catwood Posted August 7, 2008 Share #1 Posted August 7, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Has anyone else noticed flexing of their M8 body? I'm specifically talking about the seam between top metal piece rear textured surface - where your right thumb rests. I have felt separation of that seam and am wondering if it's anything to be worried about. I use a Thumbs Up - that may be contributing to the issue. Any thoughts? Thanks Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 7, 2008 Posted August 7, 2008 Hi catwood, Take a look here M8 Body Flex. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
chocy0924 Posted August 8, 2008 Share #2 Posted August 8, 2008 Well M8 is a lot of things but M8 really has a robust body... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted August 8, 2008 Share #3 Posted August 8, 2008 Chris-- I haven't noticed anything like that and don't think it should be happening. As I recall, Mark Norton's "Anatomy of the M8" thread showed how to reach the screws holding the top plate down. Sounds as if you might want to tighten them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterP Posted August 8, 2008 Share #4 Posted August 8, 2008 I routinely hammer nails with my M8 , never noticed a flex let alone a dent ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted August 8, 2008 Share #5 Posted August 8, 2008 Chris, here's a shot in the dark. Could your apparent problem be the leathertte covering 'sliding' down rather than the top coming loose? If that is where you place pressure with your thumb, it may be a possibility. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 8, 2008 Share #6 Posted August 8, 2008 I'd say the M8 is very robustly constructed but you need to give us more information. Is the top cover moving with respect to the main body (in which case the two screws holding it down may be loose) or is it (as Erl suggests) the leatherette moving? If you look at my anatomy thread, you'll see the camera consists of a die-cast "clam-shell" - two halves screwed together and solid brass top and bottom covers to form a very rigid body. The leatherette is simply stuck on to the die-cast body and might slide around, particularly in high temperatures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevelap Posted August 8, 2008 Share #7 Posted August 8, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Chris, here's a shot in the dark. Could your apparent problem be the leathertte covering 'sliding' down rather than the top coming loose? If that is where you place pressure with your thumb, it may be a possibility. My first thoughts exactly. I would guess that this is the most likely explanation for what you are sensing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwood Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted August 9, 2008 That was a good thought guys - but it doesn't seem to be the issue. When I use the Thumb's Up and 'pull' with my right thumb I hear and feel a click in the body there. With the Thumb's Up off, it here the same click when I push down on top body plate behind the shutter release. It's slight - but it really seems like something is loose. I'll check out the Anatomy thread to see if the threads are easy to get to - if not I guess I'll be sending it in for a checkup. Thanks for the help. - Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted August 9, 2008 Share #9 Posted August 9, 2008 Hi Chris- You beat me to it!! I was about to post a similar question. I have just yesterday returned from a safari to Namibia and during this trip noticed that on my one M8 body there's a click and flexing between the top metal cover plate and the rest of the body. It's as if the screws holding this in place need tightening. Another thing that happened 2 or 3 times with the same M8 body is this: I inserted a fully charged battery overnight, when I picked up the camera in the morning the body was warm and the battery was flat. I initially thought it may be a faulty battery and tried another battery, the same thing happened. I wonder if this is not related to the clicking/flexing, possibly causing an electrical short? Look forward to feedback. MIKE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsen Posted August 9, 2008 Share #10 Posted August 9, 2008 I push my M8 as hard as I can, but can register no 'flexing'. Further; isn't the body of a milled aluminium construction several millimetres thick? It would harldy flex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 9, 2008 Share #11 Posted August 9, 2008 The top cover is held in place by two screws, one at each end. One is visible at the bottom of the battery compartment - there are 3 screws, the one nearest the end of the camera is the one. The other is only accessible by removing the 5 screws and plastic plate beneath the base plate. There's a hole into which you insert the screwdriver (Phillips P00 75mm) and "feel" for the screw-head. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted August 10, 2008 Share #12 Posted August 10, 2008 Mark- Thanks for this info. I'm going to attempt this and see if it tightens up. Will keep you posted. You don't happen to have a pic of this from your dissection of the M8??? Thanks, MIKE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 10, 2008 Share #13 Posted August 10, 2008 The 5 screws to remove from the base are plainly visible when you take off the base plate. You need a Phillips P000 screwdriver to remove them and, as with any cross head screw, press into the screw when first undoing it to prevent the screwdriver head riding up and damaging the screw. With all 5 screws removed, the black plastic plate simply lifts out; obviously remove the battery and SD card. In this picture, the hole on the extreme right of the picture is the one where the screw securing the top can be reached. This is a larger screw head, hence the P00 screwdriver which needs to be long enough to reach the top of the camera; it's also a captive screw so will not drop out if you undo it. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/59729-m8-body-flex/?do=findComment&comment=625069'>More sharing options...
michali Posted August 11, 2008 Share #14 Posted August 11, 2008 Mark- Success!! I followed your guidelines and tightened the screw ever so slightly which seems to have fixed the problem, ie. the top metal plate is no longer clicking or shifting. I'm a huge fan of the M8 (I have 2 bodies and a small fortune invested in Leica lenses) and get really pissed off with some of the vitriolic comments hurled at the M8 from time to time by some of the "arm chair experts" in this forum. However I must question why this can happen to a camera that is supposed to be so well made. Thanks, MIKE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 11, 2008 Share #15 Posted August 11, 2008 Leica- loosening screws - don't start me... After two mounts worked loose in use I tightened all screws on my lens mounts to 35 Ncm with a torque wrench, and even on new lenses and lenses that had been to Leica for coding (i.e. mount change) the tightening torques were all over the place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maarten Posted August 11, 2008 Share #16 Posted August 11, 2008 Hi Jaap, There must be some truth in the saying that a dentist is a kind of engineer? Never thought of applying a torque wrench on my Leica. I did have some screws that turned loose over time though. I always use my Swiss Armyknife to fix those. Thanks for the humor, Maarten Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 11, 2008 Share #17 Posted August 11, 2008 However I must question why this can happen to a camera that is supposed to be so well made. Thanks, MIKE Maybe there is some pressure applied by using a Thumbs Up which has caused the top to loosen slightly - its an after market accessory so to be fair Leica wouldn't have allowed for such stress within the design - if indeed that is what it is - and so utter tightness of the screws wouldn't have been an issue. Just a thought. Whatever, screws do work loose on camera equipment - its moved around a lot and vibrations during trasit (cars, planes, trains) don't help. Its always been good practice to check the visible screws on equipment from time to time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 11, 2008 Share #18 Posted August 11, 2008 Mark- Success!! Great, pleased you've been able to fix it. As for why, Leicas are assembled by humans and humans are fallible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceflynn Posted August 11, 2008 Share #19 Posted August 11, 2008 Leica might want to take a look at the small torque screwdrivers made by Wiha in Germany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Manley Posted August 12, 2008 Share #20 Posted August 12, 2008 It's true that most kinds of transportation will vibrate the screws loose eventually. I used to have to tighten screws in my film M's all the time. Once I had a Noctilux fall off the camera into the mud when all of the screws on the mounting plate vibrated loose on a rough jeep ride. Luckily I was able to find every tiny little screw! Adding a little LocTite will help but even that works loose sooner or later. Tina Tina Manley- powered by SmugMug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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