M8 free shutter replacement

[Cyril Jayant]

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This is my broken shutter and can read what lead that may have occurred to this broken down.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/197832-still-loving-m8-5.html

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[Theo-cantor-]

:confused: always been free of charge…???

 

 

:eek: why the hell they charged me more than 750 euros, one and a half year ago!!!!!!

 

(this was including a new lcd screen = 60 euros)

 

 

 

sam

 

Did you send your M8 directly to Solms or by Camtech????

[antonio-p]

Good morning everyone,

I'm resuming this discussion after a few years.

A few days ago I bought a fantastic M8 with about 5000 shots.

I ask if anyone knows, in case the shutter breaks, if at present Leica still replaces the shutter of the Leica M8 and if so at what price.

Thanks for any contribution to my question

[antonio-p]

10 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Yes they do (first hand information from Wetzlar), however, they put in the M9 shutter and you lose the 1/8000s. Still, better than nothing.
The replacement is somewhere around 1500 euros.

Thanks for the reply, so it went from "free" to 1,500 euros?
It costs a lot

[Jeff S]

14 minutes ago, antonio-p said:

Thanks for the reply, so it went from "free" to 1,500 euros?
It costs a lot

The last post wasn’t “a few years ago;” it was nine years ago.  Amazing it can be fixed at all, especially considering that the original part is apparently no longer available.  But I wouldn’t stress over a low mileage camera. And if the shutter breaks, I still wouldn’t rule out a courtesy repair, despite the quote; Leica has been known to quietly do that.

Jeff

[dpitt]

Don’t worry about the shutter. Any electronics that break can not be replaced at all.
Bottom line, almost anything that breaks, either use it as is, or buy a new camera or a new broken one for parts. Not unusual for a digital camera released in 2006 (17 years ago!)

[earleygallery]

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3 hours ago, antonio-p said:

Thanks for the reply, so it went from "free" to 1,500 euros?
It costs a lot

It was free because it appeared that there were some fragile shutters that failed prematurely, at that time (9 or more years ago).

If a shutter fails now it's probably better to put the money it would cost to repair towards a later model or buy another functional M8 if you can find one.

[Tux4711]

vor 16 Stunden schrieb Al Brown:

Yes they do (first hand information from Wetzlar), however, they put in the M9 shutter and you lose the 1/8000s. Still, better than nothing.
The replacement is somewhere around 1500 euros.

I paid around 900 euros to change the shutter on the M8 in Wetzlar a few months ago.

[Tux4711]

vor 11 Minuten schrieb Al Brown:

Lucky man. The sum must depend on which person is working at Customer Care that day. I see the range seeminly goes from free to maximum amount for parts and labor quite randomly.
This is what I was quoted before tax, add 19% VAT plus my insured shipping to Wetzlar and you are at almost 1500 euros exactly as I wrote above.

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That's crazy. My net amount was 710 euros. I don't see how one can justify this difference. I personally went to Customer Care in Wetzlar and left the camera right there. But this difference should really only show in the absence of postage.

[jimofnyc]

This thread compelled me to pull my M8 out of the bag it shares with its big brother M10 and at the least charge the battery up.  I bought my M8 in 2007 and it still sounds smooth and quiet (kind of).  I've never cleaned the sensor; it has a few small oil droplets - noticeable at small apertures but rather than get anywhere near the sensor to clean I just PS them away in post processing.  No coffee stain and no problems whatsoever.  About 7k shutter actuations at the moment.  She's looking good even if she's a little chubby...

[69xchange]

25 minutes ago, The Jackal said:

Good. A friend of mine also recently broke 

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m9 shutter time!!

[mark harverson]

Hi

I bought my M8 5 days ago with sub 8K actuations. Shutter fail after 50 pics.

I have been in contact with Leica in UK and they send to Germany for an M9 shutter replacement. No idea of cost yet. Is this the free repair method? Or do I need to contact someone else?

Any advice would be appreciated

mark

[andybarton]

From whom did you buy the camera? If it was a dealer, ask them to resolve the shutter problem for you as they are most likely to have included a warranty with the camera.

If it was a private sale, then you are probably on your own. Bearing in mind that M8s could easily be 16 - 17 years old (having been introduced in 2006), the free shutter replacement train has probably left a long time ago.

[mark harverson]

Bought privately Im afraid.

I have just found out  that I gotta pay a min of £800.00 plus conveyance for an M9 shutter replacement. 

So do I sell my M8 as parts and buy an 8.2 for £3000.00?

Or buy the M9, my original Leica digital. I bought the M8 for the Kodak experience. The first 50 pics were lovely

Seems Im travelling in circles.

Bugger!!

[jaapv]

Personally I would prefer the repair, if the rest of the camera is in good condition. After all, you will have a camera that has been checked out by Leica.

[mark harverson]

Yes and that's the way Im leaning.

A thought If an original low shutter count working M8 is circa £1200. What does a CLA'd M8 with M9 shutter worth?

Hum

[farnz]

On 5/2/2023 at 1:55 PM, mark harverson said:

Hi

I bought my M8 5 days ago with sub 8K actuations. Shutter fail after 50 pics.

I have been in contact with Leica in UK and they send to Germany for an M9 shutter replacement. No idea of cost yet. Is this the free repair method? Or do I need to contact someone else?

Any advice would be appreciated

mark

I had exactly the same happen with my second M8 5 or 6 years ago; 50-ish shots after private purchase and had to get the (1/8000th) shutter replaced by Leica for £650.  The replacement shutter has worked flawlessly ever since and Leica (as usual I believe) gave the M8 a CLA while the case was open so I ended up with an 'as new' M8.

One thing I watch is not to let the battery go down beyond one bar because the cocking spring is quite strong and if the battery doesn't have enough power to cock the shutter all the way and latch then the camera can decide that it's in an in-between state (half-cocked, half not cocked) and behave strangely.  It can on the odd occasion decide that when it's in this in-between state then the shutter must be broken and refuse to try to cock the shutter, which is in effect the same thing and it has to go back to Leica.

Good luck and I hope it turns out well.

Pete.

[mark harverson]

 

Well the M8 is on its way to Germany. Thanks for your story and best wishes Farnz.

Due to Brexit!!! it takes 3 weeks each way and 6 weeks in the factory/repair shop. I won't have the camera back in time for my Zurich trip.

So here goes, Im going to buy another M8 to use until it does return with the new M9 shutter. Just sold several cameras and lenses to fund it.

I have the Voightlander 50mm f1.2 Nokton to use until I decide what other lenses will suit my needs. Will have to be non-Leica Im afraid.

Maybe 15mm, 21mm or 28mm with RF mount.

Interestingly I have spoken to Leica about buying a later 2008 M8 serial numbers 33*****. I did read that the later production may have improved shutter reliability on the M8. Leica are of the opinion that it didn't improve the shutter in that 2 year period. So its pot luck with the next one.

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[69xchange]

On 5/11/2023 at 3:56 AM, mark harverson said:

 

Well the M8 is on its way to Germany. Thanks for your story and best wishes Farnz.

Due to Brexit!!! it takes 3 weeks each way and 6 weeks in the factory/repair shop. I won't have the camera back in time for my Zurich trip.

So here goes, Im going to buy another M8 to use until it does return with the new M9 shutter. Just sold several cameras and lenses to fund it.

I have the Voightlander 50mm f1.2 Nokton to use until I decide what other lenses will suit my needs. Will have to be non-Leica Im afraid.

Maybe 15mm, 21mm or 28mm with RF mount.

Interestingly I have spoken to Leica about buying a later 2008 M8 serial numbers 33*****. I did read that the later production may have improved shutter reliability on the M8. Leica are of the opinion that it didn't improve the shutter in that 2 year period. So its pot luck with the next one.

Are you interested in purchasing a m8 (mint condition) or a m8.2 (excellent condition w/ recent Leica CLA)? Both silver and boxed. I’m looking to sell one of them and keep the other. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by 69xchange

[mark harverson]

Hi

yes I’m about to buy anther m8. How much are you asking?

mark