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Lowest serial Number on M8


satijntje

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3100001 through 3101500 certainly and up to 3102500 probably for the extra mass connection on the motherboard.

Numbers 3102500 through 3107500 may need the T2 upgrade.

 

My M8, 3100302, did not leave the factory until 31 Dec 2006, so must have been caught up in that process, as it is from the first batch of 2500 serial numbers released in August 2006 for production. It later had to go back for a further change of the electronics suite, due to very erratic behaviour.

 

Wilson

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That may have been one of the very first returns Leica had. There were a number of impetuous buyers who returned their cameras unused when they heard of the problems.

On the other hand Leica called a production stop and recall after a few weeks and only resumed deliveries - of updated cameras - in late December 2006. It may also be your camera did not ship in the first batch.

Edited by jaapv
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That may have been one of the very first returns Leica had. There were a number of impetuous buyers who returned their cameras unused when they heard of the problems.

On the other hand Leica called a production stop and recall after a few weeks and only resumed deliveries - of updated cameras - in late December 2006. It may also be your camera did not ship in the first batch.

 

Jaap,

 

I think the second case may be what happened to mine. I asked Leica if it had been a return and they said no and also that it had had the second version sensor from the beginning. The fact that it had had over 300 shutter actuations before the image numbering started made me a little suspicious.

 

Wilson

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I'm quite new to the M8 world. I've always dreamed of getting one and saw a 'refurbished' M8 on eBay. It was being auctioned by Ken Hansen and hearing of his stellar reputation, and that Leica had just serviced this in March '13, I decided to purchase it.

 

When I received it, I was pleasantly surprised to find the M8 in pristine, like-new condition, with no signs of handling and all packaging appeared new. The serial number is 3195118.

 

I took a few test shots and then checked on the number of shutter actuations using the body debug data and was astounded to see it only had 117 NUMEXPOSURES! Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my purchase.

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Back to an M8!

 

Couldn't resist and for the occasional color shot and extra body, made perfect sense.

 

I forgot how much louder the shutter is but I like it. Only took a handful of pictures today but I am really liking it...even more than expected.

 

Serial number 3200359.

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Thanks jaapv! You wouldn't have any info what was included in the T2 upgrade?

 

Yes - there was a series of cameras that had one transistor that could be out of spec (T2 to be precise) due to a manufacturing error of the parts supplier.

Failure of that transistor caused some of the cameras to "die" abruptly.

At the time it was known as SDS (sudden death syndrome).

 

Leica did not do a formal recall, but the dodgy transistor was replaced on all suspect cameras whenever they came in for service.

 

I should think that most cameras that were prone to fail will have failed by now, or have had the transistor replaced.

 

However there may be one or two little-used ones out there that need a replacement to be completely reliable.

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Mine is #3100134, bought in NY early November, 2006. Sorry, Wilson. :D

 

Still going strong!

 

Doug

 

Doug,

 

That is the first one I have seen with a serial lower than my one. :(:(:(

 

Still I would guess I am unlikely to find anyone with a lower serial M4 than my 1175047 (the 47th ever made including pre-production ones).

 

Wilson

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Mine is close to Japeli.

 

Number 3102197. I bought it recently with 4000 clicks...now has over 5,600 actuations.

Don't think it has had any issues. And taking plenty of varying pics, and lots of chimping and fiddling with settings. Always changing lenses...old LTM stuff. Couple of cleans of the sensor.

 

All good so far, and I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

cheers Dave S :)

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  • 5 weeks later...

I think it might be interesting if people mentioned whether their cameras are chrome or black bodies when giving their serial numbers. For instance, I can remember that the first M8 bodies delivered to the UK were chrome only, with black bodies arriving a few months later. Was this the same in other countries? I'm assuming that chromes were assembled first?

 

After years of using my old M2 and M3 professionally, I was so pleased that a digital M was now available, I ordered one. I was soon offered one of these chrome bodies from my dealer, but as I wanted a black one I declined. I think it was mentioned to me that several of these first chrome bodies had proved troublesome. The second batch that arrived were black so I had one of these. This was in December 2006 with the serial number, 3101898.

 

I don't wish to temp fate, but it's been very reliable over the years. Though when it was around 18 months old or so it did develop the well noted shutter problem of repeatedly re-cocking, usually after I'd come in from using the camera in the cold. I think I fixed it by leaving the battery out over night or something.

 

The camera went back to Solms two years ago for the shutter, frame-lines and glass upgrades. The repair invoice also mentions: 'replaced eyecups, clean sensor, adjust and clean range finder, adjustment of all parts, clean up and end control'. Presumably they would have checked whether it needed the T2 upgrade also?

 

Now with its quieter shutter and accurate frame-lines It's almost as enjoyable to use as my older Ms. It's great camera, and still used regularly.

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