Bathtubrule

[Kasimir]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello

I'm (still) considering to buy an M8, but I've read so much about crashs, pixel columns and so on.

Now I'm wondering when these faults showed up? I know that there's a kind of "bathtubrule" for computer harddisks, meaning that they crash mostly at the beginning or at the end of their lifetime. Does this apply to the M8 too? Will it crash or show "strange behaviour" right after I bought it, say within the warranty period, or am I to expect this every time over the lifecycle?

I really can't afford to buy a new "M" every two or three years because the repair costs are too high after the waranty expired.

So, all You "blessed" out there: When after the purchase was Your M8 sent to Solms for repair?

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jaapv]

The Internet forums are a distorting magnifying glass. Yes, there are M8 users with problems, maybe too many relative to the name Leica, but the vast majority of M8's function flawlessly out of the box, and keeps on doing so. If you want an M8 it is foolish, imo, to let yourself be held back by our little group. Just as it is foolish to base a decision about medical treatment on the waiting room talk you hear.

But buy at a reputable dealer who will stand by you in the unlikely case you have trouble, like you would when purchasing any complicated technical contraption.

[festgriff]

Hi. Have had my M8 for over a year. never been to Solms. Only "problems" I had had to do with the old firmware, since the last update I am very pleased with it.

 

Lee

[Eoin]

You've obviously been reading many of the sagas here. There is no denying there were problems and still are but most of these problems are now confined to lens focusing issues and battery issues IMO.

 

What concerns me is someone goes in and buys a camera or lens, takes it home and discovers in 2 or 3 days they have a pixel issue or focus problem and the item has to be returned to solms for repair, not exchanged at the place of purchase for a fully functioning one. My advice is seek out a good dealer who will let you test the very item before you buy it. Test it in the store with your own SD card and take the images home and examine them, make sure the focus is accurate, make sure at high ISO's there are no dead pixel lines. Once happy return with your hard earned cash and make the purchase.

 

Thereafter enjoy!,

[ndjambrose]

I've used mine pretty much every day since I bought it - 18 months ago. Never had a single problem with it. I don't even know where Solms is :-)

[chris_tribble]

Ditto - oh, I did have a problem when I dropped a body onto frozen ground. No dents, but the range finder needed re-aligning - done free with the Leica Passport + I another body was stolen...

 

See what I mean? The camera? No problems.

[jaapv]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

That is what I wanted to say to, Chris, but I feared being too repetitive... Two bodies, one for the standard upgrade in December 2006, crashed and rebuilt, one dead battery charger in December 2006, both been to Solms for engraving, no electronical issues, no focus issues,no dead pixels, nothing. And I have 6 other bodies in my family and circle of aquaintances - the same....

[Dantist]

May I join the club of those who had no problem with M8 after more than 6 months of daily use with true enjoyment ?

 

To be frank : only a breakdown of the discharged battery, by quite cold temperature and intensive press of the shutter release. This was an easy and stupid beginner's faulty use of a serious digital imaging sytem

[andybarton]

Hello

I'm (still) considering to buy an M8, but I've read so much about crashs, pixel columns and so on.

Now I'm wondering when these faults showed up? I know that there's a kind of "bathtubrule" for computer harddisks, meaning that they crash mostly at the beginning or at the end of their lifetime. Does this apply to the M8 too? Will it crash or show "strange behaviour" right after I bought it, say within the warranty period, or am I to expect this every time over the lifecycle?

I really can't afford to buy a new "M" every two or three years because the repair costs are too high after the waranty expired.

So, all You "blessed" out there: When after the purchase was Your M8 sent to Solms for repair?

 

What makes you think that your M8 is definitely going to show a fault? I would suggest that most don't.

 

If you are that worried about it, buy something else, but bear in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect product that will never fail.

[delander †]

I bought my first M8 in April 2007 and the second in August 2007. They have not been back to Solms. One foible that they have always exhibited and remains is that when I scroll to zoom in on an image it sometimes initially zooms out. But I am not sending them back for that minor glitch. I did adjust slightly the infinity focus on one of them with the 2mm alun key. I learnt that trick here.

 

The FW updates, particularly the last one, resolved many of the foibles. I have just the two original batteries, but I keep them well charged and have not experienced a problem. I have no card reading problems, I did check for the line that has appeared in some cameras used at high ISO but couldn't find a problem there either.

 

I do very little continuous shooting, and shoot only in RAW, adjust white balance if required in the Capture 1, employ the -2/3 ev setting with auto generally (but not always) and keep at 640 iso or below. The M8's 640 iso is very good. I have learnt how the shutter button works which once I got the hang of it enabled me to get sharp images (not always) at 1/8.

 

So all in all a good experience. Add to that the quality of the files they produce, the handling and pleasure of using the camera and lenses, they have revitalised my interest in photography.

 

Hope this positive experience helps you make the right decision.

 

Ramble over.

 

Jeff

[Artichoke]

no trips to Solms

purchased mine Jan 07

use it almost daily

no problems what so ever

[MitchoIankov]

If you buy it in person (not mail order) switch to ISO 2500 and make some shots. Check (on PC) for any white/red/black horizontal or vertical lines. If any found, ask for another one.

 

I had mine for almost 3 months before I needed ISO 1250 and the lines were there (fixed under warranty, but a hassle sending it to Germany).

 

Use fast SD card (x 150). It makes a big difference (wake up times, available for preview times) over a normal SD card.

 

When the battery has only one bar left, replace/charge it.

[Jamie Roberts]

I had one of the very first M8s in Toronto, so have had it since November 2006. I've used it professionally since then, so we're talking tens of thousands of shots, under all weather conditions too.

 

It's just now developed a stuck pixel, which has also happened to every other professional digital camera I've owned after around 18 months of heavy use (it does seem to be use dependent, not age dependent--perhaps someone can explain why ).

 

To me this is routine maintenance, and NJ is now fixing it (remapping) under warranty, and I should have it back soon. Though I have plenty of backup digital, they're all dSLRs, so can I also say the M8 is the only digital camera I've actually missed while it's been gone?

[Guest jimmy pro]

Yes, there are M8 users with problems, maybe too many relative to the name Leica, but the vast majority of M8's function flawlessly out of the box, and keeps on doing so.

 

As we've agreed before, Leica is the only one who knows the real numbers and they aren't telling. So your statement is just as much pure speculation as saying the opposite. I also don't agree that the problem is just to many relative to the Leica name. Its to many relative to the total # of M8's in existance. True we don't know that exact # either, but we do know it isn't within a factor of 10, and in some cases 100, to the # of pretty much any model Canon or Nikon, yet the reports of failures (which we can tell from forums) are close to the same. Still, we have to acknowlege that the M8 is the first model from Leica whereas Nikon and Canon have been through 5-6 generations. Just like with a car, if you buy a new model in the first year you have to expect some grief, and that's with car companies. In a better analogy to Leica making the M8, if Schwinn decided to come out with a car nobody would be surprized if it had some major bugs in the first model year.

[sm23221]

Most people will post threads to share their problems and then allow the reader to draw an inference. I'm willing to bet most M8 users who have experienced "a trip back to Solms" is probably few in number compared to the total of all users. I use mine regularly, have 5 lenses and have never sent anything back to Solms.

[grduprey]

I've had my M8 since February 2007, and it has been virtually problem free. It has however recently developed the turn on problem where I have to press the shutter release to activate the camera. Comes up in sleep mode? it is a bit annoying, but easily overcome, by pushing the shutter slightly. Not sure what the fix is, but for now I will live with it as I'm leaving for a six month trip, 3 in europe, and I do not want to take the chance of it not returning before I leave. Outside of this one foible, it has been a great image maker and no troubles at all, it is with me all the time.

 

Gene

[jaapv]

As we've agreed before, Leica is the only one who knows the real numbers and they aren't telling. So your statement is just as much pure speculation as saying the opposite. I also don't agree that the problem is just to many relative to the Leica name. Its to many relative to the total # of M8's in existance.

 

Splitting hairs. The good ones far outnumber the bad ones. See for instance this thread. And that is not counting user error; DSLR auto-everything boxes are far less prone to that kind of alleged faults.

I'm not prepared to argue numbers, as they are unknown. The positive view like mine is as valid as the negative, personified by posts like yours, the difference is that it is less loudly verbal.....

[okram]

If You go to the MacBook Pro forum, You will also find that it is a piece of shit comp, that Apple is charging for double money.

 

That is just not true, likewise M8...

 

 

20000 actuations in 15 months, 7000 of which without UVIR filter.

4000 keepers.

 

Problems: new 50Lux had tight focusing ring.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Guest jimmy pro]

The good ones far outnumber the bad ones/

I'm not prepared to argue numbers, as they are unknown.

 

Anyone else see a contradiction there?

 

The positive view like mine is as valid as the negative, personified by posts like yours, the difference is that it is less loudly verbal.....

 

Funny, I have the volume on my computer turned all the way up and I can't hear any difference between your post and mine

[Haya]

My M8 will be 1 year old in a week, and so far I've had no problems with it.

 

If you want the M8 go out and buy it worrying about if & when it might breakdown won't get you anywhere!