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Confusion about M8 Serial Number


mreddington

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I just registered my M8 in the customer area of the Leica web site. I noticed that the s/n engraved on the hot shoe is identical to that on the invoice I received from the dealer, but in Lightroom it is different. Presumably LR retrieves it from firmware and it could, of course, be an error in LR, but has anyone else noticed this?

 

Is this likely to become a problem for me?

 

One other thing: in Europe it is not necessary to send in a registration card. All I received with my Leica products was a form stamped by the dealer and the invoice, which I would have to provide as proof of purchase in case of a repair. I have now input my Leica products in the customer area. Does this mean they are now registered in my name at Leica, or is this just a kind of database for use by customers to keep track of their Leica products?

 

Martin

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Luigi - I see in the Library in the metadata of an individual image, There are 3 items, Make, Model and serial number. Also, in the metadata browser in the list of cameras, there is a subsection under the "M8 Digital Camera" with the serial number. It is the same with my Canon DSLRs, the serial numberd are listed in the same places.

 

I am using LR 1.1 and it could be that the item in the metadata list is new, but I seem to remember that the s/n was still available in the metadata browser in 1.0.

 

Martin

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...a quick and no-hassle update process... Adobe knows how to make things work right...

OK now I can choose the level of the Metadata displayed (wasn't so in my 1.0) and the s/n of my M8 appears... and it's CORRECT: not so in yours ? What firmware you have in your M8 ? My is 1.102

 

Reagarding your other question, for me (Italy) has been the same : dealer told me that his signed/dated card is the main warranty proof; I think Internet registration is simply a form of control/CRM : and the filters arrived to me after the registration (quick - 16-20 days): the dealer had nothing to do with the question.

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Martin--

Generally, the firmware serial number matches the engraved one. However, since your sales documents and engraved serial number match, there won't be any difficulty with your camera.

 

Nonetheless, out of curiosity, I would ask Leica Customer Service about the discrepancy. They will have a record of both serial numbers and an explanation.

 

A parallel: My Apple eMac has an "About this Mac" feature that reports the serial number of the computer, but only if the motherboard has not been changed. Originally, the reported number matches the number on the sticker inside the DVD door, but after motherboard replacement, the serial number appears only on the sticker.

 

--HC

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Howard - thanks. I suspect, too, that there won't be any problem but will ask Leica. I have just updated the firmware to the latest version but this false number in LR is also associated with images from earlier versions back to 1.09 (which was installed when I bought the M8). It might be a problem in LR not reading the s/n properly. Do you know of a way to see the s/n in the M8 menu? I couldn't find anything like an "About M8".

 

Luigi - I also signed up for the filters but yesterday I came across another customer site at https://owners.leica-camera.com/index.php/en/login where you can input all your Leica products. I was wondering if this meant they were "officially" registered at Leica now.

 

FWIW I just checked the Canon 5d s/n and it is correctly noted by LR. First time I had held the 5D with the 24-205 L lens for some time - what a heavy beast!

 

Martin

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...a quick and no-hassle update process... Adobe knows how to make things work right...

OK now I can choose the level of the Metadata displayed (wasn't so in my 1.0) and the s/n of my M8 appears

 

Luigi - I think you'll find the update a big improvement, not only in the metadata handling but also with the new develop tools, improved sharpening and noise reduction, etc.

 

There are some very useful extracts from the update to Martin Evening's book on LR available on LightroomNews and if you already have his book you can download the whole document with all the information in one place.

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Thanks a lot Martin: I found the Lightromm News site a very useful portal - absolutely - : I appreciate LR mor and more as I'm learning to use it... sorry for C1 bundled with M8... I am of the people who thinks that is better to insist with a single applications than "finding the best" using 3 or 4. And... a question for you... I was stunned by the numbers of photo stitching applications, free or not, you can find on the web, so..confusion... I would like to find ONE that works fine... have you some advice about, maybe specifically well interfaced or even integrated with LR ?

Thanks in advance

Luigi

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Hi Luigi - I am afraid I can't help you with photo stitching applications since I have never used any.

 

I agree with you about LR. I use it as my primary window into my images, for organising and for most of my processing. I also have CS3 and use that from within LR if I need to do any more refined editing. The fact that they work together seamlessly has improved my workflow immensely. And Bridge is sometimes useful if I want to do any direct browsing for images on my drives. The fact that changes made in any one of these three applications are visible in the others makes it a great package, and I have the possibility of using CS3 plug-ins as well.

 

Sorry I can't answer your question about stitching but maybe someone else will jump in.

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I just registered my M8 in the customer area of the Leica web site. I noticed that the s/n engraved on the hot shoe is identical to that on the invoice I received from the dealer, but in Lightroom it is different. Presumably LR retrieves it from firmware and it could, of course, be an error in LR, but has anyone else noticed this?

 

Martin

 

Hi Martin

 

You're not the only one!

 

My chrome ex-demo M8 is No. 3102787 on the hotshoe, 3110134 according to the sales invoice and 3100130 according to the exif in Lightroom 1.1...! t looks like Solms plays 'blind man's buff' with the hot shoes!

 

I registered it as 3102787 having sent a copy of the invoice (with the number altered to 3102787) to Milton Keynes to obtain a guarantee card, which was missing from the box...

 

I'm not too worried - If I need it serviced under guarantee I'll get it done it through the dealer who supplied the camera, as I did with my DMR and D2.

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Do you know of a way to see the s/n in the M8 menu? I couldn't find anything like an "About M8".

Martin--I'm also unaware of a way to see the serial number via firmware.

 

Some people on the forum have reported that when they returned their problematic M8s to Leica, the company returned a new body but under the original top plate.

 

Perhaps some of those cameras were remanufactured and reissued under fresh serial numbers.

 

In John's case, it sounds as if that doubling of numbers was complicated by the camera's being put in the wrong box before sale. The salesperson probably wrote the number printed on the box.

 

That's only a guess. Could've just been the involvement of inebriated workers. ;)

 

I'm quite curious about the matter and would like to hear any explanations Leica gives.

 

--HC

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Hi Martin

 

You're not the only one!

 

My chrome ex-demo M8 is No. 3102787 on the hotshoe, 3110134 according to the sales invoice and 3100130 according to the exif in Lightroom 1.1...! t looks like Solms plays 'blind man's buff' with the hot shoes!

 

 

John - Well, it's nice not to be alone in adversity but you seem to have gone the whole hog!

 

Howard - it will be interesting to see what Leica have to say about it but I won't be able to pursue it immediately since I'm off on holiday tomorrow - hopefully without damage or loss of M8 so I don't have to test the s/n situation directly.

 

Martin

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