M8 Upgrade programme no longer available.

[Attonine]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have just noticed that the M8 upgrade programme has been discontinued, according to the Leica website. With the introduction this week of the M Monochrome, and the speculation over an upcoming M10 later in the year, has anyone heard any rumours regarding further M8 upgrades, specifically the possibility of a sensor upgrade?

[Advertisement]

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

[jaapv]

Sensor upgrade - sorry- that was never on the cards...A bit of Wolkenkuckuckland on the Internet.

I guess all M8s that were to be upgraded have been upgraded by now. Nothing to do with product releases.

[Attonine]

You seem quite definite in your reply. I was under the impression that some years ago the CEO, or someone high up within Leica had indicated the plan for a rolling upgrade possibility for the Digital M system, was this not the case? At least one major Leica dealer in London still believes this is the plan.

[jaapv]

If any dealer has led you to believe in a sensor upgrade you should examine his desk for bottles of whisky. And ask him what price he wants for Tower Bridge.

[Marignac]

A sensor upgrade seems a bit of a mess for a lot of electronic components ought to be affected. Plus: this would undermine the economic success of the MM, because a large fraction of M aficionados would probably send in their M8, the role of which besides the M9 was reduced to - dadaaa: BW photography. So, who would buy then the MM?

 

What bothers me more: I planned to upgrade the shutter. I like the 1/8000 and use it frequently, but the shutter is very hard and causes blur the way I work quite often at even 1/45. Now it seems I'm too late

[jaapv]

Pick up the phone tomorrow and ask Andrea Frankl at Customer Service. I have no idea of the current policy on this issue, but with Leica many things that can be done are not publicized.

[stunsworth]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

You seem quite definite in your reply. I was under the impression that some years ago the CEO, or someone high up within Leica had indicated the plan for a rolling upgrade possibility for the Digital M system, was this not the case? At least one major Leica dealer in London still believes this is the plan.

 

It was indeed proposed, but nothing every came of it and it was dropped - as was the exec involved.

[JeTexas]

You seem quite definite in your reply. I was under the impression that some years ago the CEO, or someone high up within Leica had indicated the plan for a rolling upgrade possibility for the Digital M system, was this not the case? At least one major Leica dealer in London still believes this is the plan.

 

I was working in news when the M8 came out, and yes, I do distinctly remember the press kits where Leica was touting the M8 as the upgradeable digital camera that would never become outdated. If I remember correctly they planned to launch a program where customers could buy-in (at what seemed an exhorbitant price) and always have their camera updated to the newest sensor, etc. However, I think Leica realized very quickly that was far too ambitious and when the program launched in 2008 it was just focused on the shutter noise.