tecumseh Posted July 30, 2010 Share #1 Posted July 30, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Has anyone got any data on M8s going wrong? I've had mine thirteen months and its been fine. Suddenly the LCD screen ceased working and only displayed a blanket white screen. I posted it back to Solms this morning under warranty. Looking through the threads nobody else seems to have had the same problem. I know there are other issues with the camera. In my letter to Leica I was going to suggest they replace the M8 with an MP (I don't mind the fact that the LCD screen on an MP never works!) to ensure my camera is "futureproof". I'm a little annoyed. My forty year old CL never gave up the ghost and my I sold my fully functioning battered M6 and mint M7 for more than I paid for them. I've got a Mamiya 7, LX3 (over two years old with fully functioning screen) and an Ikon Z1 to keep me going while my M8 is being repaired but it all seems a little... "un-Leica". I assumed I'd be sending it back because I broke it (I'm not precious about my stuff) not because it just stopped working. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 30, 2010 Posted July 30, 2010 Hi tecumseh, Take a look here Just how many M8s go wrong.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
bocaburger Posted July 30, 2010 Share #2 Posted July 30, 2010 I've had dozens of Leica models going back as far as a IIIa of 1937, on up to an M7 and MP, plus a Leicaflex SL2, R6.2, R7 and R8. Every one of them has needed repair of some kind. By contrast, I've owned Nikon F, F2, F3, F4 and F5, Canon 1N 1V and several Canon DSLR's and none of them has ever needed a repair. So of all the many wonderful attributes of Leica cameras that keeps me a fan, repair frequency isn't one. I'm happy you've been lucky with your other Leicas, and sorry about the problem with the M8, but that's just the way things go. Cameras can be fixed, and worst-case scenario, replaced. Compared to my health, camera problems aren't something I'm about to stress out over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted July 30, 2010 Share #3 Posted July 30, 2010 Has anyone got any data on M8s going wrong? Leica has, but they are not saying Seriously, you pays your money and you takes your choice. The more complex the electronic device, the less likely it is to be robust and reliable. My Leica II is 80 this year and still going strong. Regardless of battery/card etc compatibility, I cannot imagine something as complex as an M8 surviving the general hurly-burly of existence that long. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtorrents Posted July 30, 2010 Share #4 Posted July 30, 2010 I've got exactly the same problem (white LCD) with my brand new M8 two years ago. Right after unboxing it I sadly discovered that the Lcd got some kind of fault. My dealer exchanged it immediatly for another M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rondeb Posted July 30, 2010 Share #5 Posted July 30, 2010 1 M8, 1 M8.2 - both dead pixel vertical lines. fwiw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tecumseh Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share #6 Posted July 31, 2010 both dead pixel vertical lines. Can you still make out the picture on the screen? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
epand56 Posted July 31, 2010 Share #7 Posted July 31, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) In almost three years, mine has always worked smoot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecaton Posted July 31, 2010 Share #8 Posted July 31, 2010 My first generation M8 (January 2007) went to NJ for shutter repair after approx. 10k actuations. No problems since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rondeb Posted July 31, 2010 Share #9 Posted July 31, 2010 Can you still make out the picture on the screen? Yes. Just 1 small line visible under inspection. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cesare Posted July 31, 2010 Share #10 Posted July 31, 2010 I am shooting with my M8 since March 2007 and till now everything is ok. Hope my new M9 may be as reliable as old M8, which is still in use and not meant as a back up! Regards. Cesare Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted July 31, 2010 Share #11 Posted July 31, 2010 Leica has, but they are not saying +1. Cheers! Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted August 1, 2010 Share #12 Posted August 1, 2010 Camera repair mechanics the world over, regardless of brand preference, don't make a living out of gear that does not go wrong. Their continued existence is the only proof needed to affirm the regularity of failures and breakages. "Tecchy" cams like the M8/9 will only increase their workload. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronazle Posted August 1, 2010 Share #13 Posted August 1, 2010 Hi, Both of my M8s (I new, 1 a Leica demo) had failures in their first year (first year I owned the demo). Both were shutter failures and have been trouble free since shutter replacements in NJ. One caution: they are much more fragile on rfdr alignment than film cameras-one must not bang them around like many did with Leicas during the 60's, and 70's. It seems most of the bugs have been worked out. I would have been much more upset if the failures were out of warranty. regards, ron Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davehendley Posted August 2, 2010 Share #14 Posted August 2, 2010 2 weeks ago I had to return my M8 for the second time in 18 months, this occasion is for a rectangular mark (coffee stain perhaps?) on the monitor. To be honest as much as I love this camera (its the only digital camera I have ever enjoyed using) I have to concede that it is just not a very reliable piece of equipment. The idea that modern electronic cameras are complex and prone to malfunctions doesn't wash with me. The joy of the M8 is its simplicity and lack of gimmicks - I have worked with many irritatingly over feature laden Canon DSLRs during the past 8 years and have never encountered any return to base hardware/software issue. For the moment I'll be leaving digital alone, the medium itself needs to stabilize and be less driven my camera manufactures marketing ambitions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsen Posted August 3, 2010 Share #15 Posted August 3, 2010 1) The no 1 fault with the Leica M8 has been 'The Red Line' (a red line in the middle of the picture. All M8s I know of here in Norway have been back to Solms for fixing of this problem. Leica has always fixed it properly. Without cost. Even to a guy who bought his M8 2.hand. 2.hand buyers should assure themselves that the M8 in question has been to Solms for the Red Line Fixing. Mine has also been to Solms for this fixing. When sending it to Solms I asked them to check the rangefinder too. 2) I had problems focusing with my Noctilux. I then sent my M8 and my Noctilux together asking them to check it once more. I got it back with a note 'insisting' it was adjusted correctly, but that I had to be aware that a DOF shift is normal when using such a fast lens at full aperture. There is no reason to believe that the rangefinders on M8s are any worse than on the film Ms. But a digital sensor/camera is more unforgiving when it comes to incorrect focusing. 3) I also have this 'coffee stain ring' on the lcd display. 'All' M8 seems to have it after some years use. I have not bothered to do anything about it. 4) I have never experienced a white lcd, though. Even though I was among the first buyers of the M8 and have had mine for quite some years. It is important to use the M8 with new batteries. I just bought new batteries and find my M8 to be working better than ever. 5) Shooters with digital cameras have far more exposures than in the film days. May be ten fold. Have this in mind. Regard it as normal that new shutter must be installed sooner or later. Can anyone here inform us on what it costs to have a new shutter installed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daymadi-T Posted August 3, 2010 Share #16 Posted August 3, 2010 I went everywhere with my M8 till 2008 and a another body M9 in oct 2009, sometime in a rough condition , but God thank, both worked perfectly! Sometime the defect were from the origin . A Camera which goes for the first several pictures, will go for years, that is what we hope for . Better solution in these cases is to deal with the dealer , changing another new one , even with a reasonable lost of money , the dealer take charge on repairing of his own , than using the warranty right to wait for a certain time and be unsatisfied at last ! ( To my though, serious dealers may easily accepted this deal for expensive hight quality material ). I wished things will go better for you . photoerrant's Photos- powered by SmugMug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornbarn Posted August 4, 2010 Share #17 Posted August 4, 2010 I'm pleased to say they don't all go wrong! I've had my M8 since April 2007 and it has been trouble free throughout. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedi996sps Posted August 5, 2010 Share #18 Posted August 5, 2010 I hav had mine since they were first released. Had intermittent problems with it not focusing after it was turned off and then on again. Just recieved it back from Solms, works fine now...but £500 worse off :-( Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 5, 2010 Share #19 Posted August 5, 2010 :confused:Focussing is manual - it has nothing to do whatever with turning on or off.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tecumseh Posted August 6, 2010 Author Share #20 Posted August 6, 2010 Had intermittent problems with it not focusing after it was turned off and then on again. . Huh? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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