M8 shutter just failed

[Alberti]

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Thanks for the tip.

The shutter is stuck probably before the winding of the shutter ("advance") started.

See this picture. There are no blades displaced or so as others have shown.

 

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Still I dare not give it a gentle push as some have reported. The blades are so fragile.

 

It must be due to some sensor (a status capturing micro-switch) that senses that the full cycle did not complete as programmed. Tapping the body also did not help a bit.

 

I made some mockery about the gipsy (who believes in that nowadays?), and about the bumping of the camera (but it's a professional camera, isn't it); but I also should mention the the day before the problem I had talked to another Leica shooter I met in Dresden, and we discussed his M9/Elmarit 21 mm, and I remarked, 'well next time I need a repair I will upgrade to a M9'.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed (but who believes in that?)

 

albert

[jaapv]

It may well be that one of the nylon "fingers" that record the shutter position is stuck. If so it is a simple and cheap repair. Otherwise...

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[koray]

...but I also should mention the the day before the problem I had talked to another Leica shooter I met in Dresden, and we discussed his M9/Elmarit 21 mm, and I remarked, 'well next time I need a repair I will upgrade to a M9'.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed (but who believes in that?)

 

albert

 

Well, one night I came home and my M6 got locked up at the exact moment when I took out a "new" replacement camera, the M2. I was planning to sell the M6 for profit, but all my gains went to repair costs. Now, who believes in that (cameras have souls)?

 

:-)

 

K.

[marknorton]

Don't mock the idea of tapping the camera quite hard onto the palm of your open other hand. The impact is nothing like it would receive if you dropped it and may just nudge sticky parts into working, If I was doing it, I would do it baseplate down.

[Alberti]

I have received my repaired camera back from Solms, this was within two weeks of handing it in. Very good service team (Kudo's to Mr Mandler's team).

The repair was handled as goodwill.

I am so indebted.

Now should I trade up to an M9? [i am happy with the nice M8 pictures] There is no intrinsic need to change.

albert

[jaapv]

If you are happy with the M8 I see no need to get an M9. Better get a nice lens.

[Torquinian]

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That seems a reasonable assumption to me, but begs the question of why the R8 and R9 shutter was thought trouble-free enough for use in the M8 to begin with.

 

IOW, what's the difference that would make it less reliable in the M8? Or, were there just so few R8's and R9's sold that we're unaware of their having a troublesome shutter?

 

I have been using a R8 since new with no problems of any kind.

[qu9542]

Thanks for the tip.

The shutter is stuck probably before the winding of the shutter ("advance") started.

See this picture. There are no blades displaced or so as others have shown.

 

[ATTACH]386081[/ATTACH]

 

Still I dare not give it a gentle push as some have reported. The blades are so fragile.

 

It must be due to some sensor (a status capturing micro-switch) that senses that the full cycle did not complete as programmed. Tapping the body also did not help a bit.

 

I made some mockery about the gipsy (who believes in that nowadays?), and about the bumping of the camera (but it's a professional camera, isn't it); but I also should mention the the day before the problem I had talked to another Leica shooter I met in Dresden, and we discussed his M9/Elmarit 21 mm, and I remarked, 'well next time I need a repair I will upgrade to a M9'.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed (but who believes in that?)

 

albert

 

 

I got this “Attention Shutter Fault” issue at least 2,3 times last year (I don't have “Drive blocked” error), power on, off, press shutter makes problem go away temporarily. The shutter was stuck just like what is showed @ Alberti's post, there is no white curtain piece, all black curtain.

 

This morning, the problem came back.

 

From my observation, this issue happened when the battery power was low. When I check the last picture taken by the M8 before the “Attention Shutter Fault” error, I found there are some vertical black lines in the pictures (looks like M8 doesn't have enough power to write data to SD). And indeed the battery has no power in it. This let me guess maybe the shutter mechanism doesn't have enough power to finish the cycle, so it is stuck. I have to power on, power off, and press shutter many times... and eventually shutter will finish the unfinished cycle and “Attention Shutter Fault” problem will go away. I haven't see any statistics about the battery power status when this “Attention shutter fault” issue happen, but I think battery power status may just be another variable that contribute to this issue.

 

Well, another problem may be irrelevant to “Attention shutter fault” problem:

I found the shutter release button stop spring back to its original position right after I temporarily “fixed” “Attention Shutter Fault” problem by continuously power off/on/press shutter button …. It feels like the springs inside the shutter release button are broken. As a result, m8 will be in “Half press” state when power on, which means the metering is actively working, and all menu buttons are disabled.

I am planning to send my m8 to Allendale NJ, US for repair (just shutter release button).

[jip]

Send the camera to Leica Germany they repair the shutter for free unless it's because you dropped it.

[qu9542]

Send the camera to Leica Germany they repair the shutter for free unless it's because you dropped it.

 

Thanks for the info, I am thinking about this option.

[jip]

I have had m8 shutters repaired for free a few times. Way out of warranty. Only paid for transport to Leica.

[qu9542]

I have had m8 shutters repaired for free a few times. Way out of warranty. Only paid for transport to Leica.

 

Thanks a lot for the info, sorry to hear this problem also happen to you

[qu9542]

Finally got the button stuck(stuck in half press position) issue fixed. It turned out the gold plunger of the shutter release switch was stuck inside the switch, after a little twist using flat-head screw driver, the plunger came out again. After that, everything works.

 

I actually emailed Leica Germany, Leica Camera AG want me to contact agency in the USA for further assistance. So I UPS-ed my m8 to Leica Allendale, NJ center, and got repair estimate of $510.... repair include: replace releaser, replace or clean all switches, check complete meter system, repair/adjust motor coupling, adjust R/F, clean image sensor, adjust CCD position/Tilt, perform pixel/column restoration, replace m8-m9 cover (MP style).

 

After carefully research Mark Norton's Anatomy of Leica M8 post, I decided to give a try. I called Leica NJ to return m8 un-repaired. I thought if I fail, I can still send my m8 back to NJ center to repair. This time I got lucky...

 

The first image shows the gold plunger in the right position.

The second image shows the shutter button removed.

The third image shows the Flex Clamp tool.

The shutter button can be removed by flex clamp (5/8 inch, 15.9mm), counter clock wise. Mikeno62 posted a wonderful youtube video which explains how to remove the shutter button (and a lot more) @

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Edited March 3, 2015 by qu9542

[david strachan]

Well done. Hopefully all fixed.

Yes, we owe Mark Norton a lot for his "Anatomy.." Now, you too have added to understanding the M8.

Dave S

Edited March 3, 2015 by david strachan

[david strachan]

Oh, and of course, thanks to Lenshacker also, for his diligent testing of Avids RAW file processing.

cheers Dave S

[qu9542]

Yes, David, I could not agree more.

Mark Norton provided genius insight on the m8 hardware, while lensshacker provides great ideas on 14bit RAW processing. Indeed make a lot m8 owners' life easier and more fun.

[jip]

Shutter repair is always free send it in, they Will do it as goodwill happened to me 3 times 3 different M8s send it to Germany though

 

Just now see it wasn't the actual shutter

[qu9542]

Hi Jip,

 

Yes, indeed the photos I posted are about how to fix stuck shutter release button. I posted these photos in this thread because I got this problem when fixing the shutter, so I think other members may experience the similar issue

 

I want to send my camera to Germany, but I got lost in details (i.e., address, form).

May I ask the address of the service center you used? Solms, Wetzlarer? Also do you need to attach some kind of form in the package? Can you share a link of the form? I can only find the US form @ Repair & Maintenance // Service & Support - Leica Camera AG, which indicate Leica Camera USA / Customer Care / 1 Pearl Court Unit A, Allendale NJ 07401-1610 / USA

 

I found the following 2 repair service centers in Germany @ LHSA Repair Services

[1]

LEICA CAMERA AG

Address:

Solmser Gewerbepark 8

Solms 35606

DE

 

[2]

Wetzlarer Feine Mechanik

Address:

Niedergasse 41

Ehringshausen 35630

DE

 

thanks again for your kindness and help!

[jaapv]

The first is incorrect as it is the old address, the second is an independent repairer. Refer to the Leica-de website for the correct address, telephone numbers, e-mail address etc.

 

 

Leica Camera AG / Customer Care / Am Leitz-Park 5 / 35578 Wetzlar

 

customer.care<at>leica-camera.com

Edited March 14, 2015 by jaapv

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[qu9542]

Thanks a lot Jaapv for the detail info.

Now I got it.

Go to Leica Camera AG, from top menu, choose "SERVICE & SUPPORT->SUPPORT->CONTACT"; From CONTACT page, choose Germany as COUNTRY, check "Photography" as PRODUCT GROUP, and click FILTER. Everything is there.

 

Cheers!