3 beckons instead. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted December 8, 2007 Share #9 Posted December 8, 2007 Sigh... and this kind of thing is why my M8 may soon be for sale - a D3 beckons instead. Have you had the same, or similar, problem? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted December 8, 2007 Share #10 Posted December 8, 2007 I sold the 5D because I wanted to finance my M8. In that case, its likely that it's haunting your M8. Sorry to hear about the new problems. Cheers, Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted December 8, 2007 Share #11 Posted December 8, 2007 Sigh... and this kind of thing is why my M8 may soon be for sale - a D3 beckons instead. Then maybe you should of never bought a M8 in the first place. I've thought about buying one of the new Nikons. But when it comes right down to it on what and where would I use it. I now own a D200 and it never gets used except to take pictures of my M8. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankg Posted December 8, 2007 Share #12 Posted December 8, 2007 Sigh... and this kind of thing is why my M8 may soon be for sale - a D3 beckons instead. I could see someone moving to a GRD from an M8. Sacrifice IQ for a smaller, more discreet, quieter street camera and you can buy 3 for backup for less then an M8. But how does a DSLR the size of a tank replace a small RF camera for the sort of work an M was designed for? I'm assuming you got the M8 because you have a preference for this sort of camera and way of shooting not because you were under the illusion it had better IQ then you could get from any of 100 DSLR's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloec Posted December 8, 2007 Author Share #13 Posted December 8, 2007 The camera is back to Solms When the local dealer saw the problem he was really surprised because he hadn't saw anything like that before. The viewfinder was like a Xmas tree! The technicians from Solms replied to my message saying that this was the first time they faced a problem like that. They advised me to reapply the firmware, I did it but nothing changed. Thank God the Leica dealer in Athens is very reputable and the people there, are extraordinary and they proceeded with a temp replacement until my camera is fixed. Waiting for Leica's service diagnostics... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 8, 2007 Share #14 Posted December 8, 2007 Before Leica gets tied to the stake and the wood gets lit lets take a moment to remind ourselves of the facts: 1. Nikolaos's M8 died during a firmware upgrade when the camera asked if he wanted to upgrade to version 0.000000 and - by his own admission - he should have stopped and started over. Leica's not to blame for this. 2. Nikolaos received his M8 back with confirmation that it had been checked at the factory before its return, yet the vf leds went crazy the first time he switched it on. The assumption is that the camera hadn't been checked before leaving the factory because a check should have revealed this behaviour. But isn't it just possible that the camera was successfully checked at the factory and that something may have occurred to cause the fault but didn't mark the packaging, for example intense vibration or high or low temperature, during transport back to Nikolaos? Perhaps we should cut Leica a little slack until the cause of the problem is found and confirmed. After all, if it was you, you'd probably be a little unhappy if someone immediately jumped to a dubious conclusion and blamed you for a problem without finding out all the facts. And before someone labels me as a 'Leica apologist', I'm not; I'm just looking at the facts logically to add some balance to a topic that has the potential to escalate unreasonably. I'm very sorry to hear of the problems you've had, Nikolaos, I'd feel pretty annoyed if I was in your place too. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloec Posted December 8, 2007 Author Share #15 Posted December 8, 2007 Pete, You are right, I should stop the update! Just to make it more interesting when they asked to update the "fixed" camera I used the same card with the same update file just to see if the problem was with the card. I would stop if the wrong version appeared... Surprise, surprise!!! The camera recognised the correct version and not the 0.0000 version... It was exaclty the same card!!!!! It was exactly the same file!!!!!! Need to say more? I am convinced that the problem was with the hardware. Anyway. I do not want to blame anyone, I just want my camera back and fixed this time... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 8, 2007 Share #16 Posted December 8, 2007 ...isn't it just possible that the camera was successfully checked at the factory and that something may have occurred to cause the fault but didn't mark the packaging, for example intense vibration or high or low temperature, during transport back to Nikolaos?.. I'm just looking at the facts logically... Unless it's been carried in a tank, transportation should not damage properly packed cameras in all logic Pete but perhaps an unlogical risk or whatever bad fortune occurred then it is perfectly logic to report it of course. Now is it logic to presume it, that is the question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertwright Posted December 8, 2007 Share #17 Posted December 8, 2007 ok this is naive, but: when the viewfinder blink "5d" it is really "SD" which means, "no card." did you have a card installed? In Aperture priority the shutter speed numbers do change if you move the camera even slightly, it is metering... when you press the shutter both arrows blink if you are out of metering range, ie, the lens is set to too small an aperture for the meter to couple at the given ISO and light level. In other words, open up full, if you are indoors, increase the ISO, and lower the shutter and you might get a steady LED arrow indicating you are near a good exposure... If you assume all of those things, it sounds to me like it was operating normally? sorry you are having trouble. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwalker649 Posted December 8, 2007 Share #18 Posted December 8, 2007 Why don't they just give you a new camera? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 8, 2007 Share #19 Posted December 8, 2007 ok this is naive, but: when the viewfinder blink "5d" it is really "SD" which means, "no card." did you have a card installed? You are correct, it does that, so it could be a greasy SD card contact, or even no SD card. But it does bleep and display " no SD Card" on the LCD screen as well in that case. If one mounts a locked card the viewfinder will display "full" which it will do for a full card as well, but again it will bleep and display a message on the LCD. The flashing usually indicates a lens-cap mounted. So it seems that any problem may be just a connector jarred loose inside the camera during transport, which could explain the whole thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted December 8, 2007 Share #20 Posted December 8, 2007 Well it could also be that it was the same technician that coded my 28 cron with a 24 mount. How hard is it to do a final mount, snap, and check info and/or framelines? I guess sometimes brain wires get crossed as well. Bummer was that the lens was out 8 weeks. I think we could all tolerate a few mistakes here and there by Leica service more if it wasn't for the extraordinary wait times coupled with the dismall communication. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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